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24 Articles

THE RIGHT TOOLS

If you’ve ever wondered whether LIDAR or photogrammetry is the right tool for your job, you don’t want to miss this month’s Expert Tech from Gabriel Torres. Use his advice to determine which sensor is the best match to your particular application. And speaking of sensors, the Parrot Anafi USA has an infra-red sensor that work with its electro-optics, so operators can identify temperatures between-10 and +400 degrees. See what else this military-grade drone offers in our “Air Support” review. An aerial camera can take your creativity to new heights (pun intended!). _ is month in “Level Up!,” we share 12 expert tips to help you get the most out of your eye in the sky. With a little practice and imagination, you’ll be on your way to producing stunning…

THE RIGHT TOOLS

RotorDronePro.com › Mailbag The “10 Top Jobs” feature in the August/September magazine was a pleasant surprise. I knew that UAS operations were increasing but I didn’t fully realize the potential. I think having the right skillset will be critical in my UAV job search. A recent college grad, I recently received my Part 107 commercial certification and am currently taking additional training to get certified in thermography. My next goal is to get APRS (American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing) trained and certified. As a subscriber I appreciate seeing articles on these topics. There is so much more to drone flying than being able to safely control the aircraft; knowing how to use the sensors properly and how to use the data is even more important. Thank you for…

Galápagos Drones

When conservators of the Galápagos Islands realized that a rat infestation was threatening local wildlife, they turned to a New Zealand drone company, Envico, for help. Monitoring activities in early 2018 determined that North Seymour was infested by black (Rattus rattus) and brown rats (Rattus norvegicus). The Directorate of the Galápagos National Park immediately began managing the project’s development after declaring a state of emergency, which secured funds from the Fund for Sustainable Environmental Investments. Bell Laboratories produced 3,000 kilograms (6,600 lb.) of “conservation bait”—a rodenticide specially developed to only attract rats—for the eradication. The bait’s formula was designed especially for projects within the Galápagos Archipelago due to their unique weather conditions. Karl Campbell, Island Conservation South American Regional Director, highlighted that before drones were available, they had to use…

Galápagos Drones

TRUST: The new FAA recreational flier certification

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that all recreational fliers must pass an aeronautical knowledge and safety test and provide proof of test passage (The Recreational UAS Safety Test, or TRUST, completion certificate) to the FAA or law enforcement upon request. A recreational flier is someone who operates their drone for fun or personal enjoyment purposes only. You may take the free online test through any of the approved test administrators listed at faa.gov/uas/recreational_fliers/knowledge_test_updates. The first section of the TRUST test provides you with the information needed to pass the test. The second section is a series of multiple-choice questions. You cannot fail the test. If you answer a question incorrectly, you will be provided with information on why the answer you chose was incorrect and will be asked…

TRUST: The new FAA recreational flier certification

Flymotion & Silvus Technologies Partnership

As public safety and unmanned systems experts, Flymotion is integrating Silvus’ product line into robotic platforms and enterprise-level UAS platforms. “Silvus Technologies’ MN-MIMO waveform brings the ability to merge multiple wireless systems, both manned and unmanned, to the front lines of public safety and defense—even in contested and austere environments. Th rough custom integration, we will be able to incorporate StreamCaster 2x2 and 4x4 MIMO radios into aerial and ground unmanned vehicles. Attaching a wireless high-bandwidth video and data network to a robotic system will push the boundaries for clear, long-range communications for a variety of applications,” said Ryan English, CEO of Flymotion. flymotion.com…

Flymotion & Silvus Technologies Partnership

3D Scan extends Skydio’s ground-breaking autonomous flight with advanced artificial intelligence skills that automate photographic data collection and mapping tasks. In addition, Skydio announced that Bentley Systems, an infrastructure engineering software company, has joined DroneDeploy and RealityCapture in Skydio’s technology partner ecosystem as a preferred photogrammetry solution for 3D Scan datasets. 3D Scan automates data capture for asset inspection and scene reconstruction, allowing any inspector, surveyor, or first responder to efficiently capture a complete photographic dataset that documents every angle of a scene, ensuring accurate coverage with sub-millimeter precision in a fraction of the time while greatly reducing risk. Skydio’s VP of Autonomy, Hayk Martiros, said, “We are extremely excited about the value that 3D Scan delivers. Manual drones lack the ability to see and understand the 3D nature of…

uAvionix George

George combines the flexibility and over a decade’s worth of open-source innovation in UAS autopilots with the robustness of a certifiable DAL-C hardware and a DAL-C safety and sensor processor. It uses the highest-quality GPS, C2 Radio, airspeed, Detect and Avoid (DAA), and military-grade geomagnetic sensors for unprecedented accuracy and platform integrity. The unit’s onboard sensor safety processor monitors system health and will deploy emergency measures, such as a parachute, in the unlikely event of a failure. George is plug and play with all uAvionix certified solutions. The G2 version weighs 80 grams and is intended to fly 21 to 55-pound UAVs; the G3 version is intended for UAVs that weigh less than 1,320 pounds. uavionix.com…

uAvionix George

Wing’s OpenSky App

Wing, the drone delivery arm of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has launched a free app in to help pilots legally fly drones. OpenSky has been available in Australia since 2019 but is now available in an iOS and Android app in the U.S. OpenSky is based on Google Maps, and it’s color-coded to show areas where pilots can and can’t fly. Green areas are okay, pilots should use caution in yellow areas, and red areas are no fly zones. The app lets pilots submit requests to fly in controlled airspace and receive “near real-time authorizations.” The approval process works in airspace that supports Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC), which includes hundreds of air traffic facilities and airports. As well as checking where it’s legal to fly and request…

Wing’s OpenSky App

Skyfront Active Terrain-Following

Skyfront UAVs like the Perimeter 8 shown are now equipped to fly autonomously meters from the ground for hours at a time, detecting improvised explosive devices (IEDs), conducting resource exploration, discovering unexploded ordnance, and finding oil wellheads. The Skyfront system integrates active RADAR terrain sensing and UgCS mission planning software to respond to the terrain by calculating and adjusting flight altitude based on a continuous stream of incoming measurements. The system can operate in hot temperatures and over water, allowing Skyfront drones to visualize complex trajectories in rugged terrain prior to takeoff and course correct in real time. Integrated into the Skyfront platform—propelled by the company’s hybrid-electric powertrain—the UAV can fly close to steep hills for hours and cover hundreds of acres in a single flight. Skyfront CEO Tory Mestler…

Skyfront Active Terrain-Following

MIT’s Next-Gen Micro Drone

If you’ve ever swatted a mosquito away from your face, only to have it return, you know that insects can be remarkably acrobatic and resilient in flight. Such traits are hard to build into flying robots, but MIT Assistant Professor Kevin Yufeng Chen has built a system that approaches insects’ agility. “If we look at most drones today, they’re usually quite big,” says Chen. “Most of their applications involve flying outdoors. The question is: Can you create insect-scale robots that can move around in very complex, cluttered spaces?” The principal alternative until now has been employing a small, rigid actuator built from piezoelectric ceramic. While piezoelectric ceramics allowed the first generation of tiny robots to take flight, they’re quite fragile. And that’s a problem when you’re building a robot to…

MIT’s Next-Gen Micro Drone

Parrot Anafi Ai

The first drone to use 4G as the main data link between the drone and the operator, the Anafi Ai will have precise control at any distance. For Beyond Visual Line of Sight flights, it stays connected even behind obstacles. The Ai and its Skycontroller 4 each come with an embedded Secure Element, and the 4G link between the drone and the user’s phone is encrypted. The Secure Element protects both the integrity of the software and the privacy of data transferred. The first in the industry to make its piloting application open-source, Parrot offers developers a Software Development Kit (SDK) to execute custom code in the Anafi Ai drone during the flight. The SDK gives access to all flight sensors, including obstacle avoidance sensors, occupancy grid and internet access.…

Parrot Anafi Ai

Nixie Water Sampling Drone

Made by Reign Maker, Nixie is the world’s first drone-enabled water sampling and data collection system, designed to drastically increase sampling rates and accuracy while reducing the number of required field personnel and eliminating the dependence on marine vessels. To ensure water supplies remain clean and safe, drinking water utilities, water resource management agencies, and environmental regulators worldwide routinely test water quality through government-mandated sampling and analysis. However, traditional water sampling and analysis methods are logistically complex and labor-intensive, and there are no centralized repositories for water sampling data. Nixie automates water management by using drones, water sensors, software, connectivity, and the Cloud to provide real-time actionable data stored in a central location. The system is designed to be intuitive and straightforward to operate in the field and conforms with…

Nixie Water Sampling Drone

Air Force Birds?

For the majority of the 21st century, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has been designing mini-robotic aircraft to mimic characteristics of insects and birds. Using biomimetics, engineers have created synthetic systems to function and achieve insect-like maneuverability. For the engineers, however, challenges are inherent when manipulating manmade mechanisms to perform instinctive movements of flying insects and birds. One such challenge is designing an aircraft capable of six-degrees-of-freedom flight with only two actuators. According to patents filed by David Doman, Michael Oppenheimer, Isaac Weintraub, and David Sigthorsson, this challenge may have met its match. These patents and its resulting invention have now landed on the doorstep of a small business in Los Angeles, Airion Health, LLC. In January, the Department of the Air Force signed a Non-Exclusive Patent License Agreement…

Air Force Birds?

Ellipsis Earth: using drones to identify, map, and track litter

Stray plastic bags. Fast-food cups and lids. Cigarette butts. Litter is literally everywhere we look, from highways to beaches to uninhabited islands. The first step in any cleanup job? Assessing the situation, and that’s where UK-based startup Ellipsis Earth comes in: using drones to map trash. Drones equipped with cameras survey the area, and Ellipsis’ computer software and image recognition can identify the type of litter and the density of the debris so they can determine the best solution to remove the trash. CEO and founder Ellie Mackay says, “We go out and actually capture images of the ground, the streets, the beaches, and the oceans in real life, and then process them very rapidly, very accurately. We have a huge data set, which is statistically very relevant and representative…

Ellipsis Earth: using drones to identify, map, and track litter

A JOB ON THE LINE

PILOT REPORT Sometimes, the best drone for a job is not a drone at all—at least that’s what I thought to myself when I first received this assignment. Uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) are powerful tools, to be sure, but it is worth keeping in mind that sometimes an alternative is even better suited to the task. In this case, I was once again in the employ of Wendie Kellington, a Portland-area attorney who specializes in land-use issues as well as drones and other autonomous systems. Her client was opening a new self-storage facility in the city of Hillsboro—and the legal question at hand pertained to a local ordinance. According to the city’s rules, businesses are only allowed to display signage on the side of a building that faces the street…

A JOB ON THE LINE

If you’re looking for a first or second drone to explore the exciting world of aerial imaging, keep looking. If you are an experienced pilot working in public safety, industrial inspection or even the armed forces, stop and give the Anafi USA a closer look—it’s worth it. A quirky platform built on a proven legacy, Parrot’s latest drone excels at providing powerful aerial imaging tools for professionals who need a clear view of what is happening on the ground when lives or big money are at risk. The extraordinary combination of thermal imaging and a visible-light camera with a 32x zoom capability are going to let you see what you need to see, right now. LIGHTWEIGHT The Anafi USA is a study in contrasts, and it is important to understand…

REMOTE-SPLIT OPERATIONS: How to fly a drone you never see

RSO is frequently employed by the military to conduct operations with its larger UAS, like the MQ-9 Reaper and the RQ-4 Global Hawk, but it remains relatively unknown among civilian UAS pilots. However, that is likely to change as RSO opens up new possibilities for students, researchers and others who need access to drones and the unique capabilities that they provide but cannot be physically present where and when the flight is occurring. BORN IN BATTLE “As far as the military goes, RSO really became mainstream in the 1990s,” according to Dr. David Thirtyacre, the chair of the Department of Flight at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide Campus. “The basic idea here is that there is geographic separation between the Mission Control Element (MCE) and the Launch and Recovery Element…

REMOTE-SPLIT OPERATIONS: How to fly a drone you never see

OK, so you’ve mastered the basics of drone flight, have taken the obligatory photos of your house and the nearby empty field, and now you’re looking to take your drone photography to new heights. We’ve got you covered! In this article, we’ve compiled eleven tips that will tell you what to look for, how to frame up your subject, and tricks to create one-of-a-kind photos. What are you waiting for? Go ahead and elevate your art! SHOOT THE HORIZON The horizon is its own dividing line. Find interesting shapes, lines, and contrast there to capture an aerial image that tells a story. In this image, the setting sun provides a backdrop to the gold and green fields. FIND DIVIDING LINES Lines can direct the viewer’s gaze in a photo. An…

PHOTOGRAMMETRY vs. LIDAR

In drone survey missions, the choice between photogrammetry and LIDAR depends heavily on the exact application. You also need to consider operational factors, such as cost and complexity. Knowing what outputs you really need will help you make the right decision. What is LIDAR and how does its output compare with results obtained with high-resolution RGB cameras and photogrammetry? In this article, we’ll explore the ways photogrammetry and LIDAR are actually quite different from each other, even if their three-dimensional (3D) outputs look similar. We’ll then dig deeper into specific applications and how photogrammetry can provide exceptional results for most missions at a fraction of the cost and complexity of LIDAR. Photogrammetry and professional, high-resolution cameras can cost-effectively generate 2D and 3D surveys, with absolute accuracies down to 1 cm…

PHOTOGRAMMETRY vs. LIDAR

SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON

PHOTOGRAMMETRY Many high-resolution aerial photos are taken to completely capture an area. These images overlap so any point on the ground is visible in multiple photos and from different angles. Photogrammetry software draws on the many vantage points of the image data to create detailed 3D maps. With post-processing in place, precise GNSS positions are recorded for every pixel of every image availing down to cm-level absolute accuracy in the final map. Resolution: Up to 20,000 px/m2 (2000 px/ft2) Accuracy: ~ 2 cm (0.8 in) absolute horizontal accuracy; ~ 3 cm (1.2 in) absolute vertical accuracy Typical coverage: 0-10 km2 per flight Photo realism: Photorealistic maps (orthomosaic, point cloud, textured mesh) are directly available. Leaf penetration: No leaf penetration. Ground below vegetation can only be reconstructed if captured from multiple…

ON SATURDAY, MAY 22, more than two million people discovered a terrifying fact: with seeming impunity, thousands of drones are flying within the restricted airspace surrounding Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The source of this information was seemingly unimpeachable: the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), one of the most respected news outlets in the nation. Those of us who work with uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) have every reason to be alarmed by reports like this: too many close calls could lead to more strict regulations and the loss of future opportunities. Fortunately for us, all of the “facts” reported in the WSJ were either flat-out wrong or oversimplified to the point of being meaningless. It’s worth noting what went wrong here, because those of us in the drone community need to…

WHEN DRONES GO BAD

It isn’t all aerial imaging and crop surveys: sometimes, people use drones to do bad things. Through a partnership with DroneSec—a private drone security intelligence firm with offices in Australia and Singapore—RotorDrone Pro is able to offer these briefings regarding the nefarious use of small UAS worldwide BET HE DIDN’T MAKE THE SALE Incident Type: Serious injury to drone pilot Incident Location: Towns County Jail, Young Harris, Georgia Aircraft Type: DJI Matrice 300 RTK Incident Resolution: National Transportation Safety Board Investigation The facts of this case are simple, yet they defy an easy explanation. The pilot appears to have made almost laughable errors in judgment, but also sustained a serious injury. Whether you ultimately decide this incident is a comedy or a tragedy, there are valuable lessons to be learned…

WHEN DRONES GO BAD

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Location: Winchester Bay, Oregon Pilot: Patrick Sherman Drone: DJI Air 2S SEND US YOUR PHOTOS If you have an image that you’ve taken with a multirotor that you’d like to see show cased in “Over the Horizon,” please send your high-resolution image, your Instagram handle (if applicable), and information on the location and the drone you flew to capture the image to RotorDrone@AirAge.com. Every photographer we feature on this page will receive a free one-year subscription or extension to RotorDronePro magazine.…

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