Some of the best places for solar power–like the Mojave Desert, where the world’s largest solar thermal farm sprawls over 3,500 acres–also happen to be dry and dusty. Fine layers of sand or grime often stop equipment from stop working well. Now there’s a new way to keep panels clean: quadcopters that fly back and forth carrying little brushes.
Category Archives: VTOL
Yamaha Waits for FAA Approval on Agricultural UAS
The Yamaha Motor Co. is waiting to hear whether the Federal Aviation Administration will grant its RMAX drone a regulatory exemption that will let it operate commercially in certain areas of the U.S. The helicopter has been used in Japan for about two decades to spray crops.
Goose Attacks DJI Phantom on Golf Course
Golf-course aerial photography by QuadCopter (at least in the areas where they’re legally allowed to fly) is all the rage at the moment. These small, pilotless, radio-controlled devices can capture golf-course views you used to need a chopper to get — or couldn’t get at all. Continue reading
Hawk Attacks QuadCopter in Cambridge Park
On Oct 8th, Christopher Schmidt was flying his quadcopter at Magazine Beach Park in Cambridge, when a hawk decided he wasn’t too happy with his invasion of his airspace… Continue reading
Flying Production Invents Da Vinci
Flying Production Ltd – a developer of Defence and HLS solutions, including Multi-Rotor Platforms – will launch Da-Vinci, a compact, lightweight, multi-rotor VTOL sUAS platform at upcoming AUSA 2014. The complete system, which is ideal for urban warfare observation missions, includes a Portable Ground Control Station and Dual Sensor EO/IR Payload. A number of Da-Vinci systems have already been sold to an Eastern European country.
Drone Racing Through French Woods
A group of French multi-copter racing fans took to the woods in Airgonay, France for a trial run of ‘Drone Racing’. The goal is to organize a larger drone racing event in the future. Continue reading
senseFly’s eXom Offers Situational Awareness
senseFly is introducing eXom, a next-generation quadcopter that offers professional users unprecedented situational awareness. Continue reading
AeriCam Anura–Smart Phone Size QuadCopter
Anura is a flying camera-equipped quadcopter that fits into your pocket so you can take it with you for the day. The creation of AeriCam, a four-year-old company founded by a commercial photographer with a passion for remote-controlled flying devices, the Anura is a flying quadcopter that, when its wings are folded into the main body, is about the size of a thicker iPhone 6. Continue reading