In partnership with National Geographic, DJI has launched an aerial photography contest that is open to amateur and professional photographers, as well as first time UAS users.
The contest, which will take place from September 5 to October 31, will run on the photo-sharing platform Instagram, and is open to residents of the United States and Canada.
Those that are interested in participating in the contest can upload their best aerial images to their Instagram account, and hashtag their entry with #MyMavicContest and #NatGeoTravel.
Air
Air
Earth Networks introduces predictive weather offering for commercial UAS market
Ahead of the InterDrone conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, Earth Networks, which provides weather intelligence platforms, announced the launch of Sferic DroneFlight, which is an “advanced predictive weather offering specifically designed for rapidly growing commercial drone markets” within public safety, oil and gas, and construction, to name a few.
According to Earth Networks, Sferic DroneFlight delivers “hyperlocal wind forecasts for any latitude and longitude in the world.” This is significant for commercial UAS operations, as this platform answers the need for advanced weather data and helps with various aspects of UAS flights.
Aeroprobe adds two new micro air data computers to its product line
Aeroprobe Corporation, which is a global producer of air data measurement tools to aerospace, automotive, turbomachinery, wind turbine, and wind tunnel industries around the world, has added two new Micro Air Data Computers (μADC), the Pegasus and Destiny models, to its product line.
These models offer the accuracy and economical size of Aeroprobe’s current models, while introducing new and streamlined features.
Used to collect and process air flow data across a variety of applications and industries, μADCs offer a “complete system for air flow data acquisition and analysis” when used in combination with an air data probe like those from Aeroprobe’s extensive product line.
LLamasoft and Zipline partner to boost performance of public health supply chains using UAS
LLamasoft, which provides supply chain optimization technology, has partnered with Zipline, which operates the world’s only UAS delivery system of national scale, and sends urgent medical supplies to patients regardless of their location.
The two companies have been working together to simulate Zipline’s operations, and evaluate the cost and performance benefits that LLamasoft’s technology can bring to existing public health supply chains.
Since last October, Zipline has been operating in Rwanda, and the company is preparing to expand its operations into Tanzania.
UAS being used to monitor weekend traffic conditions at 2017 Great New York State Fair
Thanks to a joint effort between the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and the New York State Police, for the first time, state-owned UAS will be used to monitor weekend traffic conditions at the 2017 Great New York State Fair, which takes place from August 23 through September 4.
The UAS will be used to help the New York State Police and the State Department of Transportation monitor traffic and parking lot capacity during the weekends, which tend to be the highest attended days of the 13-day extravaganza.
All parties are involved are excited about the use of this technology.
Unmanned Applications Institute International and ISight RPV Services merge to form Midwest Drone Group
According to the Grand Forks Herald, Unmanned Applications Institute (UAI) International and ISight RPV Services have merged together to form the Midwest Drone Group.
The two companies, which are both stationed at the Center for Innovation on the campus of the University of North Dakota, have a combined 11 employees that perform operations across 15 states.
“The last couple of years we have been working very closely together -- sharing people, sharing assets,” says Tommy Kenville, the Midwest president who founded UAI.
DJI partners with South Korea’s Zanybros to provide UAS for filming and production projects
In an effort to take “video content creation to new heights,” DJI has partnered with Zanybros, which is South Korea’s top production house that specializes in music video and commercial filmmaking.
Through this strategic partnership, DJI will provide its hardware and technical support to the future filming and production projects by Zanybros.
There are also plans to work on training programs for professionals—specifically those in the music and entertainment industry—to find new and innovative ways to produce Korean-Pop (K-Pop) content.
General Atomics’ MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range UAS completes 41.9-hour endurance flight
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has announced that on August 6, its MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range (MQ-1C ER) UAS completed a 41.9-hour endurance flight, which surpassed the 40 hour flight test goal.
The UAS flew out of El Mirage, California in a “representative U.S. Army mission configuration.”
“This is an important milestone for the MQ-1C ER program,” says David R. Alexander, president, Aircraft Systems, GA-ASI.
“The MQ-1C ER represents a significant enhancement in capability over the currently fielded MQ-1C and will be a game changer on the battlefield in support of our Army customer.”
This month, the MQ-1C ER production aircraft will begin flight testing for evaluation of the Army's First Article Test (FAT).
Canada’s Regina Police Service Traffic Unit receives DJI Phantom 4 UAS
In Regina, Saskatchewan, the Regina Police Service (RPS) Traffic Unit hopes to soon begin using a new DJI Phantom 4 Pro UAS for a variety of tasks, after the RPS received the unmanned system in early August.
Before the RPS Traffic Unit can use the UAS, Transport Canada must first certify the RPS for UAS use. That process has already started.
If and when the UAS is eligible to be used, there will be several use cases for it according to Constable Curtis Warnar.
“Say if we were doing a scene here and you had some skid marks or roadway evidence, you’re only seeing one angle versus when you can get up in the air and see the full picture,” Warnar says via Global News.