GPS World

Tag: drone

  • FAA releases B4UFLY iPhone app on Apple Store

    The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) drone app — B4UFLY — is being released for Apple, following an initial beta testing period. The app can be dowloaded from the Apple store.

    The FAA also is releasing a beta version of B4UFLY for Android devices, which can be downloaded from Google.

    B4UFLY tells users about current or upcoming requirements and restrictions in areas of the National Airspace System (NAS) where they may want to operate their unmanned aircraft system (UAS).

    “We expect B4UFLY will help raise public awareness about what it means to operate unmanned aircraft safely,” FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. “It is another important part of our education and awareness efforts to foster a culture of safety and accountability for the UAS community.”

    The B4UFLY app includes a number of enhancements the FAA developed as a result of user feedback during the beta testing announced in May 2015. Within two taps, users know if it is safe to fly at their current location. The app provides a status indicator that tells users: “Proceed with Caution,” “Warning – Action Required,” or “Flight Prohibited.”

    The app also features a planner mode that allows users to select a different time and location for an upcoming flight and determine if there are any restrictions at that place and time.

    By law, hobbyists who want to fly within five miles of an airport must notify the airport operator and the air traffic control facility (if there is one) prior to flying.

    For now, B4UFLY will ask users who are supposed to notify the airport before flying for voluntary information about their planned flight. This will not meet the statutory requirement to notify the airport and air traffic control facility, but the data will help the agency make informed policy decisions related to notification. This information will not be publicly available.

    You can find more information on our B4UFLY webpage.

  • CES 2016: DJI upgrades Phantom 3 and Inspire 1 drones

    Drone maker DJI is introducing enhancements to its Phantom 3 and Inspire 1 quadcopters at CES 2016, a consumer electronics and technology trade show held Jan. 6–9 in Las Vegas.

    The newest models, the Phantom 3 4K and Inspire 1 Pro Black Edition, were designed to capture stunning aerial photography.

    \The Phantom 3 4K’s introduction is the result of strong consumer demand for top resolution cameras and ultrasonic sensors, the company said, which enable flight indoors and in areas with a weak GPS signal. The Phantom 3 4K comes with an integrated, gimbal-stabilized 4K camera and has remote-control buttons for playback, video recording and camera shutter.

    Instead of DJI’s Lightbridge video-transmission system, the Phantom 3 4K uses built-in WiFi to transmit the video downlink and on-screen data. The drone’s WiFi video downlink is effective up to a distance of 1.2 kilometers.

    “The Phantom 3 4K fills an important gap in our Phantom portfolio. It offers a high-quality camera and smart navigation system for a lower price than our professional models. This is possible, as we have replaced the DJI Lightbridge system with a built-in WiFi link,” said Paul Pan, DJI’s senior product manager.

    The Phantom 3 4K will stay aloft for 25 minutes on a full battery charge. DJI also has made stylistic change to its Inspire 1 Pro. The Inspire 1 Pro Black Edition comes with a black controller, battery and a shell with a matte finish. It comes equipped with DJI’s best-in-class Micro Four Thirds camera, the Zenmuse X5.

    In celebration of DJI’s 10th anniversary, the promotional price of the DJI Phantom 3 4K edition is $799, starting Jan. 6. This promotion also extends to the Phantom 3 Advanced model, now priced at $799, and the Phantom 3 Standard, at $499. DJI says the price may be subject to change.

    The original Inspire 1 Pro, with a white shell, battery case and controller, will continue to be sold alongside the new model.

    “One of the most-frequent questions we get from professional drone operators is ‘when will DJI come out with a black Inspire?’ The answer is now,’” said Ferdinand Wolf, manager of DJI Studios Europe.

    DJI’s main booth at CES 2016 will be in South Hall 2, No. 25602, and Central Hall, No. 9845. The exhibits will feature a flying cage for attendees to attempt flying a drone with First Person View, an Osmo Zone for testing the filmmaking tool, a showcase of solutions created with the DJI SDK and a display of work created by the SkyPixel community.

  • DJI launches public beta of geofencing software for drones

    Drone-maker DJI has launched a public beta version of its new geofencing system in North America and Europe.

    Geospatial Environment Online (GEO) will provide drone users with up-to-date guidance on locations where flight may be restricted by regulation or raise safety or security concerns. With this major upgrade to DJI’s existing geofencing system, users will have access to live information about areas temporarily restricted from flight due to forest fires, major stadium events, VIP travel and other changing circumstances.

    The GEO system will also show restricted areas around locations like prisons, power plants and other sensitive areas where drone flight would raise non-aviation security concerns.

    To accommodate the large variety of authorized applications, GEO will allow drone operators with verified DJI accounts to self-authorize and temporarily unlock flight in some locations. Certain areas where drone flight is not allowed, such as Washington D.C., will remain as unlockable no-fly zones. Unlocking requires a DJI account verified with a credit card, debit card or mobile phone number. DJI will neither collect nor store the information, and the service is free.

    The verified account is required only if a user chooses to fly in a location that might raise aviation safety or security concerns.

    Use of GEO requires a drone firmware update and installation of a beta version of the DJI Go app.

    Android users can directly download the APK file. Users of iOS devices can request a download of the beta app by providing an email address to [email protected].

    DJI expects to release a final version of GEO after completion of this short beta period.

    The GEO public beta will work with both DJI’s Phantom 3 and Inspire 1 drones, with specific versions available for download.

  • FAA unveils UAS rule, begins drone registry Dec. 21

    FAA unveils UAS rule, begins drone registry Dec. 21

    The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Dec. 14 an official rule and registration process for hobbyists who own small unmanned aircraft weighing more than 0.55 pounds and less than 55 pounds, including payloads such as on-board cameras.

    The online registration system does not yet support registration of small UAS used for any purpose other than hobby or recreation — for example, using an unmanned aircraft in connection with a business. The FAA is developing enhancements that will allow such online registrations by spring of 2016.

    The registration procedure is a statutory requirement that applies to all hobby aircraft. Under this rule, any owner of a small UAS who has previously operated an unmanned aircraft exclusively as a model aircraft prior to Dec. 21, 2015, must register no later than Feb. 19, 2016. Owners of any other UAS purchased for use as a model aircraft after Dec. 21, 2015, must register before the first flight outdoors.

    The Registration Task Force delivered recommendations to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on Nov. 21. The rule incorporates many of the task force recommendations, the FAA says.

    “Make no mistake: unmanned aircraft enthusiast are aviators, and with that title comes a great deal of responsibility,” Foxx said in the announcement. “Registration gives us an opportunity to work with these users to operate their unmanned aircraft safely. I’m excited to welcome these new aviators into the culture of safety and responsibility that defines American innovation.”

    Owners may register through a web-based system or paper-based process. There is a $5 registration fee, but the FAA is offering a full rebate for those who register before Jan. 20, 2016.

    Under the rule, each aircraft must be marked with a unique number, although not necessarily the serial number. The goal is to help authorities track down an owner if a drone collides with another aircraft, flies too high or encroaches on an airport.

    Registrants will need to provide their name, home address and email address. Upon completion of the registration process, the web application will generate a Certificate of Aircraft Registration/Proof of Ownership that will include a unique identification number for the UAS owner, which must be marked on the aircraft.

    Owners using the model aircraft for hobby or recreation will only have to register once and may use the same identification number for all of their model UAS. The registration is valid for three years.

    “We expect hundreds of thousands of model unmanned aircraft will be purchased this holiday season,” Huerta said. “Registration gives us the opportunity to educate these new airspace users before they fly so they know the airspace rules and understand they are accountable to the public for flying responsibly.”

  • FLYPRO announces smartwatch-controlled XEagle drone

    FLYPRO announces smartwatch-controlled XEagle drone

    Shenzhen FLYPRO Aerospace Tech Co. has officially released the XEagle, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with auto follow and obstacle avoidance functions.

    Photo: FLYPRO Aerospace Tech Co.Unlike other popular self-flying drone models on the market that are taken off by throwing the aircrafts in the air, which increases the risks of crashing the vehicles, XEagle introduces various features including voice control, smartwatch and automatic obstacle avoiding to offer a better user experience. By liberating both hands, users do not need to have any previous knowledge and experience when handling an XEagle.

    Designed for recording sports activities, FLYPRO has replaced traditional UAV remote controllers with XWatch for the new XEagle. XWatch is a smartwatch designed to control XEagle that’s portable and easy to navigate — users can control the devices to take off, land and follow, as well as adjust flight height with just one click on the wrist within 300 meters. The smartwatch design enables users to fly the aerial vehicles to take high-definition pictures and videos while engaging in intense sports such as skiing and mountain bike cycling.

    The voice control feature allows hobbyists to fly the XEagle without moving their hands at all — the built-in intelligent voice recognition system responses fast and accurately to commands in both Chinese and English. Users only need to instruct the XEagle with commands such as “FLYPRO, take off” and “FLYPRO, follow me” to launch the XEagle in the air and have it follow automatically.

    To lower the risk of crashing the UAV in both takeoff time and during flight, XEagle offers a crash prevention solution by installing four layers of protection. With an infrared obstacle avoidance system and built-in photoelectric sensors, the XEagle can calculate precisely and in real time for obstacles to avoid collisions. The detection is effective when the obstacle is at the distance between 0.1 to 15 meters with relative velocity of 12 meters per second. The UAV can dodge obstacles and barriers while flying in the air by changing its flight path automatically.

    As a newcomer in the UAV market, FLYPRO’s technological breakthrough in developing consumer drones not only resolves the safety concerns customers have with other similar UAVs, but also improves user experience through innovative control measures that makes flying the drones as easy as clicking a button, leading the UAV industry with the company’s user-centered philosophy and high product quality standards.

    “Now, customers favor UAV products with lower risks associate with operating the aerial vehicles as well as technological innovations that enable users to perform complex tasks without advanced training. When other companies are looking for ways to make UAV products more accessible to the public, FLYPRO has already achieved that with our innovative functions like smart watch control, auto follow and obstacle avoidance that allow everyone to enjoy flying the UAVs for sports and entertainment,” said Lin Hai, founder and CEO of FLYPRO.

  • Topcon and Agisoft sign partnership agreement for UAS photogrammetric software

    Topcon Positioning Group announces a new partnership with digital photogrammetric solution provider Agisoft LLC. The agreement is designed to further expand the Topcon solutions portfolio for mass data collection (MDC).

    Topcon_Agisoft-WAgisoft is a world leader in the processing of digital imagery in order to generate high-accuracy 3D spatial data using photogrammetric and computer vision techniques, and has been developing imaging solutions for nearly 10 years. Topcon will provide the Agisoft Photogrammetric Kit for Topcon — Professional Edition software for post-processing of data collected using the Falcon 8 and Sirius Pro unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

    Features include photogrammetric triangulation, dense point-cloud editing and classification, digital terrain or surface model export to a variety of formats including georeferenced orthomosiac production (including GeoTIFF and KML export), multi-spectral imagery processing, 3D model generation and texturing, as well as full measurement analysis tools.

    “We are very excited to be able to offer the combination of our Sirius Pro and Falcon 8 UAS devices and Agisoft Photogrammetric Kit Professional software. The solution provides an integrated workflow for reaching high-accuracy survey results using unmanned aerial systems with minimal field work,” said Eduardo Falcon, executive vice president and general manager for the Topcon GeoPositioning Solutions Group. “For example, when using the Sirius Pro, absolute accuracies down to 1.6 cm (0.6 in.) in plan and 2.7 cm (1 in.) in height are possible without the need for any ground control.”

    The photogrammetric kit solution is now available.

  • DJI launches company’s first agriculture drone

    DJI launches company’s first agriculture drone

    Unmanned aerial vehicle maker DJI has launched of a smart, crop-spraying agricultural drone. The DJI Agras MG-1 is dustproof, water-resistant and made of anti-corrosive materials. It can be rinsed clean and folded up for easy transport and storage after use.

    The eight-rotor Agras can load more than 10 kilograms of liquid for crop-spraying and can cover between seven and 10 acres per hour. It is more than 40 times more-efficient than manual spraying, according to DJI. The drone can fly up to eight meters per second and adjusts spraying intensity to flying speed to ensure even coverage.

    The Agras features DJI’s flight-control system and microwave radar to ensure centimeter-level accuracy. During flight, the drone scans the terrain below in real time, automatically maintaining its height and distance from plants to ensure application of an optimal amount of liquid. DJI’s real-time Lightbridge 2 transmission system is also onboard.

    DJI-ag-drone-1
    The DJI Agras MG-1.

    Users can select automatic, semi-automatic or manual operation modes, depending on terrain, with uniform spraying carried out via the drone’s nozzles. The drone has four replaceable, ceramic nozzles, each powered by a motor. The included nozzles can be used for thousands of hours of spraying. Downward airflow generated by the rotors increases spraying velocity and ensures the agent will reach plant stems and leaves near the soil.

    The Agras MG-1’s body is sealed, and features an integrated centrifugal cooling system designed to extend motor life by up to three times. Triple-filtration cuts off intake of mist, dust and large particulates to reduce wear from impurities. As the drone flies, air enters the aircraft body via the front inlet. It is then filtered and passes through each of the aircraft’s arms to the motors, capturing heat from all components and the entire structure. Heat is then dissipated by venting into the surrounding air.

    DJI-ag-drone-2
    The DJI Agras MG-1 is designed for crop spraying.

    The drone’s intelligent memory function means after the Agras MG-1 is brought back to base for refill or recharge, it will return to its last memory point to pick up spraying where it left off.

    Users control the Agras with a custom DJI remote. Its low-energy display panel gives real-time flight information and lasts for extended periods on a single charge.

    The Agras MG-1 will initially be available in China and Korea and later in other markets.

  • FAA’s Drone Task Force Issues Registration Recommendations

    A proposed national drone registration system should be based on the pilot, not the craft, recommends an FAA task force. It should also be free, electronic and immediate, and not apply to UAVs weighing 250 grams or less.

    In October, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta announced the creation of the task force to develop recommendations for a registration process for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

    The Task Force agreed that it was outside its scope to debate the Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary’s decision to require registration of sUAS or the legal authority for the implementation of such a mandate.

    Immediately following the DOT’s announcement in October, the FAA brought together retailers, pilots, industry representatives and others to talk about the proposal and submit comments on how the system should work.

    Task force members interviewed FAA officials, met for three days and prepared final recommendations. They agreed on three basic requirements: Owners must fill out an electronic form, immediately receive a certificate of registration and number for use on all UAVs they own, and mark all applicable drones with a registered number.

    The Task Force recommendations for the registration process are:

    1. Fill out an electronic registration form through the web or through an application (app).
    2. Immediately receive an electronic certificate of registration and a personal universal registration number for use on all sUAS owned by that person.
    3. Mark the registration number (or registered serial number) on all applicable sUAS before their operation in the National Air Space (NAS).

    The Task Force recommended an exclusion from the registration requirement for any small unmanned aircraft weighing a total of 250 grams or less. The exclusion was based on a maximum weight that was defined as the maximum weight possible including the aircraft, payload, and any other associated weight. In manned aircraft terms, it is the “maximum takeoff weight.”

    Read the report here.

     

  • SkyTracker Launched to Thwart Drone Threats in Protected Airspace

    CACI International has released SkyTracker, a precision system to protect high-value assets and support public safety against the escalating threat posed by the inadvertent or unlawful misuse of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

    SkyTracker’s UAS detection, identification, and tracking system uses the drone’s radio links to precisely identify and locate UAS flying in banned or protected airspace, and has the unique capability to locate UAS ground operators. This proprietary CACI technology has been demonstrated to address a variety of UAS threat scenarios. The system is widely applicable, from protecting airports to safeguarding critical infrastructure or events — anywhere UAS pose a potential risk to people or assets.

    On Oct. 7, the FAA announced a Pathfinder agreement with CACI to test SkyTracker in the airport environment to ensure successful operation without disruption of airport communications.

    SkyTracker accurately detects, identifies, and tracks UAS threats. The system’s mitigation capability provides responders with precise information in a defined geographic location in order to initiate countermeasures that, unlike other technologies, do not interfere with legitimate electronics or communications systems in the area, or with UAS that are being operated responsibly as determined by the U.S. government.

    SkyTracker_sensors_900pxThe SkyTracker system design is modular and scalable for application in different environments. It can protect high-value assets in geographically compact locations such as government buildings, embassies and stadiums, as well as provide wide-area defense of airports, military bases and areas under temporary flight bans such as locations experiencing forest fires. SkyTracker provides continuous, automated monitoring, day or night, in any weather condition.

    “CACI’s SkyTracker system provides our customers with the unique capability to precisely locate unmanned aircraft systems and their ground operators. Our system has been demonstrated to address a variety of UAS threat scenarios,” John Mengucci, CACI’s chief operating officer and president of U.S. Operations, said. “In addition to the protection of airports, an effort undertaken in our recently announced research and development agreement with the federal government, SkyTracker has broad applications in the protection of critical infrastructure, stadiums, events, or anywhere drones pose a potential risk to people or assets.”

    “CACI is proud to advance our SkyTracker solution to address the rapidly escalating threat posed by the misuse of unmanned aircraft systems,” said CACI President and CEO Ken Asbury. “The development of innovative technological solutions in response to complex security threats is in our DNA. We built SkyTracker to address one of the most complex challenges facing those responsible for protecting critical infrastructure.”

    CACI provides information solutions and services in support of national security missions and government transformation for intelligence, defense, and federal civilian customers. A Fortune magazine World’s Most Admired Company in the IT Services industry, CACI is a member of the Fortune 1000 Largest Companies, the Russell 2000 Index, and the S&P SmallCap600 Index. CACI provides dynamic careers for over 16,300 employees in 120 offices worldwide.

  • Routescene maiden flight pushes boundaries

    Routescene maiden flight pushes boundaries

    Routescene has jointly developed with Hanseatic Aviation Solutions an integrated fixed-wing UAV and LidarPod solution for surveying.

    Following in-depth customer research, Routescene identified a gap in the market for an unmanned aerial 3D mapping solution capable of flying long distances, particularly for use in large countries with great expanses of remote land such as Australia, the United States, Canada and Eastern Europe. The integrated solution would be used for long-distance surveys, such as powerline inspections in the utilities sector, biomass mapping of forests and geophysical surveys.

    The successful maiden flight of the integrated Hanseatic S360 and Routescene LidarPod took place in July in Bremen, Germany, and demonstrated its capability by collecting sample data. German aviation authorities were so confident in the product, they gave Routescene permission to fly in the same circuit as manned aircraft.

    A 3D point cloud of the runway at Bremerhaven Airport.
    A 3D point cloud of
    the runway at Bremerhaven Airport.

    Benefits

    The LidarPod is integrated internally within the S360 itself, rather than being wing-mounted, reducing drag and enabling longer flight and survey times. Integration of the LidarPod into the nose cone minimizes noise and vibration traveling from the rear-mounted engine, ensuring the GNSS/INS is not adversely affected. It also enables more accurate positioning.

    The S360 is fixed-wing and built for long-distance flights, with four-hour endurance in the standard configuration, along with long-range telemetry, an autopilot system and a mission planning tool. It works in up to Force 7 winds, extending the operational window in which surveys can be performed. Its significant payload capacity enables the integration of additional survey and geophysical sensors as well as the LidarPod. Because this is an internally integrated solution, it can be set up rapidly and is easy to deploy in the field, Routescene said.

    Michael Schmidt, managing director of Hanseatic Aviation Solutions, and Gert Riemersma, CEO of Routescene, met for the first time at INTERGEO 2014. They immediately understood the potential power of a collaboration.

    Routescene launched the LidarPod at that trade show. It quickly attracted wide interest and is now generating business across four continents, Routescene said.

    After exploratory discussions with clients, the companies started development of the system in earnest at the start of 2015. “We have already seen significant interest from the forestry and geophysical exploration community,” Riemersma said.

  • UAV registration won’t require third-party help

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wants unmanned aircraft owners to know that there’s no need to work with a “drone registration” company to help them file an application for a registration number.

    Owners should wait until additional details about the forthcoming drone registration system are announced later this month before paying anyone to do the work for them.

    The Task Force assigned to provide FAA Administrator Michael Huerta with recommendations on the registration process is still days away from delivering this information. But at least one company is already offering to help people register their drones — for a fee.

    Speaking to the Task Force two weeks ago, Administrator Huerta told the group to provide guidance on a streamlined unmanned aircraft registration process that will be simple and easy to complete, and which types of UAS would need to be registered and which would not. The Task Force agreed and is working on recommendations for a system that is similar to registering any newly purchased product with its manufacturer, as well as a minimum weight for unmanned aircraft that must be registered.

    Drone owners should visit FAA.gov for official updates on the unmanned aircraft registry.

  • Sanborn gathers drone imagery of Denver golf courses

    The City of Denver has contracted with the Sanborn Map Company Inc. to collect high-resolution, full-motion video imagery of the city’s seven public golf courses and its Aqua Golf facility.

    Sanborn employs a commercial-grade unmanned aircraft system (UAS) from Denver-based Leptron Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The UAS is capable of producing unprecedented accuracy and resolution, including high-quality, engineering-grade digital terrain models exceeding 2-inch accuracy; multispectral frame imagery at sub-centimeter resolution; and crisp, vibration-free video. Earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration granted Sanborn a Section 333 Exemption, which permits the firm to offer commercial UAS services nationwide.

    “We launched our new golf website earlier this year and now we look forward to adding the Sanborn imagery,” said Leslie Wright, Denver Golf director of marketing. “Our course locations range from densely populated urban areas to mountainous terrain with elevations above 7,000 feet. We also had a very tight window in which to perform the work. Considering these diverse challenges, Sanborn has approached the project with a high degree of professionalism and has been great to work with.”

    The city will use the images for marketing, as well as to give golfers a bird’s-eye view of every hole with realistic fly-overs down each fairway from the tee box to the green. The city’s Overland Park Golf Course is the oldest operating course west of the Mississippi River, according to a news release from Sanborn.

    “Sanborn’s UAS technology is a great fit for a host of customers,” said Sanchit Agarwal, director of mapping operations. “Among them are police and fire departments, agricultural operations, utilities, oil and gas concerns, emergency response managers, local government, mine operators and the media.”

    Sanborn acquired this bird’s-eye view video of the 17th hole at Denver’s Evergreen Golf Course with its commercial-grade UAV.