GPS World

Tag: drone

  • New FAA rules for small unmanned aircraft now in effect

    The first operational rules for routine commercial use of small unmanned aircraft systems, announced June 21, officially take effect today.

    “People are captivated by the limitless possibilities unmanned aircraft offer, and they are already creating business opportunities in this exciting new field,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “These new rules are our latest step toward transforming aviation and society with this technology in very profound ways.”

    “The FAA’s role is to set a flexible framework of safety without impeding innovation,” said Administrator Huerta, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). “With these rules, we have created an environment in which emerging technology can be rapidly introduced while protecting the safety of the world’s busiest, most complex airspace.”

    The provisions of the new rule — formally known as Part 107 — are designed to minimize risks to other aircraft and people and property on the ground. A summary is available.

    Effective today, the FAA has several processes in place to help users take advantage of the rule:

    Waivers. The agency is offering a process to waive some of the rule’s restrictions if an operator demonstrates the proposed flight will be conducted safely under a waiver. Users must apply for these waivers at the online portal.

    The FAA is issuing more than 70 waivers today, based on petitions for Section 333 exemptions. These waivers will be posted on September1. The majority of the approved waivers were for night operations under Part 107.

    Airspace Authorization. Users can operate their unmanned aircraft in Class G (uncontrolled) airspace without air traffic control permission. Operations in Class B, C, D and E airspace need air traffic approval. Users must request access to controlled airspace via the electronic portal at www.faa.gov/UAS.

    The FAA will evaluate airspace authorization requests using a phased approach. Operators can submit their requests starting today, but air traffic facilities will receive approved authorizations, if granted, according to the following tentative schedule:

    • Class D & E Surface Area: Oct. 3, 2016
    • Class C: Oct. 31, 2016
    • Class B: Dec. 5, 2016

    The FAA will make every effort to approve requests as soon as possible, according to the agency, but the actual processing time will vary, depending on the complexity of an individual request and the volume of applications the FAA receives. The agency is urging users to submit requests at least 90 days before they intend to fly in controlled airspace.

    The FAA will use safety data from each phase to ensure appropriate mitigations are in place as small UAS operations are integrated into controlled airspace.

    Aeronautical Knowledge Test. Testing centers nationwide can now administer the Aeronautical Knowledge Test required under Part 107. After an operator passes the test, he or she must complete an FAA Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application to receive a remote pilot certificate.

    It may take up to 48 hours for the website to record that the applicant has passed the knowledge test. The FAA expects to validate applications within 10 days. Applicants will then receive instructions for printing a temporary airman certificate, which is good for 120 days. The FAA will mail a permanent Remote Pilot Certificate within 120 days.

    In the future, the FAA also will address operations not covered by Part 107 without a waiver, including operations over people, beyond line of sight operations, extended operations, flight in urban areas, and flight at night.

    Part 107 does not apply to model aircraft. Model aircraft operators must continue to satisfy all the criteria specified in Section 336 of Public Law 112-95 (which is now codified in part 101), including the stipulation they be operated only for hobby or recreational purposes. Click here for more information on hobby or recreation uses.

  • FAA clarifies changes before small drone rule takes effect

    The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) new small drone rule — formally known as Part 107 — is effective on Monday, Aug. 29. The FAA has released information to help drone users understand the new requirements.

    Below is information on Part 107’s effect on Section 333 waivers, along with how to obtain a Part 107 waiver.

    Section 333 vs. Part 107: What works for you?

    The biggest question is whether you are better off flying under the provisions of Part 107, or should continue using your existing exemption? The video below explains what happens to your Section 333 exemption grant or petition for exemption.

    Your exemption is valid until it expires — usually two years after it was issued. Even after Part 107 becomes effective, you may choose to fly following the conditions and limitations in your exemption.

    However, if you want to operate under the new Part 107 regulations, you’ll have to obtain a remote pilot certificate and follow all of the rule’s operating provisions. You must apply for a waiver if some parts of your operation don’t meet the rule’s requirements.

    If you already have a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) under your Section 333 exemption, you can continue to fly under the COA limitations until it expires. If you don’t already have a COA, you probably won’t need one when the new drone rules go into effect.

    However, if you want to fly in controlled airspace, you will need permission from FAA air traffic control. Details about obtaining that permission will be online at www.faa.gov/uas when the small drone rule is effective on Aug. 29.

    If you applied for a Section 333 exemption but haven’t received it yet, you should have received a letter from the FAA with specific information about the status of your petition. Generally, if your petition is pending and falls within the provisions of the rule, you should follow the steps outlined in the rule.

    Whether you choose to fly under your exemption or under the new small drone rule is your choice, depending on how you want to operate your aircraft. You’ll have to compare the conditions and limitations in your exemption to the operating requirements in the rule to determine which one best addresses your needs.

    Applying for a waiver under the new drone rules

    Part 107 allows for some expanded operations based on technology mitigations if you can make the safety case for a waiver of some provisions. Operators can apply for waivers to operate at night, beyond line of sight, above 400 feet and other specific types of operation.

    Here’s what you need to know about the waiver process:

    • Under Part 107, you may request a waiver of certain provisions starting Aug. 29 if your operations don’t quite fit under the rule’s provisions. On Aug. 29, the FAA will have an online portal you can use to request waivers of applicable Part 107 regulations at www.faa.gov/uas.
    • The FAA won’t grant waivers automatically, and processing your waiver request may take time. The exact length of time will depend on the volume of requests the agency receives and the complexity of the waiver application. You should submit your waiver requests to the FAA as early as possible, at least 90 days before you plan to fly.
    • If you have a Section 333 exemption grant, and we previously said you could operate under Part 107 with a waiver, you will receive a letter notifying you that we have granted you a 0waiver or that we need additional information for you to make your safety case. (See above section.)

    Information on the regulations potentially eligible for a waiver is here. Below is a short video on the waiver process.

     

  • 3DR to integrate Site Scan with Esri Drone2Map

    Drone-maker 3DR is teaming up with Esri to integrate 3DR’s Site Scan software with Esri Drone2Map.

    3DR made the announcement at the Esri User Conference, held last week in San Diego.

    Designed for the field professional, Site Scan is an intuitive, powerful and open aerial data capture and analytics platform that delivers an end-to-end solution ready-made for existing mapping and survey workflows, 3DR said in a news release. With Site Scan and Drone2Map, Esri customers can safely, quickly and easily conduct surveys with the Solo smart drone and effortlessly deliver that data to ArcGIS and ArcGIS Online.

    “Aerial data capture technology is bringing about a revolution in surveying and mapping,” said Lawrie Jordan, Director of Imaging and Remote Sensing at Esri. “We are thrilled to partner with 3DR to streamline the creation of professional imagery products with Site Scan and Drone2Map for ArcGIS. Together we will accelerate the development and use of remote sensing across all industries.”

    Site Scan automatically calculates a flight plan and Solo autonomously executes both flight and image capture. Images are processed and integrated with Esri Drone2Map to create high-resolution georeferenced maps and digital elevation models to share as tile or feature services in ArcGIS and ArcGIS Online.

    “Capturing site data today is costly, time consuming and often dangerous. Drones can easily go where it’s inefficient or unsafe for field personnel, making it easier to accurately measure our world so we can better analyze and manage it,” said Chris Anderson, CEO of 3DR. “We’re delighted to partner with such a great industry leader and integrate Site Scan with Esri Drone2Map. Together, we offer a complete solution for site capture that will help our customers create maps that tell stories, record change over time and perform analysis all while saving time, saving money and keeping humans out of harm’s way.”

    Site Scan makes it safer and easier than ever for people in land management, GIS, mapping, energy, infrastructure and related fields to aggregate and process multiple forms of aerial imagery and data and easily incorporate them into the Esri tools they use every day, 3DR said.

    Engineering and survey firm McKim & Creed, based in Fort Worth, Texas, is one customer. “Utilizing the 3DR Solo and SiteScan allowed McKim & Creed to confidently collect accurate spatial information in dangerous and demanding environments where it would have been difficult to use traditional survey methods,” said Christian Stallings, R&D Manager at McKim & Creed.

    “Using Esri’s Drone2Map software, surveyed ground control and 3DR’s Solo, we were able to collect detailed elevation information and high-resolution orthophotography over a dredging containment pond operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). This approach proved to be accurate and kept people out of harm’s way — which would only be achievable using this approach,” Stallings said.

    3DR designed Site Scan as an open and extensible platform. On the hardware side, the Solo smart drone has open gimbal and accessory bays, which give both 3DR and their global technology partners the ability to integrate additional cameras and sensors.

    Additionally, Solo firmware updates optimize the drone’s flight profile and performance. On the software side, 3DR continually updates the Site Scan application so that customers can take advantage of the most recent and advanced analytics technologies.

    With Site Scan, even users new to drone technology will fly with confidence from day one. The Site Scan app includes 3DR’s airspace safety information software, which alerts users if they’re about to fly in restricted airspace. They can then pull up a map of the area with all restrictions around them clearly marked.

    To support enterprise customers further, 3DR offers Success Services, including the Premier Success Plan. Included with their purchase of Success Services, all Site Scan users will have access to experts on Site Scan and Solo. They will also have a Solo overnight replacement guarantee should anything go wrong with one of their drones.

    Site Scan with Solo Enterprise is available immediately for order on store.3dr.com, priced at $3249 with a monthly service fee of $499 paid annually with a 12-month commitment.

  • New ArcGIS Full Motion Video release gives faster access

    Esri’s latest version of ArcGIS Full Motion Video (FMV) presents new capabilities to improve the way analysts and managers interact with videos.

    ArcGIS FMV allows users to view, organize and analyze video from drones and other collection platforms.

    The new release includes a performance boost in playback and panning, and in zooming the video during playback. It offers full support for JP2, and TIFF support for video mosaics including full image transformations for better accuracy. A new search tool makes it easier to find video segments based on location, time, and selected features.

    “ArcGIS FMV expands the capabilities of ArcGIS as a complete, professional platform for managing, sharing, and extracting value from geospatial data,” said Gerald Kinn, Esri’s lead product engineer for imagery. “Imagery from video is one of the most important sources of data in ArcGIS.”

    The previous version of ArcGIS FMV included a multiplexer tool that allowed users to transform non-MISB format videos, such as from UAVs or drones, into MISB-compliant videos compatible with the FMV add-in.

    “ArcGIS FMV tools add a dimension to our remote sensing analysis not previously possible,” said Verne LaClair, general manager for Vertex Geo, an Esri partner that specializes in civilian, municipal, defense and intelligence initiatives. “The ability to map FMV content will play an important role in search-and-rescue operations, wildlife tracking and monitoring, and cinematography projects.”

    For specific and technical details about this and the latest version, visit Esri.com/FMV.

  • FAA just gave US commercial drone industry major shot in the arm

    Mark June 21, 2016, on your calendar.

    This will be known as the day in geospatial history that the floodgates were opened for small drones to be used for business. On that day, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officially introduced new rules (so-called Part 107) that allow businesses to fly small (under 55 pounds) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the U.S. airspace for business purposes.

    There are still a few rules that need to be adhered to, but no longer do “wannabe” UAV pilots need to go through the painful FAA 333 Exemption process to begin flying UAVs for business purposes. The FAA has created a pilot certificate specifically for UAV pilots called the “Remote Pilot Certificate” that does not require any manned aircraft training.

    Previously, UAV pilots authorized by the FAA were required to at least have an FAA Sport Pilot Certificate, which required at least 20 hours of manned flight training, among other things. Deployment of the new Remote Pilot Certificate will begin just two months from now, in August 2016, according to this announcement by the FAA.

    In a nutshell, following is the operating environment under the new Remote Pilot (Part 107) rules:

    • Remote Pilot Certificate.
    • Be at least 16 years old. Pass a three-hour aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA Knowledge Test Center, requiring about 20 hours of study. Pay a $150 fee. The certificate is valid for two years.
    • Complete FAA Form 8710-13.
    • Maximum operating altitude is 400 feet AGL, or 400 feet AGL (above ground level) from a structure (e.g. building, roof).
    • Visual observer (VO) is now optional (was required under 333 Exemption) except if the pilot uses First Person View technology, then a VO is required.
    • UAV must weigh less than 55 pounds.
    • UAV must fly less than 100 miles per hour.
    • You can’t fly over anyone who is not directly participating in the operation, and not under a covered structure.
    • You can pilot a UAV from a moving vehicle in “sparsely populated” areas, but otherwise must be stationary (e.g. no piloting from other aircraft).
    • Daylight-only operations.
    • Pilot can only operate one UAV at a time.
    • Operations in Class G airspace are allowed without air traffic control (ATC) permission. Operations in Class B, C, D and E airspace need ATC approval. See description of US airspace here.
    • Operator does not have to be a certificated pilot if a certificated pilot is along side the operator.
    • Pilot must maintain VLOS (visual line of sight) of the UAS at all times.

    If you have a requirement that exceeds one of more of the above restrictions, the FAA says that as long as you can show that your operation can be carried out in a safe manner, you can request a waiver (Certificate of Waiver and Authorization – CoA) via an FAA portal.

    Links to key FAA documents on the new ruling:

    The remaining major hurdle for commercial operations is the requirement to maintain VLOS, which still is required under the new rules. With a rotary UAV (e.g. quad-copter) like what I fly, this requirement is easy to adhere to since the UAV isn’t traveling very fast and if you simply let go of the control sticks, it will hover. With a fixed-wing (conventional airplane airframe) UAV, this is not so easy. A fixed-wing can travel 30 to 40 mph, and can be out of VLOS within one minute, and it’s always moving. Nonetheless, even with the VLOS rule still in place, the new Part 107 rules grant a new, easily accessible and powerful tool to collect high-precision geospatial data.

    The good news for geospatial professionals is that more UAV companies are focusing on the professional marketplace.

    In 2009, 3D Robotics started targeting the DIY (do-it-yourself) UAV market, then the consumer market, and now are focusing on the professional markets like GIS, construction, etc.

    [Related: 3DR demos Site Scan at Esri UC]

    Because the rules have opened up to a much broader audience, expect more vendors to offer more products and services for professional UAV operators. For example, at the Esri International User Conference this week in San Diego, Esri showcased its Drone2Map software product that allows Esri software users to process and consume UAV data into the ArcGIS ecosystem.

    It’s no longer hype, folks. UAVs are here to stay, and they are becoming an increasingly powerful tool in the geospatial toolbox. The great news is that will all the UAV hype over the last few years, there’s many different vendors offering UAV hardware and softwares for you to choose from. All that competition will be reflected in the quality and price of UAVs on the market, benefitting the consumer.

    Thanks, and see you next month.

    Follow me on Twitter at @GPSGIS_Eric.

  • FAA just gave US commercial drone industry major shot in the arm

    Mark June 21, 2016, on your calendar.

    This will be known as the day in geospatial history that the floodgates were opened for small drones to be used for business. On that day, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officially introduced new rules (so-called Part 107) that allow businesses to fly small (under 55 pounds) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the U.S. airspace for business purposes.

    There are still a few rules that need to be adhered to, but no longer do “wannabe” UAV pilots need to go through the painful FAA 333 Exemption process to begin flying UAVs for business purposes. The FAA has created a pilot certificate specifically for UAV pilots called the “Remote Pilot Certificate” that does not require any manned aircraft training.

    Previously, UAV pilots authorized by the FAA were required to at least have an FAA Sport Pilot Certificate, which required at least 20 hours of manned flight training, among other things. Deployment of the new Remote Pilot Certificate will begin just two months from now, in August 2016, according to this announcement by the FAA.

    In a nutshell, following is the operating environment under the new Remote Pilot (Part 107) rules:

    • Remote Pilot Certificate.
    • Be at least 16 years old. Pass a three-hour aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA Knowledge Test Center, requiring about 20 hours of study. Pay a $150 fee. The certificate is valid for two years.
    • Complete FAA Form 8710-13.
    • Maximum operating altitude is 400 feet AGL, or 400 feet AGL (above ground level) from a structure (e.g. building, roof).
    • Visual observer (VO) is now optional (was required under 333 Exemption) except if the pilot uses First Person View technology, then a VO is required.
    • UAV must weigh less than 55 pounds.
    • UAV must fly less than 100 miles per hour.
    • You can’t fly over anyone who is not directly participating in the operation, and not under a covered structure.
    • You can pilot a UAV from a moving vehicle in “sparsely populated” areas, but otherwise must be stationary (e.g. no piloting from other aircraft).
    • Daylight-only operations.
    • Pilot can only operate one UAV at a time.
    • Operations in Class G airspace are allowed without air traffic control (ATC) permission. Operations in Class B, C, D and E airspace need ATC approval. See description of US airspace here.
    • Operator does not have to be a certificated pilot if a certificated pilot is along side the operator.
    • Pilot must maintain VLOS (visual line of sight) of the UAS at all times.

    If you have a requirement that exceeds one of more of the above restrictions, the FAA says that as long as you can show that your operation can be carried out in a safe manner, you can request a waiver (Certificate of Waiver and Authorization – CoA) via an FAA portal.

    Links to key FAA documents on the new ruling:

    The remaining major hurdle for commercial operations is the requirement to maintain VLOS, which still is required under the new rules. With a rotary UAV (e.g. quad-copter) like what I fly, this requirement is easy to adhere to since the UAV isn’t traveling very fast and if you simply let go of the control sticks, it will hover. With a fixed-wing (conventional airplane airframe) UAV, this is not so easy. A fixed-wing can travel 30 to 40 mph, and can be out of VLOS within one minute, and it’s always moving. Nonetheless, even with the VLOS rule still in place, the new Part 107 rules grant a new, easily accessible and powerful tool to collect high-precision geospatial data.

    The good news for geospatial professionals is that more UAV companies are focusing on the professional marketplace.

    In 2009, 3D Robotics started targeting the DIY (do-it-yourself) UAV market, then the consumer market, and now are focusing on the professional markets like GIS, construction, etc.

    [Related: 3DR demos Site Scan at Esri UC]

    Because the rules have opened up to a much broader audience, expect more vendors to offer more products and services for professional UAV operators. For example, at the Esri International User Conference this week in San Diego, Esri showcased its Drone2Map software product that allows Esri software users to process and consume UAV data into the ArcGIS ecosystem.

    It’s no longer hype, folks. UAVs are here to stay, and they are becoming an increasingly powerful tool in the geospatial toolbox. The great news is that will all the UAV hype over the last few years, there’s many different vendors offering UAV hardware and softwares for you to choose from. All that competition will be reflected in the quality and price of UAVs on the market, benefitting the consumer.

    Thanks, and see you next month.

    Follow me on Twitter at @GPSGIS_Eric.

  • 3DR to integrate Site Scan with Esri Drone2Map

    Today at the Esri User Conference, 3DR announced that it has teamed up with Esri to integrate 3DR’s Site Scan with Esri Drone2Map.

    Designed for the field professional, Site Scan is an intuitive, powerful and open aerial data capture and analytics platform that delivers an end-to-end solution ready-made for existing mapping and survey workflows, 3DR said in a news release. With Site Scan and Drone2Map, Esri customers can safely, quickly and easily conduct surveys with the Solo smart drone and effortlessly deliver that data to ArcGIS and ArcGIS Online.

    “Aerial data capture technology is bringing about a revolution in surveying and mapping,” said Lawrie Jordan, Director of Imaging and Remote Sensing at Esri. “We are thrilled to partner with 3DR to streamline the creation of professional imagery products with Site Scan and Drone2Map for ArcGIS. Together we will accelerate the development and use of remote sensing across all industries.”

    Site Scan automatically calculates a flight plan and Solo autonomously executes both flight and image capture. Images are processed and integrated with Esri Drone2Map to create high-resolution georeferenced maps and digital elevation models to share as tile or feature services in ArcGIS and ArcGIS Online.

    “Capturing site data today is costly, time consuming and often dangerous. Drones can easily go where it’s inefficient or unsafe for field personnel, making it easier to accurately measure our world so we can better analyze and manage it,” said Chris Anderson, CEO of 3DR. “We’re delighted to partner with such a great industry leader and integrate Site Scan with Esri Drone2Map. Together, we offer a complete solution for site capture that will help our customers create maps that tell stories, record change over time and perform analysis all while saving time, saving money and keeping humans out of harm’s way.”

    Site Scan makes it safer and easier than ever for people in land management, GIS, mapping, energy, infrastructure and related fields to aggregate and process multiple forms of aerial imagery and data and easily incorporate them into the Esri tools they use every day, 3DR said.

    Engineering and survey firm McKim & Creed, based in Fort Worth, Texas, is one customer. “Utilizing the 3DR Solo and SiteScan allowed McKim & Creed to confidently collect accurate spatial information in dangerous and demanding environments where it would have been difficult to use traditional survey methods,” said Christian Stallings, R&D Manager at McKim & Creed.

    “Using Esri’s Drone2Map software, surveyed ground control and 3DR’s Solo, we were able to collect detailed elevation information and high-resolution orthophotography over a dredging containment pond operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). This approach proved to be accurate and kept people out of harm’s way — which would only be achievable using this approach,” Stallings said.

    3DR designed Site Scan as an open and extensible platform. On the hardware side, the Solo smart drone has open gimbal and accessory bays, which give both 3DR and their global technology partners the ability to integrate additional cameras and sensors.

    Additionally, Solo firmware updates optimize the drone’s flight profile and performance. On the software side, 3DR continually updates the Site Scan application so that customers can take advantage of the most recent and advanced analytics technologies.

    With Site Scan, even users new to drone technology will fly with confidence from day one. The Site Scan app includes 3DR’s airspace safety information software, which alerts users if they’re about to fly in restricted airspace. They can then pull up a map of the area with all restrictions around them clearly marked.

    To support enterprise customers further, 3DR offers Success Services, including the Premier Success Plan. Included with their purchase of Success Services, all Site Scan users will have access to experts on Site Scan and Solo. They will also have a Solo overnight replacement guarantee should anything go wrong with one of their drones.

    Site Scan with Solo Enterprise is available immediately for order on store.3dr.com, priced at $3249 with a monthly service fee of $499 paid annually with a 12-month commitment.

  • Venom shows off drone batteries at AUVSI’s Xponential 2016

    Venom Power displays numerous battery options for UAVs at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International‘s Xponential show, held May 2-5 in new Orleans.

    Venom offers a line of rechargeable batteries specifically made for UAVs.

  • Commercial drone market to grow at CAGR 27 percent to 2021

    According to a new TechSci Research report, the commercial drone market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 27 percent until 2021, with North America anticipated to continue its dominance as the largest commercial drone market through 2021.

    The report, “Global Commercial Drone Market By Drone Type, By Application, By Region, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011-2021” considers use and growth of rotary-blade and fixed-wing drone types.

    According to the report, the rotary-blade drone segment dominated the global commercial drone market in 2015 because of its various technical features and benefits that enable these drones to perform intensely in photography, mapping, oil and gas sector and mining industry.

    Moreover, continuing growth of the global mining market, which was valued at around $1.5 trillion in 2015 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of more than 7 percent during 2016-2021, is expected to further boost the prospects of commercial use of drones in the mining sector over the next five years. Rotary blade drones are designed to fly in all directions as well as hover at a fixed position.

    In 2015, these drone types accounted for a market share of more than 75 percent in the global commercial drone market because of their versatility and increasing application areas.

    Fixed-wing drones are the other major drone type, and these drones are being widely used in precision agriculture and aerial mapping. Precision farming utilizes several technological advancements such as geo location tracking, data management, and crop health analysis in order to ensure better productivity as compared to conventional farming methodology.

    Higher profitability and productivity, coupled with expanding global demand for crop yield are few of the factors poised to drive the global precision agriculture market at a CAGR of over 11 percent during 2016-2021, thereby propelling demand for drones used in the precision agriculture industry.

    A sample report is available.

  • Commercial drone services could reach $8.7 billion annually by 2025

    According to a new report from Tractica, by the end of the next decade, annual revenue from drone-enabled services will be more than double the revenue from sales of commercial drone hardware units themselves.

    The market intelligence firm forecasts that global commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) services revenue will grow from $170 million in 2015 to $8.7 billion by 2025.

    UAVs are gaining significant traction in a variety of industries, including oil and gas, insurance, public safety, film and media, and agriculture. While the number of drones being shipped for commercial markets is often the most visible trend, the largest revenue opportunity in the sector lies in the various services that these drones will enable.

    The largest service applications will be mapping, aerial assessment and prospecting, but smaller opportunities for drone services will also include disaster relief, early warning systems, data collection and analytics, environmental monitoring, package delivery, and filming and entertainment.

    “Commercial drone operators around the world are quickly realizing the potential for UAVs to be harnessed for a variety of services in a more efficient manner than can be achieved using conventional means such as satellites or aircraft,” said managing director Clint Wheelock. “Most commercial applications for drones are related to aerial imaging or data analysis, taking advantage of low-cost components and ever-increasing sensor capabilities.”

    Wheelock added that, while regulatory and business barriers remain to the more widespread use of drones for commercial purposes, the path ahead is becoming steadily clearer as business models and policy frameworks continue to be refined in countries around the world.

    Tractica’s report, “Drones for Commercial Applications,” examines the market trends and technology issues surrounding the commercial drone industry and presents a comprehensive analysis of the drivers and inhibitors of market development, the regulatory landscape, business models and supply chain considerations.

    The report includes a 10-year forecast for drone hardware unit shipments and revenue, segmented by industry, airframe type and world region, in addition to drone-enabled services by application area. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.

  • uAvionix debuts pingRX receiver for small drone collision avoidance

    pingRX-receiver-auvsiElectronics manufacturer uAvionix has introduced the smallest and lightest ADS-B receiver, according to the company. The new pingRX weighs 1.5 grams and requires one hundredth the power of conventional ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast) receivers. It implements “sense and avoid” capabilities for small drones operating in the National Airspace (NAS).

    The receiver, for use in small drone collision avoidance systems ADS-B, helps aircraft operators sense and avoid possible collisions. ADS-B is mandated by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration for all aircraft in the NAS in 2020. Used now primarily on manned aircraft, miniaturizing the equipment was essential to make it useable for small drones, uAvionix says. pingRX measures 32 by 15 by 3 millimeters, which is a fraction of the size of earlier units.

    Early adopter Randy Mackay, lead developer of ArduCopter, said to the company that it “feels slightly magical to have real aircraft appearing on our ground station map.”

    pingRX receives ADS-B information broadcast by other aircraft on two frequencies approved by the FAA (978 megahertz and 1090 megahertz). This allows the unit to detect commercial aircraft threats within a 100 statute mile radius in real time.

    For drone aircraft system installation, pingRX is designed for direct MAVLink integration with Pixhawk autopilots and APM Mission Planner software.

    uAvionix will display its new patent-pending pingRX ADS-B receiver at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International’s Xponential trade show May 3-5 in New Orleans.

  • FAA makes progress accommodating commercial UAS operations

    The sensefly eXom UAV in flight.
    The sensefly eXom UAV in flight.

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) took a major step forward in expanding commercial UAS/UAV operations in the U.S. airspace. It’s chief said April 19 that the FAA is preparing to take another major step forward in further opening up commercial UAS/UAV operations by eliminating the need for a 333 Exemption for operating small UAS/UAV.

    On March 29, the FAA announced it was doubling the altitude for blanket nationwide CoAs (Certificates of Waiver or Authorization) to 400 feet above ground level (AGL). The FAA has typically issued a blanket nationwide CoA with each 333 Exemption it has granted.

    Before the announcement, the maximum altitude allowed for commercial operations under the blanket CoA was 200 feet AGL. Now, it is 400 feet AGL. At the stroke of a pen, the 3,000+ 333 Exemption holders with blanket CoAs are now authorized to fly to 400 feet. This is significant because UAS operators can now fly higher and cover more area more efficiently, and still meet the precision and accuracy requirements of most clients.

    Another announcement, perhaps even more important, was made by FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, who spoke at the 2016 FAA UAS Symposium held April 19-20 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Huerta announced that the FAA is close to finalizing the FAA rules for small UAS.

    “In late spring we plan to finalize our small UAS rule to eliminate the need for most 333 exemptions,” Huerta said. He was referring to the Small UAS Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that was announced Feb. 15, 2015, and opened for public comment through April 24, 2015. There were 4,650 public comments made. You can read the comments about the proposed rule here.

    The proposed small UAS rule differs significantly from the current FAA requirements for operating UAS in the United States for commercial purposes. One of the major differences is that there will be a “UAS operator’s certificate” created so that commercial UAS pilots will no longer be required to have a FAA Pilot Certificate. Currently, the FAA requires commercial UAS pilots to have at least an FAA Sport Pilot certificate, which requires a substantial investment in money and time to achieve.

    To summarize, the general proposed small UAS rules are:

    UAS pilot

    • Must be at least 17 years old.
    • Must pass an aeronautical test at FAA-approved testing center, and renewed every 24 months.
    • Must be vetted by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
    • Must obtain an unmanned aircraft operator certificate with a small UAS rating

    UAS operation

    • UASmust weigh less than 55 pounds.
    • Pilot in Command or Visual Observer must maintain visual line of sight (VLOS).
    • Can’t operate over people who are not part of the UAS operation.
    • Daylight operations only.
    • Yield to manned aircraft.
    • May use Visual Observer (VO), but not required.
    • First-person view camera cannot satisfy “see-and-avoid” requirement but can be used as long as requirement is satisfied in other ways.
    • Maximum airspeed of 100 mph.
    • Maximum altitude of 500 feet AGL (above ground level).
    • Minimum weather visibility of 3 miles from control station.
    • Can’t operate more than one UAS at a time.
    • No careless or reckless operations.
    • Operations in Class B, C, D and E airspace are allowed with the required ATC permission.
    • Operations in Class G airspace are allowed without ATC permission.

    With these rules, neither a 333 Exemption nor a CoA is required, which would significantly ease the requirements for a surveying or geospatial company to begin offering UAS services.

    Phantom-4-Action-4-O
    The DJI Phantom 4 UAV.

    In addition, the small UAS rule includes a framework to adapt future rules such as Micro UAS (0.55 pounds and under) rules that are being actively discussed within the FAA as well as a discussion about commercial operation of UAS over people.

    In the meantime, consumer UAS are becoming more powerful with each new product introduction. DJI, the world’s largest UAS manufacturer (by far) introduced the Phantom 4. It’s a huge step forward due to one new feature: automatic collision avoidance. This feature will help operators avoid trees, buildings and potentially other UAS. I’m pretty sure this feature will eventually be included in all commercial UAS.

    Intel CEO Brian Krzanich demonstrated the broad capabilities UAV technology during his keynote presentation at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show Jan. 5, in Las Vegas. Krzanich showcased the Yuneec Typhoon H with Intel RealSense Technology. (Photo: Intel)
    Intel CEO Brian Krzanich gives his keynote presentation at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show Jan. 5, in Las Vegas, where he also announced the acquisition of Ascending Technologies for drone collision avoidance. (Photo: Intel)

    Automatic collision avoidance is such a hot subject that in January, Intel acquired Ascending Technologies, a UAS manufacturer that has incorporated automatic sense and avoid technology in their UAS. According to the announcement, Intel sees “incredible opportunity for innovation across a multitude of industries. As a result, Intel is positioning itself at the forefront of this opportunity to increasingly integrate the computing, communications, sensor and cloud technology required to make drones smarter and more connected.”

    Thanks, and see you next month.

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