Trends - 2017 and Drones

Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA - aka Drones) are brilliant technology when used legally. CASA's rules make it difficult to invade privacy and serious users have better use of their 30mins of battery than prying on someone. RPAs under 2kg cant accomodate much weight (own weight and payload cant exceed 2kg and probably wont anyhow) and must remain balanced and that is easier said than done. eg add a extra kg and the battery may last 5 mins. Range is VERY limited. Many models will return to operator when they leave a short range. 5km is well beyond most small drones. The more weight the less stable in any wind too. Only lightweight drones can be flown by the public. UAVs can fly more weight but that's VERY limited and the license required to import one, sell one and fly one is a regulated for the reason. A special class of pilot license is needed. Every flight must be logged with CASA by licensed operators prior to the launch.

I laugh when I see stories like Domino's / Amazon planning deliveries. Wont happen for a long long time if at all !! A light personal aircraft would be more realistic than drones delivering in suburbia. They are altitude limited, weight limited, noise limited, proximity to people / cars, animals and building limited, must be operated in line of sight, limited by range and some guidance systems are OK and some are just appalling. And then guidance and timing etc make its a silly way to deliver really. How does a hot pizza get dropped in the open ? Where do Amazon drop the parcel ? More issues than solutions. The drone costs much much more than a small car and still requires sole human operation. So its not even cost effective.

I cant see a terrorist misuse based on the power to weight and balance issue. A 1kg payload is outside most small drones capabilities for reliable flight and good weather stability on battery at a range. A 7kg+ capable drone is VERY hard to acquire as it is subject to import regulations to import, acquire and operate AND is not cheap. Cost range for realistic weight and range / altitude etc would be $8,000 and up ...a lot up. More like $50,000+. Show me a habib with a grudge and a job !! The guidance systems on top. IMO cheaper to learn to fly a single engine plane etc.

Illegal RPA use is already monitored by aircraft operators and helo's incl NSW Police as the devices often appear as blips on radar and proximity alarm systems onboard. Aircraft do divert to check them and operators have been caught - especially in airport proximity. A gust of wind from a Police Helo would end any drone. This occurred over the MCG in Melbourne recently. Some idiot who thought it clever.

With respect to cameras...Yep most now have brilliant 4K video capture and gimballed this can accurately film with stability and even tracking a object in real time. Most use is for video production etc for social media. I'm not even allowed to use my DJI Mavic Pro to film a You Tube video for use about tax or property as that could be "commercial gain". My use is restricted to personal use.

I have had a few people argue this point about privacy and my reply is illegal use is already prohibited - The fear is paranoia. Most fear is based on unreliable assumptions. You arent that interesting !! A scenic shot wins over some personal issue. Its not illegal to take a photo of people in public and already you cant ask for deletion unless it contains children and some other minor issues. A public space is a public space. I also dont pry in windows of homes. Its just not normal. It is already illegal to film a personal situation without permission eg nude beach, celebrity home. Its illegal to fly over a home or within limited range of home or people. (ie beach,sports etc ). Its also illegal to film near emergency services. But if you are truly paranoid and are at a nudie beach I would see no harm in you (illegally) possessing a slingshot and dropping the drone from the sky if its operated illegally.

I'm sure when the Wrights invented the airplane or the hot air balloon was invented the same privacy concerns came up. There are millions of eyes that look down over Sydney from aircraft each year. I dont think its the problem some imagine. Google streetview is a good example - More funny setups and innocent numpties than true privacy issues. Google mask peoples faces now.

 

DJI Mavic Pro is the current drone to beat.


IMO the fail of 2016 was GoPro's Karma. Crash and burn. There isnt a single thing about it that is better than even a old drone. It lasted two weeks and was recalled.

 

This is a specialist area. Commercial filming using ANY drone is illegal unless you have a CASA license AND apply to fly each time. Expensive business. CASA do monitor for illegal residential photo use and ask questions. Can be used for rural and semi rural but again due to altitude its for commercial operators. REAs usually seek a package of video etc for marketing. There are already specialists who offer the service and REAs outsource to them.

Photodrone.com.au
flyingrobot.com.au

Shots taken over water towards waterfront and rural acreage is easier than land locked resi properties. In some cases if its away from a airport a street take off can clear the building obstacle but its very hard to comply if cars use road etc. A park take off and tight GPS waypoints that avoid problems with visual whole time can get around that but its for a experienced pilot to get the altitude and then map the routes in and out.

 

Yeah, I never asked them about how they do it, basically because all the property this type of agent has is inflated, probably to cover the extra costs involved and line the pocket of the agent who are usually good operators it seems.

The ones I have seen in QLD, would not be surprised if someone does all the shots etc and then offers it out on lic to agents. It also would not surprise me if many just did as they pleased. If an amateur did the shots, then later an agent got to use them & they were not specific shots of the property purely for marketing, not sure what they could do.

 

Watched this tonight, drones used in Alaska for whale research,

How drones are helping scientists study the world's biggest creatures

 

Time to get my trusty old slingshot out.

 

LOL, too fast for you

 

I was on a cruise ship last week in Sydney harbour at 5am. Pretty much from the heads we heard the mozzies all around the ship. I was in my pjs and I'm sure they would've seen more in neighboring rooms. They followed us for the full hour til we docked. This is the equivalent of a peeping Tom outside a hotel and I'm surprised the drone operators weren't stopped.

 

Here is the answer to suspect drones - Watch this drone gun jam a flying drone - The Washington Post

 

And once you are a pro it's off to the world drone prix

 

Playing Nice with your Drone.... thought this was interesting

Drones and Australian law

 

I like the one the crazy FPSRussia dude has with a sub machine gun

 

UAV's are used in surveying quite a bit, i thought about doing my thesis on their applications in surveying when at uni. But then used one for a large rural feature and level survey at work and had a bit of issues with it and the data it generated. After that the romance associated with them faded. Did my thesis on water boundaries instead.

However i have to admit their applications are pretty amazing. I heard they are being used for bridge/structure inspections, ie, a bridge that is very difficult or expensive for a person to visisually inspect, send in a drone!

Anyone heard of some wierd/amazing applications for drones?

 

Yup, 15 years ago for me we had people trying to develop automated landing systems for the drones. Minitiarisation has made much of it possible, and with that incentive for commercial uses comes the need to make software and hardware more accessible and usable with little training.

Agreed, but that's true of most technologies. They've been using IED-rigged UAVs in Iraq and Syria for almost a year.

Depends on the effect you seek is all I'll say on this...

 

I own/operate a Sydney based Aerial (Drone) photography business, and these predictions are right on the money...business is booming!
We specialise in Real Estate and Architectural photography/video, but the sky is the limit (see what I did there) on what these machines are capable of. Just be sure to ensure your operator is licensed and CASA certified. View their gallery for examples and be specific in your expectations.

 

Resurrecting this old thread - how has drone technology changed in a year?

A drone has disrupted flights when it was sighted in Gatwick airport ...

 

Yes and the police got it wrong....

 

Has anyone been charged?

 

Brilliant

Drones are awsome

Mind boggles what we can do

Engineering company using drones to inspect bridges saving massive dollars

Will find the link on this