Author: mecicon
ND: Nation’s first UAS commercial park performs first drone flight
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The Grand Forks Air Force Base signed an enhanced use lease with Grand Sky, allowing tenants from Grand Sky access to runway used for Globalhawk and Predator flights.
PHOTO: UAS MAGAZINE
For Tom Swoyer, president of Grand Sky Development Co., it is the people that have asked the question, “why not?” that have made all of the difference in making the nation’s first unmanned aircraft systems business park a reality. During a cool morning set amongst the backdrop of flatland agriculture fields, a highway to the south and the Grand Forks Air Force Base to the north, Swoyer addressed a large group of dignitaries, military leaders and industry representatives, thanking many for bringing the UAS commercial park to life. Roughly 900 days after first attempting to make an enhanced use lease agreement work between a North Dakota County and the GFAFB, the physical renderings—now under construction—were real.
Swoyer was standing under the roof of a white tent set-up on a massive piece of pavement stretching far into the horizon. The pavement, once used by GFAFB, will now be integrated into Grand Sky following the groundbreaking ceremony that was taking place amidst the sounds of the construction crew in progress.
GrandSky01, the first flight cleared for take-off, represents the first UAV flight from the park. Although Sky Skopes, a Grand Forks-based firm may have been flying a small multirotor, the park will someday be the home to some of the world’s largest UAV platforms.
Through the enhanced use lease formed through the county, the base and Swoyer’s team, Colonel Rodney Lewis, commander, 319th air base wing at GFAFB, said the future of the base is promising.
Governor Jack Dalrymple, told the crowd that the groundbreaking ceremony proves that the state’s UAS industry “has arrived and is underway.” To date, Dalrymple’s office and the state have invested roughly $34 million into direct and indirect funding to the Grand Sky park.
The EUL provides Grand Sky with 217 acres for 50 years. The park will share a runway with the base. The taxiway should be complete next year. According to the Grand Sky team, the facility will be fully leased by 2025.
Construction of the current facility has created roughly 200 jobs, but over the life of the park, nearly 3,000 full-time jobs will be created.
The park, anchored by Northrop Grumman, will also include hangar space, office, shop, laboratory and data center space on a build-to-suit basis with financing available.
http://www.uasmagazine.com/articles/1241/nationundefineds-first-uas-commercial-park-performs-first-drone-flight
AUVSI’s Wynne urges Congress to speed UAS regulations
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The Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing to examine UAVs and their public policy implications.
Brian Wynne, president and CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), today told a U.S. House subcommittee that regulations are quickly needed to enable beyond-visual-line-of-sight UAS operations at night over populated areas.
“We need to make sure we are doing all we can to support the UAS industry’s growth and development; otherwise we risk stunting a still-nascent industry, and restricting the many beneficial uses of this technology,” Wynne said in a prepared statement. “The longer we take, the more our nation risks losing its innovation edge, along with billions in economic impact.”
The Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee held the hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building to examine unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the public policy implications for the new technology.
Darrell Issa, R-Calif., subcommittee chairman, said the hearing provides Congress with an opportunity to learn how it can balance the use of UAS technology while mitigating the security concerns that accompany the technology’s spread.”
In addition to Wynne, hearing witnesses included Chris Calabrese, vice president for policy, Center for Democracy & Technology; Chris Polychron, president, National Association of Realtors; and Tom Karol, general counsel for the Federal, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies.
Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., Judiciary Committee chairman, said that while UAS offer great potential for a variety of applications, the new technology also present challenges in such areas as privacy, safety and intellectual property.
Wynne said AUVSI’s economic impact study found that during the first decade after UAS integration into the national airspace, the industry will create more than 100,000 high-paying jobs and have an economic impact on the U.S. economy of more than $82 billion. He said the FAA has received more than 2,700 requests and granted more than 1,400 commercial exemptions.
Wynne noted that the absence of federal regulations means many businesses can’t fly until the rules are implemented.
“The current system of case-by-case approvals isn’t a long-term solution for the many commercial operators wanting to fly,” he said.
Wynne said it’s vital that Congress passes—and the President signs into law—an FAA reauthorization measure before the current authorization expires on Sept. 30.
“This policy measure is critical for accelerating and expanding the commercial use of UAS and the most immediate way to encourage collaboration between governmental and private sector stakeholders,” he said.
http://www.uasmagazine.com/articles/1235/auvsiundefineds-wynne-urges-congress-to-speed-uas-regulations
FAA gives Measure approval to fly 300 UAS nationwide
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UAS operator Measure has been granted a Section 333 exemption by the FAA that enables it to fly more than 300 different types of drone platforms.
PHOTO: MEASURE
Measure—a global UAS operator that provides data to enterprise customers—has received authorization from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate more than 300 drone types for a broad range of commercial applications.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in New York, Africa, Australia and Europe, Measure called the approval “a significant move forward for the commercial drone industry.” The Section 333 exemption also made Measure the first business in Washington to receive FAA approval for commercial flights.
“Measure is in the process of building its fleet,” said Brandon Torres Declet, the company’s CEO. “We believe that the future of the industry is services, not hardware. Our business model is not one size fits all. We worked with the FAA to have access to the widest range of options.”
Declet said Measure’s “drone as a service” model is focused on offering turnkey solutions to customers in agriculture, energy, insurance, infrastructure and other sectors. He stressed that the company takes a “platform agnostic” approach which focuses on data rather than the UAS providing it.
The FAA exemption makes it easier for Measure to operate a fleet of UAS to serve a broad range of customers.
“Submitting a new request to the FAA every time we needed a different type of drone is time-consuming and inefficient,” Declet explained.
Asked what it means for Measure to be the first nationwide drone service company, Declet told UAS Magazine, “It means in addition to being able to fly anywhere in the U.S., we are also capable of providing customers with a standardized and predictable service that is also safe, legal and insured.”
And, he added, “While the FAA’s blanket COA enables us to fly across the U.S. below 200 feet, our exemption for more than 300 aircraft gives us the toolset to serve a diverse set of customers.”
http://www.uasmagazine.com/articles/1240/faa-gives-measure-approval-to-fly-300-uas-nationwide
DJI Announces New Micro Aerial Cameras Designed for Professionals
(Las Vegas) DJI, the world leader in creative aerial imaging technology, today announced two new cameras for its industry-leading DJI Inspire 1 professional aerial camera platform.
The new Zenmuse X5 represents the world’s first commercially-available micro four thirds (M4/3) camera designed specifically for aerial use. With a large sensor, aerial image makers will be able to capture up to 13 stops of dynamic range, making it easy to capture high-resolution 16 megapixel photos or 4k, 24fps and 30fps videos in complex lighting environments.
Zenmuse X5 users will have even more options for capturing images in the sky through additional supported lenses and full wireless aperture and focus control. At the time of launch, the Zenmuse X5 will support 4 interchangeable lenses, including the DJI MFT 15mm f/1.7 ASPH lens, Panasonic Lumix 15mm G Leica DG Summilux f/1.7 ASPH lens, Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12mm f/2.0 lens, and Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 lens. While the Zenmuse X5 is in flight, pilots can adjust both focus and aperture via the DJI GO app or through DJI’s previously-announced Follow Focus system. The camera’s lightweight 340 gram (0.75 pound) body integrates with DJI’s signature 3-axis Zenmuse gimbal technology, creating effortlessly smooth video and stabilized long-exposure photos (up to 8 seconds).
“The professional applications of the Zenmuse X5 are almost endless,” said Eric Cheng, DJI’s Director of Aerial Imaging. “In addition to shooting professional-quality photos and 4K video, the new camera can be used to create high-quality aerial maps and 3D models, and can also help industrial teams get even more detail from their aerial imaging pursuits, for example, in utility inspection using a drone.”
DJI also announced the Zenmuse X5R camera, which shares the same sensor and lens compatibility with the X5, but records video both to an onboard microSD card as well as to a removable 512GB solid state disk (SSD) on the gimbal’s top plate. The Zenmuse X5R records CinemaDNG (RAW) video to the SSD, and opens up lossless 4k video recording in a groundbreaking, compact form factor with video bitrates averaging 1.7Gbps (with a maximum of 2.4Gbps).
The Zenmuse X5R also offers a brand-new D-LOG mode that offers a broader array of color correction options in post production. To support the management of Zenmuse X5R Cinema DNG files, DJI will release software to edit and convert RAW camera footage. CineLight, which will be available when the Zenmuse X5R camera is released later this year, simplifies users’ workflows by offering offline proxy editing before converting the CinemaDNG files to ProRes.
“In order to achieve the quality of video produced by Zenmuse X5 and X5R, pilots used to have to spend many thousands of dollars for large, complicated aerial equipment,” said Frank Wang, DJI CEO and Founder. “Now, pilots can simply mount the Zenmuse X5 series cameras to their Inspire 1, put on their props, get up in the air, and have full control of their shot while in flight. This saves valuable time on film sets and makes high quality imaging for industrial applications smaller, lighter and easier to manage.”
By mounting a small, easy-to-install bracket, the Zenmuse X5 series cameras are fully compatible with existing DJI Inspire 1 platforms as an interchangeable option for the Inspire 1’s standard Zenmuse X3 camera. The Zenmuse X5 is available for pre-order at store.dji.com for $4,499 (€4,999), including a DJI Inspire 1 and DJI’s MFT 15mm F1.7 ASPH lens, and will begin shipping before the end of September. The Zenmuse X5R will be available in Q4 2015 for $7,999 (€8,799). Both can be purchased as stand alone cameras with, or without lens. More information can be found at dji.com.
http://dronelife.com/2015/09/11/dji-announces-new-micro-four-thirds-aerial-cameras-designed-for-professionals/
GeoTech 2015
Interest in UAS has exploded over the past three years. With the assimilation of UAS into the commercial sector, platform and payload manufacturers are hastily scoping out the current and future requirements for sensors suitable for remote sensing and geospatial data creation. To facilitate these developments, the Potomac Region is bringing together the UAS platform and payload community with consumers of data generated using UAS systems for remote sensing at its annual GeoTech 2015 event.
ASPRS is uniquely positioned to help generate requirements from an application point of view, which will then support and assist the technical design direction for UAS-hosted sensors. ASPRS is a credible partner in this endeavor since its mission is to promote the ethical application of active and passive sensors in the disciplines of photogrammetry, remote sensing, and geographic information systems. Additionally, ASPRS has developed standards used in the production of digital geospatial data. These include the Accuracy Standards for Aerial Triangulation and Ground Control Points, Vertical Accuracy Standards for Elevation Data, and Horizontal Accuracy Requirements for Elevation Data, among others.
Anticipated outcomes of the GeoTech event include the identification of available sensor components that are best suited for the today’s existing UAS platforms in varying payload weight categories. In addition, an outcome supporting long-term sensor design considerations includes a forecast of integrated sensor components that will need to undergo technical innovation to match the future application needs, including sensor miniaturization on increasingly lighter weight UAS platforms.
The purpose of GeoTech 2015 is to promote the exchange of information between ASPRS professionals and the UAS platform and payload community as the market continues its rapid expansion. Our goal is to become wise to what technology is available now and to establish partnerships to innovate for future sensor needs. GeoTech 2015 is well suited for industry, government, academia, and students.
YUNEEC Does it Again: Qualcomm Announces Reference Platform with High-end Performance Capabilities to Advance Consumer Drones
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., has introduced Qualcomm® Snapdragon Flight™, a highly optimized 58x40mm board targeted specifically for consumer drones and robotics applications. Qualcomm Snapdragon Flight is based on a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 processor, along with robust connectivity, advanced drone software and development tools, bringing cutting-edge mobile technologies to create a new class of consumer drones.
“Today, drones are made from multiple component vendors providing separate solutions for photography, navigation and communications, adding to the cost and bulk of consumer drones,” said Raj Talluri, senior vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “The Qualcomm Snapdragon Flight brings together the technologies that have defined the mobile industry onto a single board, enabling OEMs to build drones that are lighter, smaller, easy to use and affordable with long battery life and superior functionalities.”
Qualcomm Technologies also announced that Yuneec, a leading developer of consumer and professional drones with a long history of innovation in electric aviation, will be one of the first companies to embrace the Snapdragon Flight. Yuneec plans to release a drone based on the platform in 2016.
The Snapdragon Flight features advanced processing power, real-time flight control on the Qualcomm® Hexagon™ DSP, built-in Qualcomm® 2×2 Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® connectivity, and a leading global navigation satellite system (GNSS) optimized to support highly accurate location positioning. The Snapdragon Flight is designed to enable the advanced features that drone consumers want most, including:
- 4K Video – 4K high resolution camera support, image enhancement and video processing capabilities and simultaneous 720p encoding for first person view
- Advanced Communication and Navigation – Dual-band 2×2 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and 5 Hz GNSS location capabilities with advanced real-time flight control on Hexagon DSP
- Robust Camera and Sensor Support – 4K stereo VGA, optic flow cameras, inertial measurement unit (IMU), barometer sensor support and ports for additional sensors
- Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ Technology – Supporting fast battery charging in between video/picture sessions
“Drones are enabling a broad range of applications such as aerial photography, the ultimate selfie accessory and sports filming, so the ability to shoot in 4K is a must-have feature,” continued Raj Talluri. “Qualcomm Technologies is already a leader in bringing 4K video capture to consumers having over 500 device designs powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon processors with 4K UltraHD video capability, allied with the highly integrated SoC, so it’s natural for us to support the same technologies in the consumer drone space.”
The Snapdragon 801 processor powers some of the world’s most popular smartphones and includes a 2.26GHz quad-core Qualcomm® Krait™ CPU, Qualcomm® Adreno™ 330 GPU, Hexagon DSP, dedicated video encode engine and dual image signal processors (ISP). Together, these form a heterogeneous computing platform to support the development of advanced drone features such as obstacle avoidance and video stabilization.
Availability
Snapdragon Flight is available today for select OEMs, and is expected to be available in commercially available drones by 1H 2016.
http://www.suasnews.com/2015/09/38427/qualcomm-announces-reference-platform-with-high-end-performance-capabilities-to-advance-consumer-drones/
A Look at the 333 Exemption Process
Guest Post: Chris Costello is the Chief Training Officer and a Co-Founder at DARTDRONES.
“By law, any aircraft operation in the national airspace requires a certificated and registered aircraft, a licensed pilot, and operational approval.”
Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 allows the Secretary of Transportation to determine if a Certificate of Airworthiness is required for UAS operation. The 333 exemption allows for the commercial use of “drones” prior to the FAA finalizing the small UAS rules–which could be one to three years out. While the process was previously a laborious one, the FAA 333 exemption process has been streamlined over the last six months. However, that doesn’t mean you will receive your 333 exemption overnight.
The FAA sets expectations for application review at 120 days after submitting. This is not guaranteed. If using drones is going to be a critical part of your business operations (or could be), 120 days for an uncertain outcome can be tough to accept. In order to increase your odds of success and you need to put care into the application. The critical piece is making sure you know what to request an exemption from and explaining how it makes it safe to the public for your entity to have the exemption.
Below, find “four step guide” for applying for an FAA 333 exemption:
I. Identify A Pilot
Before you apply for a 333 exemption, you need to make sure that it’s within your ability to hire a pilot with a manned aircraft pilot’s license. Every flight must be overseen by a licensed pilot. Any of the official pilots licenses will work: ATP, CFII, CFI, Commercial, Private, Recreational, or Sport. It’s important to fully weigh the implications of this requirement. Will you hire a pilot? Full or part-time? Will you or a current employee attempt to become licensed? A pilot’s license is commitment, in both time and money, but could pay-off depending on how you plan on using drones in your business.
II. Submit an Application
The application process typically results in a 12 page legal document which includes a comprehensive write-up of your equipment, your intended use for a UAS, a description of your company, and a request to be “exempt” from multiple FAA regulations. If you plan on using a custom drone, use the aircraft for a novel purposes (no prior precedent), etc., you’ll need to put in extra time into preparing your application. For the custom drone, for example, you’ll need to have created a detailed user manual and documentation, etc.
At the beginning of 2015, there were roughly 50 exemptions. As of 6 Aug 15 there were 1,111 exemptions granted. Even though the number of granted exemptions has increased, approval is not a guarantee upon submission. We highly recommend having someone who knows the process complete your exemption for you.
IIa. Wait
Turnaround times vary considerably, but the average time for a notification have decreased drastically since exemptions began. For our consulting clients, we’ve seen times of around two months. From discussions with other drone operators, we’ve heard of ranges from one month to six months.
IIb. Receive your notification
The FAA notifies companies with an award or rejection via email. If you are approved: congratulations, time to move onto the next step! If you are rejected, you can re-apply, but it would make sense to get in touch with some other drone operators and exempted companies to see how you can strengthen your application.
III. File for an N-Number
After receiving your exemption, you pick up slips from your local FAA office and submit a short application for an N-number. An n-number, simply put, is a registration number for your aircraft (in this case, your drone). Your application will describe your aircraft–where you purchased, copy of your receipt (needs to be purchased from a US vendor), who is the primary owner (business of individual), and planned use.
IV. Fly
You must use a manned aircraft pilot for all flights. For every flight, you must file a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) and send it to the FAA. While flying the UAS, your operating documents must be accessible during and made available to the Administrator upon request. On a monthly basis, you must send an update to the FAA. The message here is transparency and accountability. Keep everything you do documented–a flight logbook is HIGHLY recommended–and keep a line open to the FAA; if you stick to that, you’ll have no troubles.
Chris Costello is the Chief Training Officer and a Co-Founder at DARTDRONES, a drone training school and UAS services company. He heads up curriculum development and instructor training and is a proud veteran of the US Army.
http://dronelife.com/2015/09/09/a-look-at-the-333-exemption-process/
Weather Forecasting Drone to Be Developed by Oklahoma State University Researchers
The Oklahoma State University and three other universities in partnership have been provided $6 million by the National Science Foundation to develop a drone which can help enhance weather forecasting by evaluating and studying atmospheric physics. The research will be conducted over a period of four years.
The aim of the research is to develop an affordable unmanned aircraft system which can be used by multiple stakeholders such as government, universities, and private users to understand the conditions prevailing in the atmosphere and to forecast the weather more effectively. According to the principal investigator of the project, Jamey Jacob, drones will be one of the commonly used tools in atmospheric physics and meteorology. However before reaching that stage, there is a significant research gap that needs to be filled. In addition to that, there are numerous regulatory and technical areas that need to be addressed.
This research is of the largest scale involving the study of the use of drones in weather forecasting techniques. Since this research involves a partnership between multiple researchers from different universities, it involves an inherent factor of synergy which may result in an effective and efficient research.
This research is also important because it can become the point of origin for further research such as the impact of drones on climate change. Researchers are confident that this effort will be regarded as a game-changer in the field of meteorology and the study of atmospheric physics. Meteorologists largely use radars and ground-based technologies to forecast the weather, however with the application of drones for this purpose, experts will have access to an airborne device to collect necessary data regarding atmospheric physics which can help provide more accurate weather forecasts. The success of this research will result in the development of a cost effective method of accurate weather forecasting.
http://dronelife.com/2015/09/10/weather-forecasting-drone-to-be-developed-by-oklahoma-state-university-researchers/
How a Soccer Field is Painted