You know I've always said, if you live somewhere that has real winters, you have to learn to love the snow and ice. Check out these Canadian guys in their shorts running around on a frozen lake:
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| Run For Your Life! |
Monday, May 25, 2015
Saturday, May 23, 2015
UAV Factory, interview with Yu-Min Pang (UAV UAS Drones)
I had an interesting conversation with Yu-Min Pang, at the AUVSI 2015 show in Atlanta.
Pang: UAV Factory is located in Latvia, with sales and service here in the US. We offer this complete fly-out-of-the-box system, which includes a Launcher. This UAV you are looking at (Penguin C) is set up for military use, but can be used be used in a number of commercial applications.
Me: What is the advantage of the Catapult? (I ask obvious questions a lot, but sometimes I am surprised by the answers).
Pang: Most fixed wing need a runway, this can launch in a 50 sq. meter diameter area. It can be set up in 15 minutes.
Me: Advantages to the parachute system?
Pang: Weight and aerodynamics, much more streamlined with no landing gear. Also, we have a 20 hour endurance with this gas powered vehicle. We are under the FAA 55 weight limit also.
The Penguin B platform is a Do It Yourself system. It has a huge payload area that is very customizable. The gas motor includes an electric generator, which provides power for the servos and autopilot. You can build your own compartments, etc. It is a heavily modified 3W 28 cc motor, fuel injected.
Me: Very Cool!
Me: I am amazed by the fuel injection system...
Pang: 2 years in the development of the system. Also, there is a super silent silent muffler, very quiet while in the air.
Me: Ok, (I was ready to wrap up it when he interrupted me, he really is proud of these UAVs!)
Pang: So the Penguin B is primarily a runway take off and landing system, but it can be mounted on the launcher. The Penguin C is full turnkey. We use our own gimbal, with a live HD data link. Right now we are flying this UAV in Latvia, LIVE during the show.
Me: (I can see the monitor to the right, what the UAV is seeing, looks like farm land in Latvia).
Pang: After the Parachute is deployed, there is an airbag which is deployed for the landing. The chute also detaches from the vehicle upon landing, so the wind doesn't pull it around on the ground.
Me: This is a serious machine! Thats not a Takata air bag is it? (laughing). Just a joke.....
Pang: (He didn't laugh at all and kept right on going)...
Me: Size of your company, and always my last question, are you hiring?
Pang: Around 70 people, and yes we are looking for a sales rep in the US. I am the Asian Rep.
Pang: UAV Factory is located in Latvia, with sales and service here in the US. We offer this complete fly-out-of-the-box system, which includes a Launcher. This UAV you are looking at (Penguin C) is set up for military use, but can be used be used in a number of commercial applications.
Me: What is the advantage of the Catapult? (I ask obvious questions a lot, but sometimes I am surprised by the answers).
Pang: Most fixed wing need a runway, this can launch in a 50 sq. meter diameter area. It can be set up in 15 minutes.
Me: Advantages to the parachute system?
Pang: Weight and aerodynamics, much more streamlined with no landing gear. Also, we have a 20 hour endurance with this gas powered vehicle. We are under the FAA 55 weight limit also.
The Penguin B platform is a Do It Yourself system. It has a huge payload area that is very customizable. The gas motor includes an electric generator, which provides power for the servos and autopilot. You can build your own compartments, etc. It is a heavily modified 3W 28 cc motor, fuel injected.
Me: Very Cool!
Me: I am amazed by the fuel injection system...
Pang: 2 years in the development of the system. Also, there is a super silent silent muffler, very quiet while in the air.
Me: Ok, (I was ready to wrap up it when he interrupted me, he really is proud of these UAVs!)
Pang: So the Penguin B is primarily a runway take off and landing system, but it can be mounted on the launcher. The Penguin C is full turnkey. We use our own gimbal, with a live HD data link. Right now we are flying this UAV in Latvia, LIVE during the show.
Me: (I can see the monitor to the right, what the UAV is seeing, looks like farm land in Latvia).
Pang: After the Parachute is deployed, there is an airbag which is deployed for the landing. The chute also detaches from the vehicle upon landing, so the wind doesn't pull it around on the ground.
Me: This is a serious machine! Thats not a Takata air bag is it? (laughing). Just a joke.....
Pang: (He didn't laugh at all and kept right on going)...
Me: Size of your company, and always my last question, are you hiring?
Pang: Around 70 people, and yes we are looking for a sales rep in the US. I am the Asian Rep.
Trevor Briggs, Silent Falcon UAS UAV Drone interview
Here at 2015 AUVSI show in Atlanta, speaking with Trevor Briggs. Their booth is right across from the FAA booth, which is Very busy (everyone loves the FAA!). Check out their site:
Silent Falcon UAS Technologies
We are from Albuquerque, running an all electric, solar enhanced aircraft. Our data shows we can get 8 hrs of endurance, under perfect conditions, plan for 5-6 hrs under normal conditions. Range of up to 100 km, using Persistent Systems radios for our comms, we use one of their tracking antennas.
Me: What about the ground control station, is it something you have developed?
Trevor: We use Micro Pilot as our auto-pilot manufacturer, and they have their command and control interface which is included. We set that up on 2 laptops, one for auto-pilot and one for payload, with a big monitor between the 2 for situational awareness. We have had to do some programming on it for customization.
Me: how would you describe the size of this vehicle? I would call it Mid-Size, compared to most fixed wing that I have seen at the show so far.
Trevor: That sounds right, it weighs 30 lbs..
Me: I heard you just had a sale?
Trevor: Yes, the company is called Osprey View, a service provider in Maryland. Their will be doing a mining mission.
Me: What is the benefit you derive from the solar assist on the wings?
Trevor: We get quite a bit, 2-4 hours without solar, 5-6 with the solar assist.
Me: Are you hiring?
Trevor: We are looking for additional manufacturing staff in the next few weeks, please visit our website for more details.
Silent Falcon UAS Technologies
We are from Albuquerque, running an all electric, solar enhanced aircraft. Our data shows we can get 8 hrs of endurance, under perfect conditions, plan for 5-6 hrs under normal conditions. Range of up to 100 km, using Persistent Systems radios for our comms, we use one of their tracking antennas.
Me: What about the ground control station, is it something you have developed?
Trevor: We use Micro Pilot as our auto-pilot manufacturer, and they have their command and control interface which is included. We set that up on 2 laptops, one for auto-pilot and one for payload, with a big monitor between the 2 for situational awareness. We have had to do some programming on it for customization.
Me: how would you describe the size of this vehicle? I would call it Mid-Size, compared to most fixed wing that I have seen at the show so far.
Trevor: That sounds right, it weighs 30 lbs..
Me: I heard you just had a sale?
Trevor: Yes, the company is called Osprey View, a service provider in Maryland. Their will be doing a mining mission.
Me: What is the benefit you derive from the solar assist on the wings?
Trevor: We get quite a bit, 2-4 hours without solar, 5-6 with the solar assist.
Me: Are you hiring?
Trevor: We are looking for additional manufacturing staff in the next few weeks, please visit our website for more details.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
What Drone UAV UAS should I buy? (Part 2)
I can tell you what the 333 exempt fliers are using, based from their declarations in their petitions with our beloved FAA. DJI, in a word. See the charts below for more information. But the question is, will this out of the box solution meet the needs of your commercial business here in the US in a few months, in a year? As your business evolves, your equipment needs may evolve as well. For an interesting take on this, see my interview with Derek Lyons, Prioria Robotics:
Derek Lyons, Prioria Robotics Interview - IUAS Biz Direct
Much Thanks to Lisa Ellman for the graphics (and research behind it):
Derek Lyons, Prioria Robotics Interview - IUAS Biz Direct
I would like to hear from commercial fliers who have already upgraded or simply changed to more specific UAV UAS Drones to meet their business needs.Please post a Comment Below.
Much Thanks to Lisa Ellman for the graphics (and research behind it):
Monday, May 18, 2015
AUVSI 2015- Interview with Derek Lyons, Prioria Robotics
Derek: I am V.P. of Marketing and Sales for Prioria Robotics, a small UAS Manufacturer out of Gainesville, FL. We transitioned technology from the Univ. of Florida Air Force research lab and NASA to create the Maveric, a 2.5 lb, backpack portable UAS, which can fold up into a 6" tube. The goal of it was to help in the Military space do the dull, dirty, and dangerous work and to see what is over the hill without putting a person at risk. We wanted a small compact, very light system.
Me: Are you selling this commercially?
Derek: Yes we are, we have sold to and helped with local Law Enforcement and the product is being sold domestically and internationally.
Me: DJI has a stranglehold on the commercial side here in the US, you mentioned in the panel that there is more that goes into a product like this than an out of the box product. Can you shed some light on that?
Derek: I'll give you an analogy: When you first play golf, you don't care what your clubs are like, you go out and hit, and those clubs fit your needs while you are learning. Sooner or later you will want new clubs which are more specialized, or a whole new set of clubs as your game develops. DJI has a great out of the box product, which provides quality imagery, cost effectively. Our products have gone through the DOD testbed and can perform in extreme temperature, wind and humidity conditions, whereas out of the box solutions typically cannot. When you pay more for a system, you are asking for more, and that is what we offer.
Me: With the advent of 3D scanning and printing and different laws in international countries, how valid are patents anymore to protect your products?
Derek: What is most important is not just the UAV, or the vehicle itself, it is the whole system, or the UAS. That is what needs to be protected. It is the way information is delivered, the way the interface works. These are the patentable items, a systems approach. We want to embed intelligence into our systems that allows you to have a unique interaction in a systematic way.
Me: I've noticed a lot of companies coming into the picture very recently in this mad scramble of UAV UAS Drones. Can you give me a brief history of your company and products?
Derek: We have 35 people on board, 13 years in the business. We started in embedded engineering, one of our earlier jobs to help this small company Phillips, detect and correct an error in their MRI machines. (we both laugh about the "small company" remark). The rush and growth in this market has lead to some products which are not particularly safe and cause concern outside the industry. Our system approach provides a very safe product.
Me: Ok, my last question, or 2 questions actually. Are you hiring, and what field of study would you recommend young people get into to get a job in UAV UAS Drones?
Derek: 1) we are always hiring, the right people 2) study engineering, math, but also be inquisitive, know how things work together. Start asking "how and whys" for everything that interests you. We have helped a couple of teams do robotics challenges and we want to foster this type of thinking in kids. This is where great research comes from, this inquisitive approach.
For more information visit: http://www.prioria.com
Me: Are you selling this commercially?
Derek: Yes we are, we have sold to and helped with local Law Enforcement and the product is being sold domestically and internationally.
Me: DJI has a stranglehold on the commercial side here in the US, you mentioned in the panel that there is more that goes into a product like this than an out of the box product. Can you shed some light on that?
Derek: I'll give you an analogy: When you first play golf, you don't care what your clubs are like, you go out and hit, and those clubs fit your needs while you are learning. Sooner or later you will want new clubs which are more specialized, or a whole new set of clubs as your game develops. DJI has a great out of the box product, which provides quality imagery, cost effectively. Our products have gone through the DOD testbed and can perform in extreme temperature, wind and humidity conditions, whereas out of the box solutions typically cannot. When you pay more for a system, you are asking for more, and that is what we offer.
Me: With the advent of 3D scanning and printing and different laws in international countries, how valid are patents anymore to protect your products?
Derek: What is most important is not just the UAV, or the vehicle itself, it is the whole system, or the UAS. That is what needs to be protected. It is the way information is delivered, the way the interface works. These are the patentable items, a systems approach. We want to embed intelligence into our systems that allows you to have a unique interaction in a systematic way.
Me: I've noticed a lot of companies coming into the picture very recently in this mad scramble of UAV UAS Drones. Can you give me a brief history of your company and products?
Derek: We have 35 people on board, 13 years in the business. We started in embedded engineering, one of our earlier jobs to help this small company Phillips, detect and correct an error in their MRI machines. (we both laugh about the "small company" remark). The rush and growth in this market has lead to some products which are not particularly safe and cause concern outside the industry. Our system approach provides a very safe product.
Me: Ok, my last question, or 2 questions actually. Are you hiring, and what field of study would you recommend young people get into to get a job in UAV UAS Drones?
Derek: 1) we are always hiring, the right people 2) study engineering, math, but also be inquisitive, know how things work together. Start asking "how and whys" for everything that interests you. We have helped a couple of teams do robotics challenges and we want to foster this type of thinking in kids. This is where great research comes from, this inquisitive approach.
For more information visit: http://www.prioria.com
Sunday, May 17, 2015
AUVSI 2015, Interview with Liquid Robotics and Joanne Masters
Joanne Masters- Corp Communications for Liquid Robotics:
The founder of the Wave Glider, Joe Rizzi, liked humpback whales. He wanted to record the whale's songs, sacred in the hawaiian culture. He needed a system that could stay on the water for long periods of time, and not
leave a footprint (fin print?)
He asked his friend Derek Hine, and his son Roger, to
figure this out.
It has no fuel, looks like a surfboard, with an
umbilical cord down to the "wing rack", where the up and down motion of the waves are converted into forward motion.
The wing rack is purely mechanical. On the surface of the water, the wave glider has
3 solar panels which power the onboard sensors and computing. The chief software
architect is the inventor of Java, Dr. James Gosling. Solar also
powers the communications. It can be out at sea for a year at a time, only needs to
come in occasionally for cleaning. The Wave Glider is very cost effective when
monitoring for smugglers, seismic activity, control fleets, looking for oil
leaks and submarine detection, to name a few.
Me: Any other market segments?
Joanne: Defense, Oil and Gas, Environmental Monitoring. We
worked the BP spill in the Gulf. Have a partnership with Slumberger where we are performing
seismic survey for oil exploration. It can also detect signatures of submarines, vessels, etc. and can relay this information to an airborne UAV. This coordination can greatly decrease cost compared to a completely manned mission.
Me: How does it navigate, how is it's course plotted?
Joanne: It has a sophisticated nav system. It is
autonomous, with only a rudder on the rear. An app can be downloaded when the
mission changes. Because it is wave powered, it loves bad weather. It is not
fast, has been thru 17 hurricanes/cyclones/typhoons.
Me: It sounds like it flourishes in the bad weather.
Joanne: We did a job at Loch Ness, in climatology, not
mammal detection (or lizard). It is good at predicting storms, where heat
exchange takes place on the ocean surface to monitor and predict the development of storms. It can
also monitor fish population with acoustics.
Me: Are you hiring?
Joanne: Look on our website, a diversity of careers. Go to liquidrobotics.com/careers
Comments from the Author: This was by far my favorite "Non-Flying" vehicle at the show, I love the fact that it harnesses energy from the Ocean Waves and the Sun and is non-polluting...James Schmid
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| Joanne Masters Public Relations Liquid Robotics |
AUVSI 2015 Drones UAV UAS- Interview with R.J. King - Detroit Aircraft Corp.
Here is one that I was looking forward to, a company with a rich history in aviation, in my own backyard of Detroit.
R.J.: We are based at Detroit City Airport, 2nd floor, former passenger terminal. DAC was
started by Edsel Ford, William Stout and others. They developed the Ford Tri-Motor as
well as Ryan Aircraft which built the Spirt of St Louis. In 1929 DAC acquired 87% of
Lockheed Airplane Co. and in 1932 Ford family pulled out of aviation and Lockheed was
sold for $40,000. In 2011 DAC was re-started, we are an authorized manufacturer and
distributor for Lockheed-Martin and their Indago VTOL quad-rotor. A 36” dia drone which
folds up to the size of a football, and goes inside a carbon fiber case. Very portable and
comes with a control module which offers over 200 waypoint opportunities. It is semi-
autonomous and has a return home feature. We are serving 3 main markets;
1) Law Enforcement/First Responders/Fire/Police/Border Patrol/Homeland Security.
2) Precision Agriculture with a multi-spectral camera. Can determine water content of soil,
nitrogen and chlorophyll levels of plants. Also, insect infestations and sick plants will be
detected. Increasing a farmers yield is the focus.
3) Infrastructure inspections: Bridges, railroad, power lines, etc.
Me: There is an obvious quad that is very popular from overseas that seems very multi-use
and non-specific…
R.J (interrupts): It’s a toy.
Me: you could say that….you just said that… (we both laugh). People that are serious about
starting a commercial drone enterprise here in the US, will such a vehicle fit their needs?
R.J.: That all depends on your mission and the vehicle which is suited to accomplish that.
This product targets the upper end of the commercial mkt , developed by the largest
defense manufacturer in the world in Lockheed-Martin, in partnership with Procerus
Technologies. DAC is an authorized manufacturer and distributor for the Indago platform,
which are assembled at the Detroit City Airport.
Me: I have seen here at the show many companies starting at the ground level to build
commercial drones, and also many companies with extensive defense aviation experience
developing product to fit commercial US needs. This is an interesting arrangement,
partnering with Lockheed-Martin and building the drones in Detroit. Why didn't LM
simply develop their own vehicle with their own resources?
R.J.: LM realized the commercial potential for the Indago platform, DAC is really helping
them fit the vehicle to the 3 primary markets we discussed earlier.
Me: It seems you guys have a direction, where I have seen a lot of startups
targeting everything. What about when the Line Of Sight requirement is lifted by
the FAA, do you have a leg up on the competition when this happens? (based on the defense
partnership).
R.J.: We are trying to be as visionary as possible; you will be seeing autonomous aircraft.
For example, in the future a couple may want to travel to Chicago from
Detroit, they could start at the Troy airport, board a drone, leave at a scheduled time,
pilot-less…entertain themselves in Chicago for the evening and return to Detroit,
completely autonomous. Much easier than today….
Me: With the serious development taking place today with autonomous road vehicles, it is
just a matter of time isn't it?
R.J.: Autonomous aircraft will be communicating with ground vehicles as a system.
Me: What about your command center?
R.J.:Yes, something we developed, a very sophisticated Flight Control Unit. (see description
from earlier).
Me: Parting thoughts?
R.J.: We look forward to dominating this industry.
Author's comments: R.J. exudes confidence and swagger when discussing DAC!
R.J.: We are based at Detroit City Airport, 2nd floor, former passenger terminal. DAC was
started by Edsel Ford, William Stout and others. They developed the Ford Tri-Motor as
well as Ryan Aircraft which built the Spirt of St Louis. In 1929 DAC acquired 87% of
Lockheed Airplane Co. and in 1932 Ford family pulled out of aviation and Lockheed was
sold for $40,000. In 2011 DAC was re-started, we are an authorized manufacturer and
distributor for Lockheed-Martin and their Indago VTOL quad-rotor. A 36” dia drone which
folds up to the size of a football, and goes inside a carbon fiber case. Very portable and
comes with a control module which offers over 200 waypoint opportunities. It is semi-
autonomous and has a return home feature. We are serving 3 main markets;
1) Law Enforcement/First Responders/Fire/Police/Border Patrol/Homeland Security.
2) Precision Agriculture with a multi-spectral camera. Can determine water content of soil,
nitrogen and chlorophyll levels of plants. Also, insect infestations and sick plants will be
detected. Increasing a farmers yield is the focus.
3) Infrastructure inspections: Bridges, railroad, power lines, etc.
Me: There is an obvious quad that is very popular from overseas that seems very multi-use
and non-specific…
R.J (interrupts): It’s a toy.
Me: you could say that….you just said that… (we both laugh). People that are serious about
starting a commercial drone enterprise here in the US, will such a vehicle fit their needs?
R.J.: That all depends on your mission and the vehicle which is suited to accomplish that.
This product targets the upper end of the commercial mkt , developed by the largest
defense manufacturer in the world in Lockheed-Martin, in partnership with Procerus
Technologies. DAC is an authorized manufacturer and distributor for the Indago platform,
which are assembled at the Detroit City Airport.
Me: I have seen here at the show many companies starting at the ground level to build
commercial drones, and also many companies with extensive defense aviation experience
developing product to fit commercial US needs. This is an interesting arrangement,
partnering with Lockheed-Martin and building the drones in Detroit. Why didn't LM
simply develop their own vehicle with their own resources?
R.J.: LM realized the commercial potential for the Indago platform, DAC is really helping
them fit the vehicle to the 3 primary markets we discussed earlier.
Me: It seems you guys have a direction, where I have seen a lot of startups
targeting everything. What about when the Line Of Sight requirement is lifted by
the FAA, do you have a leg up on the competition when this happens? (based on the defense
partnership).
R.J.: We are trying to be as visionary as possible; you will be seeing autonomous aircraft.
For example, in the future a couple may want to travel to Chicago from
Detroit, they could start at the Troy airport, board a drone, leave at a scheduled time,
pilot-less…entertain themselves in Chicago for the evening and return to Detroit,
completely autonomous. Much easier than today….
Me: With the serious development taking place today with autonomous road vehicles, it is
just a matter of time isn't it?
R.J.: Autonomous aircraft will be communicating with ground vehicles as a system.
Me: What about your command center?
R.J.:Yes, something we developed, a very sophisticated Flight Control Unit. (see description
from earlier).
Me: Parting thoughts?
R.J.: We look forward to dominating this industry.
Author's comments: R.J. exudes confidence and swagger when discussing DAC!
 |
| R.J. King - Detroit Aircraft Corp. |
Friday, May 8, 2015
High Eye, Drone UAS UAVs from The Netherlands, Esther Hackert and Marijn Van De Ruit
High Eye is a manufacturer of unmanned helicopter systems for the international civil market. The company designs medium sized, gas driven VTOL UAVs. High Eye had on display it's HEF 30 single rotor helicopter. Following are excerpts from my conversation with Esther (Compliance Officer) and Marijn (Design Engineer & Pilot).
Esther: In the last 2 years there have been a lot of changes at High Eye, new Investor, CEO, Staff, Building and Helicopters.
Me: What was your previous product focus?
Esther: Model Helicopters, RC. All new design in this HEF 30.
Me: This is gas powered?
Esther: Yes, it is a 32cc 2 stroke engine, EMC shielded with complete auto-pilot. The customer can select the Gimbal of their choice, the display model sporting a DST (Sweden) gimbal. It has infrared and HD sensors. Fully autonomous and can perform Auto Take-Off and Auto Land as well as Way Point Navigation.
Me: And what about the Ground Station?
Esther: We build our own, it comes with a lap top and joy
stick device.
Marijn: The operation of the Ground Control Station is
really quite simple, and designed for remote operation with a 5 hour
independent power source. Flying the helicopter is very automated, including
waypoint and follow-me modes. The gimbal connects through the auto-pilot, so
you can use the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) from the auto-pilot. If you want to have geo-tracking and
geo-locking functionality, you don’t have to buy a separate IMU from the gimbal manufacturer, you can use High Eye’s. This can save
the customer 10’s of thousands of dollars. Because the gimbal and auto-pilot
are communicating, the auto-pilot knows where the gimbal is pointing at. The
UAV will fly in the direction the gimbal is targeted.
Me: What markets are you looking to enter here in the US?
Esther: Civil inspections, mining operations, border patrol,
law enforcement and security.
Marijn: With our 2 ½ hour flight time we can cover a large
area. We have even done work for the Tuna industry.
For more information, go to:
www.higheye.nl/
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Notes from AUVSI Conference 2015 - Interview with Dillon Schickli - Sensurion Aerospace
I had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Dillon Schickli, investor and board member for Sensurion Aerospace. Go here to the website, and see the Magpie:
http://sensurion.com/
He is an investor because of his confidence in Joe Burns the CEO and their success in obtaining their 333 exemption and operating commercially legal in the US. Here are some excerpts from our conversation:
Me: How do you see the state of the commercial industry at this time in the US?
Dillon: Right now it is a bit of a struggle, you need to obtain the approval from the FAA. There are many applications for UAVs and the technology is expanding rapidly. You should see a huge increase in commercial business, it is projected as an $80B business in 10 years. (Dillon laughs at this number, it seems a bit mind boggling!)
Me: What business sectors are you (Sensurion) currently involved in?
Dillon: In partnership with Blue-Chip Unmanned Aerial Solutions, we are currently performing seismic monitoring and have plans to perform animal monitoring, training, oil and gas infrastructure inspection....we are really just at the tip of the iceberg right now.
Me: Are these UAV specific for each customer?
Dillon: Payload is different for each customer and application. It may or may not include an Intel processor, depending on usage. Wingspan can be adjusted to compensate for varying payloads.
Me: What about all the hype with the Multi-Rotors, out of the box flyers from overseas which are so popular right now? Are MR's limiting if you want to run a serious commercial business here in the US?
Dillon: It depends on the type of application. A Fixed Wing can perform over a much larger area and longer than a MR. They are different tools for different jobs, MR vs. FW. We are trying to develop and win contracts which in the future will allow us to go beyond the Line-Of-Sight. Our aeronautics and auto-guidance systems give us that ability, we have to wait for the FAA to define those rules for beyond LOS operation.
Me: So you are really developing technology ahead of the current regulations?
Dillon: We may actually help shape regulations with our development, remember the Magpie was a pioneer receiving the first SAC approval by the FAA. A gut wrenching process, but Sensurion got through it. The experience and expertise that the Sensurion team possesses is one of the main reasons I came on board the company.
http://sensurion.com/
He is an investor because of his confidence in Joe Burns the CEO and their success in obtaining their 333 exemption and operating commercially legal in the US. Here are some excerpts from our conversation:
Me: How do you see the state of the commercial industry at this time in the US?
Dillon: Right now it is a bit of a struggle, you need to obtain the approval from the FAA. There are many applications for UAVs and the technology is expanding rapidly. You should see a huge increase in commercial business, it is projected as an $80B business in 10 years. (Dillon laughs at this number, it seems a bit mind boggling!)
Me: What business sectors are you (Sensurion) currently involved in?
Dillon: In partnership with Blue-Chip Unmanned Aerial Solutions, we are currently performing seismic monitoring and have plans to perform animal monitoring, training, oil and gas infrastructure inspection....we are really just at the tip of the iceberg right now.
Me: Are these UAV specific for each customer?
Dillon: Payload is different for each customer and application. It may or may not include an Intel processor, depending on usage. Wingspan can be adjusted to compensate for varying payloads.
Me: What about all the hype with the Multi-Rotors, out of the box flyers from overseas which are so popular right now? Are MR's limiting if you want to run a serious commercial business here in the US?
Dillon: It depends on the type of application. A Fixed Wing can perform over a much larger area and longer than a MR. They are different tools for different jobs, MR vs. FW. We are trying to develop and win contracts which in the future will allow us to go beyond the Line-Of-Sight. Our aeronautics and auto-guidance systems give us that ability, we have to wait for the FAA to define those rules for beyond LOS operation.
Me: So you are really developing technology ahead of the current regulations?
Dillon: We may actually help shape regulations with our development, remember the Magpie was a pioneer receiving the first SAC approval by the FAA. A gut wrenching process, but Sensurion got through it. The experience and expertise that the Sensurion team possesses is one of the main reasons I came on board the company.
Notes from AUVSI Conference 2015 - Interview with Lisa Ellman, co-chair, UAS practice at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
I had to pleasure of speaking with Lisa M. Ellman, co-chair of the UAS practice at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP, Washington D.C. This law firm has helped many gain their 333 exemption and entry into legal operation of drones uas uav in the US for commercial operation. Here are some excerpts from the interview:
Addressing the gray area of commercial vs. hobbyist usage:
Lisa made a good point that "intent" is the key when determining your type of usage. What is non-recreational purpose? It is not always defined by making money. A good example is a University which may want to conduct research & development, do promotional videos, etc. They need to file for a 333 exemption with the FAA. Here the "spirit" of the flight is non-hobbyist, although they are not directly making a profit from the use. The FAA does not have the resources to police all drone usage. They are primarily concerned with Safety. If an accident should occur and you are flying non-exempt, the door is opened for liability issues.
Potential Pitfalls going alone filing your FAA Petition:
"It is a complicated and complex task to match up the correct federal regulations with what the use case is". A lot of folks have been rejected because of incomplete applications or their operations manual (manufacturer) is insufficient. It saves time and money to get it right the first time. It is an investment on the front end.
Me: What about a tethered vehicle?
Lisa: A tethered vehicle still requires a 333 exemption with a certified pilot in command.
Notes from AUVSI Conference 2015 - Visionary Panel
Hello All, I'm having a great time at AUVSI 2015 in Atlanta! This is literally Drone Heaven! The event is taking place at the Georgia World Congress Center, a massive event center in downtown Atlanta. The opening session talk and panel was greeted with cheers from the crowd to the backdrop of heart pounding music.
Moderator: Colin Guinn, CRO, 3D Robotics
Panelists:
Helen Greiner, CEO, CyPhy Works
David Vigilante, senior vice president, legal, CNN
Dave Vos, project lead - Project Wing, Google
Delivery of products was the overwhelming choice for the highest growth area of commercial drone usage in the future. Amazon Prime is leading the charge here in the US. I particularly liked the vision and attitude of Dave Vos from Google. He brought a very serious demeanor and an "anything is possible" attitude to this opening panel discussion. Go Google! There is a pervasive backdrop of most commercial drone conversation in the US though of the FAA and citizen privacy concerns. Colin made a great analogy to drones and the advent of the automobile in this country. Autos were originally limited to a speed of 4 mph and required a person walking along with a red flag for safety purposes. He also mentioned Samsung and their corporate policy banning the use of phones with cameras on company property when they were first introduced. Go look at the latest video quality of a samsung phone, some things just take a while to gain acceptance!
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
What type of phone or tablet should I buy to fly my new drone uav uas? Android or iOS?
I am personally looking for a new phone and a couple of drones (uav uas) to purchase. Be aware that your current phone or tablet may or may not be compatible with the Multirotor or Fixed Wing you are interested in. So I started this painstaking search to determine what phones/tablets are compatible with what popular drones (uav uas).
Parrot: Very interesting drones, am considering one for myself. I called customer support, pick up time was fast, and I spoke with a person who was really not very helpful. His std answer was "it depends on the type of product (bebop, AR 2.0, spider) and what model android or ios you have." He advised me to look thru the manuals or find it in the news page (blog). I didn't have the patience to look thru the manuals, so I tried the news page. There are thousands of posts there , and unless you know the exact string to search for, forget it. As I was leaving the support page, I noticed this:
Parrot gives you a very interactive selection tool, with more phones and tablets than I ever knew existed. This is just what I was looking for:
You can search by your device, say you have an iphone 5:
Below you will then see the Parrot products which are compatible.
Or, you can search by Parrot product:
And again, below you will then see the phones and tablets which are compatible.
Stay tuned for more phone and tablet compatibility reports with other popular drone uas uav models coming soon. See you then.
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