Drones - the future

[STANDTO]

With developments in autonomous flight, and one eye on the tragic events in Glasgow, are drones likely to be the future direction of aerial surveillance in the domestic environment?

Current FAA/CAA controls heavily restrict usage to the point of irrelevance. I recently had a demo of a large electric six motor drone, which got airborne in a 30kt wind, and downlinked infra red as well as HD TV. However, when I would really want to use it, at night, possibly beyond visual range, to carry out an area search for a high risk missing person - I can't.

There is development to take place, but look at the Camcopter S100 System - Schiebel (http://www.schiebel.net/products/unmanned-air-systems/camcopter-s-100/system.aspx) £ 300k, and an all up weight of 250lbs. Running a reliable turbine, these things can be up for six hours. Although it would still leave a dent, it wouldn't be quite as catastrophic in the event of a failure.

discuss?

[Grenville Fortescue]

I believe drones will be a part of our future.

Their capabilities will, like most technologies, constantly advance and as this occurs their proliferation will be ensured by that most influential of considerations, cost!

Don't be surprised if 20 years from now someone sitting in a police control room clicks on a specific map location then selects "Deploy Drone". The device will be able to self-navigate using built-in GPS, conduct preset as well as customised aerial patterns and will have the ability to record and relay (in real time) sound and video (both infrared and thermal) and no doubt much much more.

In terms of device malfunction, when something is sensed which might result in a catastrophic breakdown, the drone will simply deploy a parachute which, although unable to guarantee nil damage, will certainly lessen the blow.

[farmpilot]

The Schiebel system killed its operator in South Korea two years ago.

[Frequent Traveller]

Drones are on the inmarch into everyday life ... until public (and specially urban) airspace becomes jammed up with all kinds of utility drones - what then ? GPS doesn't equate to collision-avoidance, am I wrong ? :

Des mini-drones pour acheminer les commandes chez les clients d'Amazon - high-tech - Actualités sur orange.fr (http://actu.orange.fr/high-tech/des-mini-drones-pour-acheminer-les-commandes-chez-les-clients-d-amazon-afp_2700918.html)

[hairline]

Amazon said (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25180906): "from a technology point of view, we'll be ready to enter commercial operations as soon as the necessary regulations are in place."

Yeah, maybe if the regulations come into place in 20 years from now. I really
don't believe this system could work autonomously. Collision of the drones
with each other could be easily avoided by some technical system but what about
picking a landing site, landing there without hitting thin wires or people and then ringing the door bell? Or will the drone drop the payload on the pavement so anybody can pick it up? It could maybe work if the customer would pick a safe landing site in his garden or so, but that would require customers to stay under a certain stupidity threshold in order to prevent drone loss :}

[WeekendFlyer]

Nice marketing stunt by Amazon. Maybe fun for the comnpany execs to thorw money at, but not convinced it will become reality anytime soon. For UAVs safety is everything; if any possible failure mode results in human injury or death then it is not acceptable. GPS is not a panacea; if it is used for safety critical flightpath control then it needs to be redundant, i.e. more than one receiver and it also needs receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM).

Imagine multitudes of these things flying down a street near you; it would be a disaster waiting to happen. What if one fails and then collides with another one, or several? Could it be absolutely guaranteed that they would stay away from airports and avoid people? I doubt it. Therefore, although the technology is fun and exciting, I would suspect the relevant regulatory bodies will make it almost impossible for such UAVs to operate in public airspace anytime soon.

[Standard Overhaul]

Hi
As I read in a previous post it looks that Drones will do patrol, filming and observation flights over cities, and helicopters only when pax are needed onboard, Hems, Offshore and SAR.
Police surveillance Helicopters over cities are closer to an end.


We need drone aircraft, says police chief - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9578191/We-need-drone-aircraft-says-police-chief.html)

[timprice]

You read my mind Sir.
Police helicopters cost to much to run and the bean counters are always looking for savings, plus with SMS I am sure that it will end soon too.

[FC80]

Hey GF, that exact mission profile you outlined can be done by hobby-grade equipment right now. The only tricky bit would be the 'one-click on a map' thing I reckon - and all that would take is some software whizz to make a program to convert map clicks into lat/long data for the flight controller.

[chopjock]

and all that would take is some software whizz to make a program to convert map clicks into lat/long data for the flight controller

That's already commercially available.

[IFMU]

Sikorsky did that with their Cypher UAV in the mid 90's.
Bryan

[GaryShainberg]

Guys and Gals,

Drones are here today and here to stay, all we have to wait for is the technology to catch up with the need and the regulation to catch up with the technology.

The Amazon announcement was nothing more than a way of them getting millions of $ free advertising the days before Black Friday and Cyber Monday, especially when people like Google have been looking at this for months.

Before any of this can happen there will need to be the development of a UAV style active avoidance system that will have to be maintained by the NATs of each country and be based on an agreed standard ala IFF but more like AIS in the marine world, otherwise the sky would chaos with Googles drones taking our Amazons drones and the military drones taking them all out......

Secondly todays GPS, even the military version is no where near accurate enough to guarantee the Amazon book gets delivered to house number 1 and not number2 so there will need to be some form of additional drone based ground / map recognition system to say "OK you are on top of the house co-ordinates, now use place recognition to land in the right spot.

Meanwhile we still need to evolve from the 15/20 min endurance that 90% of multi rotors have to at least 1 hour if not more, this is close as brushless motor tech is changing daily as is battery tech.

How do I know this, well I fly multi rotor UAV's commercially our main machines being Octocopters and Hexacopters and most of what you have alluded to on the thread I do daily and try (try being the operative word) to make money from it.
Gary

[Frequent Traveller]

Hi Gary, welcome to the Party ! As a professional in the drone business (paparazzi ?), how do you evaluate the 'nanocopter' ?

Black Hornet PRS - et norsk teknisk vidunder ? - Flyprat (http://forum.flyprat.no/showthread.php?t=115243)

[GaryShainberg]

I love the nano and would love to get my hands on one to play with.

The problem is that they are sooooolight that any breeze or wind and they are hard to keep in the air.

-G

[Peter-RB]

Gary,
Your comment about Military GPS is a tad incorrect, my boy was using that in the Sandpit 3 years ago to drop MLRS right into areas no bigger that a carport, :cool:

Peter R-B
Lancashire :ok:

[cattletruck]

When I grow up I'm going be rich because I'm going to become a UAV Pilot... wait for it... Prosecutor. :E

The hacks (and to some extent even the professionals) are giving UAVs a bad rap by ignoring some of our fundamental existential imperatives.

Should your UAV, home built or otherwise, hit granny on her way to the market, or film sexy Linda sunbathing naked, or be caught stalking your ex-girlfirend, or just be a dangerous nuisance, then I should be able to make a nice little earner out of it.

;)

[mickjoebill]

he Schiebel system killed its operator in South Korea two years ago.

Apparently it was a trainee or novice operator at the controls and the drone made a direct hit into the control van, resulting in a fire.
There have been numerous other injuries to the public by RC category aircraft.

Whereas remarkably, no member of the public has been seriously hurt or killed during the 150 or so media and news shoot accidents where comparably far larger craft come to grief.
Based on this evidence, having a pilot at the controls is a safer option for the public albeit at the cost of those onboard who perish or who are seriously injured.



Mickjoebill

[slippy17]

Here is Waterstones response to Amazon drones....



Introducing O.W.L.S. - YouTube

[FairWeatherFlyer]

I like Waterstones organic approach, as has been noted the Amazon/Google stuff is a mix of advertising, promotion of "aren't we clever" form and companies willing to spend on R&D.

The drone thing is going to happen on a wider scale for delivering stuff/assassination/surveillance/surveying, it's more of a question of when and how society deals with the shift.

[FC80]

When I grow up I'm going be rich because I'm going to become a UAV Pilot... wait for it... Prosecutor. http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/evil.gif

The hacks (and to some extent even the professionals) are giving UAVs a bad rap by ignoring some of our fundamental existential imperatives.

Should your UAV, home built or otherwise, hit granny on her way to the market, or film sexy Linda sunbathing naked, or be caught stalking your ex-girlfirend, or just be a dangerous nuisance, then I should be able to make a nice little earner out of it.


Ah, imagine a World without lawyers.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4scn5zLm91qztjn5o1_r1_500.jpg

;)

[ShyTorque]

Class G operates and relies on the requirement to "see and be seen" in order to comply with the right of way rules.

I've not yet seen or heard of a drone that can do this. It's one thing to issue a NOTAM when these things are being flown (which seems to happen now, quite rightly so), but if they are to be used on a far wider scale, the associated NOTAMS would become so plentiful that they would become ineffective. This is the present situation with regard to the increasing multitude of cranes in the London area. Surprisingly, since the tragic accident on 16th January this year near Vauxhall, every man and his dog seems to be using ever taller construction cranes. It's now impossible to plot and avoid the NOTAMed areas in any meaningful way (especially when SVFR clearances send aircraft straight towards them).

As helicopter pilots, going about our lawful business at relatively low altitudes, we are more likely to come into closer contact with drones than other airspace users. We need to be protected from the further danger of coming into contact with "blind", non-compliant drones.

[FairWeatherFlyer]

Class G operates and relies on the requirement to "see and be seen" in order to comply with the right of way rules.

Fair point but there's plenty of aforementioned avian aviators up there doing that so it won't be long before that can be emulated.

Surprisingly, since the tragic accident on 16th January this year near Vauxhall, every man and his dog seems to be using ever taller construction cranes.

I'm not sure if accident is the right term to describe the outcome of flying VFR in blatant IMC at low level in a built up area. Drones could have advantages here from stabilisation, sensing beyond visual radiation, ability to work with hires ground models a la GPWS. And disadvantages from s/w bugs, component failures, etc

I imagine regulation and certification and maybe insurance in developed countries will dramatically hike the costs so could turn out to be a Webvan 2.0 for Amazon.

[ShyTorque]

I'm not sure if accident is the right term to describe the outcome of flying VFR in blatant IMC at low level in a built up area.

However that particular event is seen, I'm certain it was an accident; it was certainly not a deliberate occurrence.

But rather than get into that discussion (which has been previously done in great depth), the relevance was the plethora of these new NOTAMs and how they quickly become "white noise".

[FairWeatherFlyer]

On the subject of noise that got a mention in Economist as a possible future nuisance in this brave new world.

I started to ponder the energy cost of general purpose deliveries. Amusingly, Paul Merton on Have I Got News for You was also on similar lines. Bloke from matternet passes judgement on AMZN:

Drone expert: Amazon's hypetastic delivery scheme a pie in the sky ? The Register (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/12/02/amazon_drone_matternet_analysis/)

Dirigible hybrids, hydrogen come back?

Another question would be the tolerance for some low level of injury and death from something that offers both utility and maybe a lowering elsewhere, e.g. road transport.

[Standard Overhaul]

Will Patrol and Observation Heliops end with Drones?

[Grenville Fortescue]

Not sure about general use drones for tasks such as commercial deliveries etc. but I believe they will end up playing a significant role in urban police operations.

My previous comments are here (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/529043-drones-future.html).

[Standard Overhaul]

Our Drone Future - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgLkWT246qU#t=33)

[DSquadron]

there was talk about this at my place some time ago. seeing as there's loads of gaze' knocking about now...

http://www.unmanned.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Unmanned-Gazelle-Conversion.jpg

Northrop Grumman and Qinetiq offer UK Gazelle conversion (http://www.unmanned.co.uk/unmanned-vehicles-news/unmanned-aerial-vehicles-uav-news/dsei-northrop-grumman-and-qinetiq-offer-uk-gazelle-conversion/)

[Ian Corrigible]

The RN went with the AgustaWestland (PZL-Swidnik) SW-4 (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/215373-pzl-sw4.html) for RWUAS (http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/521305-admiralty-asks-aw-develop-rwuas.html) instead.

I/C

[wingslikehercules]

BBC News - US announces six drone test sites (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25552825)

how will drones impact helicopter pilot jobs in the future?

[John R81]

FAA announcement at Fact Sheet ? FAA UAS Test Site Program (http://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsid=15575)

DOD "Unmanned Systems Integrated Roadmap" at http://www.defense.gov/pubs/DOD-USRM-2013.pdf

[John R81]

For those interested, I think that France was the first EU country to have specific laws on unmanned aircraft. Currently the DGAC is consulting on a revision of their UAS rules, with new law expected to be introduced in 2014. Topics of heated debate are the definition of populated areas and the requirements for mandatory training. Anyone interested should make their representations accordingly....

Also in France, the national aviation police (the GTA) is responding to industry’s complaints about unfair practices of a small number of UAS operators. I understand that at the end of 2013 approximately ten cases have been investigated. Under French law those found breaking the rules face a fine of up to €75,000 and/or one year of imprisonment, in addition to potential loss of license to operate UAS. To date I can find only one company, based in the South of France, that has been sanctioned.

[jimf671]

I love the nano and would love to get my hands on one to play with.

The problem is that they are sooooolight that any breeze or wind and they are hard to keep in the air.


A few experiments have already been done and there is some discussion about drones for SAR. However, bad things don't usually happen on good days, so the idea that some heath robinson, pick-it-up-and-put-it-in-the-boot little UAV is going to hunt for missing people below cliff-tops or on mountainsides with swirling 40kn winds is ludicrous.

If we end up with strike-capable military UAV being based in the UK in a few years then I can see good exercise value for them moonlighting in SAR.

[awblain]

If it's cheap and cheerful enough, a boot full of propellers might be just the ticket to guide mountain rescuers better, if the victim doesn't have their phone on. There are conditions that make life pretty miserable for the manned aircraft and foot bound searchers, and a drone that you're willing to accept might be disposable could make everyone's life safer, at some cost.

Once you start needing to book satellite time it starts getting tough to imagine it's cheap enough.

The firefighters killed in Arizona last spring might have benefited from a bit more situational awareness in bad flying weather too.

[BluSdUp]

Dear fellow pilots.
As we are getting to terms over the loss of Hems crew in Oslo a new danger is highligted on the westcost of Norway.
This is the case, small town Lærdal is on fire, California style.!
30 houses burn down, luck has it no casualties.
From Rygge in Oslo two 412s are dispatched from Delta with fire bucets , and the only fire- fighting helicopter in Norway.
Only to find the Police telling all news and privat drone, light uav operators to clear the vally.
Aparently anyone can fly this kind of thing, what would is do to your rotor etc,.
I just doged 100 crows on takeoff today, but I can eat a lot of them with two Cfm 56s.
Question is can You live with this .!?
You Gentlemen have a big problem in Drone or UAV traffic comming.
I love to be wrong, but seldom am.!
Heads Up from BluSdUp.
Ps. Go nrk.no or vg.no to see the hamlet of Lærdal . A disaster , all survived.God must love Us.! ? Ds!

[chopjock]

BluSdUp

Only to find the Police telling all news and privat drone, light uav operators to clear the vally

You Gentlemen have a big problem in Drone or UAV traffic comming.
I love to be wrong, but seldom am.!

So what's the problem? The drone pilot must always give way to full-size aircraft and has to look out for them at all times.

[topendtorque]

So what's the problem? The drone pilot must always give way to full-size aircraft and has to look out for them at all times.

Wouldn't that mean that all drones would have to be equipped with "seeing" equipment of some sort in their direction of travel at all times for when they are overtaking another aircraft from that aircraft's blind areas? One can hardly be continually turning around to check conflicting traffic from one's rear?

If in controlled airspace they would also need a transponder surely?

cheers tet.

[chopjock]

tet
Wouldn't that mean that all drones would have to be equipped with "seeing" equipment of some sort in their direction of travel at all times for when they are overtaking another aircraft from that aircraft's blind areas?

If flown out of sight of the operator that would be needed. However civil operated "news" drones only operate in direct line of sight of the operator or his observer, who can see clearly all around the arena.

[farmpilot]

Until an aircraft pops up over the hill.
It happened in Cape Town, sightseeing helicopter coming home at 1500' and airprox with a drone filming a house.

[BluSdUp]

Dear Heli comunity.
I started a thread and got diverted to this one, super, have not read the initial stuff.
With the idea of see and aviod I sugest You are all up the creek.
Imagine 3 Bell helicopters with fire bucets going flat out in a walley 1 mile times 3 miles from the sea ,closeby to the fire to save lives and property.
Gusty winds , hills allaround 6000" pluss.
Some of You are defending the use of privat and news rov, drones etc. Why?
This is a warning. We need to heed it.
Yours voried
Cpt B

[Ian Corrigible]

A møøse once bit my sister.

t6mupfi21Ys

(I døn't think it was that øne.)

:E

I/C

[John R81]

FAA is reported to have stopped Lakemaid's (a brewery) plan to use drones for delivery of beer (six-packs) to remote ice-fishing shacks in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

It seems that Lakemaid Beer posted an online video advertising its drone delivery service, and FAA responded by notifying the company that the idea was a no-go. Lakemaid has now started a petition on WhiteHouse.gov asking FAA to approve its ideas but FAA is not backing down.

Story is here https://www.wnyc.org/story/beer-drone-can-buzz-the-skies-no-more-faa-says/



FAA issued this report in 2013 about integrating drones into US airspace http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/uas/media/UAS_Roadmap_2013.pdf

[Lonewolf_50]

FAA can be stick in the muds, can't they?

Finally, technology is available to serve the working man, and the FAA wander in a cock it up.
(Then again, if you need to have beer on hand, buy some ahead of time. Novel thought, that.)

[FairWeatherFlyer]

Musicians may also fret over advances in (flying) drone technology:

BBC News - Drone direction: The flying robotic pop band (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27142634)

And good news for deer:

Germany deploys drones to protect young deer from combine harvesters | World news | theguardian.com (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/25/german-drones-protect-young-deer-combine-harvesters)

[mickjoebill]

The cause of this drone's delinquent behaviour is "broken knob"


Cameraman Loses His $15k Quadcopter in the Amazon Rainforest (http://petapixel.com/2014/04/24/cameraman-loses-15k-quadcopter-amazon-rainforest/)

FCHPR031J9o

Mickjoebill

[FairWeatherFlyer]

When drones go bad, the new Fox TV series...

I skipped the recent robot special in The Economist but I've gone back to read it as this could be so significant in next 50 years.

Rise of the robots | The Economist (http://www.economist.com/printedition/2014-03-29)

The shift in affordability for aerial photography is remarkable.

Someone else taking a more intentional "dronie":

Drone selfies (http://kottke.org/14/04/drone-selfies)

[FairWeatherFlyer]

BBC News - Easyjet develops flying robots to inspect aircraft (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27308232)

[sitigeltfel]

What is being referred to as a "drone" crashed on a beach at Nice this morning.

Three South Koreans are being questioned for operating it without authority. It seems they were using it for film work.

http://agl.3.nm.static.nicematin.net/media_nicematin/imagecache/article-taille-normale-nm/image/ouch/2014/05/09/8802c225e8f330c5407a1047c0a02d6d.jpg


NiceMatin article (http://www.nicematin.com/nice/un-drone-secrase-sur-une-plage-a-nice.1729430.html)

[mickjoebill]

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/InformationNotice2014081.pdf

Guidance notes for operators of remote aircraft.
200 operators certified by caa for aerial work with drones in uk.

Mickjoebill

[Colonal Mustard]

And following on from the london document restricting SUA, they also cover FPV (first Person viewing) so whilst drones may be a thing of the future , thankfully they are going to be limited to an empty beach or farmland

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/ORS4%20No.%201011%20Small%20Unmanned%20Aircraft.pdf

[John Eacott]

I wonder how much of a 'near miss' it really was?

Two drones in near miss with NYPD copter (http://nypost.com/2014/07/07/two-drones-in-near-miss-with-nypd-copter-over-gwb/)

Two drones nearly took out an NYPD chopper over the George Washington Bridge on Monday, and cops arrested the wayward devices’ operators, law-enforcement sources told The Post.
The Aviation Unit helicopter was on patrol around 12:15 a.m. when it had to swerve to avoid the small, unmanned aircraft, the sources said.
The NYPD pilots “observed flying object[s] at 2,000 feet in vicinity of the George Washington Bridge, then circling heading toward the helicopter,’’ a police report said.
“The officers were forced to change their course to avoid a collision.”
One source called it a “very dangerous” scenario.
“Although [drones] may only weigh a few pounds, that’s all birds weigh, and look what they did to the Sully Airbus,” the source said, referring to 2009’s “Miracle on the Hudson,” in which a bird strike forced US Airways pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger to crash-land a jetliner in the Hudson River.
The chopper tailed the drones north as they landed at the corner of Audubon and Fort George avenues, near Fort Tryon Park, at 12:35 a.m., sources said.
The chopper cops called NYPD Patrol, and officers were dispatched to nab the suspects.
Remy Castro, 23, who lives on nearby West 193rd Street, and Wilkins Mendoza, 34, of Post Road, were both arrested.
“It’s just a toy,” Castro said later at Manhattan Criminal Court, where they were arraigned on felony reckless endangerment charges and released without bail. “The copter came to us.”
Mendoza said the drone experiment was just fun and games.
“We were just playing with it,” he said. “It’s crazy.”
Their lawyer, Michael Kushner, said the incident was not as serious as authorities allege.
“This vehicle can’t go above 300 feet,” Kushner said. “They did nothing more than fly a kite.”
But a friend of the pair, Jonathan Reyes, 27, said Castro told him they have flown them as high as 5,000 feet.
“When they first got them, everyone was going crazy and saying, ‘That’s some alien stuff!’ ” Reyes recalled.
Reyes said Castro bought a drone two weeks ago and that Mendoza followed suit. They spent $500 to $700 apiece.
They have been having a wild time ever since, flying the drones around the neighborhood each night and posting video of the outings on Instagram.
“They’re fun. They’re a cool pair,” Reyes said of the men. “Everybody who sees [the drones] goes crazy!”
Additional reporting by Kathleen Culliton and Kate Sheehy

[chopjock]

“The officers were forced to change their course to avoid a collision.”

That's normal procedure for anyone flying. What's the problem.? Police obviously think they own the sky and others should give way, even the birds.

[rotorfan]

The Aviation Unit helicopter was on patrol around 12:15 a.m. when it had to swerve to avoid the small, unmanned aircraft, the sources said.

Hmmmmm, did the TCAS paint the drones? Or was it the fire-control RADAR? How do you see something so small, in the dark, even if at a low airspeed? Something seems fishy, but I'm glad they got the creeps.

[FairWeatherFlyer]

Mapping a whole forest and perhaps more surprisingly lighting, both with l@sers


BBC News - Tree-mapping drone start-up has sky-high ambitions (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27485418)
Drone lighting | MIT News Office (http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2014/drone-lighting-0711)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9KZ3jgbbmI

[Singe25]

I am involved in urban search and rescue and there is no doubt in my mind that both helicopters and drones have a place in response to these type of incidents.

As was suggested earlier in the thread, I would agree that in only a few years time, the authorities may well sit in a a control suit piloting a drone for all manner of tasks.

Does that mean helicopters will become obsolete? Of course not, the need to transport personnel and equipment whilst using the advantages of wide area survey will always be there.

However we are exploring the use of drones closer to the collapsed buildings, operating ably a few metres above the structure and not impacting on the rubble.

The simplicity of drones and the vast cost reduction makes them very attractive.
We have even experimented with the cheaper commercial drones, seen by many as toys and yet they produce live feed that can be easily recorded and control on an iPad.


Few people would be more enthusiastic about helicopters and recently drones and I look forward to working with both.

If other have used them in this line of work, I'd be interested to hear from you.

[John R81]

Take a look at this article. (http://www.huschblackwell.com/businessinsights/faa-approves-commercial-use-of-unmanned-aircraft-systems-provides-guidance-for-accelerated-use) It concludes:

"The FAA’s announcement, and the guidance that it has provided as a result of its review of these initial petitions, has proven Section 333 to be a viable avenue for the commercial use of UAS, and opened the door to other businesses seeking to use UAS to support their operations. Indeed, in announcing its grant of these first petitions, the FAA encouraged other businesses to petition the FAA under Section 333.

To date, the FAA has received 45 requests for exemptions under Section 333 from a variety of companies across a range of industries, including agriculture, oil and gas, GIS/mapping, construction, and real estate, as well as pipeline and power line inspectors and surveyors. If your business is considering using UAS, we can help you take advantage of this opportunity and lead the way in your industry."

[Nail The Dream]

Then there's this to consider :

RT.com - Question More (http://rt.com/uk/198096-drones-law-gchq-chief/)

Commercial drones could be invading the UK within 20 years,
used by everyone from terrorists to burglars, an ex-GCHQ boss warns.
It found the growing use of drones raises “significant safety, security and privacy concerns.”

Nail

[John R81]

Airprox reported, according to BBC

BBC News - Quadcopter drone flew 'too close' to Southend-bound plane (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-29785322)

And the report is here
http://www.airproxboard.org.uk/docs/423/2014073%20-%20v2.pdf

[John R81]

25 September 2014: FAA granted six aerial photo and video companies exemptions from FAA regulations according to this article. (http://www.mofo.com/~/media/Files/ClientAlert/2014/09/140926drones.pdf)

The article reports that Astraeus Aerial, Aerial MOB, HeliVideo Productions, Pictorvision Inc., RC Pro Productions Consulting, and Snaproll Media have FAA permission to use small drones “for the purpose of scripted, closed-set filming for the motion picture and television industry.”


Floodgates open?

[John Eacott]

Now here is a useful idea :ok:

y-rEI4bezWc#t=92

[Radgirl]

This seems to be a flying automatic defibrillator. Whilst the drone may be for real it isn't clear if the defibrillator actually works. The lightest defib made exceeds the likely payload of the drone many times.

In reality these defibs have now come down in price so much that most public buildings already have them. The time to effective use is only five minutes after which success falls off rapidly so deployment to individual homes is questionable.

And in cities most people don't live in houses with convenient landing areas outside

[hoistop]

Of course this is only an idea, that is far from operational use, but, we newer know what a baby will become, when grown-up....
Technically, there are semi-automatic defibrillators, that are small enough to be carried by a suitable drone, and I am sure that speed and range of device shown was thought of. I believe such system is entirelly achievable with current technology, so applause to student for developing this idea!!


What disturbs me on the video is: NO CPR ON THE VICTIM!!!
First thing to do in such situations is: call for help or ask someone to do it, then START PERFORMING CPR AT ONCE if victim is not breathing and airway is free. No technology can substitute for this and every minute lost means more irrepairable damage to brain. Also, CPR might still needs to be performed even after defibrillator is used.


regards,


hoistop

[FairWeatherFlyer]

(FAA) regulation of drones, Christmas gifts, niche parcel delivery:

Regulating robotic aircraft: Free the drones | The Economist (http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21635489-drones-have-immense-commercial-potentialso-long-regulators-dont-try-tether-them)

Some sub 0 amsl action:

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/navy-develops-ghostswimmer-drone-that-looks-like-105375377914.html

I had a chat with someone who claimed that some of the drones used for killing people in dusty locations have an "AI" capability for automatic targeting of survivors post first strike. Wasn't clear if it was internal or an external system but would be interesting to hear more if anyone's knowledgeable in this area.

[John Eacott]

Someone seems to have found a use for basic technology :cool:

NL0zLHLMBVw

[robsrich]

May create an enormous market for radio jammers. Bit like having a hat with spikes when magpies are anti-social?

Are their any out there?

[John R81]

This report says US move closer to requiring registration of all drones (including models & toys) over 250g weight (8.8oz)


FAA, Drones and Registration . . . It?s Coming | Plane-ly Spoken (http://www.planelyspokenblog.com/faa-drones-and-registration-its-coming)


Now up to FAA to propose regulation

[Spunk]

Just returning from a Safety Meeting. Scarry, how many near misses with drones have been reported in the past few weeks.
Our aviation authority is also aiming for a registration of Drones, so the Pilot might run but can't hide.:D:ok:

[copterdude]

So.... I was the instructor onboard this helicopter:

Possible drone collides with helicopter in Los Angeles | Vertical Magazine - The Pulse of the Helicopter Industry (http://www.verticalmag.com/news/article/PossibledronecollideswithhelicopterinLosAngeles)

Certainly got my blood pumping. Regulation can't come soon enough in my opinion.

M.

[helimutt]

So, you didnt see anything, no evidence left behind, so it must be a drone? Ok. I doubt it. How about a crack in the screen not picked up on the pre-flight? How about a bird? Just because there is no evidence it must be a drone? Really?

Registration of all drones? What a joke. Who is going to manage that database? Who has the manpower? in the UK the CAA don't have enough manpower to manage the commercial legal activity within a sensible time frame right now. Never mind the registration of millions more UAV's.

What about those people who build their own? No serial numbers.

I suppose people have to blame something and drones seem to be flavour of the month right now ( every month) :mad::mad:

[chopjock]

Any drone flying at night would have lights on it, otherwise it would be invisible to the operator too. Almost every drone would have some sort of flashing led on it anyway, making it highly visible, especially at night.

[Thracian]

Any drone flying at night would have lights on it, otherwise it would be invisible to the operator too.
Not, if the operater
- doesn´t want to be seen
- has a drone with GPS flight path following
- rips off or covers every possible light before takeoff

There ARE some idiots out there...

Thracian

[chopjock]

Not, if the operator - doesn´t want to be seen


It was dark, drone operator will not be seen anyway until landing.

They still have Leds flashing, even in GPS waypoint mode.

But yes it is possible to tape over lights, but then the operator would not be able to see it either, so unlikely.

[Flying Bull]

Hi Chopjok,

you´re a little bit behind the time.
There are plenty of drones underway with "first person view" - that is, the operator either wearing googles or having a display, where the image of the drone camera is transmitted to.
He doesn´t have to see the drone.....

[Flying Bull]

Hi Chopjok,

you´re a little bit behind the time.
There are plenty of drones underway with "first person view" - that is, the operator either wearing googles or having a display, where the image of the drone camera is transmitted to.
for as little as 159€
He does´t have to see the drone.....

http://www.polizeifliegerstaffel.de/test/drone.jpg

http://www.polizeifliegerstaffel.de/test/drone2.jpg

[chopjock]

I fly fpv too but I use a monitor and I like to look at the drone too, especially for landing. I was going on my 30 years experience. But yes, times are a changing.

[helimutt]

The people who will register and be legal arent the ones we need to worry about. Oh and you can turn the LED's off if you want. ;)

[copterdude]

Just wanted to post a few more details about the incident I posted earlier. We were pretty close to Balboa Park (2-3 miles SW of the airport) at 2000' MSL (~1200AGL) following the 101 eastbound. We can not say with exact certainty what hit us as we never saw anything. Whatever it was made a loud impact, shattered the windshield, cracked the instrument cluster and shook our Robbie. We were doing 70-75kts. Initially I thought we'd hit a large bird and reported it as such to KVNY tower. A post flight inspection did not reveal the slightest trace of blood/feathers, leading me to believe we'd hit a drone. It is in my opinion the most logical explanation as Van Nuys is a hotbed for drone sightings/near misses. There's also a specialty drone store about 1 mile from where I was impacted. I don't want to point fingers, but one has to wonder.

I also wanted to mention we had a drone sighting at 1000AGL near 91/605, and another instructor had a near TR miss near El Monte airport. Something has to be done sooner than later. I think drones are neat, but not at 1200AGL.

If anybody has any information or hears about anyone recently losing a drone near Balboa Park, please report it to Van Nuys FSDO at (818) 904-6291.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

M.

[John R81]

The latest country to enact Drone legislation is Ireland.


Irish Aviation Authority (Small Unmanned Aircraft (Drones) and Rockets) Order 2015 (https://www.iaa.ie/docs/default-source/publications/small-unmanned-aircraft-(drones)-and-rockets-order-s-i-563-of-2015.pdf?sfvrsn=2 )


Less onerous registration of users (compared to US legislation requires) but the key points of the Irish regulations are:


A drone is not allowed to fly farther than 300 metres from its operator and it must be in visible sight to its operator;
A drone is not allowed to fly higher than 120 metres above ground level;
A drone cannot fly within 5 kilometres of any aerodrome;
A drone cannot fly in a prohibited, restricted area or controlled airspace e.g. military installations, prisons, over an assembly of people or over urban areas;
Drone operators must ensure they operate their drone in a manner that will not be a hazard to another aircraft in flight or in a negligent or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of others;
All drones weighing 1Kg or more, which includes the weight of the battery and the attached equipment, must be registered with the Irish Aviation Authority (“IAA”); and
Operators of drones which weigh more than 4Kg will also need to complete safety training approved by the IAA to fly that drone.

[chopjock]

A drone cannot fly within 5 kilometres of any aerodrome;

You forgot to add this bit…

"unless the aerodrome operator has given permission;"

Operators of drones which weigh more than 4Kg will also need to complete safety training approved by the IAA to fly that drone.

The term is "accepted by the Authority", not "approved by the IAA".

There is a subtle difference.

[MarcK]

A drone is not allowed to fly farther than 300 metres from its operator and it must be in visible sight to its operator; That makes it pretty useless for things like crop surveilance.

[md 600 driver]

Drone operators must ensure they operate their drone in a manner that will not be a hazard to another aircraft in flight or in a negligent or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of others

obviously no-one has informed RAF Waddingtons drone operators lol

[John R81]

Quote:
A drone is not allowed to fly farther than 300 metres from its operator and it must be in visible sight to its operator; That makes it pretty useless for things like crop surveilance.


Perhaps Irish fields are smaller than Californian fields?

[Evalu8ter]

In the UK you are restricted to VLOS (in effect about 500m) and 400ft altitude. However, you can apply to the CAA for dispensation to operate outside these restrictions provided you have good reason to do so and an Ops Manual that shows how you're going to ensure safety.

I've worked with everything from Black Hornet to Reaper; although this sounds a bit like the NRA re handguns, the problem is not the UAV per se, but the person(s) that operate it. The guys that are professional are not the ones you need to worry about. It's the naive or genuinely nefarious (e.g. paparazzi) who simply don't understand or deliberately ignore the regulations that are the greatest hazard.

Until a rogue operator actually kills someone very little will be done. The problem is very similar to mid air collision; there are those that think that TAS, TCAS and ADS-B will solve it - conveniently forgetting that a large number of air users in open FIR don't have transponders. The answer, for both manned and unmanned aircraft, is passive/active collision warning systems.....

[chopjock]

In the UK you are restricted to VLOS (in effect about 500m) and 400ft altitude.

Sorry about this, it's not altitude, it's height (Vertical distance above the surface). :)

[PANews]

Sorry about this, it's not altitude, it's height (Vertical distance above the surface). :)
It's strange or at least noteworthy that the distances quoted are in both metres and feet.
The whole situation is beset with confusion and even that failure to engender a common set of standards is simply a symptom
So who is going to enforce all this well meaning guidance? Not people behind desks. But who else is there with the knowledge, the power, or even a bit of interest?
My guess is no one until a lot of people are hurt.
Aside from the people deliberately killed a fair number have already died - it's just that I guess they were the 'wrong' ones and as a result those deaths were largely ignored.

[jimf671]

Police 'ponder eagles to tackle drones' - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35519470)

[gasax]

Offshore Helicopter Firm Invests in Drones - Oil and Gas News (http://www.oilandgaspeople.com/news/7213/offshore-helicopter-firm-invests-in-drones/)

[DroneDog]

As have Lufthansa who have now opened a Drone arm of their aerial services, indeed they have teamed up with one of the big manufacturers. Thou they seem to be very media shy about it.

https://www.lufthansagroup.com/en/press/news-releases/singleview/archive/2016/january/26/article/3918.html

[muermel]

Who could see this one coming........:ugh:

Drone hits British Airways plane approaching Heathrow Airport - BBC News (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36067591)

[John R81]

FAA have now certified night-time drone activity. There is an article here. (http://www.uaslawblog.com/2016/04/26/flying-darkness-commercial-drone-night-flights-approved-faa/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+UnmannedAircraftSystemsCom+(Unmanned+Airc raft+Systems)#page=1)


Oh, and I have to confess....... Last evening I bought a drone! (My bad!)

[PDR1]

Who could see this one coming........:ugh:

Drone hits British Airways plane approaching Heathrow Airport - BBC News (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36067591)
Although when the matter was investigated it seems it was a figment of the pilot's imagination.

Oops...

PDR

[John Eacott]

Drones edging out helicopter film pilots, videographers (http://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/helicopter-drone-film-1.4265519)

Drones cheaper, can go places, get shots helicopters can't, but there's a place for both in the film biz
By Haydn Watters, CBC News Posted: Sep 04, 2017 11:00 AM ET Last Updated: Sep 04, 2017 12:42 PM ET

Transport Canada thought he couldn't do it. But Jim Filippone was eager to fly a helicopter through downtown Vancouver, squeezing between all of the soaring glass towers on Georgia Street.

After all, the film needed it.

He got the OK after plotting it out with his safety co-ordinator (and wife) Wendy, pledging to fly with two engines and stick to the yellow line in the middle of the road.

Filippone hovered his helicopter just above the street lamps, zooming up and down the road until the cameras got what they needed. He did it again for the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie The 6th Day, this time at night with no light.

Filippone's precision made him the go-to pilot for these low-level helicopter shots. But drones, which can get the same shot at a sliver of the price, have forced the Filippones out of business after more than 30 years and 13,800 hours in the air.

https://i.cbc.ca/1.4272946.1504304090!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_620/jim-filippone.jpg
Jim Filippone flew helicopters for films and television shows for more than 30 years. You can even spot him in the opening for the old CBC show Danger Bay, for which he once had to don this blond wig. (Jim Filippone)

"We'd call up people, production managers, and we would say, 'Oh hey do you have any aerials on the show?' ... every time they say yes, we would have a job. They would hire us. But it's, 'Oh yeah, we have an aerial but we're using a drone,'" he said.

The couple worked on the X-Men movies, Tron: Legacy and the old CBC show Danger Bay, among many others.

"We've gone into retirement because of this," Filippone said about the drones bumping out his work.

'Tipping point' for drones

The drone has stolen gigs and taken a hit on Canada's small but mighty pool of film pilots and aerial videographers.

It can squeeze into tight spaces and get shots the helicopter can't — quicker, without much setup, and clad with high-quality cameras. There's also less at stake if something goes wrong. Helicopter crashes have killed more than 30 people on film and TV sets since 1980, according to Deadline.com.

But the biggest drone draw may be the price point. Drones are substantially cheaper to fly for film — even when decked out with fancy equipment.

The cheaper price has won Chris Bacik a bunch of film jobs — he has flown his drones for Hollywood movies and hit TV shows like Orphan Black and The Handmaid's Tale.

"When we get the opportunity to show these [to] people, their eyes just light up," he said of drones.

Bacik runs Sky Eye Media in Midhurst, near Barrie, Ont. He works out of his parents' garage, packed tight with shelves of drones. Some are as small as tubs of margarine, others as big as office chairs, with tentacle-like arms to help it fly.

"Finally there's been this tipping point in last 12 months or so now where we are shooting twice a week, and now we've become profitable and things are just escalating," he said.

"We've definitely come across a couple of helicopter operators that aren't as friendly to us because they realize yes, we're here to stay and we are affecting the way they do business."

'You can't take it for granted'

Still, the helicopter has its advantages.

It can fly faster, longer and higher than any drone can, able to get those striking big-city and mountain shots. The helicopter works in any weather, whereas drones can't fly in the wind. And some drone pilots fear Transport Canada's proposed changes to drone rules, which could crack down on what they fly right now.

All this is helping helicopter cameraman Chris Chanda stay airborne. He has been filming from above for 23 years, and now runs Aerial Camera Operations.

"From our side of the fence, we think [drones are] a great tool, but they're certainly not capable of the full-on production value we can provide," he said.

"It's kind of like giving your kid a skateboard and telling him to go play on the highway."

But he too admits he's lost some business to drones, something he thought would never happen.

As technology gets better, industry experts predict it won't be long before drones can do what helicopters can — with longer and higher flights and even better, more stable aerial shots coming soon.

"You can't take it for granted," said Chanda, who has considered adding drones to his fleet. "You certainly can't say no to advancing technology."

Others, like Filippone, want nothing to do with drones. He likens flying one to playing a video game.

"I'm the worst video-game operator in the world. We'll leave those to the kids."

Price points: Drone vs. helicopter

Here's what CBC News was quoted for a helicopter film shoot with Chanda's Aerial Camera Operations and a drone film shoot with Bacik's Sky Eye Media.

Helicopter: Chanda said a twin turbine helicopter is needed for film-style shoots ($2350/hr). Plus a full day on the camera for prep/install/shoot adds another $5,750.

Drone: Bacik flies with three operators (a pilot, camera operator and safety person), charging $1,600 for eight hours. The rental price for one of Bacik's mid-sized drones is $1,800/day. Bacik said productions usually provide their own camera and lenses, but others rent from him, which costs $1,500-$2,500/day.

[mickjoebill]

Impressive TV pics of the squirrel flying below horizon level (taken from a cherry picker) during yesterday's Formula 1 at Monza.

Throughout the race they appeared to be flying lower than at other F1 races, pictures were very dynamic!

Mjb

[aa777888]

The big local helicopter services company in my neck of the woods has made UAS operations an integral part of their company and service portfolio. They saw the handwriting on the wall and appear dedicated to maintaining ownership of the skies around here, whatever it takes. Of course they will have a lot more competition in the UAS department.

In the US you can already see the industry is moving towards self-regulation and self-certification well beyond the vestigial FAA Remote Pilot certificate. Much like the SCUBA diving and skydiving industries have done. This is how big companies will control the marketplace and attempt to drive the small fry out.

"So Mr. Smith, do all of your pilots at the Tiny UAS Company have an Industry Awesomeness certification? Do you carry $4M in liability insurance? No? Too bad, so sad, we're going to go with Giant UAS Company even though they are a little more money."

[Phoinix]

Drone hits military chopper over Midland Beach, Staten Island | abc7ny.com (http://abc7ny.com/drone-hits-military-chopper-over-staten-island-/2443487/)

[EESDL]

......in all sorts of sectors.
Just like the chopper - they are a tool and not the only solution.

I was surprised and secretly delighted to discover that the aerials over the beach in the recent 'Dunkirk' movie with the Spitfire executing the longest dead-stick landing in aviation history (akin to the slowest countdown device in every James Bond movie) were done by chopper - (GB Helicopters- no relationship)

But like every tool - if handled by a 'tool'
the outcome can be unpredictable and dangerous.

I'm a chopper puke to the core but can see the advantages of Drones/UAVs/UASs - especially within a regulatory environment which understands them.

[rotorfan]

The post from Phoinix was a link to a story. I just happened to see this on my television late-night newscast. Was surprised to not hear of it earlier. If the news was correct, the UAV was at 500AGL, illegally high. There was a close-up still shot showing damage to the Blackhawk, I'm guessing near the windscreen frame, but hard to tell (though I'm sure a -60 expert could readily tell). Little of the machine recovered, I hope it's enough to lead to the perpetrator, followed by serious prosecution. It's a federal offense to LASER an aircraft, I hope the penalties are severe for these mid-air collisions to make an example or two of the idiots flyers.

[MikeNYC]

The recent NYC incident also occurred while a Presidential TFR was in place. The flight restrictions encompassed the area where the collision occurred, so the drone should have never been flying to begin with.

[PANews]

There is still a mass of delusion associated with drones and what they can and cannot do and sadly some of the public services are promoting the tosh.

At best a small quad Drone is a free flying CCTV to which you can add an umbilical to extend its time of flight but not its range. It can only rarely be considered an instant reaction tool..... chasing baddies across fields [as being promoted recently by some operators] is the stuff of dreams or press set-peices. Generally they are never going to be in the right place at the right time with the machine ready to fly unless its a pre-programmed sting or a stake-out.

The real negative is that for the baddies of all descriptions they can carry nasty or prohibited stuff across the heads of security and crowds. But you can throw such stuff over such barriers anyway so its not really new.

Nothing up and out there now [the future may change of course] will replace a helicopter in other than the persistent surveillance or photographic role and yet there is a danger that all of us are talking up the technology prematurely.

I do not recall Rotorheads ever previously having threads on SLR cameras, tripods, CCTV, let alone balls and hand-grenades and yet that is what is apparently going on here. A recent NPCC report was talking about having 'big' drones circling cities watching over everyone...... There are more pressing needs, that is years off and probably Star Wars anyway.

One to watch but its still an orange box upon which to stand and look over the wall... :uhoh:

[MikeNYC]

At best a small quad Drone is a free flying CCTV to which you can add an umbilical to extend its time of flight but not its range. It can only rarely be considered an instant reaction tool..... chasing baddies across fields [as being promoted recently by some operators] is the stuff of dreams or press set-peices. Generally they are never going to be in the right place at the right time with the machine ready to fly unless its a pre-programmed sting or a stake-out.

[...]

Nothing up and out there now [the future may change of course] will replace a helicopter in other than the persistent surveillance or photographic role and yet there is a danger that all of us are talking up the technology prematurely.


Drones have been absolutely invaluable in disaster response in the US, with the most recent hurricanes destroying billions of dollars of infrastructure literally overnight. They've supported SAR, Electrical Grid inspections, road and bridge inspections, cell tower inspections, building safety surveys and more. I won't say they've REPLACED helicopters in those roles, but the ability to have hundreds of drones aloft hours after a storm batters an area is something that's simply not possible with helicopters, at such a scale.

Drones are also being used in the cinema world in roles unsuited for any other platform, and keeping pilots from performing more and more risky flights. They can carry the same cameras we put in helicopter gimbals, but fly in smaller places and require less logistical ground support.

Your comments may be directed solely at Police/LE use, but even still, the ability for even the smallest department to have a trained officer with a FLIR-equipped drone in their trunk for finding missing persons or suspects hiding in the woods is a huge advantage. It's enabling capabilities at a price point that's a fraction of a fraction of helicopters. While the capabilities may not be the same, it would be extremely short-sighted to write off drones wholesale at this point.

[PANews]

My point is not/was not to 'dis' drones, just to caution that some are raising their expectations of these mobile cameras way above their current capabilities.

As you say they are great for such as SAR, Electrical Grid inspections, road and bridge inspections, cell tower inspections, building safety surveys etc.

Unfortunately - and there is significant evidence of it in the USA - organisations are shutting down aircraft operations in favour of drones apparently in the belief that the service will be the same.

[FairWeatherFlyer]

News on Google's Project Maven: https://gizmodo.com/google-plans-not-to-renew-its-contract-for-project-mave-1826488620

[FairWeatherFlyer]

An attack on a head of state: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-45073385

There was a chap on Radio 4 talking about anti drone measures and one thing he mentioned was targeting off-the-shelf ones via vulnerabilities. I'm not sure if that was limited to pure software ones.

[BOBAKAT]

Lee Harvey Oswald was here...With a drone pilot... :D

[jimf671]

I would like to be positive about drones but I expect that there will be a lot of bad news before we get proper benefit from drone use. The main reason that I cannot be positive about drones is that every single amateur user, and some professional users, seems happy to break the rules. It's like, 'The CAA says I can only do this and this but look what I can do!' and off they go, higher and farther. So I can understand why so many helicopter pilots think of drones in terms of "Look, someone has invented something else that can kill me."

There are also many highly responsible commercial drone pilots out there who have the discipline that one expects from a professional pilot and who work with the regulator to advance the craft. However, this is a sector where the idiot-to-professional ratio exceeds all previous records.

[FairWeatherFlyer]

Aerial photos of burnt stuff in California: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-45135098

[helimutt]

I would like to be positive about drones but I expect that there will be a lot of bad news before we get proper benefit from drone use. The main reason that I cannot be positive about drones is that every single amateur user, and some professional users, seems happy to break the rules. It's like, 'The CAA says I can only do this and this but look what I can do!' and off they go, higher and farther. So I can understand why so many helicopter pilots think of drones in terms of "Look, someone has invented something else that can kill me."

There are also many highly responsible commercial drone pilots out there who have the discipline that one expects from a professional pilot and who work with the regulator to advance the craft. However, this is a sector where the idiot-to-professional ratio exceeds all previous records.

This right here ^^^^^

[FairWeatherFlyer]

Helitech International have got themselves a "UAV Zone":

Discover the latest and greatest innovations in unmanned aerial vehiclesThe global UAV market is expected grow to be worth over $28 billion over the next four years. Don’t miss the opportunity to shape its future in Europe:

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Take your knowledge to the next level with 50+ hours of free conference content comprising sessions on safety training, a look at how helicopters and drones can best work together, best practices for control of unmanned traffic, police, search and rescue, and a look at the global market overview and opportunities ahead

[FairWeatherFlyer]

Lego UAVs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJULlmN_XWI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTjnM46DH_Y

[FairWeatherFlyer]

Major disruption by drone with serious economic consequences: https://www.pprune.org/jet-blast/616498-gatwick-drone-s-5.html