Drones Monthly Issue 2

issue 2 2015

The future of drone innovation, elevated today

UK DRONE SHOW First International UAV Humanitarian Award to be Awarded at UK Drone Show 2015

skytech 2016 After the success of the first SkyTech event in April of this year, the organisers are delighted to announce the launch of SkyTech 2016

Lilly Camera

The Lily Camera, the world’s first throw-and-shoot, that flies itself

CONTENTS Cover Story

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Skytech 2016.

UK

DRONE SHOW

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Industry 14 18 NEWS Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of material published in Drones Monthly, however the publication excepts no responsibility for the claims or opinions made by advertisers or contributors

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Editors Comment The second issue of Drones Monthly is upon us, this month we look at two big drone events,

BN Security & Defence

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The UK Drone Show recently announced they are to host the first international UAV humanitarian award, to recognise the true unsung heroes using drone projects to aid search and rescue efforts around the world - with leading industry professionals on the judging panel and top global charities in support this is set to put the foundations in place to award inspirational role models for years to come.

After this years success at the Skytech event the organisers are pleased to announced Skytech 2016, we take a look at what will be at next years show,

Tarantula X6

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READERS REVIEW

Emily Seymour Editor Emily@dronesmonthly.com

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MEET LILY, The self flying, throw and shoot camera Lily, a company pioneering easy-to-use, self-flying cameras, debuted the Lily Camera, the world’s first throw-and-shoot that flies itself. Initiated with a simple throw in the air, the Lily Camera automatically follows its owner, capturing stunning footage and high definition images while hovering in place or flying at speeds up to 25 mph.

The camera, completely engineered for tough aerial and water environments, is built for outdoor action sports enthusiasts and for anyone who just wants a simple, fun way to record and share their everyday activities. Leveraging advanced computer vision algorithms and GPS, the Lily Camera intelligently tracks its owner, following every move. With autonomous flight, Lily expands creative shooting opportunities well beyond handheld and action cameras with a single point-of-view.

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Now totally free from having to hold or maneuver a camera, the Lily owner can be featured and included in all shots from casual outdoor activities to travel, snow, surf, golf, hiking, boating, and family adventures.

“Point-and-shoot devices, action cameras, camcorders, and DSLRs have served us well on the ground and attached to drones, but we’ve always wanted a richer, more contextual point-of-view,” said Antoine Balaresque, CEO and co-founder of Lily. “Lily automatically creates exciting close range photos and wide, cinematic shots previously reserved for professional filmmakers.”

QUICK FACTS Throw it in air to start shooting Flies itself, no controller required Waterproof Sleek design, fits in backpack, 2.8 lbs Photos: 12 MP, Video: 1080p/60fps & 720p/120fps Sony IMX117 1/2.3’’ image sensor Programmable flight paths via mobile app 20 minutes flight time Optimal flying: Outdoors 10-30 ft, up to 25 mph Audio recording from tracking device Complies with FAA guidelines

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“Fully waterproof with a compact design”

PURPOSE-BUILT FLYING CAMERA Fully waterproof with a compact design, the Lily Camera is hardy enough to withstand challenging winds and water. “Home base” to Lily is the owner’s hand. Via the tracking device, the owner summons Lily to make a graceful palm landing. That same tracking device also enables audio recording which is automatically synchronized with the camera’s footage, an option not offered on drones that carry a separate camera.

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AUTONOMOUS FLIGHT POWERED BY COMPUTER VISION

AUTONOMOUS FLIGHT POWERED BY COMPUTER VISION The Lily Camera’s core technology is driven by proprietary computer vision algorithms.

Lily constantly communicates with the owner’s tracking device which relays position, distance, and speed back to the built-in camera.

Lily recognizes the owner and improves tracking accuracy over time. This technology enables Lily to fly completely autonomously, always keeping its owner in the shot and delivering smooth footage.

Lily is also programmable and can receive directions via the tracking device or the mobile

app. The camera is able to follow, loop, zoom, fly out, hover, and more.

Pre-orders for the Lily Camera begin on 5/12 at $499 USD until 6/15.

Special pricing includes the camera and a wrist tracking device with waterproof case. Additional accessories such as propellers, cases, etc. will be available for purchase online. The product ships in February 2016 at $999 retail.

For more information and to pre-order Lily, please visit www.lily.camera.

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SKYTECH 2016 LAUNCH After the success of the first SkyTech event in April of this year, the organisers are delighted to announce the launch of SkyTech 2016, organised in collaboration with SUAS Global, RUSTA and Flightpath Consulting, which will take place on the 27th & 28th January 2016 at the Business Design Centre, London.

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kyTech 2016 is a two-day tradeshow dedicated to advancing the global commercial UAV industry. SkyTech aims to serve as a platform to encourage growth, further education and advance safety within this emerging market. Now in its second edition SkyTech is more than doubling in size and will feature 70 exhibitors, 50 speakers and over 3000 attendees.

SkyTech 2016 will provide information, connections and marketing solutions through an exhibition, conferences, workshops, product launches, live demonstrations and networking events. SkyTech is also a media platform and press day for the UAV industry across the UK, Europe and worldwide.

SkyTech’s exhibition is completely free to attend and will feature the latest in cutting edge technology and services from across the global unmanned aviation industry.

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SkyTech will be attended by experts from across the UAV industry, bringing together manufacturers, suppliers, service providers, government, academia, investors, trade associations and regulatory bodies. SkyTech will also bring together buyers from a range of targeted industries including agriculture, environment, oil & gas, infrastructure, utilities, construction & property, policing, fire service, search & rescue, media, broadcasting and mining.

ExhIbITIoN SkyTech’s exhibition is completely free to attend and will feature the latest in cutting edge technology and services from across the global unmanned aviation industry.

To secure you free exhibition tickets register now at ht tps://sk y tech2016. eventbrite. co.uk

bookings for exhibition stands are now being taken. organisations booking exhibition space before the 15th July 2015 will receive an early booking discount. Alongside its exhibition SkyTech will also feature a number of conferences and break-out workshop sessions providing information tailored to all aspects of the commercial UAV industry.

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UAV INdUSTRy CoNFERENCE

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SkyTech’s breakout workshops are must-attend sessions for new and prospective UAV users. These free to attend, interactive sessions will give you everything you need to know about UAVs; get to grips with regulation & safety, meet with qualification providers and discover the next steps for incorporating UAVs into your business.

SkyTech’s main conference will accommodate 500 delegates. over the course of two days senior level speakers will present on matters of regulation, safety, investment, funding support, insurance, data protection, privacy and liability across the UK and globally.

Industry leaders will showcase next generation technology and services through dedicated product launch sessions, whilst leading academics will provide the latest updates on industry research.

ThE SURVEy INdUSTRy CoNFERENCE SkyTech will also feature a two day conference dedicated to the rapidly expanding UAV survey industry. This conference will showcase the range of survey applications suited to UAV technology through a combination of academic, industry and end user led case study

sessions. day one will focus upon innovative uses for UAVs within the fields of agriculture and the environment, whilst day two will consider the role of UAVs for the oil & gas, mining, utilities, infrastructure and construction .industries.

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APPlICATIoNS CoNFERENCE SkyTech’s applications conference will take place on the second day of the event. Manufacturers, solution providers and end users will present the latest advances and applications for UAVs within the fields of policing, search and rescue, fire service, security, real estate, media and broadcasting. To purchase your conference tickets with our early bird discount visit www.skytech2016.eventbrite. co.uk

Charles Maxwell SUAS GLOBAL ltd are delighted SUAS Global is a support organisation specifically focused to be organising on the high growth Unmanned Air System (UAS) and RPAS The objectives of the SkyTech 2016 in industry. organisation are as follows: collaboration with • to act as a voice for it’s memin order to drive the devela number of indus- bers opment of international standfor the UAS and RPAS try leaders ards sector. • to liaise with worldwide

legislative and regulatory organi sations such as the CAA on behalf of it’s members. • to provide guidance and support in matters of airworthiness and

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operational safety • to provide business development, marketing and technology guidance and advice. • to provide industry specific and general business discounts and benefits.

SUAS-Global employs advanced technology to deliver a globally accessible network for operators, manufacturers, standards and regulatory organisations. The network, combined with the development of operator focused apps provide members with the latest and most relevant tools, information and guidance. For more information visit www.suas-global. com

RUSTA

Rheinmetall’s Unmanned Systems Training Academy (RUSTA) is the new centre of excellence for commercial UAV, UAS and drone pilot training in the UK. RUSTA is a CAA approved National Qualified Entity for Small Unmanned Air Systems (SUAS) conceived in 2014 to counter demands for training requirements due to the exponential growth in the SUAS industry. RUSTA is passionate about flying and safety. our goal is to ensure every Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

FLIGHTPATH CONSULTING Flightpath Consulting supports users and suppliers of drones and drone technologies with its in-depth legal and commercial expertise. It was founded in 2014 by Joseph dalby and John Wright, both practicing lawyers and drone Pilots. Flightpath was established to meet the growing need for key regulatory and commercial assistance on the use of drone technologies for a variety of civil and commercial applications. The use of UAS

(UAV), drone or SUAS operator can confidently fly within the safety standards and legal requirements set by the CAA. Whether you or your company’s operators need specific UAV flying training, or training in order to obtain a Permission For Aerial Work (PFAW) from the CAA, RUSTA’s courses will ensure you get the best service to keep you and your customers safe. For more information visit http://www.uastraining.com/

are extending into a number of sectors, including construction, agriculture and journalism. like many new technologies, UAS bring with them a wide range of legal issues, from privacy to air safety and these issues will intensify as the industry grows. Flightpath works closely with Regulators, Government, private sector, Industry trade bodies and operators, using their legal expertise to bridge the gap between regulation and innovation.

For more details about SkyTech 2016 please visit the event website: www.skytechevent.com

For more information visit http:// flightpath.eu/

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Research takes to the skies The University of Brighton is using a drone in Western Canada to map a river bed both above and below water level, and then model how sandy rivers respond to human interference and environmental change.

The radio-controlled quadcopter gives scientists an aerial view of the river at such a high resolution that is possible to see a 10p coin on the ground.

Phil Ashworth, Professor of Physical Geography, is leading the technological development of the drone following a Natural Environment Research Council grant of £742,000 to a team of researchers from Brighton, Exeter, Hull, Birmingham and Illinois universities.

The three-year project will map changes in river bed morphology on the sandy-bed South Saskatchewan River, six hours travel-time from Calgary, Western Canada.

Professor Ashworth said: “The channels and sand bars on this 600m-wide river move rapidly – up to 1m per day during summer low flows. The research project will use the drone to make daily maps of channel change to allow calculation of the direction and rate of sediment movement. These data will then feed into a numerical model that can be used to predict how river channel respond to environmental change and human interference.

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“Drones are becoming increasingly useful for viewing and mapping landscapes. Our team is taking this technology one step further – allowing mapping of the river bed below the water surface. We aim to produce some of the highest-ever resolution maps of river topography which can then be used to measure change at sub-decimetre scale. We aim to take this technology to corners of the earth where mapping is notoriously difficult because of remoteness and barriers to direct access.”

Professor Ashworth has worked on the South Saskatchewan River for over 15 years with both research council and oil company support.

For more information go to https://www. brighton.ac.uk/aquatic/research-projects/ sediment-suspension.aspx

First International UAV Humanitarian Award to be Awarded at UK Drone Show 2015

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oday, unmanned aerial vehicles are used across a myriad of applications, from filming Hollywood blockbusters to exploring impenetrable geographic locations. However recently, the aerial technology has begun to lend itself to a new purpose - Humanitarianism.

Today’s UAVs are faster, safer and cheaper to fly which makes them hugely appealing and effective candidates for humanitarian ventures. This has been highlighted in the recent Nepal earthquake disaster, where volunteer UAV pilots played a huge part in the search and rescue operation following the devastating earthquake by coordinating their efforts through Uaviators.org. For a fraction of the cost of their satellite counterparts, UAVs generate real time information, situation monitoring, public information and advocacy, search and rescue, mapping and more.

UAVs have played a key role in the disaster relief efforts of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu, Hurricane Sandy in Haiti, mass flooding in the Balkans and the aftermath of a 6.1 magnitude earthquake in Ludian County in Yunnan, China.

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he International UAV Humanitarian Award (UAVHA) exists to celebrate the efforts of humanitarian drone projects, search and rescue, not for profit initiatives and recognize some of the industry’s most inspirational role models. The UAVHA will be presented at the UK Drone Show in December 2015, with hugely respected industry greats Dr. Patrick Meier (of UAViators.org, author of Digital Humanitarians) and Patrick Egan of AirVid on-hand to present the award.

The UAVHA is supported by The World Bank, The US Red Cross and The United Nations, with some members of these organisations joining the judging panel for the award. The judging panel will also be comprised of leading industry professionals such as Eric Cheng, Director of Aerial Imaging at DJI Global, filmmaker Phillip Bloom and thought leader on humanitarian technology, Patrick Meier.

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UAViators

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nspired to bring together humanitarian and UAV communities across the globe, UAViators is at the forefront of the global ‘altruism meets aviation’ movement. Driven to action by the devastating aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, UAViators founder Dr. Patrick Meier knew there had to be a faster, more cost effective solution to obtain and share valuable aerial

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footage.

“While I was surprised by the surge in UAV projects in the Philippines, I was troubled that none of these teams were aware of each other and that most were not sharing their imagery with local communities. What happens when even more UAV teams show up following future disasters?

Will they be accompanied by droves of drone journalists and “disaster tourists” equipped with personal UAVs? Will

we see thousands of aerial disaster pictures and videos uploaded to social media rather than in the hands of local communities?

What are the privacy implications? And what about empowering local communities to deploy their own UAVs? There were many questions but few answers. As a result I launched the humanitarian UAV network (UAViators) to bridge the worlds of humanitarian professionals and UAV

Oliver O’Brien, “Founder and Project Manager of UKDroneShow.com said, “We are absolutely thrilled to be launching this unique award at the UK Drone Show to celebrate the unsung heroes in the UAV industry. Globally, people are really starting to embrace new technology to improve humanitarian efforts and we want these unsung heroes to be recognised. With backing from some of the world’s biggest humanitarian organisations and a star studded line up of judges, we are confident this first award will be a success and continue to run annually.”

experts to address these questions,” explains Meier.

UAViators is the culmination of his efforts, and brings together over 1,000 members in over 70

countries globally. By actively supporting an international volunteer network of professional, civilian and responsible hobbyist UAV pilots, UAViators hopes to bring a social conscience to

the commercial drone industry. The efforts of these organizations and individuals are truly inspiring and serve as a fine example of how today’s technology can make the world a better place. The UAV

Judges confirmed Full judges list - Abi Weaver (Red Cross), Robert Scoble (Rackspace), Brendan Schulman (Kramer Levin), Daniel Gilman (United Nations), Patrick Egan (Air-Vid), Randy Scott Slavin (NYCDFF), Edward Anderson (World Bank), Patrick Meier (Uaviators), Eric Cheng (DJI Global), Phillip Bloom (phillipbloom.net) For more information about the International UAV Humanitarian Award (UAVHA) visit: http://www.uavha.com/ For more information about the UK Drone Show and where it will be presented, visit: http://www.ukdroneshow.com

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3DR Expands Series C Financing to $64 Million 3DR, North America’s largest manufacturer of consumer drones and founder of the world’s leading open drone software platform, today announced an expansion of its Series C round of financing from $50 million to $64 million.

The additional funding is led by WestSummit Capital, with additional global investors from Asia, Europe and the U.S. participating, including SanDisk Ventures and Atlantic Bridge Ventures. 3DR initiated the Series C financing with $50 million in investment led

by Qualcomm Ventures, with Foundry Group, True Ventures, OATV, Mayfield, Shea Ventures.

3DR will leverage the expertise and market knowledge from a diverse investor base to lead innovation in the dynamic and rapidly expanding global UAV market.

“3DR’s roots are in a worldwide, open developer community, so creating an equally expansive global organization is a key part of company strategy,” said Chris Anderson, CEO of 3DR. “China is emerging as a world leader in drone technology and production, and many of the innovative companies there are already using 3DR platforms. We see tremendous opportunity to work with investors and experts in these markets to extend that lead and work more closely with innovative young companies.”

“We’re active investors in the Internet of Things market and see huge promise in 3DR as a leader in next-generation robotics,” saidDavid Lam, Managing Director of WestSummit Capital.

“IoT is a truly international market where software meets hardware and East meets West, and 3DR has developed an incredibly advanced and globally adopted drone software and hardware platform. WestSummit Capital’s China Value Creation capabilities match perfectly with 3DR’s cross-border business, embracing Silicon Valley innovation, Asian manufacturing, global competition and the global market.”

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For more information please visit www.3dr.com

Industry News

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JI Inspire 1 Battery Charging Hub – Simple Charging Solution for Multiple Batteries

DJI is pleased to announce the Inspire 1 Battery Charging Hub, an intelligent battery charging solution that enables you to charge up to four Inspire 1 batteries. Small and easy to carry, the charging hub automatically selects the individual battery with the highest amount of remaining power, and charges it until full before moving on to the next battery.

The entire process is monitored and each battery’s status is shown using LED indicators, making the charging process simple and easy.

Used together with the Inspire 1 charger and cord. Compatible with TB47 and TB48 battery models.

Raipur farmer builds drone out of spare parts Rahul Chawda, an uneducated farmer uses local garbage dump an hours of internet research to build drone, proving that education is not al it takes to create innovation

After realising the cost to hire several labourers to spray his crops with pesticide, Rahul, Chawda set out on building is own drone, without being educated he gathered locally sourced parts and a few imported materials to ultimately design his own concept.

After learning how to construct a drone he then used the imported parts, spare parts (of vehicles) and the junk he collected from the local garbage dump to build two drones that he began using on his 15 acres of farm land in Hardi village, very close to Berla road.

Spending hours on the internet Rahul learned the techniques from youtube and other websites, after initially watching films like 3 idiots from which his idea came from.

He even learned English so he could understand certain drone construction.

The two drones have also been used to help monitor his crops, producing a better yield Rahul, Chawda now plans to uses drones commercially and hopes that other farmers will use his technology in the future,

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BN Security & Defence Delivers Two UAS Command And Control Vehicles To University of Southampton’s Autonomous Systems Research Group Systems Research Group Custom-built vehicles to drive international UAS research programs a specialist solutions integrator, has delivered two custom-built, feature-packed UAS Command and Control (CC) vehicles to the Autonomous Systems Research Group (ASRG) at the University of Southampton.

The strategic research group is funded by international agencies to undertake work in autonomous systems, sensing, computing, communications and platforms that provide world class, cost effective capabilities for scientists and business. The two new vehicles will play a central role in the University’s engagement, providing essential command and control facilities for a range of international UAS missions - sub-sea, surface, land, air and space - including pollution monitoring, weather prediction, civil unmanned aviation, low-altitude operations safety, air traffic control compatibility and the training of UAS pilots.

Designed, project-managed and custom-built by the BN Security & Defence team in Hampshire, the vehicles deliver impressive technical capability within a compact footprint. Based on a high-roofed long-wheel-base Mercedes Sprinter chassis, each vehicle has been expertly converted to provide space-efficiency and excellent ergonomics for a team of operators on the move

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Impressive capability in a compact footprint Smart operational features Expertly designed & custom-built

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he technology specified and deployed by BN Security & Defence includes specialist systems integrated with a range of Commercial Off-theShelf products for maximum operational performance and minimal weight load.

Each vehicle features a roof-mounted Ka band satellite dish with a pneumatically actuated 10-metre communications mast to enable secure, agile field communications and telemetry to their UAS and drones. Marine type radar systems and high quality long-range cameras enable efficient UAS system control and tracking.

Designed, project-managed and custom-built by the BN Security & Defense team in Hampshire, the vehicles deliver impressive technical

capability within a compact footprint.

Based on a high-roofed long-wheelbase Mercedes Sprinter chassis, each vehicle has been expertly converted to provide space-efficiency and excellent ergonomics for a team of operators on the move.

The technology specified and deployed

by BN Security & Defense includes specialist systems integrated with a range of Commercial Off-the-Shelf products for maximum operational performance and minimal weight load.

Each vehicle features a roof-mounted Ka band satellite dish with a pneumatically actuated 10-metre communications mast to enable secure, agile field communications and telemetry to their UAS and drones. Marine type radar systems and high quality longrange cameras enable efficient UAS

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Tarantula X6 More then just beauty

For less then ÂŁ50 without the camera, the X6 which is 725mm is a great contender in the low priced quadcopters category, you got a blue version that gives it a calm friendly look or you got the black version which adds alot of charactor to it, the design of the tarantula is somewhat unique with its spider like prop guards & its pointy legs, the X6 offers a range of 300meters and has battery time of about 8 minutes, although i managed to get about 12 minutes flight time Also comes with a great feature, the hyper ioc function that can bring the X6 back towards you no matter what way its facing.

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Readers quick review Speed (100%): The tarantular packs alot of power for its price, you can do flips, spins and funnels with ease, its also very quick to stop when going full speed in any direction.

Windy days: In low winds it was not a problem and is easy to fly in 40% speed but when matched with winds above 15-20MPH even in 100% speed the quadcopter hard to keep control of but managable.

Camera: The camera isn’t too bad, i did some screen-shots (right) it can take reasonably good photos & videos if the quadcopter is not moving alot and perferably hovering but there is some jello and shaking, i feel there is room for improvement with the camera & its mount, although i feel the camera needs a better mount its great to start off with and you can attach a GoPro mount or other mounts to the tarantula & you got your self some great footage for a minimum price.

Screen-shot: Westbrook Kent, UK

Screen-shot: Westbrook Kent, UK

Screen-shot: Blean woods Kent, UK

blean woods kent, UK

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