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.
UAS
UAS
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.
Washington state's Spokane Fire Department to add fourth UAS to its fleet
According to The Drive, the Spokane Fire Department (SFD) in Washington state is preparing to welcome a fourth UAS to its fleet of unmanned aerial systems, as a part of the SFD’s UAS program.
Currently, the SFD has three UAS that cost approximately $1,150 each, but the latest UAS will cost more than those three UAS combined, with a price tag of $9,000.
Including the costs of the actual UAS themselves, the SFD has spent approximately $28,000 so far on various UAS-related items such as cameras, batteries, and accessories, according to City spokesman Brian Coddington.
FlightWave introduces hydrogen-powered Jupiter-H2 UAS
A few weeks after introducing its FlightWave Edge UAS, FlightWave Aerospace Systems, Inc. has now introduced its hydrogen-powered Jupiter-H2 UAS, which is the company’s second offering to the UAS community.
Thanks to a partnership with a UK-based fuel cell company called Intelligent Energy, FlightWave was able to equip the Jupiter-H2 UAS with the hydrogen fuel cell technology that powers the aircraft.
The hydrogen fuel cell technology gives the UAS, which uses a “narrow-profile 70 cm airframe, with a high-thrust power plant consisting of eight motors driving cross-flowing fan blades,” several distinct features, such as its heavy-lifting capability. FlightWave notes that extra energy and lighter energy means more power to lift and carry the respective sensors of a user.
2nd Annual Arizona UAS Summit & Expo
The second annual Arizona UAS Summit & Expo will once again highlight the crucial storylines and emerging trends shaping the unmanned aircraft systems industry on the national and regional levels. Produced by the team from UAS Magazine in collaboration with the Arizona Regional Economic Development Foundation, this year’s event will feature three days of expert commentary, high-level presentations and networking opportunities designed for decision makers currently or potentially linked to UAS.
With more than 1,200 aerospace companies and the largest government-based UAS center in the world located in Arizona, the Southwest’s role in furthering the breakout of commercial UAS activity or the continuation of mission critical UAS operations is primed to expand.
AUVSI Announces Initiatives for Enhancing UAS Safety and Performance
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 6, 2017
Contact: Tom McMahon, tmcmahon@auvsi.org, (571) 255-7786
Quinsigamond Community College to offer UAS certificate program
Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, Massachusetts has become the first community college in the state to offer a UAS certificate program.
The certificate program will feature a “series of online and in-person courses” designed to give students a comprehensive education on UAS, while helping them prepare to take and ultimately pass the FAA Drone Pilot Exam.
Washington state patrol hoping to use UAS to investigate traffic accidents
In an effort to “improve safety for troopers on the ground and cut down the time roads are closed for crash scene investigations,” a handful of members of the Washington state patrol is learning to fly UAS so that they can investigate traffic accidents from the sky.
While some law enforcement agencies in Washington already use UAS, this is the first time that this technology has been used by state troopers.
According to Q13 Fox News, the UAS, which are manufactured by Lockheed Martin, will give detectives a “bird’s eye view of crash scenes,” and once the data is uploaded into a laptop, it will provide investigators with precise measurements.
Weekend Roundup
This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World
Yuneec International has announced that its “first product offering dedicated to commercial use,” the H520 sUAS, is now available. The H520 sUAS, which uses Yuneec’s six-rotor platform, includes enterprise-grade cameras and mission planning software, making it useful commercially across a variety of verticals such as construction, inspection and public safety. Some of the offerings of the sUAS include an assortment of payload options, reliable and stable flight, and an integrated ground controller. (Yuneec)
