Category: Drones

Exciting Ways You Can Use Drones

Drones are rapidly gaining in popularity because they are some of the most exciting tech that you can find in the video world today. They have the ability to capture aerial footage as well as perform tasks that were impossible or expensive to do. People use drones for a variety of reasons, and it’s not just something to be used for business either. Drones can be used for videography and photography, which is making the online visual world blow up. If people are able to use drones for videography, then they can sell their marketing skills on social media and they can become influencers, which is a growing popularity and growing trend.

With all of these advancements in technology, drones have also become much more accessible to those who are just regular folks looking to start a new hobby. With models such as the Mini 4 on display, hobbyists and enthusiasts who enjoy flying and exploring the world from another angle are really starting to gain some exciting options. But what else can drones be used for?Here are the top ways that we believe drones can be used.

 

  1. Aerial photography and videography. You might have seen wedding planners, real estate agents and even amateurs using drones for aerial photography and videography. It’s one of the most common uses, and for those who are looking at land planning, a drone is actually one of the easiest ways to do it. With the help of a drone, you’re able to capture hugely sweeping landscapes and dramatic cityscapes, which is so helpful in photography. If you want to get close to wildlife but you’re a bit nervous about being eaten, then you’ll find that a drone is there to help. If you are trying to capture some challenging footage in a dangerous environment, then a drone is able to go where you can’t, and that becomes a valuable tool for an emergency responder or a journalist. 
  2. In agriculture. Did you know that drones are currently revolutionizing the agriculture industry? With the help that they give to farmers, drones are imperative in optimizing crop production, increasing yields and reducing farming costs. Drones are able to help farmers to gather data on their crops and make better informed decisions when it comes to using their land. One of the biggest ways that drones are used in agriculture is through aerial imaging as we already mentioned. With aerial imaging, high resolution cameras are flown over fields and they can identify the health of the crops as well as detect early signs of disease. It’s also so helpful for monitoring animals and crop growth during the growing season. In addition to this, drones are also being used with spraying pesticides and fertilizers. Some of the bigger drones are able to carry heavy loads to do this. 
  3. Inspections and maintenance. In the real estate and building industries, drones are increasingly being used for infrastructural inspections. This is a cost effective and more efficient way to ensure that bridges, buildings and power lines are being built effectively and safely. Bridge inspections are important for companies and councils, and the Department of Transportation in Minnesota, for example, has been using drones since 2015. The high resolution cameras that the drones are equipped with are able to capture detailed images of any issues that need to be maintained. 
  4. In security. Did you know that drones are transforming the field of surveillance with an aerial perspective that was once unattainable and too expensive? Drones are able to continue to capture high quality footage and gather the data necessary to ensure that enforcement and military get the intelligence they need.drones are able to reach inaccessible areas and these inaccessible areas could never be previously reached by the traditional methods on foot.
  5. For deliveries. Drones have been road tested with Uber and Deliveroo, and they’ve become increasingly popular for a wide range of delivery services. Companies such as Google and Amazon are testing drone delivery services for smaller packages that are easier to navigate. Delivery drones are not particularly big, and they are unmanned, which means that they can be programmed to fly to specific locations to drop off small packages. They are equipped with the right GPS and cameras which ensure that they can be located and returned. 

 

  1. Research. Another exciting way that drones can be used is in research, because science needs more help and more monitoring. Drones have the ability to offer scientists a unique look into data from remote locations. This means that gathering data on environmental conditions and wildlife has become easier. This is especially important for wildlife research, where populations in dense areas are being closely watched to see how they behave. Researchers can add cameras to drones that allow them to capture high quality images that would be previously impossible to maintain. 
  2. Monitoring environmental conditions With the help of drones, researchers can collect data on temperature and wind speed, as well as other environmental factors, by attaching special sensors to those drones. This data then can be used to accurately study climate changes and weather patterns, and it can also tell us what pollution is doing to our planet. Alongside this, drones are being used to study geological features such as glaciers and volcanoes, so that we understand how it helps and hurts our environment. Drones can be used to measure the temperature of volcanic lava, or study how glaciers are melting and at which speed. 
  3. In journalism. Drones are completely transforming the journalism world because the way that journalists report news is changing. With drones, there is a unique perspective that was once unavailable to journalists. And whether you’re looking at live journalism happening in the moment or you’re looking at journalism that pinpoints something happening where everybody needs to know what’s going on, the high quality footage that can be captured by drones is something that has made them an invaluable tool for news organizations.
  4. In real estate, real estate agents are using drones to capture footage and images of properties so that they can make their sales. With the right footage and videography, houses become more desirable and real estate agents are seen as being ahead of the trends with the correct software. The real estate industry is in tatters right now because real estate agents are not getting a great name and people are struggling to find rentals with amped up adverts that include video footage. With the help of drones, real estate agents are better positioned to sell and to let their properties. Homeowners can also use drones to capture imagery and video that will show the property at its best. 

 

Of course, these industries are not the only ones where drones are able to show off a little, the possibilities do not end there because the technology is advancing and drones are changing. Even as they are released to the public, more are being created. Drones have the ability to revolutionize industries across the board as well as unlocking new opportunities that include. Expertly designed software businesses can streamline their operations and general folk on the street are able to amp up their hobbies.The customized technology solutions ensure that the transformation of using drones from video cameras are going to be huge. Drones are a gamechanger and if you are looking to buy yours, don’t forget to do your research so that you get the very best!

Drone Safely this Christmas cautions the Irish Aviation Authority

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) today launched their ‘Drone Safely This Christmas’ Campaign. If you’re thinking of getting a drone this Christmas, you need to make sure you register as an Operator with the aviation regulator and that you know the rules before you fly. This advice comes ahead of the busiest shopping days in the lead up to Christmas.

Jim Gavin, Director People & Operations from the Irish Aviation Authority, Aviation Regulator commenting on drone safety said:  “Drone use has increased significantly in recent years. Piloting a drone is fun but it comes with responsibilities and no matter what their use or purpose, drones can raise challenges from both safety and privacy perspectives. Operating a drone in public requires training, as they can have serious consequences if they are flown inappropriately, or collide with a person, an animal or an aircraft. So, if you do get a drone this Christmas, find out if you need to register as an operator with the Aviation Regulator and get trained.”

The Irish Aviation Authority became one of the first aviation regulators in the world to introduce regulations and mandatory drone registration in December 2015. Consumers who buy drones that are over 250g, or a drone fitted with a camera, are legally required to register as a drone operator. If you are a drone operator safety is your responsibility. You need to ensure you are always in control of the drone and that you remain compliant with the law.

Enda Walsh, UAS Manager/Drones Champion from the Irish Aviation Authority added. “The vast majority of drone users fly safely and are compliant with the regulations. However, we are concerned that there are many drone owners who are not registered, who may be flying unsafely and putting people and other aircraft at risk. If you see anyone you believe to be flying dangerously or using a drone irresponsibly, we encourage you to contact the IAA. Reckless use of a drone or inappropriate use of its camera may result in prosecution,”

One important exemption to registration is for toy drones. A toy drone is one where it states clearly on the box or in its documentation that it complies with the regulation on toy safety, and it is intended “for use in play by children under 14 years of age. These types of drones are usually small and only suitable for indoor flying.

For more information on IAA Drone Safety Regulations and registration process, visit www.iaa.ie/drones Stay updated by searching the following @IAApress or searching #DroneSafety.

Skyports strengthens maritime drone delivery commercialisation efforts

Leading Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) infrastructure developer and drone operator Skyports has entered into two new commercial partnerships with Thome Group, a fully integrated ship management company, and Wilhelmsen Ships Agency, one of the worlds’ largest ships agents. Adding the reach and competencies of  Thome and Wilhelmsen will accelerate Skyports’ ambitions in bringing drone delivery services to Singapore’s bustling maritime sector.

With strong backing and partnerships, Skyports is on the path to full-scale commercialisation of maritime shore-to-ship delivery services and the concurrent development of the necessary infrastructure to support these services for all industry players in Singapore and beyond

Mr Yun-Yuan Tay, Head of APAC, Skyports said, “Skyports is proud to be working with some of the leaders in the shipping and maritime industry, and to have forward-looking partners like Wilhelmsen and Thome recognise the importance and relevance of using AAM in their operations. Looking ahead, we hope to continue developing the AAM industry in Singapore and the region to enhance processes in the maritime industry – by reducing delivery times and carbon emissions, providing a new transportation option that is both more efficient and more sustainable.”

Wilhelmsen and Thome are two of the biggest players in the maritime industry, managing ships and providing agency services for thousands of vessels in Singapore’s port every year.

Separate trials will see Skyports in close collaboration with Wilhelmsen Ships Agency and Thome Group, as well as the Maritime Port Authority (MPA) in Singapore, and other government agencies. Skyports will lead the development and testing of the Concept of Operations (ConOps) for Proof of Concept (PoC) operations for shore-to-ship drone deliveries, leading into the operationalisation of drone delivery services in the maritime sector.

Skyports’ trials will deploy Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) deliveries from the temporary drone delivery distribution hub at the Maritime Drone Estate to vessels at pre-identified anchorages. Skyports is looking to complete up to 100 deliveries over the partnership period. 

“Wilhelmsen is excited to be working with Skyports to incorporate drone delivery option into our service offering,” said Ms Jodie Reibel , VP Governance & Sustainability for Wilhelmsen Ships Agency. “We are committed to exploring new opportunities in renewables, zero-emission shipping, and marine digitalization, and this partnership with Skyports is just one example of such collaborations. The use of drone technology and digitalisation of shore-to-ship deliveries would improve efficiency of our operations significantly, and offer our clients a more sustainable and convenient option.”

 

Mr Peter Schellenberger, Vice President, Supply Chain, Thome Group said, “Thome is continuously improving its services and offerings to enable customers to remain competitive in the maritime sector and is happy to be working with Skyports on this new collaboration. The company works closely with partners like Skyports to explore new technologies and methods to offer customers versatile solutions in ship management and offshore structure management. With the volume of cargo moving through Singapore’s port every day, the company sees the potential of the AAM industry to change the way the maritime sector operates and is looking forward to developing this further. Regulatory compliance is extremely important, and we work closely with our clients, suppliers, and principals to tackle important issues such as decarbonisation, sustainability, and governance. This forward-thinking approach has meant that the Thome Group is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading independent international ship managers.”

Mr Ng Yi Han, Director (Innovation, Technology & Talent Development), MPA said, “The agreements between Skyports and Wilhelmsen Ships Agency as well as Skyports and Thome Group are a testament to the potential of drone technology as they seek to develop drones for shore-to-ship deliveries in the unique operating environment of Singapore. The accelerating momentum for drone technology makes such partnerships important for both regulators and industry players to better understand how commercial operations can take place in our port environment to bring about commercial solutions that are effective and safe.”

Header image – The second contract signing ceremony took place between Skyports’ Head of APAC, Mr Yun-Yuan Tay (L), and Mr Peter Schellenberger (R), Vice-President, Supply Chain, Thome Group courtesy of Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore

How far can a drone fly?

Drones have become very popular and are no longer reserved only for photographers. Now, many private homes own a drone because of its amazing filming abilities in the air. Drone range is the distance a drone can fly from the operator while still working properly. Those ranges are not always accurate when it comes to theory and real-life but they do give you an idea of how much your drone can fly. Drone range can vary from model to model and you want to pay attention to that info if the distance is an important factor for you when purchasing a drone.

There is also a law regulation that requires that you keep your drone in sight at all times for safety measures. Some drones can get to the distance of 5-8km which is great but can you keep it in sight that far away? More expensive drones come with a bigger available distance but you usually can’t utilize them without breaking the law regulations.

Obstacles and drones

You also need to consider the obstacles that may weaken the signal between drones and GPS satellites. Those could significantly shorten the previously indicated distance. What happens in this situation is the signal between drone and operator is lessened which can lead to a loss of a relationship. To prevent this from happening you need to do a thorough research of the environment that you’re gonna use your drone in. Check if there are any mountains that might interfere with the signal. Are there any trees that might affect your sight? You need to make sure that you can do this process safely and not end up with your drone running into the water or a three, or hurting someone.

Transmission system

If you wondered if a transmission system can affect a drone’s flying space, the answer is yes. If relations are weak between your drone control, GPS, and a drone itself there will be a significant impact on the flying space. The problem is that the drone will already fly a certain distance before alarming you that the signal is weak. If this happens return your drone. If you don’t it may happen that the drone flies off on itself or drop from the sky.

The controller range and safety

While toy drones won’t be able to fly a length of the football field, mid-ranged drones can get to 0.4km allowing you a good visual. The high-end drones allow you to fly your drone from 2.5 to 5km which is a notably bigger range than mid-ranged drones.

When you fly your drone to such a distance, it doesn’t matter if the drone can keep in contact that much, but if you can keep the visual? This is important because of the safety issues. At that distance, you won’t be able to tell if the drone is properly following your commands and you could even mix it up with a bird. The lack of a fantastic visual automatically means that safety regulations are not honored. You could endanger animals, humans, vehicles, and buildings. That is why FFA tips exist. Not to get fun away from you but to keep you and the rest of the location safe.

If you’re wondering why do they even exist then if we can’t fly them to that distance? Well, it’s because there are many professional uses for the drones and those are controlled by certified and accredited pilots. They can apply to FAA to run beyond visual line of sight.

Also, they would have the flight planned upfront so that visual is not necessary. That’s specifically often done for the agriculture fields, mapping, etc. For package shipping as a business in development, drone route is also automated with flight preparations.

Why should you choose a high-end drone for private purposes? Well, usually people do this because of the fact that longer rangeability ensures a good signal, no transmission problems, and better responsivity even on the nearer range.

What can happen when a drone gets out of the range?

Two types of drone ranges are the video signal range and the control range.

The control range drone will be able to fly since it works on a 2.4GHz range, while the live video input drone runs on a 5.8GHz range. With a live video drone, your movie feed will shed. After that, you will lose the screen connection and won’t be able to see the live video any longer. But remember that drones can still respond to your controls so just keep going without panicking.

If you don’t have a clear location with no obstacles or pre-planned flight, we suggest that you press the “return to house button” to avoid drone infraction or damaging buildings and vehicles, or even hurting people. Since you won’t have a video visual of your drone, any of these situations can happen in a diverse location. You can also return your drone a bit so you can pick up the movie feed again.

Some GPS drones have a failsafe built-in option that allows your drone to automatically come back home. In some situations, the drone will hover in the air which will give you the opportunity to come closer and regain control signal.

Another situation that may happen is that the drone lands down which is great unless it’s flying over the water or difficult to access location. The worst scenario is that your drone flies off and crashes into something. This can also happen when the drone is returning home over terrain with lots of obstacles.

Increasing your drone’s range

Here are several ideas you can try to increase your drone range:

Using FCC limits instead of the CE limitations (Europe)

Buy a better antenna for your controller or use an antenna extender

Use a more robust receiver for your drone

Purchase a range extender

Conclusion

When purchasing a drone don’t just focus on the bigger range but pay attention to safety measures and quality of the materials used for making a drone. Keep in mind that the usage of drones with installed cameras over private properties is forbidden.

Also, important to know is that radar can detect any communication type drone as well as the pre-programmed ones. FAA can track your drone and check the license plate number. It has access to your drone’s location, the direction of flight, and flying speed. If you want to use your drone in closed spaces, we recommend using an indoor DJI. If you are not quite sure what to look for when purchasing the drone for inside use, here you can find a nice selection of indoor DJI drone.

ST Engineering, Sumitomo and Skyports Join Forces to Use Unmanned Aircraft for Heavy Lift Shore-to-Ship Parcel Delivery

ST Engineering, Sumitomo Corporation and Skyports today announced the formation of a consortium to provide Unmanned Aircraft (UA) services for heavy-lift shore-to-ship parcel delivery in Singapore.

Each consortium member will exploit their respective operational and technological capabilities to expand the use of autonomous UA for the deliveries of maritime essentials to vessels at anchorage. During a nine-month pilot programme, the consortium will engage key customers for maritime UA deliveries, with the goal of establishing a UA delivery network capable of carrying parcel payloads of 10kg.

ST Engineering will provide the UA technology using its end-to-end solution – DroNet; Skyports will jointly conduct the Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flight operations with ST Engineering; while Sumitomo Corporation will provide go-to-market support, including their own fleet of vessels.

As a leading unmanned systems participant in Singapore, ST Engineering has been testing and developing autonomous solutions to enable BVLOS UA operations for shore-to-ship delivery in close collaboration with regulators and industry partners. Through funding support from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore’ (CAAS) Call-for-Proposals, the Group recently completed the initial development of an UA system for shore-to-ship parcel delivery based on its in-house DroNet solution.

Compared to the traditional form of delivery by boats, UA operations can significantly slash response time and speed up turnaround for shore-to-ship delivery, in addition to reducing logistics costs. Replacing launch boat delivery with UA also helps to reduce carbon emissions and contribute to the maritime industry’s overall efforts to operate sustainably.

Sanjay Suresh, Head of Business Development & Operations APAC at Skyports, said, “As home to one of the busiest ports in the world, Singapore is the ideal setting in which to demonstrate to customers the potential for unmanned aircraft to transform maritime logistics by moving essential supplies such as heavy shipping components and tools in a more cost-effective and sustainable way. Together with ST Engineering and Sumitomo Corporation, Skyports is excited to play a key role with our expertise in BVLOS unmanned aircraft operations in the continued expansion of our collective capabilities in the maritime sector.”

Teong Soo Soon, VP & Head of UA Systems at ST Engineering, said, “UA Systems have evolved rapidly in recent years to emerge as safe and robust alternatives to traditionally labour- and time-intensive missions. We are excited to be partnering Sumitomo Corporation and Skyports in the pilot launch of unmanned services for shore-to-ship parcel delivery after spending close to two years of R&D efforts to develop the solution. We look forward to being a strong enabler for customers which wish to leverage unmanned technology to inject higher efficiency and sustainability into their operations.”

Ichiro Tatara, GM, Commercial Aviation Department at Sumitomo, said, “UA systems are a potential infrastructure enabling sustainable transportation. We are very excited to launch a pilot programme for shore-to-ship parcel delivery together with ST Engineering and Skyports, and we believe this partnering is a great team and provides sustainable and efficient service to vessels in Singapore.”

ST Engineering is showcasing its UA systems and other aerospace capabilities at the Aviation cluster of the ST Engineering Pavilion (G01) from 15 – 18 February at Singapore Airshow 2022.