Mining computer tech company Maptek has made a significant investment in an Adelaide-based start-up, DroneMetrex . Dronemetrex has developed an innovative new system for aerial photogrammetric mapping from a small unmanned aircraft system (UAS) called the Topodrone-100. Continue reading
Category Archives: Non-Military & Commercial UAS
UAS Plus Algorithms Stop Poaching in Africa
This week, a major summit began in London aimed at tacking the $19 billion a year trade in illegal wildlife trade, which is causing the populations of some of the most charismatic and endangered species on Earth to crash to critical levels. Last year, 1,004 rhinos were killed in South Africa alone, and more than 25,000 elephants were killed by poachers across Africa. That is three elephants every hour, every day. If there is one thing that every participant at the summit can agree on, it is that the current approach is not working. Continue reading
Singapore’s ST Aerospace Displays CM100 Gimbal from UAV Vision of Australia on its USTAR-Y UAS
Presented at the Singapore Air Show 2 weeks ago, the USTAR-Y from ST Aerospace is a portable hexa-rotor UAS, specially designed for urban and open terrain applications. The VTOL concept provides adaptability and manoeuvrability, and also has a tool-less assembly which allows for a quick system set-up, thus reducing turnaround time. Continue reading
Sweden’s Hexagon Acquires Germany’s Aibotix
Swedish measurement and design group Hexagon has acquired the German UAS manufacturer Aibotix. The acquisition was made in order to complement the Life of Mine solution put out by Leica Geosystems. The jewel in the Aibotix crown is the Aibot X6, a six-blade rotor system or ‘hexacopter’, representing a new generation of vertical take-off and landing UAS that will be used to implement aerial mine mapping through the Life of Mine software. Continue reading
UAS Help New Zealand Farmer Count Sheep and Assess Grass Quality
Three years ago, New Zealand farmer Neil Gardyne was watching a documentary about the war in Afghanistan and became inspired about new practical farming methods to farm his upland sheep, beef and arable farm in the Otama Valley, near Gore. “I was watching the documentary with my son Mark, and we were looking at how UAS were being operated for military purposes. It got us thinking how we could use such technology on our farm,” he says.
Netflix “Drone2Home” Delivery Service
Netflix has issued a late response to the Amazon spoof about delivery by UAS. Continue reading
High-Def UAS Video Sells Real Estate in Fort Lauderdale
Local 10 News in Fort Lauderdale reports that small UAS rigged with cameras they can give you an aerial view for a fraction of the cost of aerial photography. Continue reading
Singapore-Israel Cooperation Leads to World’s First Civilian Fuel Cell UAS
Horizon Energy Systems of Singapore has produced an ultra-light fuel cell power system that has led to a new flight duration breakthrough for civilian unmanned aircraft systems. As part of a cooperation between Singapore and Israel, the programme has enabled the start of commercialisation of a first hydrogen fuel cell powered, long endurance civilian UA system able to fly for up to 10 hours at a time, able to cover a much wider area and lowering operational cost for end-users. Continue reading