Drones in Australia (UAV/UAS)
 

Pick yer preferred name - Drones, Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV), or Unmanned Air Systems (UAS). Even Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS)

CASA calls them UAVs

Development continues apace.

Yamaha has a heavy hauler UAV available for hire. Why caint i buy one...

Good question- and there are several reasons why not.

Firstly international trade in arms agreements place huge restrictions on export, import and ownership of high capability unmanned vehicles.

We have a responsibility to ensure these vehicles stay in responsible hands, that their exact location and usage is always known.

Secondly it allows us to ensure that maintainance, responsible usage and environmental standards are met.



Frequently Asked Questions | Yamaha RMAX







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The Yamaha RMAX has its roots in the '90s so Japan has been at this for longer than many people. Apparently it was developed in response to a government initiative to improve rice growing productivity in the face of an ageing farmer demographic.

Imagine that! A government being foresighted - at least in one area! It's a pity they can't be consistent about it!

I reckon it would be easy enough to stick a few servos and remote control an r22 or one of those home built jobbies if you want to do some damage...

Without any crew and stripped down the payload would be rocking!

USA news...

FEDERAL regulators in the United States have certified two types of unmanned aircraft for civilian use, a milestone expected to lead to the first approved commercial drone operations later this year.
The Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday the drones are Insitu's Scan Eagle X200 and AeroVironment's PUMA.


Insitu does a lot of Government related Drone operator training in Oz.

Drones approved for civilian use in US | News.com.au








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Crikey, next a terrorist will be using one to drop a GPS-guided bomb on Bhinghi's house! :}

Where did yer get that idea from..:)

Real world events perhaps...

Police in Germany have raided dozens of addresses to foil an Islamist terror plot intending to use remote controlled model aircraft filled with explosives to be flown into targets.
Armed officers of the specialist G9G units raided homes in Stuttgart, Munich and Dachau after receiving information that at least one assassination attempt was being planned using the model planes as guided missiles...



German police foil Islamist terror plot to use remote controlled aircraft filled with explosives as guided missiles | Mail Online











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All for $900...:cool:

Drone GPS system gives positions that are accurate down to single centimetres.


Piksi : The RTK GPS Receiver by Swift Navigation Inc. ? Kickstarter









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Much as we hate to admit it - this technology is going to change the face of aerial work. Industry is looking to cheaper, more efficient, and probably safer, ways to undertake aerial photography of several types, remote sensing of various kinds for agriculture, fire surveillance, traffic surveillance, animal tracking and counting, and others. Not everyone will become licenced for very small UAV's. I'd expect more and more of them to be imported, regardless of any government efforts to prevent it.
happy days,

The FAA has just provided type certification for the ScanEagle UAV in the Restricted category. The operating limitations are still pretty onerous, but over time they will reduce.

There is a huge groundswell of 'recreational' UAVs around the world.. just take a look at DIY Drones lots of pretty neat innovation going on there.

D.

Expanding operations...

Franchisees required for unmanned helicopters.

“We’re proud to be releasing this new technology to the Australian agricultural industry,”

“RMAX gives franchisees the opportunity to work closely with Yamaha Motor Australia to build a local business that is both sustainable and profitable.”

To become a franchisee, candidates are required to meet a number of stringent CASA and Chemical Handling qualifications.


Franchisees required for unmanned helicopters - Agriculture - Machinery - General News - Queensland Country Life








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but the CASA licensing is $$$$ for UAS Operator Certificate :}

CASA wil kill this industry stone dead if it can.

The reason? If it frees up UAVs, then there will be a push to free manned aircraft (although not passenger carrying)

Heh heh, lots of unlicensed drones hanging about over the ACT, blimps, gasbags even the odd Zeplin.......http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...lies/wink2.gif

will every UAV pilot require an ASIC?

Watching the Andy-RR vid i see there is yet another name for them drones... RPAS - Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems

In the vid one crew uses the term UAV, another uses UAS.








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WW1 UAV's...
 

Some UAV trivia.

In 1915, nearly two decades after patenting the world’s first radio-controlled boat, famed Serbian-America inventor Nicola Tesla imagined fleets of unmanned aerial combat vehicles being sent to war instead of pilots. Little did he know, the US Navy was already hard at work on that very same vision...

Monster Machines: This Failed Flying Bomb Could Have Been A WWI Cruise Missile | Gizmodo Australia








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model helicopter kills 19year old
 

A 19 year old model aircraft enthusiast was killed in Calvert Vaux Park in Gravesend, Brooklyn when the blade of a fair size model helicopter inflicted a horrendous injury to his head.

Apparently he was performing stunts at the time in front of his father who ran the model aero club.

Joy turned into horror in a heart beat.



http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/im...0905182030.jpg





Mickjoebill

This sadly is not an uncommon event, well maybe resulting in a death is but these toy heli's are lethal weapons. Much like an unguarded circular saw blade.
I've broken the tips of 3 fingers on one hand destroying the finger nails when my toy heli drifted into me whilst I was briefly looking down at the TX, I took my eyes off the machine for a nano second & the wind did the rest.
These UAV's or whatever the latest craze name is are now everywhere, R/C outlets are stocked to the roof with toy quad copters etc some with amazing features.

Gravity, as soon as they neutralize that then heaven 'elp us!:)

Wmk2

On the lighter side...
 

"Back in July, everybody chuckled a little over Deer Trail, Colorado’s half-baked plan to issue drone hunting licences and pay a bounty to any sharp shooter who bagged a flying robot. Some took the opportunity pretty seriously though, leading to over a thousand applications and..."...
Demand For Drone-Hunting Licences Overwhelms Tiny Town | Gizmodo Australia