Feature: Drones

world has never been or is only now venturing. We are talking here about large vertical take-off platforms in the fixed-wing VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) systems. We can also gain a competitive advantage by producing highly advanced sensors carried by drones and through the use of other modern technologies, e.g. in the field of artificial intelligence or augmented reality,” Śmierciak commented.

While at the moment price competition is difficult for Polish producers, it is also possible that customers will turn to them for completely unrelated reasons. “We have no chance to conquer the market filled with cheap and highly specialized Chinese drones. Perhaps this will change in the future, because storm clouds are starting to gather over DJI, which has 80 percent of the global drone market. It’s about the accusations of spying for the Chinese government,” he added.

Polish manufacturers should observe innovations introduced in the drone industry, such as increasingly lighter and more durable composite materials for the construction of load-bearing structures, algorithms that improve stability and flight length, as well as modules that enable object recognition in real time. It is also interesting that power systems are evolving towards renewable energy sources. “The use of PEM-FC cells is becoming more and more common, allowing a flight of several hours on a single hydrogen cylinder. In the field of security, procedures embedded in software are being developed, but also active solutions in which drones are equipped – e.g. rescue parachutes. All of these things combined make for extremely secure platforms, which will soon appear above our heads,” Śmierciak said.

Maciej (Mac) Poschwald has been racing drones for four years. He has several dozen victories and medals won in tournaments played all over the world – from Poland, through South Korea, to the US.

RACING IN THE DARK

Interview with Maciej Poschwald, drone racing pilot and co-founder of the ROTORACER company

Drone racing is a relatively young sport, isn’t it? How did your interest start?

The explosion of the popularity of racing drones piloted using FPV goggles began with a movie on YouTube from 2014. I discovered this phenomenon a few months later – at that time I was looking for something new in my life. The vision of moving onboard a flying robot that leaves the fastest vehicles in the world behind (thrust to weight ratio of 10:1), and the opportunity to experience the environment from a completely new perspective – so far practically unattainable for a mortal – seemed extremely attractive.

Which victories and medals do you consider the most important so far?

They are all equally important, because I put all of my heart into every race and I don’t underestimate any of them.

What do the races look like? I understand that you see everything with the help of goggles, as if you were flying on this drone yourself? What do you feel then?

Exactly. We mainly race with four to eight competitors. We usually fly a few laps on a specially designed track (3D). During the race, we see everything from the drone’s point of view, which makes us feel as if we were inside. We forget about drones, goggles and rods. Only self-control, piloting and reflexes matter at that point. But there is sometimes also a specific strategy. It is primarily a race of mind and skills. This is what pilots experience. And the viewers watch the blindingly bright racers crossing the unique tracks taken straight out of video games.

What are the perspectives for the development of this sport in Poland and in the world?

The entire drone industry is growing fast. Drone racing is the most exciting part of this. Different leagues broadcast their races on leading TV stations (CBS, ESPN, Eurosport). Although the sport is still in its early stages of development, huge resources are being invested around the world to promote it. In Poland, however, events are still low-budget, because there are no sponsors who would be ready for something so unusual.

What drones are the best to fly?

The fastest. And really the best equipped, i.e. those where the combination of parts is perfectly harmonized with the flight controller settings. Such a drone is piloted as if it were your third hand that you had completely forgotten you had.

TECH UP TO PLN 200

SYMA X5SW

The Syma X5SW drone has an FPV camera and Wi-Fi technology (image transmission directly to a phone), Intelligent Flight Orientation mode, and is radio controlled at 2.4GHz. Thanks to the realtime preview, photos and videos will be even more interesting. Propeller guards ensure safety of use and limit the possibility of damage in a collision. The camera can easily be removed thanks to the rail for easy installation. The high landing gear enables landing in previously inaccessible places, it also improves the camera's viewing angle.

ACME X8300

This drone can both take off and land on water. It is made of soft, but extremely strong plastic, so when it hits something, lands unexpectedly or collides with another drone, nothing will happen to it. Because of this, it is nice to play with this drone, testing its capabilities or just learning how to control the device. What's more, it has a compass mode, which is why the drone always flies forward, regardless of which way it faces. Other useful features include 360° rotation, pilot flight at the push of a button and various speed modes.

DRONES: MARKET OVERVIEW

Overmax X Bee

The camera suspended under Overmax X-Bee Drone 3.1 Plus Wi-Fi allows the user to not only play the role of an amateur filmmaker, but to also have a constant preview of what is currently in front of its lens on the smartphone connected to it. Six-axis flight stabilization, as well as easy-to-handle controls, help in filming or taking photos. The youngest drone enthusiasts can also enjoy the possibility of performing various aerial acrobatics.

UGO Fen

Fen is a drone model designed for novice users who are looking for the most functional equipment. Thanks to the VGA camera, the user can record their flight to a micro SD card. The drone is ready for operation immediately after unpacking and only needs the battery inserting. Unfortunately, maximum flight-time is only seven minutes. On the other hand, thanks to its small size, you can fly it indoors. Out in the open its range is up to 100 m.

Xiaomi Mi Drone Mini MITU

The built-in 720p camera is finely tuned to record and take photos from the sky, and FPV transmission is done in real time. Thanks to the Altitude Hold function, the drone hovers at a certain height and flies evenly and smoothly outside and inside. In G-sensor mode, the control is performed only when tilting the drone. One hand is enough for full control. In addition, the drone also has an infrared combat mode. You can shoot other drones using the infrared laser function.

DJI Ryze Tello

This is a tiny drone of the size of a smartphone with Intel and Dji technology. It can take off and land automatically, perform stunts, and even hover in the air precisely, using a vision positioning system to take a picture. Interestingly, the built-in HD camera with electronic stabilization can also be used for flights with VR goggles. The perfect complement is the extremely easy-to-use control application. It is even possible to program the drone yourself, with the help of a dedicated version of the Scratch program, in which the whole process of creating commands works to combine simple block diagrams.

ACME X8500

The main advantage of this drone is the case for a standard size sports camera, allowing active users to film and photograph from above. Because the drone also has an integrated anti-vibration handle, photos or videos remain clean and sharp. The drone begins to fly towards the remote control at the touch of a button, has a compass mode, can rotate 360°, flies up to 10 minutes at a distance of 100 m and is larger than most drones. It has a screen remote control as well. What's more, the propellers have collision protection in case of unexpected landings.

Hubsan x4 H502E

Hubsan x4 H502E has a return-tohome function, previously reserved for professional and semi-professional drones. In the event of problems during a flight, e.g. loss of orientation, just press the appropriate button once and the aircraft will return to the point from which it took off. What's more, the RTH function will be automatically activated if the GPS signal is lost, which provides additional security when using the device.

UP TO PLN 500

TECH UP TO PLN 2,000

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1/Parrot Disco FPV

The ultra-light Parrot Disco drone has great capabilities and amazing performance during flight: it can reach a top speed of 80 km/h and will provide 45 minutes of continuous flight. No previous piloting experience is necessary to control the Parrot Disco. It takes off and lands automatically and is also equipped with an excellent autopilot function. For example, when the remote control joystick is tilted to the right, the drone will turn in the same direction, while the autopilot takes care of the tilt of the wing and increasing the engine speed. Operation of the Parrot Disco is very intuitive, while providing an incredible, realistic experience. Also available are goggles called Parrot Cockpitglasses, providing a first-person view. 2/Blade Vortex 150

FPV Racer

This is a racing model RC quadrocopter for remote control Vortex 150 from ImmersionRC and Blade with Spektrum DSMX technology, with which you can start in FPV competitions as a professional. It has powerful drive, a 32-bit ImmersionRC F3 Fusion control unit, a programmable LED system, a 40-channel NexWave RF 5.8GHz video transmitter and a FatShark 700TVL CMOS v2 camera. 3/Yuneec Breeze 4K

Thanks to its compact dimensions (diameter of only 24 cm and weight of 385g), you can store and transport Breeze in virtually any bag. The drone is controlled by a smartphone, which also receives transmission in real time from the camera. And as for the photo-shooting, it is worth mentioning that the Breeze is equipped with a mechanically and electronically stabilized 4K UHD camera. An advanced processor has been installed in the camera which guarantees high-quality, supersharp photos. Thanks to the wide range of flight modes (selfie, journey, orbit, return home, follow me) you can take photos and record videos, thus capturing beautiful moments and beautiful places from an unprecedented perspective. 4/Hubsan High Edition

The H501S offers a high resolution 1080p camera, GPS positioning, automatic return home function, altitude hold, follow me function, maximum flight time of 20 minutes, maximum distance of 300 m, brushless motors, headless mode, RTH and an FPV transducer with LCD display. The device has a built-in 7.4V 2700 mAh Li-Po battery with a charging time of 210 minutes.