The Draganflyer helicopters can be purchased with an optional wireless video & telemetry base station. This base station is housed in a military spec case and features quad diversity antennas to provide you with the best reception. The Dragan Eye Pro 5.8GHz Quad diversity receiver auto-selects the best signal using a combination of received signal strength indication and video signal quality analysis.

The Draganflyer Wireless Video & Telemetry Base Station includes an integrated telemetry transceiver. Using any lap top meeting these requirements you can view live video and telemetry from the Draganflyer X6.

The Draganflyer Wireless Video & Telemetry Base Station also comes with Dragan View Software which can run on any laptop meeting these requirements. Using the Dragan View software you will be able to view in real time:

Heads Up Video Screen






Telemetry Screen

• Draganflyer X6 Helicopter Battery Voltage
• Data Link Quality
• Number of GPS Satellites locked on
• GPS Reception Quality
• Heading
• Bearing
• Altitude
• Climb Rate
• Speed
• Altitude (Roll, Pitch, Yaw)
• Magnetometer Readings
• Velocity
• Temperature
• Throttle
• GPS Latitude & Longitude
• Altitude (GPS & Barometric)
• GPS Accuracy & Position Errors

The photos are Geo Tagged on the Flight Path

The Dragan View software also allows you to view a 3D representation of your flight path on Google earth. The GPS data is recorded each time you take a picture, and the Dragan View software takes this information along with the pictures from your flight and marks them along your flight path.

When you click on the thumbnail image that is located on the flight path Google Earth™ will display the full image. Above the full image the longitude, latitude and altitude information is displayed.

FAA GIVES SHERIFF GREEN LIGHT TO FLY

UAV Option New to Law Enforcement Across the Country

By Heather S. Benjamin, PIO/Information and Communication Manager
Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado

On August 31, 2009, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado attained monumental authorization from the U.S. Department of Transportation – Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) operations. The authorization granted by the FAA allows the Sheriff’s Office to conduct tests and evaluation flights of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Draganflyer X6, by receiving a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA). The COA is granted by the FAA for a one year period allowing the agency to test their UAV.

This comes after an 18 month research project where extensive thought and comparison of UAVs, cost, application process with the FAA, and more were considered. Most recently, the Sheriff’s Office completed a six month application process through the FAA to receive a COA and has since begun to evaluate the UAV. COAs are known amongst the UAS industry as moderately unattainable and even agencies like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have been denied, according to the FAA website.

The Draganflyer X6 is a small, remotely operated, electric helicopter built by Draganfly Innovations of Saskatchewan, Canada. Built of mostly carbon fiber the Draganflyer X6 overall weight is just over two pounds and can carry a payload of just over one pound. Payloads include the FLIR Tau infrared camera and a Panasonic Lumix LX3 digital still camera. Payloads are remotely operated and real time images/video are visible via a laptop operated on a ground station.

Operations of unmanned aerial vehicles by public agencies in the National Airspace (NAS) is a predominantly uncharted territory and thus the FAA regulations are considered interim at best, according to the FAA website. The Sheriff’s Office hopes to provide flight mission data to the FAA to aid them in the drafting of federal aviation regulations to govern the use of these small unmanned systems. The COA provides the Sheriff’s Office approval to fly the Draganflyer X6 in an area two miles in diameter located five miles southeast of the Grand Junction Regional Airport with an operational ceiling no greater than 400 feet above ground level (AGL). These flights must remain visual line of sight (VLOS) and are not allowed after dark. Local air traffic must be contacted 24 hours and 15 minutes prior to flight as well as filing a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) describing specific flight operations.

“This is an applicable technology to law enforcement that I am convinced will save lives,” the Sheriff’s Office Quartermaster Ben Miller, said. Miller is one of two employees who are trained to operate the Draganflyer X6.

The Draganflyer X6 model is priced at about $25,000 US dollars in 2009, but the Sheriff’s Office currently has it under a lease agreement. The company, Draganfly Innovations Incorporated is a privately owned company who have been a pleasure to work with through this process, Miller said. Draganfly has a relationship with law enforcement in Canada, most likely based on the location of the company and thus was excited to work with a U.S. law enforcement agency who is enthusiastic about venturing in new FAA territory.

Casey Dodson flying the Draganflyer X6

Without trying any products but deciding on the Draganflyer X6, as an agency we couldn’t justify an outright purchase of the product. The FAA won’t permit demonstrations of UAVs without COAs. Thus, we were limited to on-line videos and personal recommendations, and technical articles to help us make our decision on the product that most fit our project guidelines.

“Right now we don’t own this equipment. We’re struggling to figure out how this exceptional technology that we believe will save lives can fit in an environment where out budget is cut and our employees are losing ground in employment benefits as cost savings measures are continually implemented by our County government,” Sheriff Stan Hilkey said. “Using tax payer funds for this type of important research and development has never been more unpopular. When and if the time comes to try and purchase this equipment we may attempt to use seized drug funds from our local seizure board, which will make this more acceptable to our struggling constituency, and also increase the collaboration with the resource as the seizure board has broad representation from all law enforcement agencies in our County.”

The Draganflyer X6 was chosen mainly because it fit the COA requirements and fit the needs of our agency simultaneously, with our desire to make the FAA process as stream lined as possible. Ben Miller says he reviewed at least 50 various UAV products before selecting the Draganflyer X6.

The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office has, to date, conducted over 72 Search and Rescue (SAR) missions in 2009. “With the ability to attain a bird’s eye view of a search area for a fraction of the cost of operating full-scale aviation assets, UAS technology is a great fit,” Hilkey said.

In direct reference to a SAR mission, anytime you have terrain that takes time to get across, you will save significant time by flying it. The perspective of having eyes at ground level – essentially

Ben Miller at the Command Center

six feet off the ground, versus having ‘eyes’ 200 feet off the ground – is greatly beneficial when looking at a vast amount of terrain. We can over lap that view with maps, information from the reporting party and this is one way to make a quicker incident action plan, and in Colorado less time to rescue equals more lives saved. We do anticipate that an initial

deployment during the first phases of a ‘hasty searching’ that occurs in SAR events could potentially save man hours and volunteer hours in the field.

Our effort is solidly based on the desire to add tools to make our jobs easier and safer, Hilkey emphasizes. In the SAR aspect, if we can deploy and find either our objective or clues to it, then it has proven to be valuable, especially in circumstances where persons are at risk due to climate, terrain, health, etc. In a tactical aspect, the measurement would be more in officer safety. How can we measure the ability to see hostile threats, or tactically be safer because we know the layout of a compound, terrain, etc., Hilkey went on to say.

Over the summer months of 2009, about 40 miles outside of Grand Junction, in a remote area along a two lane state highway, a pick-up truck with a trailer attached and a semi-truck crashed spilling hundreds of gallons of an acidic material. The Grand Junction Haz-Mat team arrived, but not before a number of first responders who attempted to control traffic and assist the occupants of the vehicles were exposed to toxic gases. Hazardous fumes were a major concern and trying to determine a safe boundary for all involved as well as the media took several hours. It is anticipated that the Draganflyer X6 could have been put in the air, above the spill with either live video and/or sensor payloads to quickly determine a safe range from the acidic fumes and total size of contaminated area.

Casey Dodson and Ben Miller

The X6 can also provide crime scene photographs, evidentiary search support and real time mission data to special response teams inside law enforcement. Tactical operations, such as a previous incident where we had a man who was thought to have barricaded himself in his house or position himself in the field surrounding his house. But deputies knew he had weapons and he was believed to be a danger to law enforcement. Looking back on that SWAT operation that took several hours through the night and into the early morning, Commanders on-scene believe that if we had the Draganflyer X6 in operation at the time, it could have been used to clear the farm field surrounding the suspect’s house. The man hours, the labor and the time it took to surround a large farm field – covering about ¼ of a mile around the house – could have been cut down to 20 or 30 minutes with one man operating the Draganflyer X6.

These are only a few examples of how Hilkey and his staff hope to put the Draganflyer X6 to use over the next year, really putting it to the test of this agency’s needs and thoroughly testing it for all the benefits to law enforcement. For any agency interested in learning more about the testing phase or the equipment being used by the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, email Miller at Benjamin.Miller@mesacounty.us.

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada – The Saskatoon Police Service working with Draganfly Innovations Inc. used the Draganflyer X6 Police UAV VTOL RC Helicopter to aid in evidence gathering for a car accident in urban Saskatoon.

The Draganflyer X6 camera system on the police UAV RC Helicopter is operated by a sworn member of the Saskatoon Police Service while it is flown by an employee of Draganfly Innovations Inc. The police officer tells the pilot where to fly the aircraft and while viewing what the camera sees. This allows the police officer to control the camera and take pictures when he or she wishes. These pictures are recorded in raw and jpeg format and will be used later by the police officers to analyze the scene and present information in court.

The Draganflyer X6 UAV RC Helicopter was used to take aerial photos of the scene of this urban traffic accident. The aerial of photos of this accident will be used by the Saskatoon Police to provide clear evidence for use in their investigation of this traffic accident.

Draganfly Innovations operating under approval of Transport Canada is able to provide assistance to police agencies with Draganflyer UAV helicopters day or night with in a 250 km radius of the city of Saskatoon in rural or urban environments. This 250 km range covers 10 of the 15 cities in Saskatchewan.

The Ontario Provincial Police (Kenora and Thunder Bay) operating under transport Canada approval is able to operate Draganflyer UAV helicopters in the province of Ontario. The Draganflyer X6 represents the first federally approved, commercially produced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle by an emergency service in North America.

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada – Draganfly Innovations Inc., operating under the approval of Transport Canada was called to the scene of a traffic accident in order to assist Saskatoon Police Service in gathering evidence for their investigation. This accident occurred 3km east of Runway 09 at YXE (Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport).

In order to maintain air traffic safety the Draganflyer X6 operator called the Saskatoon Tower to request clearance and notify them that they would be operating in the area. Saskatoon Tower raised the minimum landing approach for Runway 09 and safely redirected air traffic.

The Draganflyer X6 UAV RC Helicopter was used to take aerial photos of the scene of this urban traffic accident. The aerial photos of this accident will be used by the Saskatoon Police to provide clear evidence for use in their investigation of this traffic accident.

Draganfly Innovations Inc. operating under approval of Transport Canada is able to provide assistance to police agencies with Draganflyer UAV helicopters day or night within a 250 km radius of the city of Saskatoon in rural or urban environments. This 250 km range covers 10 of the 15 cities in Saskatchewan.

The Ontario Provincial Police (Kenora and Thunder Bay) operating under transport Canada approval is able to operate Draganflyer UAV helicopters in the province of Ontario. The Draganflyer X6 represents the first federally approved, commercially produced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operated by an emergency service in North America.

Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada December 23 2009 – Draganfly Innovations operating under the approval of Transport Canada was called to the scene of a traffic accident in order to assist Saskatoon Police in gathering evidence for their investigation.

The weather was extremely cold with winds blowing at 20kmh/12.4mph creating a wind chill of -37°C / -34.6°F . The Draganflyer X6 and held hand transmitter unit performed extremely well in these harsh conditions. The only limitations that were encounter were that of the operators’ hands becoming too cold to fly. In order to remedy this, the operators switched off. While one operator was flying the Draganflyer X6 the other operated sat in a warm vehicle to warm their hands.

The Draganflyer X6 UAV RC Helicopter was used to take aerial photos of the scene of this urban traffic accident. The aerial of photos of this accident will be used by the Saskatoon Police to provide clear evidence for use in their investigation of this traffic accident.

Draganfly Innovations operating under approval of Transport Canada is able to provide assistance to police agencies with Draganflyer UAV helicopters day or night with in a 250 km radius of the city of Saskatoon in rural or urban environments. This 250 km range covers 10 of the 15 cities in Saskatchewan.

The Ontario Provincial Police (Kenora and Thunder Bay) operating under transport Canada approval is able to operate Draganflyer UAV helicopters in the province of Ontario. The Draganflyer X6 represents the first federally approved, commercially produced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle by an emergency service in North America.

As you might imagine we get tons of e-mail and one of the requests we have been receiving is to see more Draganflyer X6 HD aerial video examples. Specifically people would like to see examples of flying in more wind and keeping the camera on a subject.

The aerial video on this page is the first in a series of videos to address some of these requests along with a brief description of how we got the shots.

Objective:

Shoot Draganflyer X6 1080p HD aerial video tracking moving subjects and flying in wind.

Equipment:

• Draganflyer X6 UAV RC Helicopter
• Panasonic SD9 1080p HD video camera
• Draganflyer SD9 camera mount with 5.8Ghz wireless video transmitter
• Video editing software – iMovie09
• Video editing workstation – 24” iMAC

Safety:

For those of you that have been shooting aerial video with traditional nitro or electric RC helicopters hopefully you can relate to this and for those new to aerial photography please understand safety is a big deal to you, your talent and those around you.

The first problem is that when you are flying something really cool it tends to draw a crowd. There have been many times when we are out in the middle of nowhere and to our surprise all of a sudden there is someone standing there watching what we are doing so “crowd control” is essential.

Everything is a trade-off and what we mean is that traditional nitro or electric RC helicopter platforms (yes, we fly traditional RC helicopters too) are very good at carrying a heavy payload and flying in strong winds but from a safety perspective they are often spinning a 1400mm or 1800mm rotor system at approximately 1,800rpm. The tip velocity and inertia in the rotor system is very high and can be extremely dangerous.

One of the great things about the Draganflyer X6 UAV RC helicopter is that it is a relatively safe power packed helicopter in a nice compact package. Because we are using six individual motors and six rotors they are much smaller, have very low inertia and worst case, if there is an accident, the Draganflyer X6 causes much less damage.

Most importantly always develop a safety plan, know where people are and set aside places for an emergency landing. For the Draganflyer X6, make sure anyone near the helicopter is wearing some form of eye protection and if you develop a crowd watching the shoot, make sure they are all together, positioned up-wind from the shoot and away from the action.

About the video:

People ask about video quality and flying in the wind often, and yes, it can be done. We have re-posted an article written last year about flying in the wind that may be of help. The article describes floating the helicopter in the wind and that same principle of “floating in the wind” was used to get the shots you see here.

Whether you are flying a real helicopter, a large RC helicopter or the Draganflyer X6 if you are fighting the wind you will get some form of vibration so get comfortable with the concept of floating your helicopter with the wind.

Shot breakdown:

• Opening shot, Mini Cooper driving up the street. The wind was blowing from behind the car, the pilot was positioned at the intersection and the driver was instructed to drive at the same pace as the helicopter. To get started we set the altitude of the helicopter and let the wind push it up the street with the car following behind. As the car neared the intersection we slowed the helicopter and yawed right to keep the car in frame.
• Lake bed sequences were a lot of fun. The wind was blowing pretty good and we intentionally got shots with the Draganflyer X6 shadow racing across the ground so you could get a feeling for the wind. In all cases we are starting out well past the Honda CRV and as the wind blows the helicopter past the vehicle, we yaw the helicopter to keep it in frame.
• In the clips with the Honda CRV the wind is blowing the helicopter left to right. Later during post production video editing to get the shots going right to left, we simply reversed the video.
• Slipping across the ground – again just letting the wind blow the helicopter. Be careful because the winds can change in speed and direction. From time-to-time make sure that you can stop the helicopter and penetrate the wind. If you cannot penetrate the wind, land, pack-up and stop for the day.
• Pilot walking through the lake bed. In these shots the helicopter is set in Altitude Hold mode and the pilot is simply walking along in light winds with the helicopter. The pilot is adjusting camera tilt and helicopter yaw to stay in frame.
• Swooping transition shot – we couldn’t resist … that shot was accomplished using an RC airplane equipped with the same Panasonic SD9 1080p HD camera. And it is just a fact that if you are going to pursue the aerial photography business you will end up having a variety of camera platforms. Think of them as tools. We know several people that use a wide range of platforms from the Draganflyer X6 to large turbine powered helicopters and planes to get the shots they need.
• Reflection transition – after the still image of the Draganflyer X6 in the video there is a reverse video shot of the Draganflyer X6 approaching the CRV to a hover. You will see the Draganflyer X6 reflection in the passenger window and in the next scene, we transition to the Mini Cooper with the Draganflyer X6 reflection in the drivers window. Again, the wind carries the Draganflyer X6 with the vehicle as we yaw to keep everything in frame.
• Rock formations and jeep – this clip was shot last year and honestly it was just good luck to have the jeep drive through the scene when it did.

Video Editing:

We use a wide range of video editing tools and video editing work stations but this particular video was electronically stabilized and edited using iMovie 09 on a 24” iMAC with 2GB of memory and 1.3TB of disk.

iMovie works very well with the Panasonic SD9. After shooting the footage we simply pop-out the SD memory card from the camera and using a USB adapter, plug it into the iMAC. If iMovie is already running it will think the SD memory card is the camera and allow you to preview the clips and select what clips you’ll import into the system.

Conclusion:

We hope you found this brief write-up, flying in wind article and video of interest. Enjoy your flying be safe and take some time to get comfortable floating that helicopter in the wind. The more confident you are in your flying abilities the better shots you will be able to get. Practice, practice, practice.

Recently NorthStudio.com used pictures from the Draganflyer X6 to make this spectacular aerial 360° panoramic interactive virtual tour. This virtual tour allows you to control where you want to see and what you want to zoom into too. The control of this virtual tour gives you the feeling of being on board the Draganflyer X6 seeing what it sees.

Draganflyer UAV Helicopter Virtual Tour Panorama

In order to make visually stunning virtual tours a Draganflyer X6 or Draganflyer X4 needs to be flown to the desired altitude. Then aerial photos need to be taken at every 20° resulting in 18 aerial photos. Next a photo is taken with the camera pointing directly down. These photos will then be combined by using panorama tools graphical interface (PTgui) software.

PTgui can stitch any number of photos into a panoramic image creating 360° cylindrical panoramas and even spherical 360×180 degree panoramas. The software stitches most panoramas full automatically how ever to achieve the results such as NorthStudio.com achieved in this panorama virtual tour some post production photo shop work is required.

For more information on how to get your Draganlfyer X6 or Draganflyer X4 pictures made into a virtual panoramic tour we recommend you check out the PTgui forums or contact NorthStudio.com.