Unmanned aerial vehicles: where drones fly. “They Have Drones Flying To Chips Here!”. FPV Final Race ReportDudes Events
The future is here: you order a couple of pizzas for yourself and friends in a city park, they are delivered by a drone. Waiting: the quadcopter flies right up to your lawn and hovering at a comfortable height - reach out your hands, grab a pizza. Reality: It doesn't look that simple, although drones will move human couriers in the next seven years, these predictions are given by experts and confirmed by successful copter tests. So, for example, employees of the Innopolis University in Kazan tested a quadrocopter for long-distance delivery of mail cargo: the drone flew 38 km in an hour and returned back. TASS - about the level of development of these technologies now and when the delivery of food and documents using copters will become commonplace.
Drone courier and his team
"Recently, our quadrocopter delivered a package with letters and documents to the roof of a high-rise building in the Moscow region. The drone sat on a pre-prepared station - it is mobile and small: twenty meters by twenty meters. The station is also our development, it serves for reception and for recharging. Distance flight - 7 kilometers. Time - about 15 minutes. So we tested the capabilities of the copter in delivery together with the Moscow developer," says Oleg Ponfilenok, founder of the Copter Express company.
Courier copters from a startup that appeared in 2013 became famous after a joint campaign with the Dodo Pizza chain of establishments. One day, a promoter in a city park in Syktyvkar told vacationers about the possibility of ordering pizza delivered by a drone. Those who wished were found quickly, and not alone, despite the fact that they had to overpay for delivery of 350 rubles compared to the average market price for a pizza brought by a human courier. The copter flew to a certain place in the park, hovered over it and lowered a pizza box on a cable. The operator accepted the order, before that he put on a protective helmet, and controlled the descent of the box, communicating via radio with the second operator controlling the drone. That is, the phrase “drone delivers pizza” sounds impressive, but the process does not look like a plot from a sci-fi movie.
“At that time, one flight at cost was expensive - 1.5 thousand rubles,” says Ponfilenok. “Too many human resources were required: two operators - one sends the copter, controls it, the second receives it. And the copters themselves were more expensive. But it was three years ago, since then we have been improving our development, making it more independent of the operator, working on the technical side and thus making the flight cheaper. In the summer, for example, a drone will come out to help rescuers patrol one of the beaches in Moscow: one flight will cost 50 rubles.
But the price is far from the main reason why quadrocopters do not yet deliver goods in large quantities and constantly in any country in the world, but are only being tested.
Quadcopters over the tower and rooftops
The American company Amazon recently took up a patent for a tower for copter couriers. The planned tower is a logistics center with cargo entrances and exits and compartments where the copters will be recharged, serviced, and from there they will fly out with goods to customers. It is assumed that the towers will be located in multi-million cities of the world. Amazon is not alone in this desire, all companies that are experimenting with courier drones are going to arrange delivery in megacities. Only today this is hindered by the current laws. In large cities, including Moscow, copters can move with very serious restrictions. A copter flying in the center over the crowded squares of the capital is an impossible picture.
“Drones are legally unmanned aerial vehicles. They obey the rules of the air code of the Russian Federation. Today we have to apply for a flight five days in advance - this is the first inconvenience. However, now the Ministry of Transport wants to change these rules: it will be possible to notify about a flight not so long in advance. But the main thing is that in Moscow and big cities there is a special regime, you can’t launch copters.Although in a small city it’s easier with this, all developers and the delivery service understand the risks: the technology has not been tested.For example, there is a risk that the drone will break down in the air and will fall on the heads of passers-by. Although solutions are ready: we have drones with eight propellers: if two motors break down, it does not fall. It is possible to make copters with an automatic parachute system: if its propellers fail, it will softly land down on a parachute. we must lay all routes over the roofs of houses, forests, in no case over the street where people walk. in the Moscow region, this was how it was carried out - the drone flew over the forest.
Another risk is a collision with an aircraft, adds Ponfilenok. Therefore, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation requires coordination of flight routes. And even more often there is a collision of drones with birds: there are many videos on YouTube, judging by which, birds show curiosity, which ends badly, mainly for copters.
And another reason that drones are still in the experiment is their short working capacity. “A medium drone can complete a route of 10 kilometers, an advanced one - 40 kilometers. If in time - it can fly without stopping for an hour, and hover and fly - for half an hour. But the batteries that power quadcopters are getting more powerful by about 5% a year. At the same time, there are already long-range drones that can fly longer routes and stay in operation for 2 hours, but very fast and long-flying drones are not always needed. Advanced versions are much more expensive, and the existing time is enough for a quick delivery of a small parcel,” the entrepreneur believes.
Drones everywhere in seven years Drones will start working in the delivery of goods in the next two years, Ponfilenok is sure.
The "focal" distribution of drones will be within 2 years. In 2020, this will already be noticeable, - the startupper believes. - And in 2025 - everywhere. But still, such a delivery, where a drone flies with a letter to your country house, is fantastic. Unless you put a receiving station in your yard. Probably, as gas stations will spread, stations where drones will be recharged, between which they will move. "In his opinion, by 2025 in large cities up to 15% of deliveries will be made by drones.
DroneDeploy, a company that creates tools for collecting and analyzing data using drones, provided industry statistics and forecasts for its development for the coming year.
2017 has been the most significant year for commercial drones, which have been used in a variety of fields, from archeology to agriculture. More than 66,000 remote pilots are certified by the US Federal Aviation Administration alone. So the trends are:
8. Focus on the consumer segment will continue
The transition of high-tech to consumer products, driven by ease of use and easy-to-learn user interfaces, is observed in almost all areas, and drones are no exception.
To control many unmanned vehicles, deep knowledge and engineering skills are no longer required. A successful example is demonstrated by the segment leader, the Chinese company DJI, which, according to Skylogic Research, owns 72% of the global consumer market. And just a year earlier, the company controlled 50%. And this growth will continue until the competition is made up of stronger and more experienced manufacturers than current rivals, who will continue to offer predominantly niche solutions.
The rise of DJI's monopoly means fewer companies will offer hardware solutions in 2018. And the main growth of the industry will be provided by software and service providers. However, the United States has already begun to apply protectionist measures to curb the expansion of DJI.
7. The involvement of external players will increase
In 2017, large companies like Intel and Facebook showed interest in the drone industry. The number of third parties entering the industry will continue to grow, driven by new partnerships and deeper interfacing of industrial solutions. All this is supported by the interest in using aerial data with tools like CAD, BIM, GIS and others.
6. Independent use of drones by companies
To date, Skylogic Research estimates that the use of third-party services for drone-related tasks has dropped by up to 10%. Two-thirds of companies manage these tasks in-house, and just under a quarter use a combined approach. In-house drone operations are growing like IT departments in an era when large firms have embraced computers.
This approach will continue in the future. At the same time, contract services will not disappear completely, but will become more specialized and niche, and the demand for third-party services will come from small and medium-sized businesses rather than from the corporate sector. Many providers will expand the scope of their activities from the regional to the national level. And large companies will create their own specialized teams that are familiar with their tasks, production processes and ready to constantly respond to the needs of the organization.
5. The first large-scale deployments of air fleets
2017 saw a significant shift in the use of commercial drones. Over the next year, more companies will expand their aerial operations, relying on the widespread deployment of drones. DroneDeploy expects aircraft fleets of 100 to 1,000 drones to operate around the world, constantly collecting data to solve business problems. Some companies will make more than 100 thousand flights per year.
4. New era of automation
As more enterprises turn to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in their work, we can expect an increase in the need for flight and workflow automation systems. New APIs and deeper integration will connect drone data with industrial tools, enhancing collaboration across organizations. Automation is the key to industry growth. As businesses relying on drone data grow, more launches will occur, which in turn will require better automation of the transmission and analysis of information around the clock.
In 2018, it is expected that there will be advanced tools for automatic creation of flight plans and route planning in the air. This will make drones applicable in more challenging environments and eventually lead to fully autonomous drones in the coming years.
3. Better data will enable in-depth research
Currently, machine vision and photogrammetry are solving most of the problems of cartography with the help of drones - in 2018 this will change. Companies that access the largest drone datasets that have the ability to analyze millions of flights will have a chance to take a stronger position in the industry. They will be able to explore the most pressing problems that drone owners face and offer effective solutions, including using machine learning algorithms.
2. machineeducationandAI
In 2017, the terms "artificial intelligence" and "machine learning" sounded very often in the IT industry, but these technologies are not yet particularly common in the field of commercial drones. In 2018, AI will become even more widespread and will allow you to solve serious problems that face industries such as agriculture, construction, surveillance and verification of the operation of various systems.
With the growth of flight automation, the frequency of data collection will also increase - solutions will be needed for better analysis of the collected data, and here it will be very important to use machine learning to minimize human participation in the processes. Computers will take more and more bread from drone pilots and even offer solutions to various problems identified in the process of analyzing data from automatic flights. For example, drones will be able to independently report safety problems at a construction site or determine crop volume, weed count, and irrigation problems in the fields in one flight.
1. Data collection and analysis will become more frequent in real time
Fast is better than slow, especially in the field of data analysis. And the drone industry will follow this path: data from drones will be analyzed in real time, removing the need to wait for hours or even days. The development of edge computing technologies will allow mobile devices and drones to perform more and more real-time data analysis tasks. In 2017, the technology just appeared, and in 2018, the era of instant data analysis will begin, which will allow you to understand what is happening on the ground right during the flight in order to make decisions immediately. This will help not only in agriculture and construction, but also in the search for people, emergencies and other areas.
In 2017, it's easy to buy a drone with a camera. While you are reading this article, your neighbor's quadcopter can film the contents of your balcony and look into your window. And if you live in the suburbs, then according to rumors, the tax authorities are already preparing drones for raids to identify illegal buildings on your site.
The article will talk about the problem of spy drones and possible ways to deal with them.
What are the benefits of drone photography?
Drones were able to capture many places where entry is possible only as part of excursion groups or not possible at all. In the gallery above, you can see several examples of videos: Apple Campus 2 under construction, Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Auschwitz concentration camp (corners hidden from museum visitors), Niagara Falls. There is also a “vineyard movie”, but I think you have already watched it.
Helicopters can also shoot closed objects, but drones have three advantages:
- Shooting turns out to be more detailed, more interesting, because objects can be shot much closer.
- Drones are much cheaper.
- With the right approach, shooting from a quadrocopter can go unnoticed.
How much do video camera drones cost?
Professional drones for aerial photography can cost several hundred thousand rubles or more, and "semi-professional", for example, representatives of the Phantom line from DJI or Go Pro Karma fit into the price range from 60 to 120 thousand rubles. And at the same time they shoot high-quality video and stay in the air for 15-30 minutes.
There are also Syma drones for 3,000-10,000 rubles, which are enough for a few minutes of flight and they shoot video of the same quality as ten-year-old phones. But such functionality is quite enough to see what is happening on the neighbor's site. And YouTube is full of video instructions "How to fasten a normal camera to a cheap quadcopter."
The exact number of drones in the world is unknown, but according to various analysts, about 10 million have already been sold, and more than a hundred thousand of them in Russia. In recent years, personal mini-drones have suddenly become an accessible thing for the people, and we will encounter them more and more often.
Drones are cool, but we are defenseless against them
On the one hand, mini-drones benefit humanity: they deliver goods without traffic jams, help the police keep order, broadcast live from sports competitions, and make movies.
On the other hand, they can distribute biological weapons, engage in espionage, land unsuccessfully on people and animals. And people need to somehow control these devices and protect themselves from them.
Over the past couple of years, there has been more and more news about new ways to protect against drones. But they all have drawbacks. So, suppose you need to hide territory X from drone shooting. What can you, theoretically, do?
Option number 1. Shoot down with a gun from the ground
When news broke in January that the tax authorities were going to shoot dachas with drones, comments immediately rained down on them: “I’ll get my grandfather’s gun and sit in an ambush on a drone. The enemy will not pass!. But such reasoning is overly optimistic.
Yes, there are drones that fly low and make everyone turn around at the noise. But for covert shooting, they use those that fly unnoticed at a higher altitude. In the first video, spy drones (Texas) disguise themselves as stars. In the night sky without shooting with an approximation, they look quite organic, and most importantly, they are not audible at all.
The second video shows an American military drone that disguises itself as a crow: it imitates the sound of wings, is invisible in daylight and at low altitude. So far, this cannot be ordered in the online store, but it is not known what will happen in a few years.
But even a simple Syma X5SW Drone from the year before last for five mowers (third video) can fly by unnoticed if people on the objects of observation do not stare at the sky and listen to music with headphones.
Option number 2. Automatically prevent all drones from flying in certain areas
This is the most reasonable and economical way of protection, which is used by manufacturing companies to protect socially significant objects. Let's see how this happens on the example of DJI.
So, there is a No-Fly Zones map on the official website. There are marked areas over which drones cannot fly and when approaching which the pilot sees a danger message.
First of all, these are airports. But also on the map there are military facilities, stadiums, national parks, fire stations. Here are the places in Moscow that are already in the DJI database:
- Lokomotiv and Otkritie Arena stadiums;
- Embassies of China, USA, UK, France and Germany;
- The Kremlin, the building of the State Duma and the Interior Ministry.
As you can see, the replenishment of the Russian part of the base has just begun. There are dozens of times more inaccessible zones for flights on the territory of the United States than in Russia. In America, some government employees have access to the database and can add new places to it, including temporarily, if an emergency occurs (for example, a forest fire). Most likely, over time, other countries will have such an opportunity.
This great drone defense method has two drawbacks: ordinary people cannot yet protect their sites in this way, and it does not work on home-assembled devices.
Option number 3. Distort GPS signals
Last fall, the entire Runet spread the news about the distortion of the GPS signal at the Kremlin. Muscovites began to notice that from time to time, navigators and smartphones in the very center of the capital began to “fail” and convince users that they were at Vnukovo Airport.
Grigory Bakunov from Yandex conducted an investigation during which he walked around the Kremlin with GPS and GLONASS receivers and measured the signal strength. As a result, he made an assumption about the location of a device that simulated the operation of a navigation satellite and sent fake GPS signals (indicated by an asterisk in the picture).
Blogger Ilya Varlamov suggested that it is located next to the presidential helipad and is turned on to protect against drones (as mentioned above, they cannot take off near airports). But government officials have not commented on this phenomenon. Therefore, there is some possibility that there may be other reasons for the distortion of the GPS signal.
Devices to distort the GPS signal can be bought in most countries, including Russia, for several thousand dollars. They are used to test ship navigation systems.
The topic of GPS spoofing is quite popular at information security conferences. With the help of a device assembled from components that are freely available, you can not only prevent the drone from taking off, but even steal a yacht (fourth video in the gallery).
Option number 4. Buy a "radio jammer"
The picture shows a Wi-Fi suppressor and radio frequencies in the 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands. It operates within a radius of 300 meters, costs a little over 200 thousand rubles and is positioned as a "jammer for drones." The Russian company Jammer started selling it last year.
A variety of "jammers" are freely sold in online stores. But before acquiring them, you should carefully read the decree "On the procedure for registering radio electronic equipment and high-frequency devices." And think about protecting your health.
Option number 6. Buy a special system for neutralizing drones
In early January 2016, AirBase introduced the Drone Killer system, which not only jams the signals of drones detected by video cameras in order to neutralize them, but also calculates the place from which they are controlled. The system operates within a radius of 5-10 kilometers.
Option number 7. Buy a gun to neutralize drones
The device in the video is called Drone Defender. It does not know how to automatically detect the presence of drones, but it can be carried with you (4.5 kg) and deprive drones of communication with the pilot from a distance of up to 400 meters.
Drones have become a popular gift for kids, and for good reason. After all, drones bring not only endless hours of joyful flights, but also develop a variety of skills: from hand-eye coordination to knowledge in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (in other words, STEM). However, not every drone is suitable for young pilots. Before showing your child the world of drones, take some time to learn about drones.
Racing Drones vs Camera Drones
Drones that are suitable for children are usually divided into two types: with cameras and for racing. Camera drones usually come with a built-in camera and allow your child to unleash their creativity. Racing drones are designed so that the pilot can independently improve and optimize his drone in order to achieve maximum speed. These drones can also be equipped with a camera, but controlling it may require more skill. Because of this, they are only suitable for older children who may have already demonstrated their love of science and speed.
Safety First
While drones can provide a child with hours of fun (provided you recharge their batteries several times, of course), they are not just a child's toy. Before making the first flight, be sure to know the safety rules. DJI has plenty of resources for beginner pilots, but be aware of local laws and regulations. Take your time and read these rules carefully with your child before you take your first flight. Since drones can pose a potential hazard, they are usually listed as
product for teenagers, and therefore it is your direct responsibility as a parent or guardian to follow these age restrictions and rules.
Features to Keep in Mind
Drones vary considerably in size and how they are controlled. Before buying a drone for your child, it is important to consider that it is easy to fly. Pay attention to those drones that have an easy start feature that will make it easier for you to launch them. The Return To Home button will ensure that the drone can quickly and safely return to your child. And thanks to the intuitive control system, the child will be able to get the most out of the drone, as well as the motivation to learn even more new things, provided that he quickly masters the basics of piloting.
Sturdy Construction
Like any other toy, drones must be able to withstand rough handling and games full of falls and somersaults. However, not all drones are designed for this. Look out for those drones that are easy to replace propellers, and their design will withstand a couple of false starts. After all, there is nothing sadder than watching a lovingly presented drone shatter into pieces during its first launch.
And, of course, when choosing a drone, do not forget to pay attention to its price. Compare the build quality of the drone with its standard price. Buying a drone from a reliable manufacturer, you guarantee yourself the availability of customer and technical support even after the purchase. Therefore, you focus primarily on those brands that have already managed to declare themselves on the market and with which it is easy to keep in touch. Here are a few options to consider as your child's first drone.
Reviews on drones for kids
Chinese startup Ryze Tech offers an affordable drone called , equipped with technologies from Intel and DJI. The Rs. Weighing only 80 grams, it can fly for 13 minutes and take 5MP shots at home - perfect for an aspiring photographer, filmmaker or young drone pilot. And you don't have to be an experienced pilot to create great shots. With DJI's built-in EZ Shots, capturing cool short videos with DJI is a piece of cake. Simply set to Circle, 360 or Up & Away and the software will capture and edit the perfect video for you. In addition, there is also a safe drone for indoor flights, which will come in handy when the young drone pilot starts his training. With its lightweight and durable construction, this drone is great for kids.
DJI
Another great option to invest your money in when looking for a drone for younger family members is DJI. If your kids are not only novice drone enthusiasts but also excel in sports, then this drone will be a wonderful choice, because it can capture not only family events, but even sports games from the air. The 12-megapixel camera is great for capturing 1080p (30fps) video for great quality photos and videos. The battery charge is enough for 16 minutes of flight. ActiveTrack automatically recognizes moving objects and accurately tracks them based on what they are and how fast they are moving. This is a great drone that will follow your kids so you don't miss any of their moment of triumph! convenient to use and can be controlled by the Gesture Control function. Yes, you read everything correctly. Use simple hand movements to control the drone and make it do cool maneuvers with a variety of selfie modes. It's very easy and fun!
Important Checklist for Preflight Training
Registration
Once you've chosen your drone, there are a few simple steps you need to take to make sure you get the best out of your drone. First of all, find out if your place of residence requires you to register a drone. Even though drones for children do not inspire danger, it is important to play it safe once again. If you live in the United States, the FAA requires you to register any drone weighing more than 250 grams. Simply go to the official FAA website and pay the $5 registration fee.
Insurance
The next step is to insure your drone in the event of a breakdown. DJI Care can provide peace of mind to drone owners. Repair bills and other related costs associated with the failure of your device, its gimbal or camera will be fully covered by DJI under normal use and if you have purchased a service package.
Read the User Manual!
After you have reinsured, it is time to fly. Well, it's almost there. Take your time and read your drone's user manual carefully before your first flight. By spending time now, you can have a richer and more enjoyable drone experience in the future. In addition to reading the manual, it's also important to familiarize yourself and your child with the tips for safe flying on the DJI website. When mastering the basics of flying a drone, you cannot do without protection for propellers - small devices that are attached to the propellers. They are able to protect not only the propellers of your drone, but also the surrounding objects that the drone can accidentally touch while a novice pilot is just learning to fly it.
adult supervision
Well, it's time to fly! For fun and safety, it is important that the child flying the drone is always supervised by an adult, no matter if you are going to launch or Tello.
Good luck with your flights!
Drone flying is a hobby that the whole family can enjoy. From creative videography to learning how these incredible drones work, kids can learn many new skills and discover new interests while piloting.
Good luck with your flights!
Climate change is a vast, complex issue. But there is a surprisingly simple way to make a difference: plant more trees. Trees clean up air pollution, reduce erosion, improve water quality, provide homes for animals and insects, and improve our lives in countless other ways.
It turns out that ecosystem restoration is also a new business opportunity. A new report from the World Resources Institute and the Nature Conservancy says governments around the world have pledged to reclaim nearly 400 million acres of desert - larger than South Africa. As countries seek to develop forests, startups are dreaming of new, faster ways to plant trees. For some innovators, like NASA veteran Dr. Lauren Fletcher, that means using drones.
Fletcher said his conversion from stargazer to Eco-warrior was driven by his concern about climate change, which has been drastically worsened by deforestation. To solve this problem, he created BioCarbon Engineering, which he describes as an ecosystem restoration company. Working with colleagues, he came up with a 30-pound drone nicknamed "Robin." It can fly over the most rugged landscapes on earth, planting trees in precise places at a speed of 120 per minute.
Fletcher thought he could do better, so he assembled a team of 12 experts with backgrounds in engineering, community development, ecology, biology, and remote sensing. The first step was finding the right kind of tree. “It's about restoring ecosystems, full stop. If you don't get the biological side right, then you're not the solution," Fletcher said. The second step is to create tree planting robots.
A fleet of BioCarbon Engineering drones fly ten feet off the ground, gently blowing seed pods into the ground at a rate of 2 per second. It's fast, but the most promising is the scaling potential. Fletcher says his goal is to plant 500 billion trees by 2050.
To achieve this goal, he will need more than just drones. “Our solution is not a wholesale replacement for manual landing. There are times when manual landing is absolutely the right solution, and sometimes the only solution,” said Fletcher, who wants to use aircraft and ground vehicles for landing, in addition to drones.
BioCarbon Engineering is not the only player in this area. Firms such as DroneSeed in Seattle, Washington are developing plans to use drones to plant seeds and are already using drones to distribute fertilizer and spray herbicides. And the launch in the UK of aerial photography is doing the same thing, but instead of deploying drones, they rely on military transport aircraft. These and other firms are responding to the growing global push for reforestation outlined in the new report.
Fletcher is optimistic about the future of forests. “It's not just technology convergence,” he said. “It is really a convergence of social will and political power that is focused on this global issue.”
