Photography News Issue 30 absolutephoto.com
45 Recommendations
2015 January: PrecisionHawk’s lightweight LATAS (LowAltitude Tracking and Avoidance System) can be built into drone circuits.
2013 January: First DJI Phantom unveiled – no stabilisation gimbal, no video downlink, and camera was an add-on. December: DJI Phantom 2 offers auto return, increased speed and flight time. An Add-on gimbal remotely tilts Zenmuse camera.
February: FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) proposed framework for commercial use of small drones: daytime only and within operators’ visual line of sight.
April: DJI Phantom 3 offers visual positioning system. Pro model features integral 4K camera.
May: 3DR Solo claimed to be the smartest drone ever. Powered by two cameras, it’s designed for the GoPro HERO.
May: Professor Martinez Carranza, researcher at Mexico’s National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics, announced new drone navigation system, not using GPS satellites.
May: Lily comes with ‘followme’ feature.
2009 3DRobotics founded in Berkeley, California. It’s now the largest manufacturer of commercial drones in the US.
2014 January: Intel and Ascending Technologies showcased prototype multi-copter drones capable of navigating obstacle course and avoiding people, using Intel’s RealSense camera module, weighing 8g.
June: DJI Matrice 100 is aware of its surroundings and can adapt its flight appropriately, offers 40minutes’ flight time.
July: Phantom 2 Vision+ released, with a three-axis electronic stabiliser, also featuring no-fly zone software. November: DJI Inspire 1 aimed at high-end enthusiasts and pros, features navigational aids, arms that lift out of camera sight and removable, upgradeable gimbal. One of most popular UAVs to date. November: 3DR’s Aero-M, fully automated mapping drone, can create highly accurate, georeferenced and orthorectifiedmosaics, offers flight time of 40minutes and can photograph up to 250 acres per flight.
September: At IBC, ProDrone demonstrates its BYRDUAV (above), said to be world’s first drone capable of folding into a conveniently sized package.
September: DJI X5 gimbal andmirrorless Micro Four Thirds camera fits Inspire 1, designed specifically for aerial photography and cinematography, accepts various lenses and captures 4K at 30fps.
September: DreamQII Plexidrone available to pre-order from IndieGoGo. Easily assembled, the ultimate drone for backpackers.
2010 Developed by British defence firmQinetiQ, solar-powered Zephyr smashed the world record for the longest ever drone flight – more than two weeks. Parrot AR.Drone with flight-assisting sensors was released at Consumer Electronics Show.
2016 & the Future
China & the US are developing hypersonic drones that can go 25x the speed of sound. Boeing is developing the solar-powered Solar Eagle, to stay in the air for five years. NASA’s proposed UAS Traffic Management System will track drone traffic and send operators alerts.
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