UAV Industry News

On Tuesday August 24 2010 Draganfly Innovations unveiled the all new Draganflyer X8 at the annual AUVSI conference in Denver Colorado. Draganfly Innovations is demonstrating the Draganflyer X8 at their booth inside a 10×10 foot octagonal cage and also in the aviation demonstration area at the AUVSI trade show.

You can find Draganfly Innovations at booth number 2025 and flying in the aviation demonstration area each demonstration day from 11:00 to 12:00 am.

Along with the Draganflyer X8, Draganfly Innovations also unveiled the new hand held ground control station (GCS). The optional hand held GCS combines all the features of the Draganflyer controller and the Video base station into one ergonomically designed package.

The innovative hand held GCS is capable of displaying real time video from the helicopter on its 6.3 inch daylight viewable bright LCD screen. The displayed video can also be recorded with the use of the hand held GCS built in digital video recorder. Running a linux operating system on an Intel Atom Z530 CPU makes this new hand held GCS capable of running Draganview software right on the controller. All the features of the video base station and the controller right in the palm of your hands.

The Draganflyer X8 UAV helicopter will be featured at the 2010 AUVSI (Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International) conference. We will be flying the Draganflyer X8 UAV inside a 10×10 foot octagonal cage, inside the conference hall. You can see the Draganflyer X8 UAV in action at our booth (# 2025) from August 24 to 27 2010. We will also be flying the Draganflyer X8 UAV in the aviation demonstration area from 11:00 to 12:00 AM on each demonstration day.

The Draganflyer X8 UAV is larger than our other UAV models, using 8 independently driven rotor blades for thrust and control. Besides giving the Draganflyer X8 more stability in windy conditions and better visibility, the increased size allows for a payload capacity of 1 kilogram (2.2 lbs). This increased payload capacity will allow the Draganfly X8 UAV to carry a selection of high resolution DSLR still cameras for professional photography applications. The Draganflyer X8 UAV will also support low light, FLIR infrared and other specialized cameras for police, government and military applications. The following video shows a computer rendering of the Draganflyer X8 UAV helicopter.

The Draganflyer X8 will be our first UAV to offer true digital video transmission using an IP camera system. The soon to be released IP camera systems transmit video over a wireless 802.11n wifi connection, forming a small local network between the transmitter and receiving station. Digital video and IP cameras support the following features:

• Simultaneous pictures and video – Each IP camera has an internal memory buffer that stores video before it is transmitted. This means that you can take high resolution digital still photos with the IP camera while it is still recording video, allowing you to get exactly the pictures that you need.
• Security and encryption – The IP cameras operate over their own wireless network, which can be encrypted to prevent unauthorized access to the video stream.
• Reduced interference – Digital video is much less susceptible to interference than analog video. Reduced signal strength usually results in a lower frame rate, but not decreased image quality.

IP video cameras will be offered with the Draganflyer X8 and Draganflyer X6 in the near future. We will also have a video conversion kit available, that converts signals from our analog camera selection to digital video and broadcasts it over the 802.11n protocol.

Draganfly Innovations. Inc staff will be present during the entire event, and we will be flying the Draganflyer X8 UAV in the conference hall. Features such as the video base station, wireless telemetry, handheld controller and HUD features will be demonstrated. However, as we will be flying indoors the Draganflyer X8 UAV will not have a GPS signal to use for the GPS hold function.

You can learn more about the Draganflyer X8 UAV helicopter on our website. You can also visit the AUVSI website for scheduling, hotel, transport, and entrance fee information.

The Draganflyer X6 UAV Helicopter was recently featured on defensetech.org, a website that writes about current military technologies and applications. One of the defensetech.org reporters was in Farnborough England and found our reseller, Air2Air Ltd. was demonstrating the Draganflyer X6. The following video was taken on the site of the demonstration:

The defensetech.org news article notes that the Draganflyer X6 can by flown by practically anyone with only a few hours of flight training. Although the Draganflyer UAV helicopters are highly maneuverable, they have a sophisticated flight computer and 11 onboard sensors that allow pilots to focus on getting outstanding aerial pictures and video.

You can learn more about the Draganflyer UAV helicopters on our website. You can also read the defensetech.org news article.

The Draganflyer X4, Draganflyer X6 and Draganflyer X8 UAV RC helicopters will be featured at the 2010 AUVSI (Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International) conference. We will be demonstrating all of our UAV RC helicopters live in the conference hall and will also have an information booth with staff available to answer questions. A prototype for the upcoming Draganflyer X8 UAV helicopter will be flown as well. We will be located in booth #2025 and will be demonstrating for the duration of the conference which runs from August 24 to 27 2010.

The AUVSI (Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International) was formed in 1972 when the use of unmanned target drones in the Vietnam War prompted the creation of the National Association of Remotely Piloted Vehicles (NARPV). NARPV eventually grew as the industry expanded, leading to the creation of the modern AUVSI organization. The AUVSI is dedicated to promoting the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) through education, communication, and leadership. This year’s AUVSI conference is expecting record attendance in excess of 5000 visitors from over 30 different countries. There will also be more than 100 international speakers giving presentations on the UAV industry and latest developments. This years tradeshow will feature live demonstrations from a wide variety of exhibits. Draganfly Innovations Inc. was the first company to demonstrate live at the AUVSI at the 2009 conference, blazing the trail for other live demonstrations in the following years.

Draganfly Innovations Inc. staff will be flying all of our UAV helicopters indoors, and we will demonstrate our UAV helicopters features including aerial photography, aerial videography, and the computer controlled base station with wireless telemetry and an HUD display. Because we will be flying indoors we will not be able to demonstrate the GPS hold feature. The following AUVSI promotional video shows some of the technology that will be present at this years conference.

You can learn more about the Draganflyer UAV helicopters on our website. You can also visit the AUVSI website for scheduling, hotel, transport, and entrance fee information.

northStudio.com has recently launched an innovative new aerial tour web product, that uses the Draganflyer X6 RC helicopter UAV for high resolution aerial photography. northStudio is a web design agency that uses state of the art technology to deliver professional grade web design services to organizations such as:

• The University of Delaware
• The University of British Columbia (UBC)
• The Vancouver Island Advanced Technology Center (VIATEC)
• The British Columbia Integrated Land Management Bureau
• The Kinsmen Home Lottery

northStudio’s latest product is a Java application that delivers high quality aerial virtual panoramic tours. The new technology allows web visitors to “fly through” properties, and click on ground features for an eye level view. A clean and simple user interface provides a beautiful and crisp image of the entire site, with clickable ground markers showing locations where high resolution ground views are available (just pan up to see the Draganflyer X6 UAV hovering overhead). These interactive tours give visitors much more information than simple still pictures and descriptions do, allowing companies, resorts, golf courses, and real-estate agents to advertise their properties more effectively.

The interactive, online Java application can be used in full-screen mode, giving you a seamless view of the entire surveyed property.  Smooth transitions between views add to the elegance of the user interface and allow you to “fly” over the featured site. The web applications works in multiple browsers on both Windows and Mac OS, so you can demonstrate your location to all your site visitors. Pictures are taken in high resolution allowing you to zoom in by a huge amount, even from the sky.

Project features include:

• Up close aerial views from the Draganflyer X6 UAV RC helicopter
• Aerial Mapping
• Multi browser compatability – works with common web browsers
• Support for both Mac and Windows
• Transitions between views that simulate a moving camera
• Full screen view
• Intuitive navigation interface – click and drag to move around.
• Hotspots – you can label important ground positions and click to zoom in to an eye level view.
• Zoom capability
• Thumbnail  navigation – click on the thumbnails at the bottom of the application to visit all featured Hotspots.

While viewing the aerial tour, you can right click on the northStudio icon in the upper right corner of the application to see viewing options. Be sure to check out the Fisheye, Stereographic, Architectural, and Planet views.  Click the monitor icon in the lower right hand corner to go to full screen mode.

northStudio was using full size, expensive helicopters and camera equipment prior to the Draganflyer X6, but were unable to get close enough to the ground for the high resolution images their latest tours feature. The Draganflyer X6 is the perfect solution, allowing northStudio photographers the opportunity to get clear aerial pictures at an altitude suited to the project at hand. With the Draganflyer X6 and the Panasonic Lumix 10.1 mega pixel digital still camera, northStudio’s latest product is a functional and very attractive addition to any website that needs to show visitors their properties or facilities.

Take your website to the next level using the Draganflyer X6 UAV helicopter for aerial photography and northStudio’s 360 degree aerial tours to present the results. You can learn more about the Draganflyer X6 UAV RC helicopter on our website, and you can also check out northStudio’s Virtual Tours for more information about their services.

The Draganflyer UAV RC helicopters will be featured at the 2010 International Conference for Police and Law Enforcement Executives. The event, which runs from May 2 to 4, will consist of both a trade show and a conference where an international panel will discuss this year’s topic: “Strategic Policing: The Future in the Present”. The conference will focus on the growing importance of utilizing a strategic approach in leading your organization and in managing your career. The speakers will also highlight recent case studies.

The Draganflyer X6 UAV RC helicopter is already used by several police organizations, including the:

• Ontario Provincial Police Department (OPP)
• Mesa County Sheriffs Office
• Saskatoon City Police

By attending the 2010 International Conference for Police and Law Enforcement Executives, Draganfly Innovations will demonstrate our latest products and innovations to police organizations around the world.

The 2010 International Conference for Police and Law Enforcement Executives runs from May 2 to May 4 at the Sheraton Parkway Hotel in Richmond Hill Ontario.

The Draganflyer X6 UAV RC helicopter was recently featured at the Blue Line Police Tradeshow as part of the Ontario Provincial Police Department’s (OPP) display. The Blue Line Tradeshow runs annually and provides a forum for companies to demonstrate their products and innovations to the various Canadian Police Services including:

• Federal, Provincial, and Municipal Police Agencies
• Parks Canada
• Customs Canada
• The Ministry of the Environment
• Correctional Services

Other security services for hospitals, transit systems, universities, and even private business also attend the Blue Line Tradeshow to keep up with the latest law enforcement technology developments.

This year’s tradeshow included demonstrations of ambidextrous assault rifles, new generation gas masks, and even color-coded handcuffs. CTV Toronto reports: “It (The Blue Line Tradeshow) comes as the city prepares for the G20 convention and the arrival of some of the world’s top leaders – giving officers a glimpse of how the latest technology can combat everything from rowdy crowds and bomb threats to outward acts of terrorism.”

Security is about more than just weapons though, as forensic officer with the Ontario Provincial Police Department (OPP) Richard Cunningham explains: “It’s about all the tools that are available to keep the public – and the officers – safe.” Officer Cunningham is one of the Ontario Police Departments two pilots authorized to fly the Draganflyer X6 helicopter UAV. The Ontario police use the Draganflyer X6 UAV helicopter as a stable, secure UAV aerial platform to take pictures and video of crime scenes.

Officer Cunningham goes on to say that the Draganflyer X6 UAV may see other future applications, including those which directly endanger police officers (such as a bomb threat).

You can learn more about the Draganflyer X6 and X4 UAV RC helicopters on our website, or read the CTV Toronto article.