68145755
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garymortimer writes:
Intuitive Aerial AB (publ) is based in Linköping, Sweden and makes the Aerigon – an exceptional multi rotor helicopter system for professional cinema and broadcast use. Aerigon is being used in high-end productions such as “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Into the Woods” by Disney, and “One Planet” by BBC.
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garymortimer writes:
San Francisco, November 12, 2014 – DJI, a global leader in aerial photography and cinematography platforms, today announced the release of the DJI Inspire 1, the world’s first flying 4K camera that offers midair transformation as well as a built-in wireless HD video transmitter, stabilization indoors without GPS and more camera control than ever.
This tool bridges DJI’s consumer and professional products that are the aerial platforms of choice for professional photographers and cinematographers worldwide.
“We see this as the perfect combination of the Phantom and Spreading Wings series, being able to take off at the touch of a button while simultaneously giving users fine control of the images they capture,” said Frank Wang, DJI CEO and co-founder.
In addition to incorporating a groundbreaking 4K aerial camera, the Inspire 1 camera maintains stability even in strong wind conditions via an integrated 3-axis gimbal.
The Inspire 1 integrates DJI’s patented wireless HD transmitter, Lightbridge, and comes with a fully redesigned mobile app that runs across both iOS and Android devices, broadcasting 1080p video at a distance of 1.7km.
66434551
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garymortimer writes:
Military air operations typically rely on large, manned, robust aircraft, but such missions put these expensive assets—and their pilots—at risk. While small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) can reduce or eliminate such risks, they lack the speed, range and endurance of larger aircraft. These complementary traits suggest potential benefits in a blended approach—one in which larger aircraft would carry, launch and recover multiple small UAS. Such an approach could greatly extend the range of UAS operations, enhance overall safety, and cost-effectively enable groundbreaking capabilities for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and other missions.
To explore and expedite the possible development of these potential benefits, DARPA has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking technical, security and business insights addressing the feasibility and potential value of an ability to launch and recover multiple small unmanned air systems from one or more types of existing large manned aircraft, such as C-130 transport planes.
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garymortimer writes:
The skeleton of the new DJI Inspire 1?
We receive a glimpse of the potential Phantom replacement in a video released today. Perhaps out in time for Christmas and up against the Parrot Bebop. The internet is currently naming the Inspire 1 as a video link, controller, flying wing or quad!
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garymortimer writes:
Virgin Galactic has sold several hundred tickets for future flights to the edge of the atmosphere and there are proposals that SpaceShipTwo will be used to send research experiments briefly into space – all worthy endeavours.
But when we have advanced RPAs, why are we still testing new rocket motor and fuel combinations, with human pilots strapped just metres away from them flying at 45,000ft?
Combining spaceplanes with remote control and automation is not new.
Just a few weeks ago, a US Air Force robotic spaceplane came back to Earth after nearly two years in orbit. Its flight was either totally automatic or partially remote controlled; but we have no idea which, as it was a top-secret program.
In 1988, the former Soviet Union’s space program successfully flew their robotic space shuttle Buran, which performed two orbits of the Earth and landed back on a runway, just like the human piloted NASA space shuttles.
The reasons we still sometimes use human test pilots are complex. The SpaceShipTwo vehicle was inspired from SpaceShipOne. That vehicle won the US$10 million Ansari X-Prize in 2004 when Mojave Aerospace Ventures showed that it was possible to launch a non-government developed or funded spaccraft into space with a pilot onboard, twice within two weeks.
SpaceShipTwo’s core business will be to take passengers into sub-orbital space, so of course having human pilots onboard makes sense as eventually there will be human passengers. Would you be prepared to board a commercial jet now if you knew their were no human pilots onboard? Knowing that the pilot’s own safety is twinned with that of the passengers means we feel safer with experts at the helm.
But the SpaceShipTwo disaster was not a commercial flight – it was the first flight-test of a particular engine and fuel combination. Could the engine and fuel have been tested in a rocket first? Could SpaceShipTwo have been designed with an autopilot capability?
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garymortimer writes:
Quite a neat idea from audio streaming company Spotify. Festival goers added their favourite track choice when signing up for tickets for an event. When they were noticed going through the gate the Party Drone pitches up and plays their favourite tune as they walk in. Nice.
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garymortimer writes:
The match had already been stopped for flares being thrown onto the pitch when the drone entered carrying the banner, which was then grabbed by Serbia's Stefan Mitrovi. That sparked a fight, and the eventual departure from the pitch of Albanian players who were pelted by garbage by the hometown fans. Albanian supporters were banned from attending due to security concerns.
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garymortimer writes:
The Linux Foundation, the nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the growth of Linux and collaborative development, today announced the founding of the Dronecode Project. The Project will bring together existing open source drone projects and assets under a nonprofit structure governed by The Linux Foundation. The result will be a common, shared open source platform for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
Founding members include 3D Robotics, Baidu, Box, DroneDeploy, Intel, jDrones, Laser Navigation, Qualcomm, SkyWard, Squadrone System, Walkera and Yuneec. Dronecode includes the APM UAV software platform and associated code, which until now has been hosted by 3D Robotics, a world leader in advanced UAV autopilot and autonomous vehicle control. The company was co-founded by Chris Anderson, formerly editor-in-chief of Wired
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garymortimer writes:
At the moment the operators name is unknown but I expect it will become common knowledge within hours. Looks like it was a DJI Phantom and I must say that I am very impressed that it could take the hit and fly on. If it had not and been found by somebody in authority it could have had a very different outcome for the operator.
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garymortimer writes:
This picture was taken on the Central Coast on September 17 at Killcare by drone pilot Tom Caska.
It shows a massive shark following a pod of dolphins right near where people are surfing. They are on 3m long SUP boards, which gives an indication of its size.
There’s no word yet on what kind of shark it was but it’s not the first sighting of a large one on this stretch of coast this month.
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garymortimer writes:
Lockheed Martin, in collaboration with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), successfully conducted a fully autonomous resupply, reconnaissance, surveillance and target-acquisition demonstration using its Squad Mission Support System (SMSS) unmanned ground vehicle, K-MAX unmanned helicopter and Gyrocam optical sensor.
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garymortimer writes:
Our filming drone provided aerial footage with a difference, not only did we shoot the action from above (in HD of course), we also provided flying goggles for the drivers. The goggles provided a downlink from our eye in the sky, however for the drivers to take this visual information and translate it was extremely difficult, especially when determining speed, direction and timings on the track.
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garymortimer writes:
To support its operations in Ukraine the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe has put out an urgent request for drones. They are perhaps required to help with the security of staff and rapid mapping of ground surrounding the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 crash site.
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garymortimer writes:
The ‘Projector Drone’ is capable of beaming news, games and advertising over the walls of a city near you.
The proof of concept vehicle is able to fly for 12 minutes at a time, features its own on-board data storage and a 500 lumens projector. The company is already working on more sophisticated features, including live streaming data, pan and tilt projector controls and ultrasonic sound capabilities.
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garymortimer writes:
The incident was first reported by Mick McCaffrey in the Sunday World. The newspaper reports that prisoners ran towards the drone and one of them was seen swallowing some of the packages contained in it.
It is expected the man will be charged with possession of illegal drugs but it is unknown where the drone was being controlled from or who was flying it.
