Académique Documents
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5 QUESTIONS
WITH UAS EXPERT
www.Drone360mag.com March/April 2016 GRETCHEN WEST
2016 Horizon Hobby, LLC. Blade, SAFE, the SAFE logo, Bind-N-Fly, the BNF logo and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, LLC.
facebook.com/bladehelis The Spektrum trademark is used with permission of Bachmann Industries, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks and logos are property of their respective owners. 52009
SAFE FLIGHT MODE VERSATILITY
BEGINNER MODE
Small pitch and roll angle limits combined Exclusive SAFE (Sensor Assisted Flight Envelope) technology
with intuitive self-leveling help you keep the is an integrated electronic ight envelope protection system
drone under control. thats custom tuned with intuitive ight modes that make it
INTERMEDIATE MODE easy to y with condence, regardless of your skill level.
Pitch and roll limits are expanded to offer
a larger ight envelope while intuitive
self-leveling continues to provide positive Check out the amazing Blade Inductrix Drone
stability. in action at BladeHelis.com/Drones
EXPERT MODE
Pitch and roll limits are removed so you can
explore agile ight capabilities.
4 Drone360mag.com
MOUNT SINABUNG
ERUPTS
UAS advocate and humanitar-
ian Rhianna Lakin captured
this amazing image during a
trip to Indonesia. Read how
she and likeminded women
are changing the UAS world
for the better on Page 70.
RIHANNA LAKIN
PREPPING THE REAPER
Staff Sgt. Stephanie Hughes
reviews loading procedures
during weapons load training
at Creech Air Force Base, NV.
One of the squadrons MQ-9
Reapers can be seen behind
her. Learn more about the
drone wars on Page 54.
U.S. AIR FORCE/
SENIOR AIRMAN LARRY E. REID JR.
6 Drone360mag.com
FIRE IN THE SKY
The sighting of five drones
in a Southern California wild-
fire closed Interstate 15 and
grounded firefighting crews for
20 minutes as flames spread.
The Center for the Study of
the Drone examines UAV close
calls on Page 46.
JAMES QUIGG/THE VICTOR
VALLEY DAILY PRESS/AP
8 Drone360mag.com
March/April 2016 Vol. 1 Issue 1
ON THE COVER
An MQ-9 Reaper, operated by
the 42nd Attack Squadron, flies
above Creech Air Force Base, NV.
U.S. AIR FORCE/PAUL RIDGEWAY
DEPARTMENTS
13 DRONING ON Drones in the news heres what you missed.
84 ESSAY Negative stories about drones are good for getting atten-
tion, but there are so many better ways to use UAVs. Faine Greenwood
28 XIRO
XPLORER V
Drone360mag.com
FEATURES
10 Drone360mag.com
LETS GO FOR A SWIM
A VideoRay ROV explores
the galley of the shipwreck
America at Isle Royale
National Park. For more
adventures in underwater
archaeology, see Page 76.
BRETT SEYMOUR/NPS
SUBMERGED RESOURCES CENTER
BRINGING ORDER TO THE CHAOS HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION GOING DOWN
TIM KIDWELL & CARL ENGELKING LIZ KRUESI ELISA NECKAR
March/April 2016 11
editors welcome
LET THE CONVERSATION CONTINUE! So, you dont have to talk to it (unless
After two special editions in 2015, you you want to), but armed with that agenda,
Drone360 you can talk to your friends, family, taxi
as a bimonthly publication. What does drivers, and the people in line for their
that mean? It means that you can expect to order of Kung Pao beef at China Garden
see a new issue every other month, keep- about drones, regardless of whether they
ing you informed about everything drone:
from the latest consumer and prosumer You can also go to Drone360mag.com
to stay up to date with the latest develop-
has planned next, to emerging tech. ments. Email us to ask your questions
However, Drone360 is about much (editor@Drone360mag.com), comment on
more than telling you what weve discov- stories, tell us about your experiences, or
ered or what you need to know. Drone360 point us in the direction of something you ful new technology become integrated
think weve missed. Every day we talk to into our airspace, into our commerce, and
yet, its about generating many conversa-
tions, ultimately drone related, but cover- what I want to know; tell us what you Theres a lot to cover, and there are a
ing so many subtopics that I couldnt list want to know, and well get the answers.
them all and neither could you, be- The world of drones is coming. Lets
cause new ones are constantly emerging. work together to not only be part of that
How, Tim? you might ask. How is emerging world, but also participants in
this a conversation? Im reading a maga- excellent drone videos and photos via shaping it, too.
zine, and I wont talk to it. Ever. Instagram (#Drone360aerial), and well
Yep, you have a magazine, but look pull them into the feed on the website.
at this as the reintroduction of the major (Remember, drones arent just in the air.
ideas, the visualization of the current big So if youve got an ROV, we want to see
picture, the regular meeting that sets the those pics, too.)
agenda for the next 60 tomorrows. Thats -
what youre holding. And the next issue lieve here at Drone360, its that we need to Timothy E. Kidwell
will do the same. communicate in order to see this wonder- Editor
12 Drone360mag.com
droning on
Drone hobbyists in China often fly their wares with near-reckless abandon, wowing onlookers but also angering airlines and government officials
who fear mounting safety risks posed by the proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles.
IMAGINECHINA/AP
March/April 2016 13
Under the UAS Operation Rules, unleash the true potential of new UAS 2014. The drones have wings covered
drones may be operated beyond visual with solar cells and are designed to stay
line-of-sight (BVLOS) in some circum- approach currently being contemplated
- by the FAA.
ence from the FAAs rules, which require
drones to be in an operators visual line- consistent with those under development Run out of Spaceport America in New
of-sight at all times. in the U.S. and EU, the Hogan Lovells Mexico, the project has faced a number
She says the FAA will eventually report says.
I do hope that the FAA looks to the which has been delivery mixups and im-
over people in congested areas, and when CAAC for guidance here, as their ap- proper installation of sensitive electronics.
this happens, requirements may include proach makes sense in a lot of ways and At the same time, Google is running
technology similar to the UAS Cloud in - two other tech-heavy programs: Project
the CAAC rules. tion, says Ellman. Wing and Project Loon. Using millimeter-
Operators in China are also required wave radio technology, the three are to
to have insurance, which helps eliminate GOOGLE TESTING SOLAR-POWERED form the infrastructure backbone for
questions about how to handle accidents DRONES TO DELIVER 5G INTERNET service providers to build on top of.
and covers liability for possible damage It seems Google, a subsidiary of the Despite the setbacks, Google appears
or injury to people or property on the congolmerate Alphabet, has run into de- determined to continue forging a new
ground. velopment snags with Project SkyBender
The Operation Rules will help foster (once known as Project Titan). Informa- the world.
innovative drone technology, such as tion obtained by The Guardian, including
agricultural and crop-related UAS opera- emails between Google execs, indicates NEARLY 300,000 UAS OWNERS
tions, while maintaining safety in China. the company isnt quite as good at assem- REGISTER ONLINE
The CAAC rule sets up a risk-based bling and engineering actual hardware
approach framework that regulates UAS as it is at creating server farms and opened its web-based drone registration
in a manner proportionate to the risk writing code. process for owners of UAS. Impressively,
presented by the UAS operation, says The project reportedly utilizes solar- over 300,000 drone owners have regis-
Ellman. Ultimately, this will provide powered drones manufactured by Titan tered in compliance with the FAAs new
a more workable framework to safely Aerospace, which Google purchased in requirements as of the end of January.
MODELAIRCRAFT.ORG/JOINAMA
CALL THE AMA (800) 435-9262
FAA GRANTS UNIQUE UAS the door for all of these enter- In a press release, Louis Soll says Cape has zero
SERVICE PERMISSION prise and consumer clients all Gresham, president of Cape competitors. He says this may
In January, the FAA around the country to have Productions, said Cape has be because many drone entre-
granted Cape Productions, a a 100 percent safety record preneurs have been focusing
consumer drone video service a way that is fully legal and to date across thousands of on business within the UAV
for action sports, an amend- fully insured and covered, industry, but he isnt sure
ment to the companys exist- says Soll. that safety and compliance are what the future holds.
ing Section 333 exemption for Currently, Cape is the only a top priority of the company. We encourage [competi-
commercial drone operations company that has this type of Before operating at any site, tion]. It will keep us on our
in the U.S. permission from the FAA, and Cape maps it out and begins toes, Soll says. Whatever
- Soll doesnt know if, or when, to build rails. Soll explains that yields the best outcome for
- the UAV can only go up and our customer, Im extremely
within 500 feet of customers lar permission. As of Jan. 27, down the rail, steering clear of excited about.
and in an area larger than a the FAA has granted almost trees, lifts, and customers. Apparently Cape is receiv-
closed set. 3,200 Section 333 exemptions. Worst case scenario if ing a large amount of requests
Until now, all previous A lot of companies are do- there were to be an issue with from business owners and
decisions prohibited drone ing their best to steer clear of any of our technology our consumers with ideas of what
operations closer than 500 the FAA, Soll says. Instead, drones stay locked onto the the company can do for them,
feet to anyone except the pilot we employ the opposite ap- rail, Soll says. The drone that and it welcomes more.
and visual observer (aerial proach, and were very open fell inches from a skier dur- The long-term goal for
data collection) or persons on with them. ing a World Cup slalom run Cape is to become the larg-
a closed set who have given He says Cape, which has in Italy last December wont est, most trusted operator of
happen with Cape, which drones in the world, says
Jason Soll, CEO of Cape the U.S. since 2014 and 2015, lends some peace of mind to Soll. The company looks for-
Productions, says many com- respectively, is excited about customers and bystanders. ward to announcing its future
mercial drone users have been The Cape team spent 2014 business plans within the next
operating illegally because of game-changing permission. in Canada testing drones few months.
strict FAA guidelines. Howev- Soll speculates that the com- to ensure maximum safety. Hopefully, 50 years from
er, thanks to the groundbreak- panys open-kimono strategy Even though safety is critical, now, [we will have] made an
ing exemption, this might all with regulators and rigorous the company makes sure to impact on the trajectory of
change. safety measures may have position the drones to capture where drones are going and
Whats so exciting about helped the FAA approve this beautiful angles and scenery how people get value from
groundbreaking amendment. them, says Soll.
16 Drone360mag.com
NEW
CONNEX.AMIMON.COM
5 questions with
HOGAN LOVELLS
GRETCHEN WEST
1
WHAT GOT YOU STARTED
IN DRONES?
dont think weve experienced
the best of the best yet; I think
the industry, the least well-
represented are the commercial
extends to our smaller drone
community. This past fall, some
Over a decade ago, I was weve only scratched the surface enterprise end-users com- conversations started about
lucky enough to start working of whats possible. Were see- munities such as broadcasting, better mentoring for women in
with AUVSI and was immediately ing new types of end-users in construction, inspection, mining, the community and getting more
fascinated by the potential for the consumer, prosumer, and utilities, and more. All of these women engaged, but the con-
drones, robotics and other un- commercial markets. We will industries have a desire to use versations ended after the event
manned systems, and the ability continue to see more unique drones commercially, but all are closed. Based on the enthusiasm
to help shape the future of this applications for using drones, facing severe challenges to oper- for the topic, those discussions
industry. I helped write the and using technology in general. ate efciently. I joined forces need to continue in a more for-
associations vision statement, We will nally start to achieve with Lisa Ellman, a partner at mal way. We set up the Women
which was about improving hu- autonomous operations, bringing Hogan Lovells in D.C., who saw of Commercial Drones Meetup
manity by enabling robotics tech- more freedom and efciency to a lack of end-user voices in her group (which is intended to be
nology globally. Who wouldnt our everyday lives. Being able work with the federal govern- nationwide, with events hosted
want to be part of a statement to create new paths to open up ment. With our team at Hogan where there is critical mass of
such as that? this market and broadly allow for Lovells, we recognized the need interest) as a rst step, but more
My experiences in the indus- commercial use of drones and to bridge the gap between policy,
try only got better from there. other technologies and having technology, and innovation and WEVE ONLY SCRATCHED THE
Ive had the pleasure of working appropriate policy to match is focus on representing commer- SURFACE OF WHATS POSSIBLE.
with the military, government a great motivator. cial end-users.
contractors, regulators, univer- Thus we launched the needs to be done.Im a member
sities, startups, commercial YOUVE HELPED SOFT- industry-led, nonprot Com- of the Amelia Dronehart group,
end-users, and more, and I look 3 LAUNCH THE COMMERCIAL mercial Drone Alliance, which is which is a wonderful forum for
forward to what this new chapter DRONE ALLIANCE WHATS IT solely focused on representing women operators who support
holds for me with Hogan Lovells ABOUT? commercial entities and reduc- each other and teach each other
as we continue to work with After spending many years ing their barriers to entry and to be successful in this indus-
various clients and industries to talking to the members of the operation. We plan to focus on try. The Women of Commercial
break down the barriers for suc- unmanned systems community, technology and create relevant Drones group will work with ex-
cess in this marketplace. I gained a sense of the gaps in policy; create and show value for isting groups to make sure that a
representation, and this was these various end-user markets network is created for mentoring
WHAT KEEPS YOU EXCITED most clear in the commercial to ensure technology adop- and to help women become suc-
2 AND INTERESTED IN UAS? drone industry. While many asso- tion; and tackle the vast public cessful in this industry. And Im
While the drone industry has ciations exist that do great work perception issue, changing the looking for active and engaged
been around for decades, I still and represent various facets of conversation to showcase the women that would like to help
good use cases and stories make this effort into something
about drones. We have lots meaningful!
more planned, but ultimately,
we are building an ecosystem of BEST MOMENT INVOLVING
partners to advance this indus- 5 A DRONE?
try collectively and aggressively There are so many, its
and are eagerly anticipating our difcult to narrow down, but
ofcial launch of the Commercial I suppose the rst time I ew
Drone Alliance. a drone had to be one of the
most memorable. Finally under-
WHAT IS THE WOMEN OF standing why an aerial vantage
4 COMMERCIAL DRONES point is so special and unique
GROUP ON MEETUP.COM? compared to anything weve
Living in Silicon Valley, I often seen done before with a cam-
hear discussions about the gen- era. The other most memorable
Helping set the commercial UAS agenda: West delivers the kickoff eral lack of women in technology drone ight? When I crashed it.
address at Drone World Expo 2015 in San Jose, CA. DRONE WORLD EXPO leadership roles, but that also It happens to all of us.
18 Drone360mag.com
GRETCHEN WEST
HOGAN LOVELLS SENIOR
ADVISOR FOR INNOVATION
AND TECHNOLOGY
WHEN IT
ALL GOES
WRONG By Oliver Volkmann
A
ny experienced UAS operator will tell
you that its not a matter of if, but a
matter of when something goes wrong.
Accidents are often avoidable, provided
that the pilot takes the time to perform a
preflight check of all components, thoroughly
tests their system, flies within their capabili-
ties, and practices. Even with all this, and
with all the rules and regulations in the world,
you may still experience an unplanned land-
ing, the severity of which, you might joke,
depends on the number of parts you need
to pick up afterwards. So, what can go
wrong, and how do you recover when
it does?
DREAMSTIME.COM
1. DONT UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF BATTERIES
YOUR CHOICE OF DRONE AND THE COMPONENTS the longevity of your batteries.
THAT YOU UTILIZE IN YOUR OWN BUILDS MAT- Regarding battery meters like those on
TER, BUT DO NOT GUARANTEE THE AIRCRAFTS the DJI Inspire or Phantom quads, the
SAFE PERFORMANCE. One of the most crucial LED indicators show a range from 40 to
parts of an aircraft is the power source. Practi- 100 percent charge. When you reach
cally all consumer and custom-built drones on 40 to 50 percent battery life, thats when
the market today are powered by lithium- you should land. The way these batter-
polymer (LiPo) batteries. Anyone who was pay- ies are metered lines up closely with the
ing attention to the news this past holiday season voltage parameters outlined above.
probably heard about the issues facing the latest Knowing this about your batteries will
craze in personal mobility: the (exploding) help you avoid having to take emergency
hoverboards. What caused these devices to actions to land. However, if you should find
catch fire has been linked to the poorly manu- yourself at a critically low voltage level, there
factured LiPo cells used to power them. When are a few ways to recover, depending on the
a LiPo battery fails, the results can be type of craft youre flying.
catastrophic like fires hot enough With multirotor helicopters,
to burn a hole through asphalt. one of the safest and quick-
The first step to making sure est ways to get your drone
your drone doesnt suffer a safely on the ground is
similar fate is to use batteries to utilize a falling leaf
from reputable companies approach. Using this
and properly maintain them. method, you reduce
Failure to do so can result altitude and simultane-
in poor performance, short ously move the drone
flight times, and, eventually, closer to the landing zone
complete failure. (LZ) by making a number
The first sign that some- of controlled lateral moves Some transmitters display flight data on an
thing is going wrong with (see Fig. 1). Like a leaf fall- integrated screen. Others require a link to a
your battery is the gradual If your battery readout says 40% or ing from a tree, you fly the smartphone, tablet, or laptop computer.
reduction in flight time, as 50%, its time to land. Any lower copter closer, reducing the 3D ROBOTICS
well as a loss of power. De- and you could suffer power failure. throttle to initiate altitude
pending on the type of drone loss. Before stopping the or you might be able to pull it off in one gentle
you have, your flight controller may or may not lateral move, you should increase throttle to descent.
be set up to deal with low-battery issues through maintain a hover and avoid the drone plummet- Why not just come straight down? Because
one of its programmable failsafe settings. Many ing. Depending on the area where youre flying a low battery may be incapable of delivering the
consumer drones on the market today come with and the distance the drone is from the LZ, you current needed by the motors to quickly arrest a
visual or audio (or both) warnings to alert the op- may have to do this in steps like a zigzag pattern, quick descent and return the copter to a hovering
erator that the battery is running low. Some go a
step further and automatically engage functions
such as Auto-Land or Return to Launch. GETTING YOUR MULTIROTOR COPTER BACK IN ONE PIECE
In the event you dont have such failsafe
settings at your disposal or choose not to enable IF YOU SHOULD LOSE POWER while flying a multirotor copter, there are a couple of ways to
them, it is highly recommended that you have a land. The falling leaf approach tries to get the aircraft to the LZ in a gentle, controlled
method to determine the current battery charge. manner. Flying to the LZ and then coming straight down is an option, but could end in a
Without it, youd more than likely keep flying un- mangled drone.
til the system shuts down due to lack of power.
Many transmitter and receiver sets are avail-
able with a telemetry function that will display
the battery voltage on the transmitter screen.
You can also use a telemetry transceiver setup to
monitor battery voltage. The transceiver displays
all critical flight information on a smartphone,
tablet, or laptop.
I recommend you dont discharge your flight
packs lower than 3.6V per cell. For example, a
6-cell LiPo battery usually rates a nominal 22.2V
when fully charged; the recommended minimum
voltage would be 21.6V. I can get 20 minutes of
Fig. 1 LZ Fig. 2 LZ
flight time out of one 6-cell LiPo powering a five- Falling leaf approach Straight down approach
pound quad by the time it discharges to 21.6V.
Keeping to this minimum voltage rule will ensure
ILLUSTRATIONS BY RICK JOHNSON
March/April 2016 21
state before landing (see Fig. 2). In fact, the forcing it to descend. Once you reach the desired
FIXED-WING DESCENT drone may not be able to stop at all, which could altitude, increase elevator to reduce the rate of
result in a hard and potentially damaging landing descent, attain proper airspeed, and level out the
LOSS OF POWER can be more manageable colloquially known as a crash. plane for a landing. This can be repeated until
with a typical fixed-wing plane. Glide Fixed-wing platforms have the advantage of you are in a position to land. Utilizing the throttle
toward the LZ using the elevator and being able to glide, provided that they maintain judiciously will help keep you in the air longer
throttle sparingly to maintain airspeed. a minimum airspeed. This makes them a little while maneuvering for a landing (see Fig. 3).
easier to recover on low battery than a multirotor. Both fixed-wing and multirotor aircraft can
Elevators Of course, a lot depends on location, distance, also be subject to total power failures. In these
down
and environmental factors, such as wind. cases, there is little you can do to recover unless
By reducing the throttle and utilizing the wind the aircraft has a parachute that deploys the mo-
and control surfaces, you can conserve energy ment the craft is inverted or when the motors cut
and buy some time before battery failure. The out. Try to keep visual contact with your drone
Wind direction
trick is to glide the aircraft down as quickly and so you can recover it. If youre building your own
Elevators safely as possible to an altitude from which you drone, consider using two LiPo packs in parallel.
up can more easily fly (using power) to the LZ. This allows you to have a backup in case the
Keep in mind that flying into the wind will primary source dies.
allow you to bring the plane down quicker, while Practicing the emergency landing procedures
Fig. 3 reducing the amount of distance needed for the mentioned above before they become necessary
Landing using elevators
decent and a controlled landing. Decreasing the will make them a lot easier to pull off if you ever
elevator will increase the speed of the aircraft by have to perform them.
22 Drone360mag.com
3. TO AVOID HEARTACHE, TEST YOUR EQUIPMENT BEFORE TAKING TO THE AIR
THINGS BREAK. THEY WEAR OUT. Thankfully,
you can implement practices to indentify poten-
tial problems before you fly.
Check your propellers before each flight for
cracks. If you find one, replace the prop, pronto.
If you dont, the crack could become a split. The
blade could shear off and damage the aircraft,
not to mention you or bystanders. Whats more,
the motor becomes useless and the aircraft is
unstable.
Always make sure the propellers are securely
mounted to the motors.
Speed controllers and motors that fail could
cause your multirotor drone to crash. You may
be able to recover a fixed-wing vehicle, but
youre probably going to be picking up some Time to replace a motor! You dont need to strap landscaping bricks to your drone to give it a
pieces of a quad. stress test, but whatever you use needs to be heavy enough to keep the aircraft from lifting off.
Hexacopters and OLIVER VOLKMANN
octocopters have
redundancy in their motor or speed-controller failures with these Putting your drone through stress tests before
motors. However, de- types of multirotors may lead to the undesirable pushing it to the limits in the air can be helpful. A
pending on the type of process of parts reclamation. simple way to do this is to find a method of safely
flight controller you are With fixed-wing platforms, the failure of a strapping the drone to the ground or a table and
using, the motors may servo motor on a control surface will disable that running it at full throttle while moving the various
Only a madman would not be able to handle surface. Recovering from this requires skills that other controls around. While your drone probably
fly with props that the imbalance in you can only achieve through practice. wont be subject to this type of stress during a
look like these. But centrifugal force, caus- Inspect each of these components for dam- normal flight, if anything does go wrong, you
midair, a minor split ing the drone to rotate age before flying to greatly decrease the chances wont lose the whole bird. You can also replace
could become this. and become difficult of failure during flight. Make this part of your parts that fail or concern you before they come
WALTER SCRIPTUNAS II to maneuver. Multiple preflight checklist. apart in the air.
March/April 2016 23
drone gear
VOLTAGE 500 3D
By David Moquay
T
he Voltage 500 3D from With some clever software in its find the fully assembled 500-
Heli-Max is a fully capable flight controller and ESC. What class quad and a manual, along
3D aerobatic quadcopter. sets this multirotor apart is its with pairs of black and white tive nose, bright LEDs, and
If youve been looking ability to instantly reverse its spare props, and a length of larger size make it easier to
to fly upside down and try heli- motors direction for both posi- hook-and-loop fastener. Its not track across the open sky. You
copter-style 3D aerobatics, this tive and negative thrust. RTR, so no battery or transmitter. remove the canopy by sliding
just might be your quad. How The Voltage 500 3D comes The bright red canopy and four O-rings on the carbon-fiber
does it do this voodoo without all in a nicely printed box that had simulated carbon fiber with arms, exposing the flight
the hardware normally associated me revved just to see what was white accents really make this controller sandwiched between
with collective-pitch helicopters? inside. Upon opening it, you will quad stand out. The distinc- two G10 plates. The beefy
24 Drone360mag.com
PHOTOS MARTIN TAPPER
March/April 2016 25
VOLTAGE 500 3D WHAT SETS THIS MULTIROTOR APART
IS ITS ABILITY TO INSTANTLY REVERSE ITS
MOTORS DIRECTION FOR BOTH POSITIVE
AND NEGATIVE THRUST.
JACOB UECKER
batteries and selected Stability more like a traditional racer in to 3D Mode and rolls and flips powerful motors, and distinct
Mode. I pushed the throttle Manual or Rate Mode. were a breeze. Switching back to markings make this a really
gently past the midway point and I took it up to about 30 feet Stability Mode instantly leveled attractive solution. In more
waited for the motors to spool up to test the reversing motors. I out the quad to get me out of capable hands, the full 3D aero-
and slow down to idle. Wow! The must admit I was quite surprised trouble and allowed for more batics potential of this airframe
Voltage is responsive. After rais- at the sound and speed when the relaxed flying. can be wrung out.
ing it five feet off the ground, the motors switch direction. I can For those wanting to break Personally, I cant wait to put
quad felt as stable as if it had see how more experienced pilots into 3D flying, the large size, an FPV system in it.
GPS. Stability Mode limits the will want to shorten response
Voltage to 45-degree maximum time from forward to reverse by
angles. But when I flicked the adjusting their throttle curve a
switch to 3D Mode, the quad felt few percentage points above and
below mid-stick.
For my second test flight, I
HIGHLIGHTS took the Voltage to my local AMA
field where I had a lot more open
Fully assembled and sky, and, as it happens, a lot
ready to fly more wind. I took off in Stability
Mode and again was surprised by
Reversible brushless motors how stable it is. Even with gusts
of 15 mph, the Voltage remained
Super responsive almost undisturbed.
and fast! The response from the
throttle is a bit edgy and takes
Extra propellers some getting used to. But does
the Voltage scream! I flipped
BEN FORD
26 Drone360mag.com
XIRO XPLORER V
By Tim Kidwell
T
he sleek and dangerous 14MP stills. A 5.8GHz Wi-Fi link Compact and light, the
looking Xiro Xplorer V streams live video back to your Xplorer doesnt have the heft
comes smartly pack- iOS (version 8.0 and later) or of more substantial consumer flight that, after a couple of uses,
aged with everything Android (version 4.4 and later) UAS platforms, which gave me I decided was an accessory I
youd expect to get a quad up device. Thoughtfully, the pack- pause. But in the Xplorers case, wouldnt return to.
and flying: drone, transmitter, age comes with plenty of spare it was unfounded. The gimbal The transmitter is rounded
battery, and charger. The fully parts, including props, gimbal took a little bit of figuring to get and covered with smooth, but
integrated 3-axis gimbal camera mounting grommets, and screws. attached and locked in place. It grippy, silicon rubber that makes
shoots video at 1080p at up to It also includes a magnetic lens comes with a plastic clamp that it comfortable to hold. You
30 frames per second, and takes filter and a lens cover. keeps the camera fixed for FPV control the cameras angle with
28 Drone360mag.com
THE FULLY INTEGRATED 3-AXIS GIMBAL
CAMERA SHOOTS VIDEO AT 1080P
AT UP TO 30 FRAMES PER SECOND,
AND TAKES 14MP STILLS.
DREW HALVERSON
a dial on the transmitters upper tensioned clip may have a hard 11.1V 5200mAh LiPo housed in in place. A small amenity to be
right corner; you can dim the time keeping the device secure. a plastic case. I love the charg- sure, but a thoughtful one.
Xplorers flight indicators with My iPhone with a Speck case fell ing station. Just plug it in and Also, while it took a little
a dial on the left corner. The out a couple of times. You dont slide the battery into position. to get used to, that the gimbal
mobile device holder conve- have the option to bind a differ- LED lights atop the battery tell camera simply locked into place
niently slides out of the top of ent controller to the Xplorer. you the charge level. Positioning is a nice touch. No need for
the controller, but only holds a the battery on the bottom of screws or tools to get it attached.
moderately sized phone. Also, SOME HIGH POINTS the drone follows the same Its a convenience that were
depending upon how chunky The Xplorer comes with a principle: Slide it in and flick a seeing a lot of manufacturers
your phone case is, the spring- charging station and a hefty small switch to lock the battery moving toward.
March/April 2016 29
XIRO XPLORER V
calibration to take. Eventually, I
got it. Note that the instructions
tell you to press the IOC button
for 3 cycles. That means a
total of six times.
The transmitter allows
pilots to choose between three
flight levels. The levels control
altitude, operational distance,
and maximum speed, with the
largest envelopes given to Level
Three. Understand that Level
One allows takeoffs only if flying
in GPS Mode. If you dont have
at least six available satellites,
youll have to fly in levels Two or
Three.
I found the Xiro app for the
camera to be finicky. Make
sure to run through a couple of
ground tests first before head-
TIM KIDWELL ing out to get that killer aerial
footage. Youll save yourself time
The power switch on the to you and land. If its flying at Another cool feature is the at the field. Also, make sure to
drone is conveniently placed on less than 20 meters and more automatic takeoff and landing download a QR code reader. It
top and points to the front of the than 25 meters away from you, button. All I had to do was start just makes access to the app
aircraft. Just stand back after it will increase its altitude to the motors and push a button. and tutorial video easier. And
turning it on and let it initialize. 20 meters, then return to you The Xplorer jumped five feet into dont forget to add your FAA
The controller automati- and land. This can be a little the air. When I was done fly- registration number. And if you
cally chooses between GPS and disconcerting, especially for first ing, I positioned the drone over dont have one, ask yourself why
Attitude modes depending upon timers. the landing zone and pushed youre flying right now.
the number of satellites avail- Intelligent Orientation Control the same button. It gently
able, which is a nice feature for (IOC) is useful if you fly the descended and shut down the INTO THE BLUE
beginners. Once achieving GPS Xplorer too far away and can no motors. Awesome! The temps during the majority
Mode, the controller acts as a longer tell front from back. Just of my test flights with the Xplorer
home point. At the press of a push the IOC button and all the BEFORE FLYING were usually around 15 to 20
button, if the drone is flying at stick movements become relative I admit to some difficulties degrees F. Not frigid, but not
20 meters or higher, it will return to your location: Pulling back getting Xplorer in the air the first comfortable either, especially
brings it toward you, and pushing couple of times. Compass cali- for my fingertips. The Xplorer
forward sends it away. I dont bration didnt take, and I became remained undaunted. I saw only
SYSTEM SPECS recommend flying in this mode more than a little frustrated. On a negligible reduction in flight
all the time. It may be useful for this front, Im willing to accept times from flights in the 40 to
Xiro Xplorer V beginners, but can be a pain for the blame, although I spun 50 degree range usually last-
more experienced operators. myself dizzy trying to get the ing about 20 minutes.
Available: Tower Hobbies
(www.towerhobbies.com)
Price: $799.98
30 Drone360mag.com
DREW HALVERSON
The Xplorer is responsive I wanted to aim the camera. waypoints. Expect to spend some
not as fast as other copters in its Tracking shots while panning time learning how the app works. HIGHLIGHTS
class, but nimble. However, that became nearly effortless. My major quibble is that I
means trading some stability for The legs beneath the airframe found rotors and bright LEDs 3-axis stabilized
quick movement. It struggled can be positioned at an angle or in just about every shot that 14MP gimbal camera
a bit with the stiff Wisconsin vertically. If you use the gimbal wasnt aimed directly beneath with Panasonic CMOS
winter breezes, rocking back and camera, make sure to put the the Xplorer. Even gentle nudges image sensor
forth trying to keep its position. legs in the vertical position, oth- forward would see the props drop
However, when its on the move, erwise youll damage the camera. into view as the drone rocked 5.8GHz Wi-Fi link
it almost intuitively knew where into motion. Many drones in for live video feed
PHOTOS AND VIDEOS this size category have a similar to iOS or
Images are crisp, and the issue. Practice and familiarity Android devices
color doesnt need much correc- with the controls helps.
tion. There are a ton of options App with a variety of
to sink your teeth into, such as FINAL THOUGHTS useful functions to help
Follow Me Mode, altitude lock, The Xiro Xplorer V provides a automate flying
and up to 16 programmable fun flight experience with good
video and photo capabilities. The Safety features to keep
ability to program waypoints is pilots from flying in
a huge plus, and the Follow Me restricted airspace
feature is a winner. The Xplorer
is also available in a basic pack- Return Home, Intelligent
age without a gimbal camera, Orientation Control,
and the G version includes a and automatic takeoff
gimbal for a GoPro HERO3 or 4 and landing features
(camera not included).
March/April 2016 31
ESTES PROTO-N
SYSTEM SPECS
Estes Proto-N
ESTES PROTO-N
BILL ZUBACK AND ISTOCK.COM/WEEDEZIGN
Flight time: 5 minutes
Price: $34.99
By Tim Kidwell
A
s strange as it sounds, USB charger that lights up red There was only one answer:
small quads almost and blue while charging. For me, Calibration! Everyone should be
always get bigger smiles the blue light started blinking familiar with calibrating their of altitude. Once youve flipped a
than the big boys. Maybe about 25 minutes into charg- drone, whether youre flying couple of times, youll know how
its the idea that something only ing, and went out completely a little guy like the Proto-N much loss to expect and automati-
slightly bigger across than a quar- after 30 minutes, while the red or a heavy-lift job. With the cally compensate.
ter can fly. Maybe its our fasci- light stayed on. The instructions Proto-N, its as easy as turning
nation with the miniaturization are frustratingly opaque about on the controller and copter and FINAL THOUGHTS
of everything smaller phones, charging lights, but do say the unlocking the transmitter as What I love about the Proto-N
lighter laptops, tinier tablets. Proto-N needs a full 35 minutes usual before flight, making sure is that its exactly the sort of
Whatever the reason, Estes to charge, so I assumed the red the quad is on a flat, horizontal inexpensive quad you could feel
Proto-N is no exception to the light would go out in five minutes surface. Then put the transmit- good about giving to a complete
rule. As soon as I unboxed this when the charge cycle was com- ter in Expert Mode. Push the left novice. The chassis is tough, and
little green monster and plugged plete. It never happened. The stick to the bottom left and hold four extra props are included. Its
it in, I had people poking their red light never goes out. So you it there the motors should charge lasts for about five min-
heads into my office, as if they heard it here first, drone fans: no not turn on. (If they do, youre utes not terribly long, but not
could hear its fingernail-sized 1S more blue light, charging is done. pushing too far left.) At the same unexpected. And thats plenty to
3.7V LiPo charging. Oh, and make sure to plug in the time, move the right stick to the get a flight fix.
Measuring just a shade over USB first, and then connect it to top left. Hold them in this posi- If youre wondering how to
1.2 inches on the diagonal, and the Proto-N. Doing it the other tion for a couple of seconds. The transport a quad small enough
weighing only .32 ounces, this is way may damage the battery. lights on the Proto-N will flash for grandmas shih tzu to scarf
close to the smallest quad Ive Youll have to buy four AAA bat- and then shine solid. down, never fear: The transmit-
ever flown. It also offered one of teries for the transmitter. Even after calibration, the ter has a cozy compartment with
the most unintentionally confus- quad slid forward and right. A a clear lid to serve as a hangar.
ing battery-charging experiences INTO THE BLUE little trim mostly corrected the Unfortunately, youll have to stuff
Ive had. The Proto-N uses a The Proto-N has three sensi- problem. I dont expect quads the USB charger in your pocket.
tivity modes Easy, one beep; this size to sit perfectly still. Just dont forget about it and put
Normal, two beeps; and Expert, With that done, I had to start it through the wash.
HIGHLIGHTS three beeps changed by getting the Proto-N to flip.
pressing a button above the left Nothing could be
Does flips! control stick. I found the Easy easier. Push the but-
Level controls to be too sluggish, ton on the transmit-
Durable airframe and props especially on throttle, which I ters right corner and
guess is the point. But for me, it move the right control
Spare props made regulating altitude difficult stick in the direc-
because the finesse just wasnt tion you want to
Three flight modes from there. On Normal sensitivity, flip. BANG! The
beginner to expert control got easier, and I was able Proto-N flips.
to concentrate on trimming the Make sure youre
Controller is also Proto-N. Still, it drifted away and ready to recover
a carrying case to the right, no matter how much because there
trim I gave it. will be some loss
32 Drone360mag.com
%) 10&,)
$,#+ )&+&)
LSLWN_WTYTWUWTNWHRRHI`LIWZXO`LXXLXJ*) *
Hitec RCD USA, Inc. | 12115 Paine Street | Poway, CA 92064 | (858) 748-6948 | www.hitecrcd.com |
REALFLIGHT DRONE
SCREENSHOTS/TIM KIDWELL
By Tim Kidwell
R
ealFlight carved out a feel of a hobby-grade transmit- By moving the mouse to the
comfortable space in the ter, with switches for various screens left, youll find a menu
top tier of flight simula- flight modes, gimbal control, with options for aircraft, location, I picked a Hexacopter 780
tors, and it should come and, for some models, motor toggles, controls, view, graphic and got right into the air. Of
as no surprise that it now has an reversing. In the current ver- settings, and a heads-up display. course, its a blast seeing how
edition dedicated exclusively to sion, the switches arent drone You can find all of these selec- well the controls work and what
multirotor copters. specific, but marked for use with tions plus more in the buttons at happens when you crash. The
RealFight Drone comes with traditional R/C aircraft featured the top of the screen, too. simulated world is just as tough
an InterLink Elite controller made in RealFlights other simulator on drones as the physical world.
by Futaba. It has the heft and programs. Take a little time to INTO THE BLUE I left pieces of copters scattered
get used to which switch controls Getting into the virtual blue across many locations, crashed
what for a particular drone and is easy: just click fly on the into the wall of soccer stadium,
HIGHLIGHTS youll be good to go. initial menu and you show up and even got hung up on stairs in
at the field, drone waiting to a dilapidated hangar.
14 different drones to BEFORE FLYING go. To tell the truth, I dont Once I worked the silliness
choose from Of course, youll have to remember which drone showed out of my system, I noted that
load Drone onto your PC. Not up for my first flight, because the simulator doesnt provide
Lots of skill-building a problem at all plug in the I was off scrolling through the you with a way to see both FPV
sessions controller to a USB port, pop in choices right away. There are 14 and fixed point, as if you were
the DVD, and click next. You aircraft available in Drone, rang- flying with a monitor and line-of-
Nice graphics will have to enter two verification ing from the Heli-Max Voltage sight. You can fly from a location
numbers (one is inside the disc and Hubsan X4 Pro to generic on the ground, from behind the
Controller feels like case, and the other is on the hexacopters and octocopters that drone, off its front end, or from
the real deal back of the controller) to run the could be from just about any the gimbal which is what
software. manufacturer. gives you the FPV perspective.
34 Drone360mag.com
Handling was realistic for which you fly your drone toward framing the shots at the very
various models, and the simula- predetermined subjects bounded least and getting comfortable
tor does a good job of showing by a red box. When the box turns with seeing the UAS in the air as
how squirrely some copters are green, the drone automatically well as through a monitor. While
compared to others. It also dem- takes a photo. Theres another you can tilt the angle of the cam- SYSTEM SPECS
onstrates how quickly a drone training program that is essen- era with a dial, the functionality
dots out, and you dont know if tially a series of more difficult is minimal. RealFlight
youre flying toward or away from obstacle courses. You have a Drone Flight Simulator
your location. A quick toggle to limited amount of time to either FINAL THOUGHTS
FPV helps. make it through the course or RealFlight Drone can be a Available: Tower Hobbies
The heads-up display is a take a number of pictures. If you useful practice tool, especially (www.towerhobbies.com)
nice touch, although I think just dont, you have to start over. if you live somewhere temps get
adding the altimeter, speed, You also have the opportunity below 20 degrees in the winter. Processor requirement:
bearing, and battery life to the to take a non-automatic photo You can adjust the weather Intel Pentium 1GHz
main display without pitch and of what youre looking at, which and light conditions, change or better
yaw would have been plenty. requires you to take a screenshot locations to meet your needs
by pressing the tab button on (or whims), and even fine tune RAM: 512MB minimum
PHOTOS AND VIDEOS the computer keyboard. your flying by heading through
The description said I would The photo/video simulation obstacle courses. At $129.99, Hard drive space: 3GB
be able to take photos, so I disappointed me. Part of the full its an affordable introduction to
started hunting for targets. experience of flying drones is to flying or supplement your time in Price: $129.99
There is a training series in shoot masterful video and photos the field.
March/April 2016 35
DROMIDA VERSO
By Tim Kidwell
L
ooking for a small quad The idea is to make the transmit-
SYSTEM SPECS with some zip that you can ter sticks feel more like those of
fly indoors? Give the Verso a video game controller and keep LCD screen. Those on the left
Dromida Verso inversion quad a try. Like your fingers from slipping. This change between three control
its name implies, the Verso can hasnt been an issue for me, but I rates20%, 60%, and 100%.
Available: Tower Hobbies flip, but it also has the ability to put them on anyway. They look a The current rate will briefly
(www.towerhobbies.com) fly inverted. Everything you need little weird, but I didnt find they display on the screen.
to fly, including four AA batter- helped or hindered my ability to The top two buttons on the
Rotor type: Quadcopter ies for the transmitter, comes in pilot. Your mileage may vary. right side of the screen dont
the package. Just charge up the do anything. (Dont know why. I
Diameter: 4.5 inches 350mAh 3.7V LiPo via the USB BEFORE TAKEOFF assume they will on another ver-
charger about 50 minutes Take a moment to familiarize sion or different quad.) But the
Weight: 1.2 ounces and youre off! yourself with the Q205 2.4GHz bottom one toggles the Versos
Youll also find two pairs transmitter. As usual in the U.S., LEDs on and off. If theyre on,
Flight time: 5+ minutes of replacement props, a prop throttle and yaw are on the left youll see a lightbulb icon on the
removal tool, and optional thumb stick and pitch and roll are on screen.
Price: $39.99 pads for the control sticks. Ill the right. Youll notice a number On top of the transmitter are
admit, those made me chuckle. of buttons on both sides of a two buttons. The one on the
36 Drone360mag.com
right control stick (not the left) to prop guard, the Verso can get for getting to know the quad,
forward. The Verso flipped on its small pretty quick. The lights and the midrange is enough for
nose, and the back end became arent bright enough for flying the typical flyer. But if youre
the front. As I expected, this in the dark, although that didnt hot on the sticks, then the full
altered the flight characteristics keep me from trying. It just rate will let you make this quad
as the motors reversed and the wasnt much fun. dance. Its quick, responsive,
top of the aircraft became the and just plain fun.
bottom. If youre prepared for it, FINAL THOUGHTS
you can easily make up for any A good time in a small,
lost altitude, then hit the but- inexpensive package. With the
ton and go right-side up again. growing interest in flying 3D and
left will beep if you push it, but Once I was used to seeing it doing tricks that used to be the
doesnt have a function. The one inverted, flying that way became province of fixed-wing aircraft
on the right controls flips. as natural as top up. Then I was and top-notch copter jockeys,
flipping forward and back and Verso puts the ability to do
INTO THE BLUE left and right until the bat- some simple flips and rolls in
The Verso flew beautifully tery died. Sigh. everyones hands. Which, when
right out of the box. Of course, After charging, I was back in you think about it, is a lot of
I couldnt leave it at 20% rate, the air, but this time, I wanted what quads are about allow- HIGHLIGHTS
and cranked it up to 100%. to see what a 360-degree ing anyone to fly.
Its quick, no question. And the flip looked like. I held the flip Flight times varied between 360-degree flips and rolls
quad banks well around corners, button until it beeped at me five and 10 minutes, depend-
although I did drift into a wall twice, then pushed forward on ing on how many flips I did. Its 2.4GHz SLT controller
more than once. (I like to fly the stick. And just like that, a tough waiting for the battery to
aggressively!) Rest assured of forward roll! Make sure youre charge, so Id recommend get- Three control rates
the Versos resilience. ready to give the throttle a quick ting another one or two to keep
When it came time to go kick to maintain altitude. you in the air. Tough airframe and
inverted, I pushed the top At only a little more than four The Verso control rates mat- extra props
right button and nudged the inches across from prop guard ter. The lowest setting is perfect
March/April 2016 37
TACTIC FPV-RM1
MIKE INTSCHERT
By Mike Intschert
T
hese days, there are so monitors. Personally, I like the snaps securely in place instead
many FPV monitors to ability to break off from FPV to of using hook-and-loop at-
choose from that its look at the aircraft if needed, tachments. The sides of the
mind-boggling. From and monitors such as this Tac- sunshield fold down forming a
simple display-only models to tic model let me do that with protective layer on top of the
fully integrated systems like ease. screen.
the small, lightweight FPV-RM1 Also included in this review
from Tactic, users can choose BEFORE FLYING is the FPV-T6 video transmitter.
what suits their needs (and their The FPV-RM1 boasts a This 5.8GHz, 600-megawatt
wallets) best. seven-inch 1024x600 LCD with unit is small but mighty: At this
First Person View (FPV) integrated diversity 5.8GHz power output level in the U.S.,
flying and racing has recently receivers. It also features an an amateur or ham radio license
seen quite an uptick within the 1800mAh LiPo battery and is required before operation.
world of drones. Some pilots built-in LiPo battery charger, (Its not as hard as it sounds.
opt to wear goggles for a truly plus multiple inputs and outputs Go to www.fcc.gov and look
immersive experience, while as well as a sunshield that locks under Licensing & Databases
others prefer the view from into place one of my favorite for details). The transmitter
above displayed on external features of the unit because it itself has a nice small form
38 Drone360mag.com
SYSTEM SPECS
Tactic FPV-RM1 Tactic FPV-RM1 5.8GHz
5.8GHz Video Receiver/ Video Receiver/Monitor
Monitor
Available: Tower Hobbies
(www.towerhobbies.com)
Controls: 8 push-button
controls, manual and auto-
scan frequency selection
Weight: 17 oz.
Price: $230
March/April 2016 39
YUNEEC TYPHOON ACTIONCAM
TIM KIDWELL
By Tim Kidwell
een looking for ground- battery to power the whole switches between Pitch Follow
based video capabilities thing. A nice cleaning cloth and Mode and Angle Mode. In Pitch
to complement your aer- 16GB micro SD memory card Mode, the ActionCam behaves you have a lot happening. We
ial footage? If you have, round out the package. much like a normal camera, took it go-cart racing, and it
your quest is now ended. Meet with the lens pointing directly made catching video of racers
the Yuneec Typhoon ActionCam. BEHIND THE CAMERA forward. Of course, the gimbal blasting past a ton of fun, while
This sweet rig combines the Setting up the ActionCam all but eliminates camera shake, the slow motion option opened
CGO SteadyGrip ground handle was no trouble at all. It comes making for beautiful, steady up a world of options.
and the CGO3 3-axis gimbal out of the case fully assembled; shots. In Angle Mode,
camera thats right, the very all I had to do was plug the the green LED next to
same camera slung under the camera into the handle and the button is off, and
Typhoon Q500 4K. The CGO3 charge the battery. The final the wheel controls
has a built-in 5.8GHz Wi-Fi bit of prep involved download- the angle of the
link to deliver streaming video ing the CGO3 app from the App camera, from
to iOS and Android tablets and Store, and giving the Action- shooting directly
smartphones, as well as Yuneec Cam about 30 seconds for the ahead to straight
ground stations. camera and gimbal to initialize down. However, the
You also get a sturdy carrying and establish the Wi-Fi hotspot. gimbal maintains the
case, a charger, and a LiPo Joining the network took up to a angle of the camera,
minute, so be patient. Record- allowing me to more
ing video and taking photos are easily focus on one
HIGHLIGHTS all handled through the app, so spot despite the pitch
take some time to get familiar of the grip.
True 4K video with it and the options it offers,
including: 120fps slow motion OUT IN THE WORLD
3-axis gimbal camera at 1080p, a plethora of choices I love shooting
for lighting, resolution and lots footage with the
Comfortable pistol grip of photo options for ISO and ActionCam. While the
shutter speeds. sound isnt the highest
Compact and tough On the pistol grip, I found quality and it doesnt
carrying case a button marked MODE and take a mic, it works
a textured wheel. The button well for footage where
40 Drone360mag.com
See the Typhoon ActionCam in action (of course) at Drone360mag.com
SYSTEM SPECS
Yuneec ActionCam
Availability: Yuneec
(www.yuneec.com)
Runtime: 90 minutes
Price: $549.99
Check out the nearly 120-degree range of motion that the CGO3 has.
March/April 2016 41
Drone accidents: They definitely
happen, but regulatory uncertainty
and lack of accident data have
made insurance companies slow
to provide coverage.
WALTER SCRIPTUNAS II
CYD
(cover your drone)
Insurance companies scramble to keep up
with the lightning-fast proliferation of new drone
technologies and the innovative uses theyre fueling.
So how are they doing and what should you know?
STUFF HAPPENS.
By Mike Dries
-
-
-
THE
INSURANCE
- COMPANIES
- STANCE
-
ESTABLISHED
ILLUSTRATIONS ISTOCK.COM/KITTISAK_TARAMAS
ESTABLISHED
-
-
-
WAIT AND SEE
WHATS THE USE?
-
-
-
LOTS OF DRONES, TOO LITTLE DATA
-
March/April 2016 43
Even if insured, your drone likely
wont be covered if you violate
federal or local regulations like
flying over a crowd.
ISTOCK.COM/BLUIZ60
-
-
aircraft
-
-
44 Drone360mag.com
What damage to a person, property, or both could a
50-pound drone, flying at 50 mph 400 feet above
the ground, cause if it were to crash?
drone operators. Invasion of privacy might include, and regulations doesnt necessarily mean that a
for example, using a drone to take unauthorized company underwriting drone insurance will approve
pictures of people or property. According to Shrimpf every application it receives.
and Klingaman, Coverage should be available if the Applications for UAS hull and liability insurance
[homeowners] policy includes liability for personal coverage ask a broad array of questions including
the year, make, and model of the system, its means
arrest, detention, malicious prosecution, libel, slan- of propulsion (e.g., single engine, multi-engine, bat-
der, and invasion of privacy. To be clear, personal
injury doesnt equal bodily injury. of backup power supply it has, and many more. The COMMERCIAL
It also is important to understand that insurance answers to these questions are used by insurance VS.
policies, including homeowners policies, typically companies to estimate the likelihood of loss. HOBBY
exclude coverage for acts or operations that violate We have to assess how risky the endeavor is Coverage
laws or regulations. So its critically important to itself, says Chris Proudlove, senior vice presi- most likely
understand what laws and regulations apply, and dent and Northeast regional manager for Global required ...
to understand that while federal laws cover all 50
states, many of those states and indeed, some close proximity to power lines? Our greatest concern IF YOU MAKE MONEY
WITH YOUR UAS:
municipalities have enacted their own laws and is the use of drones in places with large congrega-
ILLUSTRATION ISTOCK.COM/MOTO-RAMA
regulations governing drones and their use. tions of people, such as outdoor concerts and athletic UAS hull and liability
events, where the consequences of an accident would insurance. Dont
DRONE-ING FOR DOLLARS likely be most serious. assume commercial
Schrimpf and Klingaman point out that the One further note: Commercial drone operators liability insurance will
protect you in the case
line between hobby and commercial drone uses shouldnt assume that they are protected by standard of an accident.
may not always be crystal clear, but insureds who commercial general liability insurance, which often
receive compensation for their UAS use will prob- contains aviation exclusions. IF YOU FLY FOR FUN:
ably jeopardize their homeowners coverage. In
Homeowners
that case, commercial liability insurance coverage LOOK BEFORE YOU FLY insurance might cover
would be required to address that individuals drone It will take time for laws and regulations gov- you, but make sure
liability exposure. erning UAS and their potential uses to become as to ask.
An example of the haziness between the meaning
of the terms recreational and commercial is illus- uses. Right now, were still in the discovery stage,
trated by the use of drones in agriculture, which has with new technologies and new ideas about how
far outpaced all other uses of drones. According to
NAMICs paper, the FAA will permit using a UAS to The FAA is expected to enact new regulations in the
near term, pursuant to its mandate under the FAA
when they are grown for personal enjoyment, but Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. At this time,
would not allow a farmer to use a UAS to determine however, unanswered questions remain.
if crops grown as part of a commercial farming Clarity, in turn, will help the evolving UAS insur-
operation need water. ance market pick up the pace. More companies will
And just because the FAA would allow it, doesnt enter that market and those who are already provid-
mean that its automatically legal. Those planning ing coverage will adapt to whatever changes in the
regulatory environment emerge.
Section 333 exemption from the FAA. Exemptions In the meantime, anyone using drones, whether
for recreation or commerce, are well advised to
insurance underwriter Global Aerospace points out
in its report, Contracting With and Between UAS questions, starting with whether the insurance you
Operators, if an operator is approved for use already have covers the drone or drones you own
of a DJI S1000 and turns up with a 3DR X8 in the and how you use them. If the answer to that question
is no, ask the agent if they can obtain that coverage
exemption]. And if that same operator were cleared for you. If that question is also no, shop around.
for real-estate photos, they wouldnt be allowed to Think of it this way: What damage to a person,
scan crops for disease. Operational parameters, such
at 50 mph 400 feet above the ground, cause if it were
population centers, are often included, too.
Whats more, assuming a potential insureds for that damage out of your own pocket or would
operations are in compliance with applicable laws want to if you could?
March/April 2016 45
By Dan Gettinger and Arthur Holland Michel,
cofounders of the Center for the Study of the Drone
46 Drone360mag.com
When drones
and manned aircraft
compete for airspace,
no one wins
B
y the time it was contained in early
July 2015, the Lake Fire had burned
for 10 days straight, destroying
over 31,000 acres of Californias
San Bernardino National Forest. As in
March/April 2016 49
The Solo drone from 3DR is installed with the AirMap app to indicate to operators if the drone is being operated within restricted airspace.
3D ROBOTICS
Continued from page 47
announced that there had been over 650
close calls so far that year, a massive in-
crease over the 238 incidents in all of 2014.
In a bid to help the public, stakehold-
solutions to address it, the Center for the
Study of the Drone published an in-depth
analysis of over 900 potentially dangerous
incidents involving manned aircraft and
driven light on an issue that has taken
hopes that we might facilitate solutions
that work.
BY THE NUMBERS
With millions of drones in U.S. skies,
most never come into close proximity to
a manned aircraft. In fact, since 1981, the
making sure that model aircraft hobbyists
dont interfere with manned aircraft and,
in recent years, it has applied those guide-
lines to drone users. What we found is
that incidents tend to only happen when
users break the rules.
Judging from the data, the FAAs
Because manned aircraft fly at low altitudes, sometimes for several miles, while on final guidelines for drone users are far from ar-
approach and during takeoff, the FAA prohibits the use of unmanned aircraft within five miles bitrary. One such guideline calls for drone
of any airport in the U.S. without permission from air traffic control. operators to always maintain a distance of
DREAMSTIME.COM
50 Drone360mag.com
We found that about 60 percent of inci
airport.
Prior to the meteoric rise in popularity
of consumer multirotor models and com
mercial drones, most of the unmanned
reason they make up the majority of small unlikely. Sightings are more common
has shielded the hobbyists from overarch drones being used in the U.S. today. And than close encounters. With hundreds of
ing federal regulation. to be sure, multirotors are much more thousands of drones entering the airspace
the size and cost of components like models in fact, three times more com
gyroscopes, autopilot systems, and cam mon. A small number of troublemaking
eras dropped, advanced model aircraft
helicopter models.
presented some risk of a collision.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS While the FAA has not yet published a
to buy or build and easier and more OF THE DRONE KIND
enthusiasts could gain access to the sky
drones do indeed pose a threat to manned other manned aircraft, the FAA calls such
aviation some claim that the threat is
ist in the past. And unlike members of the
hobby community, they can get airborne contend that the problem is overstated
and overhyped. Richard Hanson, the
sky. director of government and regulatory
dents involving drones. About 75 percent
tics, has criticized the FAA and the media
have been involved in these incidents. ing and mischaracterizing the data makes cases, the drone and the aircraft came
Often pilots reporting drones in their it impossible to assess the magnitude of
the situation and appropriately address The other quarter of close encounter
the risks involved, Hanson argued in
last only a couple of seconds or less, and
pilot used language that indicated that
ously vague results there are reports the encounter had been a close one by
Oct. 7, 2015. using phrases such as came really close.
ers, and trash cans but in hundreds of To try and lay to rest some of these
enough for us to determine the type of yourself and the drone that you are trying
to avoid can be challenging, and yet if
For recreational drone users, multiro a heightened possibility of a collision, a pilot believes that a drone is too close
tors are a more appealing option since
mere sighting.
March/April 2016 51
According to tests by the Virginia Tech CRASH Lab, a jet engine that ingests a drone could suf-
fer from operational stability issues, at minimum, to catastrophic failure, at worst.
ISTOCK.COM/MSTROZ; INSET/VIRGINIA TECH CRASH LAB
52 Drone360mag.com
In December, the FAA started requir- themselves in the way of manned air- bounds. Eventually, such systems will be
ing all drone users to register any aircraft
that weighed more than half a pound in management system that will track the too, will take some time.
the hopes that it would induce greater The takeaway from all this is that it is
accountability among recreational -
users. But there has been pushback from aircraft, but the program only just began,
the hobby community, and it is unclear and is scheduled to remain in testing until of drones operating alongside manned
whether registration would have been at least 2019.
much use in the incidents we studied, On 28 occasions in 2014 and 2015, and the level of incidents that we are
given that law enforcement agencies were pilots of manned aircraft had to take eva- currently seeing is simply a symptom of
often unable to locate the drones that sive action to avoid a collision. In other those safeguards lagging behind the un-
pilots reported. instances, pilots who came close to drones manned aircraft technology. It is unlikely
In addition to possible policy rem- said that they didnt have enough time to that a single solution exists that smoothly
edies, a number of technological solutions react and change their course. Sense-and- integrates drones into the airspace and,
that could help integrate drones into the avoid technology can help prevent drones even if there were, none of these poten-
airspace are currently being explored. from bumping into other aircraft by en- -
Geofencing systems such as DJIs abling them to detect an impending colli- mented overnight. Instead, ahead of the
Geospatial Environment Online sys- sion and make an autonomous judgment
tem, which bars the companys drones of how to respond. There are still no com- drone regulations in June 2016, regula-
from entering restricted airspaces, could pact sense-and-avoid systems that would tors are likely to aim for a combination
enforce the rules for those who arent be capable of helping a small quadcopter of approaches that respects the right of
sure of how to abide by them, as well dodge a jetliner travelling at 300 mph, but both drone users and manned aviators to
the technology is advancing in leaps and access the sky.
March/April 2016 53
cover story
54 Drone360mag.com
Americas hunter-killer drone
program is plagued by human
error and a shortage of pilots.
Thats pushing the military toward
swarms of UAVs that can make
more decisions for themselves
By Eric Betz
An MQ-1B Predator (left) prepares for takeoff
Early on the morning of Oct. 3, 2009, U.S. mountain, turning the multimillion-dollar behind an MQ-9 Reaper at Creech Air Force
Army soldiers based at Combat Outpost Base in Nevada. The aircraft are operated
Keating in Afghanistan woke to intense by the 432nd Wing, which trains UAV crew
- distracted and failed to control his aircraft. members and runs worldwide combat and
tants. The outpost sat in a small, rocky surveillance operations.
CHRISTIAN CLAUSEN/U.S. AIR FORCE
surrounded by mountains. Insurgents
Department of Defense will spend almost
sides. Severely outgunned, the troops OUT OF THE LOOP $40 billion more by 2020 to add an addi-
were forced to surrender the base section tional 730 medium- and large-sized UAVs
by section, as they gathered the wounded, the Predator drone in combat, UAVs have to its arsenal.
consolidated their forces, and called over
in its war on terror. The once-overlooked growing pains. Drones like the Predator
throughout the day, with 19 aircraft even- - came into favor because of their long
tually providing support through intense ing a complete rethink of how modern
wars are waged. The Pentagon had a as their ability to strike in places American
Force pilots 7,500 miles away at the March mere 50 UAVs in the year 2000. Current
Air Reserve Base in California provided estimates indicate that America now has robotic planes crash far more often than
more than 6,000 military drones in opera- manned aircraft. Crash rates vary by
an unmanned Predator drone cruising tion around the world. aircraft and complete studies are hard to
high above the fray. Most of those are short-range recon- come by, but even the most conservative
naissance aircraft with hand-held controls
ended, a second pilot sat down and took and a wingspan that looks more like a crash three times more often than the rest
the controls. Within 13 minutes, he had model airplane. But the Congressional Washington Post
slammed the drone into a nearby investigation in 2014 showed that more
56 Drone360mag.com
Student teams from the 6th Reconnaissance
decisions will be made by machines. Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base in New
Cadets with only a few months training Mexico are trained in UAV combat and support
will watch over entire robotic squadrons. tactics during an MQ-1 Predator super sortie
And, if the machine loses contact with its simulator mission.
BREEANN SACH/U.S. AIR FORCE
March/April 2016 57
The RQ-8A Fire Scout can take off and land
autonomously. The unmanned helicopter
provides surveillance, reconnaissance, and
battle management, and can track and
designate targets.
DANIEL J. MCLAIN/U.S. NAVY
The Washington Post
The Washington Post
58 Drone360mag.com
A Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk awaits a nighttime mission. The surveillance aircraft can hit altitudes up to 65,000 feet, stay aloft for
more than a day, and has a range of more than 13,000 miles.
JOHN SCHWAB/U.S. NAVY
Chabelley Airport
Djibouti
City
March/April 2016 59
MEET THE FLEET
MQ-5 HUNTER
MQ-1 PREDATOR
RQ-7 SHADOW
SCALE
1 10 20 30
FEET MQ-9 REAPER
60 Drone360mag.com
Northrop Grummans X-47B proved it could
safely taxi around sailors in tests on the USS
Harry S. Truman (above) and USS George H.W.
Bush (left). In 2013, it became the first UAV
to catapult launch from an aircraft carrier.
NORTHROP GRUMMAN
ROBOTS TO THE RESCUE
-
March/April 2016 61
Marine Unmanned Aerial Squadron 2 launches
one of the squadrons RQ-7B Shadows at ment systems. And F-16s have ground
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. collision avoidance software that will take million into contracting instructors and
S.T. STEWART/U.S. MARINE CORPS control of the plane and make corrections purchasing the simulators and ground
before handing operations back to the control stations those operators will need.
The Global Hawk crash rates are also human pilot. Theres also a push for pilot-
lower, thanks to its highly automated optional aircraft. By the year 2035, the RPA pilots will always be in demand,
system. The aircraft sits somewhere in Pentagon predicts its arsenal will include Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee
the middle on the spectrum between the some 5,000 such planes that can either be James said in a statement announcing the
piloted, or pilot themselves. bonus program for drone pilots in July
landing the most dangerous part of any 2015. Remarkable airmen have ensured
- shouldnt. Automation is common in civil- the success of the [Predator and Reaper]
tions are determined as the mission is ian aviation. The Airbus A320 can already programs. We now face a situation where
being planned, and it is the aircraft itself if we dont direct additional resources
that sets and adjusts speed, altitude, roll, been running many of its airplanes with appropriately, it creates unacceptable risk.
We are working hard to put solutions in
and joystick like those commonly used for new study by the Humans and Autonomy place to bring needed relief to our airmen
Predator operators, Global Hawk opera- Lab shows pilots of those planes only and ensure our actions show their value to
tors sit in a desk chair and use a keyboard our mission.
and mouse to control the drone. their hands on the cockpit controls. Boeing
777 pilots report that theyre in control for single UAVs. The Air Forces former chief
that the Pentagon says it will retire its U-2 scientist, Mica Endsley, envisions new
spyplane and replace it with the Global forms of warfare enabled by swarms of
Hawk if Congress will allow it. DARPA DRONE PILOTS (STILL) WANTED
and NASA even successfully partnered on The Air Force says it needs to train together in formation, theyll share infor-
300 remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) pilots
Global Hawks could accomplish high- a year to keep up with the pace of addi- or defense missions.
altitude refueling on their own. tional aircraft and patrols. Theyre cur- Other military minds see similar uses.
And yet, even the Global Hawk doesnt rently training just under 200 each year.
rise to the level of autonomy the military Fuller automation for drones in the carried out test missions on its Low-Cost
wants. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is future should lower the number of pilots UAV Swarm Technology (LOCUST) in
fully autonomous and 1 is completely 2015 using swarms of small, rocket-tube
guided by remote control, the Global strain. But humans wont be completely launched Raytheon Coyote UAVs. The
Hawk the most autonomous large UAV obsolete, and automation isnt the only agency plans to test launch a massive
in service only ranks at 2.5, according answer: Beginning in 2016, the U.S. is UAV swarm made up of 30 aircraft from
to the Air Force. paying $15,000 annual bonuses to UAV a ship in 2016.
Drones arent the only focus of auton- A team of students from the Advanced
nine years. That sum stacks up to $135,000 Robotic Systems Engineering Laboratory
8 million lines of code and automation is for drone pilots willing to stick it out long (ARSENL) beat that number in August,
baked into its missile and threat manage- term, with half of that bonus available up
62 Drone360mag.com
the control of just one person. The drones
relied on computer algorithms and power-
ful Wi-Fi to communicate with each other.
GETTING TROOPS OUT OF HARMS WAY
ARSENLs next step in swarm testing is a OVER THE PAST DECADE, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), built for just a few hundred
dollars each, have killed thousands of American soldiers in Afghanistan, and dismembered tens of
thousands more. The U.S. has spent hundreds of billions of dollars in response. Much of that money
to small UAVs. DARPA recently called went to heavily armored vehicles and the new generation of Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain
for help developing the technology to Vehicles, which will eventually replace the Humvee. But what if you could avoid IEDs entirely?
allow existing unmanned aircraft to work That was DARPAs intention when it kicked off the Transformer program in 2009. Instead
collaboratively through its Collaborative of driving over the most dangerous terrain, this new generation of off-road military ground vehicle
Operations in Denied Environment would use electric-powered rotors to take to the air when things got rough. After a tepid response to
(CODE) program. Just as wolves hunt in the flying car, DARPA took the concept a step further. The current Transformer, known as the Aerial
coordinated packs with minimal com- Reconfigurable Embedded System, or ARES, removes the pilot and crew, as well as the wheels.
munication, multiple CODE-enabled ARES, a partnership between Lockheed Martins Skunk Works and Piasecki Aircraft, uses twin
unmanned aircraft would collaborate to tilting ducted fans that allow for vertical takeoff and landing. So it doesnt need much of an airstrip,
but it can still reach speeds typical for a small civilian aircraft. ARES could carry thousands of pounds
all under the command of a single human of cargo from home base out to field sites, ferrying everything from combat troops to supply pods and
mission supervisor, said DARPAs Jean- medical equipment.
Charles Led in a statement. Lockheed is no stranger to unmanned helicopters either. In 2011, the companys K-MAX aircraft
In the fall of 2015, the Armys began carrying supplies as part of a test mission in Afghanistan. That test mission was continued
Autonomous Unmanned Systems indefinitely, and K-MAX has transported millions of pounds of cargo. And Lockheed is now pushing
Teaming and Collaboration in GPS its use in fighting wildfires, delivering humanitarian aid, exploring oil and gas resources, and even
Denied Environments program (AUSTC) construction.
announced it would work to fund and ARES, now in its third phase, has that potential as well. It too can fly autonomously or under
mature technologies that would bring remote control. But ARES brings the added practicality of safer enclosed rotors and interchangeable
about revolutionary levels of drone cargo pods. The U.S. Marine Corps is taking the lead on developing prototype requirements, but
autonomy. Still, Endsley and others stress other operators are interested as well. The prototype begins three months of test flights this summer.
the need to keep humans in the loop
to counteract mistakes made by future
autonomous systems.
March/April 2016 63
64 Drone360mag.com
Bringing order
to the
RED
R E GISTE
D
TERE
REGIS R EGIS
TERED REGISTERED
REGIS D
TERE TERE REGIS
D REGIS TERE
D
REGISTERED
March/April 2016 65
from creating new rules for hobbyists so
-
lines of a community-based organiza-
-
tion with an organization, as a violation of
its fair to say that not all hobbyists are
approach for enthusiasts: sign up with a
FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, left, with Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, center, nationally recognized hobby organization,
and ALPA President Tim Canoll, right, fields questions about UAS registration. paying dues and obeying its guidelines, or
AP PHOTO/ANDREW HARNIK
there isnt an education requirement all Basically, become a member or deal with
you have to do to get a quadcopter in the
Drones are a democratizing technology, Weve been working to legitimize
to be sure, and thats one of the most allur-
ing aspects of the booming industry for else before we became drone pilots, and
I decided very early that my public focus
photojournalist and owner of New York- and development of appropriate safety
guidelines [for model aircraft] to organiza-
Buying a drone doesnt make one a pro- pilots see non-commercial users as the
fessional, he says, but every pro has to get culprits those who arent subject to
nearly the same amount of regulation doesnt qualify as a model aircraft or who
the industry to remain open, with as few and scrutiny, break the guidelines while
barriers to entry as possible as long as Ultimately, both distinctions may be
But the categories arent as clear as
- commercial versus hobbyist: Buying a
Gyokeres says he and other commer- -
cial operators essentially self-regulated ing non-commercially doesnt make you a on data collection for enterprise and
- hobbyist either at least according to the
tions or rolled out its regulation recom-
mendations: The professional operators We dont view new consumer users the operation, distance from [airports], and
are obsessive about safety, because we
payload are more precise indicators of the
-
resentative and a 40-year veteran of the
aviation industry, including service in the PREVENTING THE INEVITABLE
While the Wild West portrait painted
for TV ratings, stoking public interest, as theyre interested in the tech or taking
and revving debate, its a reputation that
The delineation between hobbyist and REGIST
REGISTERED
D
REGISTERE
ED
R E GISTER
REGISTERED REGISTERED
R EGISTERED
66 Drone360mag.com
A sign warns against the flying of remote controlled drones
ED
at the entrance of Valley of Fire State Park in Overton, NV. R E GISTER
AP PHOTO/ALEX MENENDEZ
R EGISTERED
REGISTER
ED
ED
ISTER
R EG
REGIS
TERE
D
-
D
REGISTERE
-
-
TERED
-
-
March/April 2016 67
private investigator, Sachs is the founder
of the Drone Pilots Association, and has
been a staunch advocate for use of drones
since 2013. Hes also a vocal critic of the
-
-
-
to a drone operator does nothing to edu-
-
to Drone360.
Sachs also argues that slapping a regis-
-
a person, and there is no statute on the its standards should be an alternative
-
sons rather than aircraft. A single user, for
of drones under one registration, rather to enhance their business.
- -
tered would be available to the public
ED -
ISTER
R EG
REGIS
TERE
D to the public, although addresses would
REGISTERED
R EGISTERED
ED
R E GISTER
68 Drone360mag.com
to register and the FAA can assess civil
penalties up to $27,500. Criminal penal-
Defining model
- aircraft and
powers, it doesnt have the muscle on the
dence up the chain to FAA regulators and
operating safely
ED
FAA can only launch an investigation departments, the FAA may also launch R E GISTER
-
tion is collected and studied. While police
can catch a criminal in the act and actively
violation occurs, especially since local and
reactive,
actively enforce
laws.
ACCORDING TO SECTION 336(C) of the FAA
always an option, depending on the sever-
Modernization and Reform Act of 2012,
Police hats as the airspace gets more
a model aircraft is an unmanned aircraft
that is:
FROM INNOVATION TO INTEGRATION
-
Capable of sustained flight in
ations. According to the FAA guidelines,
the atmosphere.
recently that the aviation industry was at
Flown within visual line-of-sight
detect, immediately investigate, and, as -
of the operator.
Flown for hobby or recreational purposes.
IF YOURE FLYING A QUAD or other
R/C aircraft, for it to be considered a
and training program manager with the the greatest revolution in aviation since the
model aircraft, it has to meet all of the
requirements above. Whats more, you must
follow specific FAA rules when flying your
that much. model aircraft, which are listed in Section
- 336(a) of the Act. The section requires:
- The aircraft is flown strictly for hobby
thing suspicious with a drone, or trespass- or recreational use.
The aircraft is operated in accordance
arent going to see the drone police out with a community-based set of safety
guidelines and within the programming
of a nationwide community-based
organization (such as the Academy of
FAA Administrator Huerta reminded Model Aeronautics).
The aircraft is limited to not more than
55 pounds unless otherwise certified
regarding unauthorized drone use. through a design, construction,
inspection, flight test, and operational
safety program administered by a
community-based organization.
However, the overall goal is total integra- The aircraft is operated in a manner
tion. that doesnt interfere with and gives
process the scene, conduct interviews, way to any manned aircraft.
When flown within five miles of an
airport, the operator of the aircraft
provides the airport operator and the
airport air traffic control tower (when
their way through the courts, total integra- such is located at the airport) with
prior notice of the operation. If youre
flying from a permanent location
ED
ISTER within five miles of the airport, you
R EG
REGIS should establish an agreement with the
TERE
D
airport and air traffic control regarding
operating procedures.
B
etween Aug. 11 and 13 of 2015, 20 Houston-area
middle-school students converged on Rice Universitys
campus for Drone Camp. They learned about aero-
dynamics and sensing technology, they built drone
components, and they studied the social aspect of the
technology. And of course, the students also had fun piloting
drones for an hour or two each day. To wrap up the intensive
few days, they split into groups to brainstorm drone applica-
tions that hadnt yet been developed. Then
the students pitched their ideas to a board
of UAS and technology professionals from
Microsoft, BP, Trumbull Unmanned, and
Rice. Talk about a productive summer break!
Perhaps one of the most impressive aspects
of the camp, though, was the gender split. If
-
age with far fewer women than men. But Dyan Gibbens
at Drone Camp, half the participants were
girls. I thought the number, that fraction, was going to be
a lot smaller, says Dyan Gibbens, who helped create the
Drone Camp program. I was surprised, but also motivated.
Gibbens is a leader in the UAS industry, and is the founder
and CEO of Trumbull Unmanned, a company utilizing UAS
in support of the oil and gas industry.
The drone camp gender split had nothing to do with a
biased application process. Before selection, organizers
removed names, gender information, and any socioeconomic
March/April 2016 71
TOTAL U.S. WORKFORCE STEM WORKFORCE
Men
52% Women
Men her career. While she notes that the numbers of
48% -
76%
Women
24%
Diana Marina
Cooper
SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
WOMEN IN STEM: A GENDER GAP TO INNOVATION AUG. 2011
-
Lia Reich -
Lia Reich is the senior
-
-
72 Drone360mag.com
doors to enter the UAS industry, which is pre-
UAS JOB SALARY INFORMATION
THE TECHNICAL ASPECT POSITION ANNUAL SALARY RANGE
UAS PILOT $85,000-$115,000
SYSTEMS ENGINEER $72,350-$127,000
-
INSTRUCTOR/TRAINING SPECIALIST $74,500-$93,000
- INTEL/IMAGERY ANALYST $57,350-$84,600
MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST $59,500-$67,500
March/April 2016 73
Intially drawn to drones as a way
for her to help the victims of to follow their passions, ask questions, and another. Drone enthusiast
natural disasters, Lakin also turns pursue support and mentorship. Lakin started the group
her talents to capturing the natural Gibbens also notes how important it is to over a year ago, when she
beauty around her, like this shot of pursue a career that one feels drawn to. Her was involved in UAS sales.
Mount Hood in Oregon. own path has, as she notes with a hint of She noticed the dearth
RHIANNA LAKIN humor, not been a linear one. Her father was of women at expos and
in the FAA and so she was exposed to avia- conferences and wanted to
tion at a young age. With an interest to serve meet other females to con-
a purpose bigger than her and a passion for nect with at those events.
WEBSITES To say that Lakin is passionate about
Academy, she trained to be a pilot and studied unmanned systems is an understatement. She
AMELIA DRONEHART engineering to understand how the planes has spent the last 16 years traveling between
WWW.AMELIADRONEHART.COM Oregon and Indonesia, spending months at
Gibbens has spent much time in the male-dom-
AUVSI footage captured by a friends drone, she says,
WWW.AUVSI.ORG clearly succeeded in following I was automatically in awe. And then it hit
her passions. As individuals, me, I thought, why couldnt you use this for
HOGAN LOVELLS we must break our own glass
WWW.HOGANLOVELLS.COM ceiling and stop holding our-
selves back. Once I realized spent four months of last summer in Indonesia
NASA this, it was a paradigm shift and brought her DJI Phantom Vision+ to cap-
WWW.NASA.GOV ture footage of the countrys incredible beauty,
she says. Her particular as well as the terrible devastation and the
PRECISIONHAWK outlook has served her well in
WWW.PRECISIONHAWK.COM her career so far. Rhianna Lakin Lakin now works for an aerial photography,
video, and imaging company in Portland, OR.
TRUMBULL UNMANNED A BUZZING COMMUNITY She hopes that Amelia Dronehart and other
WWW.TRUMBULLUNMANNED.COM The gender split among drone hobbyists similar communities increase visibility of the
and enthusiasts echoes that among UAS pro-
fessionals, but there are a few communities to once more women start to see the connection of
help promote women in UAS. One of those is how drones can be utilized in so many areas
Amelia Dronehart, a community spanning the that a drone can be used for their own interests
and passions more women will become
drones and want to network and support one involved and excited about UAS.
74 Drone360mag.com
BECAUSE ITS SUCH A NEW FIELD, WE HAVE A
LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO GET WOMEN IN
LEADERSHIP ROLES RIGHT AWAY, KIND OF ON
THE GROUND FLOOR.
LIA REICH, PRECISIONHAWK SENIOR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING
-
STEM PROGRAMS
STEM RESOURCES LIKE THESE
THE YOUTH CAMPS AND PROGRAMS
offer new opportunities
to girls and stimulate
- interest in STEM careers.
GIRLS INC.
Three programs are offered
across the U.S. and Canada:
- Eureka!
- Girls Dig It
HATCHING A PLAN - Thinking SMART
Its one thing to recognize the potential of WWW.GIRLSINC.ORG
- GIRL SCOUTS OF THE USA
Imagine STEM engages girls
in a multitude of STEM-related
- activities. Girls of all ages
can participate, and adults
can volunteer to assist in the
program. Program specifics
differ based on location.
WWW.GIRLSCOUTS.ORG
TECH TREK
Open to girls entering the
eighth grade, this summer
program is available at
eight California university
campuses.
WWW.AAUW-TECHTREK.ORG
-
TECHBRIDGE
With afterschool and summer
programs in California,
Seattle, and Washington, D.C.,
Techbridge also offers training
for adult role models and a
family resource guide.
WWW.TECHBRIDGEGIRLS.ORG
Gretchen West
-
March/April 2016 75
A VideoRay ROV and an NPS
underwater archaeologist explore
and document the grand staircase
of the America shipwreck at Isle
Royale National Park.
BRETT SEYMOUR/NPS SUBMERGED
RESOURCES CENTER
Drones take underwater archaeology to new depths
By Elisa Neckar
March/April 2016 77
On Halloween night, 1780, violently. A few lifeboats, 130 feet. Highly trained and
the HMS Ontario struggled blankets, and personal gear experienced technical divers
through rough waters on Lake can exceed that by breathing
Ontario. Strong hurricanes debris surfaced, suggesting specialized mixed gases and
had plagued the Caribbean the ship went down rapidly. following a precisely calcu-
throughout the month, and the Nine months later, six bodies lated schedule of decompres-
remnants of those systems had washed ashore; no other trace sion stops while surfacing, but
spun north and turned into a of the Ontario was seen again. even those divers rarely try
ferocious fall gale. Until 2008, that is, when the depths where the Ontario
A 22-gun brig-sloop, the Dan Scoville piloted his ROV
warship had been built and Proteus 500 feet below the resting place and hundreds
commissioned only months of other underwater archaeo-
earlier to aid British control Ontario where it sits on the logical sites worldwide had
of Lake Ontario during the to be unmanned.
Revolutionary War. Bound Scoville and fellow ship-
from Fort Niagara to Oswego wreck enthusiast Jim Kennard VEHICLES FOR THE
for a raid, it carried an esti- had been searching for the FINAL FRONTIER
mated 120 people onboard, Ontario for three years, using Theres no shortage of
including British troops, archival research and side-scan acronyms in the world of
camp followers wives and unmanned vehicles. Those
children of soldiers and self-built Proteus to explore. that operate below the surface The ROV Hercules hovers near
American prisoners of war. of the water fall under the the stern of the RMS Titanic
The Ontario and those says. You look for that thing umbrella term unmanned during a 2004 joint mission
120 passengers would never for years, you spend days star- underwater vehicles, or to the wreck with NOAA and
make it to Oswego. Vicious ing at the screen and driving UUVs; the most commonly Robert Ballard.
northeast winds rose rapidly the boat back and forth ... [And used UUVs are autonomous CENTER FOR EXPLORATION/
around 8 p.m., sweeping underwater vehicles (AUVs) UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND/
NOAA OFFICE OF OCEAN
down the lake. Similar storms something thats 230 years old, and remotely operated
EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH
plague the Great Lakes each that hasnt been seen since the vehicles (ROVs).
autumn, producing whiteouts, day it sank, and it looks just AUVs move beneath the
snowsqualls, and freezing like it did on the day it went surface of the water without
rain; waves cresting over Proteus video continual input from a pilot, tion, while they became essen-
35 feet and wind gusts over shows the Ontarios twin masts operating independently on a tial to the oil and gas industry
80 miles an hour have been still standing, spearing out of preprogrammed course. Often throughout the 1970s and 80s
recorded. The Ontarios sails the inky depths complete with used for mapping or survey- for line inspection and repair.
probably blew out search- crows nests. The ships bell is ing, AUVs are not tethered to
ers found large sheets of torn still in its belfry, cannons askew a ship, and return to a pick-up began to use ROVs in that
canvas on the lake days later. but still on the decks. The old- point once the mission is com- timeframe as well, largely for
The rolling waves and wind est wreck found in the Great plete so data can be down- observation and specimen
likely caused the ship to list, Lakes, its remarkably intact. loaded and processed. ROVs,
then take on water, the can- Conventional scuba div- on the other hand, connect deputy chief of the National
nons and ammunition shifting ing is restricted to a depth of to the surface via cables that Park Services Submerged
bring signals from the operator Resources Center (SRC), says
and return data and images
in real time. (Why the cable?
While aerial technology like ROV was in the 1980s, when
National Geographic brought
tied to their pilots, radio waves one to Isle Royale National
do not travel well through Park. At the time, the technol-
water, necessitating the tether.) ogy was bulky and expensive;
ROVs like Scovilles Proteus since the agency mostly works
look at something under the boats, they bided their time,
water navigation hazard waiting for an ROV with a
smaller footprint. By 2000, the
inspection, pipeline mainte- platform had matured, and
nance and may carry tools
far beyond a standard camera, observation-class VideoRay.
including arms or manipula- Kate McGarry, marketing
tors that can cut, repair, and
ROV footage shows the bow of the HMS Ontario emerging from the retrieve. Since the 1960s, the PA-based VideoRay, says the
darkness 500 feet below the surface of Lake Ontario. military has used ROVs for company saw growth on a
DAN SCOVILLE mine detection and neutraliza- similar timeline, entering the
78 Drone360mag.com
Titanic
Alvin
Jason Jr.
Titanic
Mary Celeste
Arizona
Titanic
Star Trek
A DEEP DIVE An NPS underwater archaeologist manages the tether as an ROV enters
a hatch to the second deck of the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor, HI.
BRETT SEYMOUR/NPS SUBMERGED RESOURCES CENTER
March/April 2016 79
Because recovering artifacts
was a primary goal, the proj-
ects work-class Triton ROV
retrieval tools: a suction
and containers, shovels and
brushes, pincers, and claws.
It was painstaking work
archaeologists aboard the ship
relayed instructions to the
ROV pilots, who then had to
perform the delicate maneu-
vers to pluck, scoop, or suck
and even the ships stove from
destroyed, says Peter
Hitchcock, who was involved
as part of A&Ms Department
of Oceanography. Thats
The work-class ROV Hercules sits on the deck of the NOAA research vessel Ronald Brown during the 2004 consider the glass and china
joint NOAA-Ballard mission to the wreck of the RMS Titanic. we recovered.
CENTER FOR EXPLORATION/UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND/NOAA OFFICE OF OCEAN EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH Still, most archaeology
is tactile, notes nautical
archaeologist Ben Ford, part
of the projects team through
A&Ms Department of
Anthropology. You handle
artifacts, rotate them, squint
at them, look at them under
microscopes. To watch in 2D
as the artifacts were recovered
was tricky, he says, as was
relaying all his thoughts and
directions to the ROV pilots
rather than performing the
The Hercules gently recovers a medicine bottle filled A team of scientists and technicians stand watch in actions himself.
with ginger, a seasickness remedy, from an early the shipboard control cab, directing the ROV more Hitchcock disagrees. Its
19th-century shipwreck in the Gulf of Mexico. than 4,300 feet below them.
OCEAN EXPLORATION TRUST/TSU MEADOWS CENTER FOR ALAN FRANKS/OCEAN EXPLORATION TRUST/TSU MEADOWS Every shipwreck has a story,
WATER AND THE ENVIRONMENT CENTER FOR WATER AND THE ENVIRONMENT and you want to know what
it is. The ROV is simply a tool
capacity, and horsepower; as might sound more agile and to get to the artifact to get to
with any tool, the right ROV therefore easier to drive, says Orleans. It was, at the time, the story.
for the archaeological job is Mark Gleason, an ROV pilot the deepest wreck explored in And the Mardi Gras ships
dependent on the environment and an assistant professor the Gulf. story?
and the goals of the project. specializing in marine Led by Texas A&M The artifacts the ROV
Going down like way, education at Michigans University with a team of more recovered were traced to
way down? Work-class ROVs, Grand Valley State University. than a dozen archaeologists, manufacturers in Great Britain,
like the one used as part But the heft of the work-class France, Mexico, the U.S., and
of the 2007 Mardi Gras ROVs helps keep them on Germany, and dated; based on
shipwreck project in the course when tugged about by Gras projects goals were to the age and availability of the
Gulf of Mexico, dwarf their strong ocean currents in deep- record the site and recover items on board, researchers
operators. Huge, heavy, and water environments. artifacts for analysis. Work placed the wreck between 1808
expensive, the minivan-sized In the case of the Mardi was underway 24 hours a day, and 1820. More importantly,
ROVs can be equipped with Gras shipwreck named after live-streaming to a bullpen of the project gave the team an
a variety of manipulators the nearby oil and gas pipeline monitors on the ship so several opportunity to experiment
and go to depths of 10,000 system the mystery ship sets of eyes were always on the with the ROV as a deep-water
feet or more. A smaller ROV rested 4,000 feet below the work being performed. archaeological tool.
80 Drone360mag.com
John V. Moran USS Arizona
365 ft. 40 ft.
SS America
Conventional 80 ft.
scuba Technical scuba
diving < 130 ft. diving < 350 ft.
HMS Ontario
5,000 ft. 500 ft.
Mid-sized or
light work-class
ROVs < 3,000 ft. Mardi Gras
shipwreck
Observation-class project
ROVs < 1,000 ft. 4,000 ft.
Heavy work-class
ROV < 10,000 ft.
RMS Titanic
12,500 ft.
15,000 ft.
several hundred thousand water below the surface rarely age: Crates of shoes and the excavation we document as
observation-class ROVs climbs above 40 degrees wrappers of Lifesavers candies it lies in place. Simply mov-
are more suitable for launch- preserve shipwrecks almost still look nearly new. That ing artifacts is discouraged,
perfectly, marred only by level of preservation means because not only what the arti-
name suggests, these vehicles zebra and quagga mussels, for that while archaeologists and facts are, but where they are
are generally intended for decades or even centuries. ROV operators on the Mardi can tell archaeologists a lot.
You can explore a wreck in Gras project sifted through While WUAA uses
Lake Superior thats been on splintered remains of the ship, observation-class ROVs to
recovering concretions document, other organizations
still see the name painted on conglomerate lumps created
the ship, says Kevin Cullen, by natural elements form- before divers are sent in. The
president of the Wisconsin ing around artifacts and National Park Services SRC,
Underwater Archeology encrusted artifacts, wrecks sit- for instance, employs ROVs as
Association (WUAA). Theyre a precursor to diving opera-
time capsules. Lakes allow archaeologists to -
On the SS Kamloops, one study ships as a whole. stand what the site looks like,
of the graveyard of wrecks The goal is to document, or to maneuver in spaces that
that circle Lake Superiors Cullen says, to look at a wreck would be unsafe for divers. In
Mark Gleason teaches a student to Isle Royale National Park in the wreck of the USS Arizona
pilot an observation-class ROV in Michigan, nearly 90 years in to leave the artifacts down in Pearl Harbor, for instance,
northern New Yorks Lake George. - there. Unlike what we think the SRC used an ROV with an
LAURLYN HARMON - of with archaeology, theres no
March/April 2016 81
NOT JUST SHIPWRECKS -
UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGY IMMEDIATELY conjures
the haunting image of a shipwreck sitting on the
bottom and its understandable, WUAAs Kevin
Cullen says. Shipwrecks are sexy.
But shipwrecks arent the only underwater -
archaeological sites. For instance, the SRC and
VideoRay worked together in 2002 to explore a
U.S. Army Air Force B-29 bomber that crashed into An ROV films a diver collecting samples from a caribou
Lake Mead, and Lake Michigan holds a collection hunting structure at the bottom of Lake Huron.
of World War II aircraft as well, lost during aircraft- UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MUSEUM OF
carrier training missions. Even relatively recent ANTHROPOLOGICAL ARCHAEOLOGY
cultural resources like docks, mines, and other
structures that were once above water may now be Sea level changes over the last two million
below the surface thanks to damming and flooding. years have significantly changed the landscape, -
Ashley Lemke, a doctoral candidate in she says. Areas that were once coastal dry land -
the University of Michigans Department of and would have supplied early hunter-gatherers
Anthropology, is the primary ROV pilot for her with thriving resources like fish, shellfish, and
research team. They follow a pattern similar to seals are now underwater, offering preserved tools,
that used by shipwreck researchers: Large-scale animals bones, and even wood boats, paddles,
mapping, then choosing promising targets from and spears. Archaeological sites Lemke has
the sonar and sending ROVs down for a closer look. worked in Lake Huron include caribou hunting
But the underwater sites she flies her ROV around structures long lines of stones once used to
are a bit older than your average shipwreck. channel caribou towards hunters and the -
Like 40,000 years old. remains of a 9,000-year-old campfire.
to survey the interior compart-
-
John
V. Moran opportunity to test its equip-
- Moran on the
Ontario
can in turn teach them much
-
-
- TRAINING, TOOLS, AND RULES
An ROV with a 3D HD camera
package explores the Flag -
Secretarys Stateroom on the -
second deck of the USS Arizona.
BRETT SEYMOUR/NPS SUBMERGED to the carferry Milwaukee
RESOURCES CENTER the schooner Rouse Simmons
82 Drone360mag.com
Tethered to and operating in tandem
with Hercules, the Argus (shown here
hovering over the Titanics stern) acts
as a stabilizing platform, supplies
extra light, and allows pilots to view
Hercules in the water.
CENTER FOR EXPLORATION/UNIVERSITY
OF RHODE ISLAND/NOAA OFFICE OF OCEAN
EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH
March/April 2016 83
An essay by Faine Greenwood
84 Drone360mag.com
A FEW YEARS AGO, most people thought of drones, if they night operations or operations beyond visual line-of-sight all
thought of them at all, as deadly military machines deployed to restrictions that pose particular problems for groups like disaster
rain stealthy death upon foreign enemies. Times are changing: responders and reporters. The process to obtain a public COA
Drones, or UAVs, or UAS, or whatever youd like to call them,
Restrictions aside, U.S. groups are forging ahead. Some large
news organizations have successfully received Section 333
Globally, civilian drones for benevolent, peaceful purposes are exemptions, and CNN has entered into a research partnership
here to stay, and while the U.S. has lagged behind the rest of the
world in UAS implementation due to regulatory struggles, they -
will soon become a normal part of life here, too. ian group to secure a Section 333 for search-and-rescue work.
FEW PROFESSIONS HAVE EMBRACED DRONES as enthusiastically Lone Star UAS Center at Texas A&M University used drones to
money for aerial photography from a manned aircraft or for The University of Vermonts Jarlath ONeil-Dunne and his
expensive satellite imagery, researchers equipped with drones
can gather the data they need themselves. Danish researcher disaster photos, with funding from the U.S. Department of
Jason Box of the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Transportation and a Section 333 exemption backing them up.
- turnaround aerial imagery of a derailed Amtrak train. Hes also
-
drones to monitor orangutan nests since 2012, while in Peru, the nities, delivering high-quality imagery of damage that isnt quite
Ministry of Culture funds the worlds largest drone archaeology
program, using drone imagery to create maps and 3D models of
hundreds of important historical sites. has constructed a thoughtful drone program that should serve as
Journalists and activists have taken to experimenting with a template for the FAA and the use of benevolent civilian drones
UAS as well. Back in 2013, many people in the U.S.: drones working in close concert
-
disaster satellite imagery marred by cloudy weather. Volunteers mer. With these negative examples in recent memory, more local
uploaded the imagery to OpenStreetMap, a free editable map of authorities are beginning to propose restrictive drone rules.
the world, helping create accurate photographic representations
of the damage. WHAT CAN DRONE ENTHUSIASTS DO THEN, assuming they lack a
Nepals drone response does highlight some pitfalls, though.
Reports said some drone operators failed to coordinate with
Nepalese authorities and aid workers, creating headaches (and
potential risk) for the manned aircraft crisscrossing the airspace. then average people who arent already drone owners need to
By May, the Nepalese government had banned the use of drones -
without explicit permission.
THE UNCERTAIN REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT in the U.S. means the drone is helpful thats a more powerful case.
that non-hobby drones remain a relatively rare sight. While Show your drone to your friends, your neighbors, your school,
and teach them what it does and how. Explain how drone imag-
permit limited commercial use of drones, the process is relatively
-
cerns about privacy and safety, and think about ways to come to a
pilot. The pilot requirement is especially problematic for cash- compromise that suits everyone. Drone technology has the poten-
strapped, aspiring UAS operators, like freelance reporters and tial to improve the lives and secure the rights of people in the U.S.
private search-and-rescue groups. and around the world, but to use drones to their full potential, we
Private industry Section 333 holders must also adhere to a have to ensure they are used responsibly and thoughtfully.
blanket COA, which includes a 200-foot altitude restriction, main- Drones are only as good as we are, but that means they can be
very good indeed.
FORGET JOYSTICKS,
TWEETS WILL DO
Users on social
media are known for
their responsibility,
rationality, and restraint.
So it makes sense that
wed want
a whirring
drone
controlled 140
characters at a
time.
In 2014, Twitter filed
a patent application
(No. 20150362917),
for a messaging-
enabled unmanned
aerial vehicle. It wasnt
until the final days of
December that the U.S.
Patent and Trademark
Office published Ya-
Ting Wang and Wayne
Robins idea. INTEL CORP.
Twitter users would
be able to control a LIKING FIREWORKS WILL parents while waiting for the sun drones airborne simultaneously.
UAV with commands MAKE YOU LOOK OLD to set in a city park: The drones, coordinated by
embedded in messages In the not-too-distant-future, Mom, Dad? What were those you guessed it Intel soft-
directed toward the children going to see the Fourth
UAVs account. Tweets of July show will have the fol-
could control the lowing conversation with their paper tubes jam-packed with lights programmed to a song,
aircrafts location, gunpowder, and when you lit the
camera orientation, -
lighting, UAV-mounted formations in midair. Four opera-
display, or other down from the sky along with tors each controlled a squad of
onboard technology. 25 drones. In the end, the drones
Basically, a Twitter-
controlled drone would Your child just wont Sure, it was a publicity stunt.
give couch potatoes understand your old-timer refer- But to be blunt: The show put
with a smartphone
unprecedented abilities illuminated drones will have
to control their viewing
experiences. Who that captivated you as a child.
wouldnt want to Tweet In November, Intel launched
the following: 100 drones equipped with lights
#MTVAwardsDrone into the night where they
follow subject performed a coordinated
#KatyPerry? dance to a live performance of
Of course Beethovens Fifth Symphony. The
this technology is performance, which took place
theoretical. Maybe it in Hamburg, Germany, set a
should stay that way. Guinness World Record for most
INTEL CORP. INTEL CORP.
86 Drone360mag.com
FIRST A GUN, NOW A THE WORLDS FIRST
FLAMETHROWER DRONEPORT
The drone communitys Drones are here
THINKSTOCK.COM
March/April 2016 87
BLADE RUNNER
Blender afficionados
love to debate whether
Vitamix or Blendtec
is the more superior
blender technology.
However, it seems
as though a new
competitor has entered
the ring: drones.
Speed Motion Films
had the clever notion of
putting drone-blending
capabilities to
the test by
dropping
grapes, eggs,
carrots, and even a
cucumber, into the
whirring blades of a DJI
Phantom.
The slow-motion
video captures the
carnage in all its glory
as the produce is
thoroughly pulverized.
The anticipation builds NORTHROP GRUMMAN
as the fruits and
vegetables fall to their OFF TO GREENER PASTURES -
inevitable destruction, The MQ-5B Hunter still vividly remembers the
followed by the premiere of Star Trek: Voyager, the revelation that
complete satisfaction of
- the Hunter moves into retirement, the Gray Eagle
ing through the hourglass, leaving nothing but
-
88 Drone360mag.com
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT DITCH THE
In the history of close calls with a SELFIE STICK
drone, world champion Austrian skier The technology
Marcel Hirschers ranks near the top. and art of the selfie
Hirscher was on his second run has come a long
during a World Cup slalom event at way. From remote-
Madonna di Campiglio in Italy when a controlled digital
drone carrying a camera fell from the cameras to modern
sky and shattered into pieces just feet front-facing camera
behind him. The close call was any phones, people today
responsible filmmakers worst night- are always on the hunt
mare. Thankfully, the 26-year-old skier for innovative ways to
escaped unscathed, but the incident capture self-portraits.
upset many. Say hello to the
In a statement, the International Ski ONAGOfly: a so-called
Federation (FIS) strongly asserted that selfie drone that
an accident such as the drone crash automatically takes
cannot happen again. FLEYE (2) photographs after
Here in the U.S., ESPN in January detecting a smiling
2015 received special permission from THE WORLDS SAFEST DRONE? face. The drones Auto
the FAA to fly camera-rigged drones in You may call it a quad, a UAV, or a drone, Follow function also
Aspen for the X Games. The network but anyone who has made contact with a allows the tiny peeper
published a video in June touting its whirling propeller blade is familiar with to record your every
pioneering use of drones to broadcast move, allowing for
live downhill events in 2015. However, Thankfully especially for those selfie opportunities
never before imagined.
small company from Belgium developed Its easy to get
a drone that wont have concerned loved those sweet shots from
ones shrieking, By God, be careful, itll put your drone to your
your eye out! phone. Pictures sync
The Fleye, billed as the worlds safest drone, is automatically through
essentially a soccer-ball-sized orb that can do everything a traditional phone data or Wi-Fi.
all its moving parts are entirely shielded the design is based on the
NICOLAS GARCIA/YOUTUBE
DRONE
following Hirschers close call, ESPN
decided not to use drones for the 2016 Fleye can also be switched into Autonomous Mode to execute missions
event.
The accident in Italy makes it abun-
dantly clear why safety is a constant When the Fleye is in Hover Mode, it will automatically correct itself
concern for any responsible profes- midair if, say, an absentminded passer-by walks into it another ONAGOFLY
sional working in the drone industry.
As a result of these
user-friendly features,
DJIS NEW HOME(S) the demand for this
You havent made it as a cutting- adorable drone has
edge gadget company unless you been overwhelming;
have a cubist retail outlet that ONAGOflys
embodies your innovative spirit. crowdfunding effort
By that measure, DJI has made it has already been
to the upper echelon of tech produc- funded over 1,000
ers. In 2015, DJI officially opened percent of its goal, with
its 2,600-square-foot flagship thousands of units
store in Shenzen, China. The store preordered.
features a theater, a maintenance Best of all, this little
desk, a lounge, and a place to fly drone is small enough
some drones. The buildings design that it doesnt need to
is meant to reflect the shape of a be FAA registered.
drones blade. Instagram will
DJI has announced plans for store never be the same.
in Seoul, Korea, this March.
DJI
March/April 2016 89
MAY THE DRONE THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE
BE WITH YOU UAV, UAS, UFO the distinction is
Fans of the Star minor. A mysterious green light in the sky
Wars series know that used to be a harbinger of extraterrestrial
the Millennium Falcon doom, but in the drone age, it might just
is capable of perform- be a well-meaning amateur pilot. The
ing the Kessel Run in FAA reported that a manned airplane
12 parsecs, but even poised to land at LaGuardia Airport was
a drone version of Han targeted by a green laser on a UAV.
Solos famous ship It is unclear whether the laser was
is capable of some from standard-equipped lights on the
surprising feats. drone or an actual laser pointer, but no
In a video arrests have been made.
uploaded by Ontario The drone pilot was identified and
native Ian Fisher to questioned, but maybe someday what
theweathernetwork. we assume to be a drone will actually be
com, the DIY Falcon- an interdimensional traveler.
lookalike drone begins Also in recent alien-related drone
to hover over a snow- news, the government has banned UAS
covered walkway. KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (KAIST) flight in and around the infamous Area
51. Concerns for safety were cited, as the
HIGH-FLYING, FIRE FIGHTING compound is a known testing ground for
Imagine a robotic insect, roughly two feet in length, that can climb military aircraft. But were smart enough
to know a coverup when we see one.
- We want to believe.
IAN FISHER
As the drone flies
over a scene akin to -
a small-scale Hoth,
the snow beneath the
drone is blown clear -
by the air expelled by
the quickly spinning ALIEXPRESS.COM
rotors.
Now all that comes
to mind is recreat- DRONE FIELD ADVANTAGE That being said, the pairing of
ing the best flight Strict drone regulations surround- athletics and drones does not only
sequences from the ing sporting events are understand- benefit the viewers. Both coaches
films, even perhaps able, what with risks of bootleg and players can gain from the new
with a miniature Chew- game footage and potential injury to perspectves provided by drone
bacca to copilot. athletes and spectators. However, photography.
fans everywhere lament the loss New angles provide a better
of dynamic sports footage. understanding of players move-
Yet, there does seem to ments and positioning on the field,
be a loophole. Yankees TERRENCE ANTONIO JAMES potentially helping to decrease
shortstop Didi Gregorius has injuries and improve player and
posted videos on his Insta- Certain collegiate and professional team performance.
gram of both Yankee stadium teams are also using drones to film While all-drone filming of profes-
and warm-ups among teammates. their practices. Steps like these sional sports games seems like a
Shot from his personal 3DR practice films, Gregorius videos, distant dream, we can only hope
Solo, the videos are definitely those and the NFLs FAA drone exemption that more players will take up
of a hobbyist but give a unique granted last year open the door to Gregorius interest in drone flight to
glimpse into the everyday experi- amazing possibilities to make watch- allow us deeper looks into the world
AMAZON.COM ence of a pro athlete. ing sports more immersive. of sports.
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90 Drone360mag.com
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