Draganfly Innovations will be participating in the 2011 Annual Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police conference. This years event takes place in Windsor, Ontario and will feature speakers from police services across Canada. The conferences theme is “Strategic Partnerships for Effective Policing: Making the Right Connections for the Right Reasons”, and will focus on how Canadian police must be armed with the knowledge and training in order to maintain the level of professionalism demanded by the Canadian public.
We will have booth #600 set up for the duration of the event and will have Draganflyer X6 and X8 UAV helicopters on display. We will not be able to fly the helicopters at the event due to space limitations; however both helicopters there will be fully functional and we invite you to ask the Draganfly Innovations representative that will be present any questions.
At the scene of an early May homicide in Regina, Saskatchewan, police used the Draganflyer X6 UAV helicopter to obtain aerial pictures and video of the crime scene. As onlookers watched the Draganflyer X6 fly, Regina police department officers were using it to preserve the crime scene in digital form, ensuring that important details were kept as evidence for use in their investigation.
This is exactly the kind of work that the Draganflyer UAV RC helicopters were designed to do. Using multiple rotors and an advanced flight computer, Draganflyer helicopters automate most of the tasks that pilots would usually have to perform. This frees users to focus on getting the aerial pictures and video that they need for their application and also greatly reduces the amount of training required to use the helicopter.
Draganflyer UAV helicopters use brushless electric motors to lift camera payloads weighing up to one kilogram. Custom designed lithium polymer batteries allow for flight times of up to 20 minutes which permits police, government and private industries to get outstanding aerial pictures with a minimum amount of downtime.
ARAS 360 is a software platform for 3D accident reconstruction. At a June 20th police training class in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, participants combined the ARAS 360 system with aerial images supplied by a Draganflyer X6 UAV helicopter to produce a full color, photo realistic reconstruction of a test area. Sgt. Dave Domoney and his team flew the Draganflyer X6 helicopter over the area while other members of the Saskatoon Police Services were using a Sokkia Total Station (part of the ARAS 360 package) to obtain terrain data points.
Twenty minutes later, the data was ready to be integrated using the ARAS 360 software. The high resolution aerial images obtained using the Draganflyer X6 UAV and its onboard 10 mega pixel camera were aligned with the terrain points obtained with the Sokkia Total Station and then processed, producing a 3D terrain model.
After being processed, the terrain model can be used by police to reconstruct traffic accidents in full 3D with photo realistic texturing. This technology is useful for law enforcement officers because it allows viewers to see a reconstruction of a traffic accident or other incident from any angle or position as if they were there at the time . The physics engine that the ARAS 360 package uses is capable of producing an accurate reconstruction of an accident and coupled with the aerial photos Draganflyer UAV helicopters provide, makes a powerful system for use by law enforcement officials.
Mesa County Sheriff, Colorado receives FAA approval to operate the Draganflyer X6 Helicopter County Wide
Mesa County Sheriff is the first Public Safety Agency to receive an FAA Certificate of Authorization (COA) to operate the Draganflyer X6 helicopter for law enforcement use over a 3,300 square mile area.
This is a significant development because in the past when there was a need to use the Draganflyer X6 helicopter, the Sheriff’s office was required to contact the FAA and request an Emergency COA (eCOA) for the incident at hand. This was time consuming for both the Sheriff and the FAA but even more so, it lead to critical delays in deploying the aircraft.
With this new County Wide approval, the Sheriff’s office is no longer required to contact the FAA each time the aircraft is deployed for use. And this type of approval didn’t come easy. The county wide approval comes after a year or more of in-depth aircraft flight experience, safety practices, program development, use by the agency and the proven solid commitment by the Sheriff’s office to adhere to the FAA practices and policies.
Draganfly is very proud to be one of the first, small unmanned helicopters to receive FAA approval for this use over such a wide area and even more proud of the work, dedication, professionalism and accomplishments of the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office.
There are no limits to your creativity using new payloads being offered with the Draganflyer X8 aircraft.
One of the many new camera payloads being offered this year is the Olympus Pen EP-2. The EP-2 is an interchangeable lens, micro four thirds, 12mp sensor with the TruePic V Image Processor. The Olympus processor offers excellent dynamic range, accurate color and reduced noise, all the way up to ISO 3200. Combining this powerful new payload with the recently announced Draganflyer X8 helicopter and the new auto-leveling camera mount, this system yields a very high percentage of “vibration free” images over lesser cameras.
The expanded artistic filters of the Olympus Pen opens the door to new innovative aerial shots and by simply pushing the shutter button expands upon your creativity.
Diorama filter:
The filter featured in this article is the “Diorama” filter, an integrated “tilt-shift” technique performed in real-time creating the illusion that your subject matter is that of a miniature model.
Benefit:
The ability to quickly get an aerial perspective and capture this high quality imagery in one single step is a tremendous benefit to Professional Artistic Photographers, Real Estate photographers, Wedding and event photography, architects and community planning/design.
How this was done:
To get the best effect often you need the right subject matter and as you’ll see lighting also plays a significant factor. In the example images you’ll see a shopping center cafe, new building construction and rail switch yard.
Lighting:
To get a flat lighting model, you’ll see that in many of the photos, the shots were captured just before sunrise. There is ambient light in the scene, but local lighting from signs and street lights plays a factor. The combined smooth flight characteristics of the Draganflyer X8 with the new auto-leveling camera mount yields excellent results even in these low-light conditions.
Subject matter:
If you’re going for that scale model look, it’s best to select a subject that can be realized by the viewer as a model. For example trains, buildings, trucks, cars or bridges that could be perceived as models. These are but just a few example shots using this technique.
Helicopter altitude and position:
The angle and altitude is also something that needs to be considered when creating this illusion. You want to position the helicopter and frame the shot in the same perspective as a viewer would see the model. For example, if you visited a friend with a scale train set-up – what is the angle and overall field of view you would experience. When you’re viewing an architectural model of a new building, how would you be positioned and in what type of lighting would you expect to view the model. The more you can closely create the same atmosphere and perspective of the shot the more believable it will be.
In most of these photos the helicopter was only flying between 14 and 35 meters AGL in an effort to find that viewing angle needed.
Please take some time to look through sample images below and if you’re interested in learning more, contact the team at Draganfly to talk with their experts and request full size image samples.
The Mesa County Sheriff’s office in Grand Junction Colorado is among of the first US law enforcement agencies to get FAA (Federal Aviation Agency) approval to operate a UAV.
High powered weapons are a danger to our public safety personnel. The video below illustrates a SWAT exercise by the Sheriff’s office to extend the reach of their armored vehicle using the Draganflyer X6 helicopter system. The helicopter provides real-time video back to the officers allowing them to safely search a given area, locate and apprehend the suspect.
The Draganflyer X6, helicopter system is a valuable asset to a SWAT scenario as illustrated above, set-up a perimeter and function as a force multiplier to public safety personnel by providing an aerial perspective.
The trailblazing team at Draganfly Innovations Inc., the creators of the Draganflyer X6 and the Draganflyer X4, are excited to introduce the newest and most revolutionary RC helicopter yet, the Draganflyer X8 UAV. Designed for commercial/industrial aerial video and photography applications, the Draganflyer X8 is perfect for inspection and reconnaissance missions. With the increased payload capability, cutting-edge camera systems, and the option to use the handheld Ground Control Station, the Draganflyer X8 is sure to wow your socks off.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (PRWEB) Draganfly Innovations Inc. is announcing the release of the new Draganflyer X8 helicopter, a miniature UAV for commercial/industrial aerial video and photography. The unique design utilizes eight main horizontal rotor blades and allows the Draganflyer X8 helicopter to hover efficiently and maneuver rapidly using differential thrust. Eight industrial electric motors allow the Draganflyer X8 to carry heavier and more advanced payloads while providing more safety features than ever before. The Draganflyer X8 will also be compatible with our latest technologies, including the handheld Ground Control Station (GCS) and IP video camera systems.
Draganflyer X8
The increased payload capability of the Draganflyer X8 has allowed it to carry a select variety of digital SLR cameras and various 1080p video cameras. The Draganflyer X8’s industrial-strength electric motors provide increased thrust over the Draganflyer X6, which allows the Draganflyer X8 to carry an increased payload.
Innovative new camera systems will be offered as options for the Draganflyer X8 UAV, including the new IP video cameras. IP video cameras work by transmitting digital video over an 802.11n wifi connection. Digital video is less susceptible to random noise than analog video. Digital video is also more secure because IP cameras work over their own wireless network, which can be encrypted to protect the video stream from unauthorized viewing. Because the IP cameras are digital, they can record video to a buffer in internal memory before streaming it to the receiving station. This means that the cameras can be used to capture high resolution still pictures while video is being recorded. Video from the IP cameras can be streamed over the internet easily, allowing you to transmit your video live to almost anywhere in the world.
The Draganflyer X8 UAV will be our first UAV helicopter to offer the new handheld Ground Control Station (GCS) as an option. The GCS is currently in development; when complete, it will effectively contain all the features of both the handheld controller and the video base station in one handheld package. Running a Linux operating system on an Intel Atom™ processor allows the GCS to run our existing DraganView software and provide helicopter control at the same time.
Safety and durability have been incorporated into the design of each Draganflyer helicopter and the Draganflyer X8 is no exception. It offers more safety features than ever before. Even if an in-flight collision causes one of the motors to stop working, the Draganflyer X8 helicopter, with dual motors on each of the four arms, will still be able to fly using the remaining seven motors. Other safety features include high intensity LED navigation lights for distance or low-light flying and auto-landing if the radio link between the helicopter and its controller is lost. An onboard flight recorder stores telemetry and flight data in a removable memory card. This information can be used for post-flight analysis with our DraganView software.
The Draganflyer X8 UAV helicopter has been designed with a unique folding carbon fiber frame. This allows the Draganflyer X8 to become conveniently compact for storage and transportation. Once the Draganflyer X8 carbon fiber frame is folded, it fits securely in its back-packable case.
The Draganflyer X8 is a fully functional, miniature, unmanned, electric powered helicopter. Aimed at industrial and commercial use, it provides reconnaissance and inspection information using onboard wireless video (equipped with digital video recorders) and still images. The Draganflyer X8 helicopter achieves its stability by using an onboard processor running custom-designed Draganfly software and receiving data from eleven onboard sensors (three gyros, three accelerometers, three magnetometers, one barometric pressure sensor, and one GPS receiver). It is easily piloted by users with minimal training. The Draganflyer X8 helicopter determines its own orientation and motion, moving where the operator instructs it, automatically handling the complex attitude and altitude adjustments that would normally require an experienced pilot.
The Draganflyer X8 helicopter can be put into GPS hold mode where it will maintain its position without any user input. This means that once the GPS hold is activated, the pilot can concentrate on framing the shot using one of the various cameras that the Draganflyer X8 can carry.
The Draganflyer X8 helicopter is flown using a custom-designed handheld controller with a 2.8” color OLED touchscreen that displays telemetry and flight data. The Draganflyer X8 handheld controller receives streaming video sent by the helicopter and in turn, sends this video to a pair of video goggles. The video goggles enable the operator to view what the helicopter is seeing in real-time while also keeping an eye on the helicopter itself.
Draganfly Innovations will be participating in the 2011 Annual Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police conference. This years event takes place in Windsor, Ontario and will feature speakers from police services across Canada. The conferences theme is “Strategic Partnerships for Effective Policing: Making the Right Connections for the Right Reasons”, and will focus on how Canadian police must be armed with the knowledge and training in order to maintain the level of professionalism demanded by the Canadian public.
ARAS 360 is a software platform for 3D accident reconstruction. At a June 20th police training class in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, participants combined the ARAS 360 system with aerial images supplied by a Draganflyer X6 UAV helicopter to produce a full color, photo realistic reconstruction of a test area. Sgt. Dave Domoney and his team flew the Draganflyer X6 helicopter over the area while other members of the Saskatoon Police Services were using a Sokkia Total Station (part of the ARAS 360 package) to obtain terrain data points.
Twenty minutes later, the data was ready to be integrated using the ARAS 360 software. The high resolution aerial images obtained using the Draganflyer X6 UAV and its onboard 10 mega pixel camera were aligned with the terrain points obtained with the Sokkia Total Station and then processed, producing a 3D terrain model.
