Drone a.k.a WATT

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Air-Vid

WATT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., March 2, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Drone Aviation Holding Corp. (OTCQB:DRNE), a developer of specialized lighter-than-air aerostats and tethered drones, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Drone Aviation Corp. (DAC), has officially launched WATT, the Company’s first model of a new line of commercial-grade electric tethered drones designed to provide secure and reliable aerial monitoring for extended durations while being tethered to the ground via a high strength armored tether. Unlike “hobbycraft drones,” WATT is uniquely suited for a wide number of news gathering, industrial and emergency response applications where manned aircraft and even free-flying drones are unable to deliver the long flight duration and commercial grade real-time day/night video monitoring capabilities needed, all while operating in compliance with the new guidelines proposed by the FAA.

WATT is a complete turnkey system that can be launched within minutes of unpacking from a standard case stored in a host vehicle. When launched, WATT is designed to hover in a stationary position directly above its launch site at one of several preset altitudes of up to 300 feet. Once airborne, a highly stabilized military-grade/broadcast quality HD video imager can provide a 360° live aerial monitoring feed transmitted through the tether to its host vehicle while being wirelessly shared to a network of mobile devices such as tablets or laptop computers.
Key WATT features include:

Unique power system provides the ability to either draw power parasitically from a host vehicle such as TV production trucks, first responder vehicles or common agriculture/infrastructure equipment with standard 120v/220v power or WATT can independently provide up to 8 hours of operation through its own ground power equipment.
WATT is designed to carry up 10 lbs. of payload such as advanced, highly stabilized optical packages capable of delivering live broadcast-quality or military grade day/night all-weather sensors.
Significant safety features incorporated into WATT such as fault-tolerant primary sub-systems, on-board battery back-up, automatic telemetry alerts and auto recovery/retrieve functionality for safe and simplified operation.
Aircraft control over tether helps avoid the risks from radio frequency collisions, interference or hacking.

Drone Aviation CEO Ms. Felicia Hess stated, “WATT is the result of over 3 years dedicated development and research by our talented design team, and we are proud to now show the industry what we believe is the finest, most cost-effective commercial-grade tethered drone designed to comply with the FAA’s proposed guidelines. Over the next several months, we look forward to demonstrating WATT in various upcoming live exercises with our partners and proving its unique capability to support many applications in the rapidly developing global commercial drone marketplace.”

For more information on WATT including a product video, please visit www.DroneAviationCorp.com.

About Drone Aviation Holding Corp.

Drone Aviation Holding Corp. (DRNE) provides critical aerial and land based surveillance and communications solutions to government and commercial customers. Utilizing a unique tethering capability, drone systems operate in the National Airspace within FAA guidelines for safe operations. Drone systems are designed and developed in-house utilizing proprietary technologies and processes that result in compact, rapidly deployable aerostat solutions and mast based systems that have been proven to fulfill critical requirements by the military and law enforcement in the U.S. and to our allies around the world. For more information about Drone Aviation Holding Corp. please visit www.DroneAviationCorp.com, or view our reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission on http://www.sec.gov, including the Risk Factors included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 and in our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 5, 2014, as well as our Quarterly Reports for the quarters ended March 31, 2014, June 30, 2014 and September 30, 2014.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains projections of future results and other forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties and are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Important factors that may cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those contained in the projections and forward-looking statements included in this press release are described in our publicly filed reports. Factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to, the acceptance of our products, lack of revenue growth, failure to realize profitability, inability to raise capital and market conditions that negatively affect the market price of our common stock. The Company disclaims any responsibility to update any forward-looking statements.

A photo accompanying this release is available at:
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=31088

IR Contact:  
Dave Gentry
RedChip Companies Inc.
T: 407-644-4256


Media Contact:
Michael Glickman
MWG Co.
T: 917-596-1883

– See more at: http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2015/03/02/711372/10122667/en/DRONE-AVIATION-LAUNCHES-WATT-ELECTRIC-TETHERED-DRONE-FOR-COMMERCIAL-INDUSTRY-APPLICATIONS.html#sthash.Uw3fV3ui.dpuf

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Drones Reshaped Forever by New Uni-body Technology; Futuristic Frameless Designs Replace ‘Model-T’ Rotors

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Air-Vid

15 May

South Carolina startup has recently developed a frameless multi-rotor uni-body that can be adapted to all types of 3D shapes. UAS Directions’ new patent pending designs will reshape the face of drones forever.??

UAS Directions is a startup bent on thinking from unexpected directions. Over the past 16 months they have pored their unique design philosophy into developing their 3D multi-rotor uni-bodies. They believe the launch of their first “frameless” concept will put an end to framed multi-rotors, or as they label them, ‘model -T-rotors.’ “Flight systems are evolving fast, but everyone’s following everyone else with the same basic frame layout. No one seems to be addressing the limitations and inherent safety flaws in their shape and exposed propellers. What if a drone could take on any 3D shape? Our patent pending innovation is like driving a new BMW to Henry Fords unveiling of the Model T in 1908,” says Aaron Weller, Founder of UAS Directions.

???

“If we hope to gain acceptance of a safety conscious public, we have to address these safety issues. Our first uni-body platform, the Droplet V1, will change our industry permanently. The Droplet design speaks from the psychological vantage point of people who will come into close contact with drones. No one wants a ‘spider looking’ blender on steroids delivering their future Amazon or DHL package or photographing over their heads at an event. I don’t…and I’m an unmanned aerial pilot of 27 years,” exclaims Weller.

Weller expects waves of public outcry to increase over the safety of popular airframes such as the DJI Phantom and Vision. Multi-rotor propeller tips can travel at hundreds of miles per hour and are made of plastic or carbon fiber. Recent news stories have included a Florida woman being struck and lacerated at a flea market (WESH Orlando, Nov. 17, 2014) and a TGI Friday’s patron getting the tip of her nose cut off by a quadcopter during a Christmas promotion. (Fox News, Dec. 10, 2014) “We want to protect that curious child from getting their fingers chopped off or territorial birds of prey from being maimed by exposed propeller blades,” says Weller. “I believe if you can’t wrap your hands around a multi-rotor drone under full power, then it just isn’t practical.”

The Droplet’s internal cargo bay can hold deliverable packages, cameras and sensor equipment. Due to the fact that it’s propellers will not entangle in stringy debris or be disabled by incidental contact from any angle, the Droplet opens the imagination for indoor and confined space uses that may not be subject to FAA regulations. Other features include: total encapsulation of internal electronics and impact absorption in event of an accident.

UAS Directions says this technology can be applied to wearable designs for outdoor sportsmen and public safety officials. Future designs will also include automotive integration, custom flying corporate brands and airframes designed to dock with your smartphone. “Skies the limit when you have a airframe that can be safely caught with bare hands,” states Weller. “This technology can be applied to just about any 3D shape or product imaginable. It puts companies and industries in the game that have held back from drone integration due to insurance and liability issues.”

UAS Directions is focused on sharing its scalable and flexible technology with companies already developing their own drone programs. “We will be strategically partnering with companies who want to invest in a marriage of their own proprietary systems with the future of unibody platforms. The goal is to make developers platforms safer and more appealing to the public,” explains Weller.

For more information visit: uasdirections.com

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SOURCE: Air-Vid.com – Read entire story here.

Tethered Drones, the right tool may NOT require batteries.

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Air-Vid

15 May

Drones – The Right Tool for the Job Can’t Just Rely on Batteries

By Dan Erdberg, COO of Drone Aviation Holding Corp.

WATT

Technology is great because it helps us complete our tasks efficiently and effectively. Drones are no exception, however, given the global explosion of interest in drones, we must remember to use the right tools for the tasks we expect drones to complete.

What was first developed and used by the by the military for remote surveillance has been embraced by consumers for everything from personal amusement to professional photography and cinematography. Thanks to the lowered cost battery-powered drones, combined with GoPro cameras and the inspiring imagery they are creating, hobby-craft drones are popping up everywhere. The next logical path forward for drones is their use in commercial applications where industrial strength drones can be put to work for everything from agriculture monitoring to pipeline inspection, facility and event security to emergency response and disaster relief. But like any tool, having the right drone for the job is the best way to get the job done and in many cases, that drone cannot just rely on battery power alone.

WATT Tethered Drone, Sustained/continuous operation at altitude up to 300′

Today, the vast majority of hobby grade drones are powered by LIPO batteries that provide the sole source of power they need to operate. While impressive, the < 30 minute duration limitation of simple battery power is just one of a number of significant issues limiting commercial adoption of today’s drones, issues including limited payload capacity, uncertain reliability and safety and the legality of simply flying a drone in the national airspace. While technology may eventually overcome some of these limitations, the tasks that commercial-grade drones must perform today and will be expected to complete in the near future require a long flight duration, high reliability and the ability to carry heavier payloads including stabilized cameras with stabilized zoom and day/night capabilities. This is why Drone Aviation Corp has focused on the development and commercialization of tethered drones. While conceptually not completely unlike moored balloons used in World War I, tethered drones, like Drone Aviation’s WATT launched earlier this month, can uniquely deliver the performance, flexibility and cost effectiveness required by commercial customers today.

Drone Aviation’s WATT launched earlier this month, can uniquely deliver the performance, flexibility and cost effectiveness required by commercial customers today.

WATT is a new line of commercial-grade electric tethered drones designed to provide secure and reliable aerial monitoring for extended durations while being tethered to the ground via a high strength armored tether. This makes it uniquely suited for a wide number of news gathering, industrial and emergency response applications where manned aircraft and even free-flying drones are unable to deliver the long flight duration and commercial grade real-time day/night video monitoring capabilities needed. WATT is a complete turnkey system that can be deployed within minutes from unpacking from standard cases stored in a host vehicle such as a news van or mapping base station. When launched, WATT is designed to hover in a stationary position directly above its launch site at one of several preset altitudes of up to 300 feet. Once airborne, a highly stabilized, broadcast quality HD video imager can provide a 360° live aerial monitoring feed transmitted through the tether to its host vehicle and wirelessly shared to whatever broadcast sytem or monitors are being used.

When launched, WATT is designed to hover in a stationary position directly above its launch site at one of several preset altitudes of up to 300 feet.

One thing is for sure, drone developments will continue at a rapid pace as manufacturers creatively address the many challenges facing the commercialization of their drones. Regardless of the design approach taken – tethered or untethered – we have seen the future, a future where drones will become a vital commercial, journalistic, engineering and lifesaving tools.

seo: tethered drone, tethered drones, tethered uav, tethered uavs

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New Payload For the Draganfly, MicaSense RedEdge multispectral

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Air-Vid

15 May

UAV Manufacturer Draganfly Innovations Inc. Offers Agricultural Remote Sensing Solutions with MicaSense RedEdge Multispectral Camera

Draganfly Innovations Inc. releases an advanced precision agriculture solution that redefines the way agricultural data is collected and viewed. The camera simultaneously captures five discrete spectral bands, which provide useful data for monitoring crops and environmental health.

Mica Sense on a Draganflyer X4

Unmanned aerial vehicles are instrumental in collecting multispectral imaging and provide data rich images, which are not visible to the naked eye. Draganfly Innovations now provides an all-inclusive solution that can plan, fly, and process advanced multispectral data. The Draganflyer Pro-Ag package is a comprehensive and powerful tool for farmers and researchers to gather the information needed to make better decisions.

The Draganflyer Pro-Ag package consists of a compact, ready-to-fly vertical take-off and landing UAV, rugged transport case, Draganfly Surveyor flight planning software, the third generation MicaSense RedEdge 5-band multispectral camera, and 2-axis stabilized gimbal. Built for efficiency, Draganfly Surveyor is easy to use and allows multi-flight mapping in situations when the project requires multiple flights to cover the area. Surveyor will automatically “join” the flights to create one seamless project. Ultimately, it’s all about acquiring high quality, precise aerial data.

GRVI image Draganflyer Pro-Ag package / RedEdge camera / processed by MicaSense

CIR image acquired using Draganflyer X4-P with RedEdge camera and processed by MicaSense

The collected imagery is used to assess the health of crops and identify damage caused by pests or invasive weed growth. The scientific-grade multispectral imagery provides accurate and repeatable crop health maps so that the proper corrective course of action can then be determined. The combination of the MicaSense RedEdge and Draganflyer UAV provides a quick and effective solution for agricultural consultants and farmers worldwide.

Dragan?y Innovations Inc., a recognized technology and industry leader in small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS), is an original manufacturer with over 15 years of experience. Draganfly has partnered with data acquisition industry leaders such as Pix4D to provide aerial mapping, geo-referenced 2D mosaics, 3D surface models, and point clouds. Dragan?y systems are used in a wide range of applications for agriculture, public safety, aerial photography & videography, industrial inspection, geo-mapping, and search & rescue work worldwide.

For additional information, contact Dragan?y Innovations at 1-800-979-9794, sales(at)dragan?y(dot)com, or check out their website at http://www.draganfly.com

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3DR (3D Robotics) Solo – New Drone Released with “Smart” Features

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Air-Vid

15 May

Note from the editor: When you see a feature that is obvious in its application, but brilliant in its simplicity, you have to say “That’s just what I’ve been looking for”. The Cable Cam feature is that for us. We can see it being applied to racing and commercial applications, e.g. filming skiers repetitively travelling a route (race), then back to start. – Bravo 3DR.

3D Robotics introduces Solo, the world’s first smart drone

“Solo is a breakthrough in intelligent flight. It’s not just smarter so that it can do more; it’s smarter so that you have to do less. We’ve turned the Hollywood toolkit into software, and allowed everyone to experience epic video, both behind and in front of the camera.” — Chris Anderson, CEO 3D Robotics

Solo^TM provides a best-of-breed flight experience and unprecedented ease of use by tapping the processing power of twin Linux® computers, technology that has enabled 3DR to make radical breakthroughs in autonomous flight and camera control. As the first drone designed with every aspect of the photographer’s experience in mind, Solo can define its own flight, freeing users to focus on getting the shot. This intelligent drone is also the first to support full control of GoPro® cameras and deliver live-streaming HD video straight to mobile devices or through the controller’s HDMI port.

3DR’s Solo

Today 3DR announced Solo, an all-in-one personal drone whose ease of use and powerful new features kick off a new aerial age. With computing power unmatched in the industry—from two integrated Linux computers, one on the craft and one in the controller—Solo delivers several world-first technologies, such as unfettered in-flight access to GoPro controls, including wireless HD streaming straight to mobile devices, and effortless computer-assisted Smart Shot flight features that allow even new pilots to capture professional aerial video from day one.

“We set out a year ago with the promise of not just creating the best drone, but the best overall aerial filmmaking experience imaginable. While this meant giving Solo smooth and powerful flight dynamics, it also demanded we make a smarter drone, one that could abstract users from flying so they can focus on getting great video,” said Colin Guinn, Chief Revenue Officer of 3DR. “What our users really want is great shots. They want professional tools that enable them to get those shots easily and consistently, right out of the box. Solo delivers on this promise: You get the shot, every time.”

“Solo will expand our concept of what a drone can be and do,” said Chris Anderson, CEO of 3DR. “Solo uses advanced autonomy to make creativity easier. Rather than needing skill to capture a great shot, you can let the software do the work. Even better, you can be in the shot—you can be the subject of your life’s story, not just the director.”

Solo will launch starting at $999 in over 400 Best Buy stores across the U.S., with immediate in-store availability on May 29^th. Customers can take home Solo and immediately experience the thrill of capturing stunning HD aerial photography and videography with simple, out-of-the-box setup.

Experience effortless flight

Effortless flight means effortless filming—less flight control; more creative control. Solo makes flying easier than it’s ever been with smooth and authoritative GPS satellite-guided flight, which also features auto takeoff and land, return home and the ability to instantly hit an e-brake and pause your flight midair. All these features are immediately accessible through the Solo mobile app or dedicated buttons on Solo’s remote controller.

3DR Solo Controller

Computer-assisted cinematography

Solo’s intelligence unlocks powerful and one-of-a-kind computer-assisted Smart Shots (patent pending). Just set up the exact shot you want in real time, then tap “play” on the app and Solo will execute it with a level of precision and a soft touch that even seasoned cinema pilots can’t match. And with a list of Smart Shots to choose from, the perfect shot is always just a few taps away. Cable cam and Orbit allow you to create a known and safe flight path along a virtual track in space, freeing you to shift your focus to getting the shot you want; or simply hit “play” and let Solo fly itself while simultaneously working the camera for you, as smooth and even as an expert cameraman. Follow mode lets you go completely hands-free, while Solo keeps up with your every move. Solo also features a one-touch aerial Selfie for a dramatic and customizable establishing Smart Shot of you and your surroundings. It’s all in service of Solo’s guiding principle: Get the shot. Every time.

3DR Solo – Orbit Function

3DR Solo’s Cable Cam Feature

Stream HD GoPro video to mobile devices or through HDMI

Solo is the world’s first drone to wirelessly deliver HD video from your GoPro to your iOS or Android mobile device, at ranges of up to half a mile. Solo’s controller has HDMI output for live HD broadcast—to FPV goggles, high-quality field monitors, Jumbotrons at live events, even news vans—and with a staggeringly low video latency your live video is immediate and fluid for an “in-the-moment” feel. For instant social sharing of your aerial videos, you can even record the live video stream directly from the mobile app to your device’s camera roll.

The Solo App for iOS and Android

3DR’s mobile development team has focused its efforts on providing a user experience never before seen with a drone. The Solo app lets you control your GoPro, choose between a live view from the camera or a satellite view of your selected shot and even change how the controller responds to commands. Solo’s app allows for automatic cloud-based logging of your flights, instant access to technical support, on-device recording of the live HD video stream and even support for future web-based control of Solo.

3DR Solo – Supports iOS and Android

Fly safely

We’ve made sure that even new users will be able to fly Solo with confidence. An app-based flight simulator will allow you to fly Solo virtually, before you get off the ground. And when Solo is in the air, the “pause” button acts as an emergency airbrake, stopping the copter in its tracks until you’re ready to take control again. Additionally, you can create a virtual “safety net” within the app that limits how high Solo is allowed to fly.

The Solo Gimbal: Smart Shots; perfectly stable footage; GoPro control & charging; HD video

We worked closely with GoPro, the world’s most popular action camera company, to make the first gimbal capable of fully controlling the GoPro. Solo gives you the exclusive ability to start and stop recording video while in flight, which means that when you land you have only the shots that you wanted to take; when it comes time to edit you now have “fat free” footage, instead of dealing with huge, cumbersome files. You can also snap photos, change FOV, FPS and exposure compensation and much more—through Solo’s mobile app at long range, or dedicated buttons on the controller. The 3-axis Solo Gimbal stabilizes the camera to within 0.1 degrees of pointing accuracy and charges the GoPro so your battery doesn’t die during flight. Combined with Solo’s controller you get fine-grain tilt control, including angle presets and instant speed adjustment; or you can just create a Smart Shot, hit “play,” and Solo’s computer will fully control the gimbal for the perfect shot. The Solo Gimbal delivers all of these advanced capabilities while providing a painless and tool-free method of installing and removing the GoPro. The Solo Gimbal is sold separately for $399.

3DR – Solo – Gimbal

The first-ever consumer drone run by two full-blown computers

With a 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A9-powered Linux computer running on both the copter and the controller, Solo’s intelligence unleashes nearly limitless possibility and future expandability. Because we use the onboard computer’s processing power to do the heavy lifting, the autopilot becomes the “brainstem,” exclusively focused on executing the rudiments of stable and reliable flight, while the computer serves as Solo’s “frontal cortex” and handles the higher-level processing; this task distribution dramatically reduces the likelihood of autopilot system failure during flight. Solo’s smart technology not only allows us to introduce many industry-first capabilities today, but also gives us the ability to unlock future technologies—everything from a next-gen Follow mode to computer vision and true artificial intelligence.

User-friendly wireless updates

Solo only gets more advanced over time. Thanks to the foundation of the dual 1GHz computers, a simple mobile app update includes updates for Solo’s computer, the controller’s computer, the autopilot system and even the Solo gimbal—all delivered wirelessly with on-screen feedback so you can see exactly what’s happening along the way. Gone are the days of using USB cables to update your drone.

Purpose-built aerial photography controller

With ergonomics inspired by popular video game controllers, the aerial photography-optimized Solo Controller feels natural even to new users. It simplifies flight and puts control of both the vehicle and the camera at your fingertips, with dedicated buttons on its face for Takeoff, Land, Return Home and Pause, in addition to two user-definable A/B buttons. On the controller’s left shoulder is a paddle for fine grain tilt control; on the right shoulder are two buttons for presetting gimbal tilt positions and a knob to adjust the automatic tilt speed. Clicking the tilt paddle starts or stops recording on the GoPro and pressing both presets at the same time snaps a photo. The controller’s computer powers a built-in HDMI port, making live broadcast to nearly any type of screen as simple as connecting an HDMI cable. The computer also allows the controller to record 500 parameters of flight data to its internal memory as you fly, 10 times a second. Finally, the controller’s color display gives you contextual information about what’s going on in flight, eliminating the need to interpret blinking lights on the copter to get vital flight information, supplemented with haptic feedback—a gentle vibration that alerts you about critical things like a low battery and confirms all “long-press” actions (takeoff, land, set a gimbal preset, etc.).

The Solo Smart Battery

The Solo Smart Battery not only monitors Solo’s remaining battery charge but also helps to account for location, so that the mobile app can give you relevant warnings about when to start heading home based on Solo’s distance from you. The battery communicates with Solo’s controller, which displays not only your remaining flight time but also your present power usage, for better and more informed battery management. If you’re cutting it too close, Solo’s controller will even begin vibrating to alert you of the need to land ASAP.

Future expandability

Solo was built from the ground up to be future-proof. To accommodate future technologies and expansion options, we’ve included a gimbal bay, an accessory bay and easy-to-swap motor pods with integrated speed controllers. The gimbal bay enables other companies to make specific plug-and-play gimbals or imaging devices, providing these devices with the HD feed to Solo’s mobile app, full camera control and even access to Solo’s computing power. The accessory bay has similar functionality but is designed for accessories other than gimbal and imaging devices, such as an optical flow indoor flight stabilizer, ballistic parachute system, LED lighting system and many more. Finally, the swappable motor pods allow you to easily switch out motors in the field if necessary, and they also leave open the possibility for integrating upgraded propulsion systems for Solo in the future.

Industry-leading open platform

Even though Solo appears as a sleek, all-in-one system, it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. 3DR proudly supports a vibrant community of global developers who are leading the way in commercial and consumer drone applications, and thanks to the company’s partnerships with industry giants like Qualcomm, Intel and the Linux Foundation, this shared open drone platform is evolving exponentially. Makers everywhere can now easily create their own apps for Solo (and the platform) through DroneKit—3DR’s open application development platform for drones—and even take them to market for free via 3DR Services. Our platform itself is stewarded by the international Dronecode Foundation, which welcomes and facilitates contributions of individuals and companies around the world. Solo is a unified instantiation of this extensible platform, which grows more useful by the day. And thanks to Solo’s usability and advanced processing potential, it’s one of the most important pieces, sure not only to drive innovation, but also to receive the benefits and deliver them to you.

“Made for Solo” program

3DR’s deep roots in the free and open software community have made us proud to offer open access to huge parts of our technology; this is why we’ve debuted the “Made for Solo” program, aimed at enabling small companies with great ideas to work directly with us and our manufacturing partners on developing and launching fantastic new accessories. Not only does this program make it easy for anyone to create new technology for Solo, it makes it easy for these companies to get their technology onto our retail partners’ shelves—and into your Solo.

World-class customer support

With a newly expanded support team of over 60 in-house technicians and a powerful new tech support solution built right into the app, 3DR is redefining what it means to offer world-class customer support. Solo keeps its own flight journal, continually logging information along over 500 parameters as it flies. You can analyze these files on your own, or instantly share them with our support team to aid in troubleshooting. Since Solo is continuously monitoring flight parameters in real time, if it suspects there’s been a problem, the mobile app will automatically offer the option of immediately submitting a service ticket via your mobile device. If the flight logs show Solo was lost or damaged due to a system error, 3DR will immediately repair or replace not only the drone, but the gimbal and the GoPro as well. In fact, we are so confident in the user experience that Solo offers, there’s even a limited 30-day satisfaction money-back guarantee.

3DR – Solo – Photography Platform

Availability

Solo will be available in over 2,000 retail locations worldwide starting in May in the U.S., and in June and July globally. In the U.S., Solo will launch at Best Buy, B&H, Samy’s Camera, Sport Chalet and many other premiere camera and electronics retailers. Throughout June and July, Solo will become available in 3DR-authorized premium retailers around the world, including Boulanger in France, Best Buy and London Drugs in Canada, Currys and Wex Camera in the U.K., Harvey Norman in Australia and Virgin Megastore and Dubai Duty Free in the U.A.E. Preorders for Solo will begin immediately.

Specs:

Flight time: up to 25 min without payload, or up to 20 min with GoPro and Solo Gimbal
Controller battery: Up to 4 hours; built-in rechargeable battery (8 hours with optional extended battery)
Weight: 1500 g; 1800 g with Solo Gimbal and GoPro
Autopilot: Pixhawk 2
Video latency: 180 ms
Wifi range: up to half a mile, depending on environment

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SOURCE: Air-Vid.com – Read entire story here.

Hovershotsapv – Granted Elusive FAA 333 Exemption

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Air-Vid

Hovershotsapv and Kevin Haley have been granted the elusive 333 Exemption from the FAA as of April 16th. 2015. Haley, filed back on January 9th. 2015 and it took about 97 days to receive the exemption.

“We wanted to be able to fly legally in the USA! Things are going to change and we are trying elevate the professionalism of the industry and the opportunity to be a frontrunner” – Kevin Haley

At the time of writing, Hovershotsapv is among only 190 companies in the USA, to receive their 333 as of April 2015. The Haleys started Hovershotsapv back in 2012 and Became an Llc, in November of 2014. Hovershots is a Women owned company, they are very pleased to have received their 333 and now hope to open more commercial opportunities in the US.

“We have applied for SAM (System for award management) and have DNB and cage code, and therefore can supply services to government agencies, this opens opportunities to bid on Government contracts and work with municipalities, including military, security, police, fire and rescue groups.” – Shari Haley

Haley said the filing process took several hours to complete. The process was detailed, the FAA was thorough and have reporting requirements that set a high standard. Fortunately Hovershots had implemented many of these best practices in their day to operations. The hardest part was the waiting, because nothing is posted on the FAA website as far as if it went through, only when they received the e-mail saying it was granted. Did they know for sure.

“I think my flying experience of 27 years, combined with our editor’s exceptional eye for imagery, a dual operator system where the pilot can watch the drone, fly in tighters spots and know we’ are catching the shots. It makes the results far more spectacular” – Kevin haley

Find Hovershots social media and portfolio here: http://air-vid.com/wp/pilot-portfolio/?pdb=25

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SOURCE: Air-Vid.com – Read entire story here.