Will China Dominate UAV Technology?

Chinese consumer drone companies have been pace-setters in recent years, taking up more than 70% of global market share. Chinese military UAVs are also making significant progress. Swarm intelligence is the key to military artificial intelligence. In a recent flight experiment, the quantity of swarm fixed-wing UAV has reached 67, while the record was kept by US Navy at 50. This marks a significant breakthrough of China. It also means China has entered the first tier of UAV technology.

China has developed leading UAV technology, which is more advanced than that of US in a few fields. However, if China is to remain its juicy market share in consumer drones, the transition from functional drones to intelligent drones is necessary.

Portable drone Mavic is designed and produced by Chinese drone company DJI. When folded, it is the size of a water bottle. While the flight time of Mavic reached 27 minutes. GoPro released its Karma drone around the same time, which soon was recalled due to quality issues. Without intelligent features like obstacle sensing and automatic tracking, it is hardly a smart drone. Yang Jincai, President of Shenzhen UAV Industry Association said: “Everyday there is a new drone here in Shenzhen, the capital of drone.”

Shenzhen produces 70% consumer drones in the world. Giant like DJI and ZeroTech, or UAV start-ups, all rely on the mature electronic industry chain and government’s “Made in China 2025” strategy. The strategy is also beneficial to military drones. CH-5, China’s military UAV, has longer flight time and bigger bomb load than US Predator UAV.

Just in Aviation Industry Corporation of China, there are five crucial UAV lines including Long, Ying, Yiing, Bing and unmanned helicopter. In the 2016 Zhuhai Airshow, this company displayed their latest MagLev aircraft, which took an appearance of UFO in Sci-fi movies.

President Yang JIncai commented: “The manufacture of hardware and other industries are faced with the fourth industrial revolution.” Chinese corporations should make best of their advantages in software engineering and manufacture of intelligent hardware.

UAVs are the phosphor of “Made in China 2025”, requiring integration of more technologies including AI, VR and AR. Multiple cooperation is also needed to further the industry development.

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“A Worldwide “Industrial Revolution in the Sky” Ushered in by Drones

The drones have been acting as the eyes and ears of army. In recent years, with various advantages such as small size, cheap price and easy operation, drones are not only used in army now, but also in traditional aerial photography, logistics, industrial exploration and agricultural management as well as some other new fields.

Photo from the Internet

Earlier in July 2016, the Britain cops used a drone in finding the escaped lynx. According to Daily Mail, Devon and Cornwall Police are set to launch the first 24-hour drone unit in the UK. They’ll be used to help officers with investigations, by searching for missing people and taking photographs of crime scenes, for instance. Have you ever been caught in a situation where you failed to find the commodity in a supermarket? A drone may solve this problem. According to Fortune, a large-scale supermarket is going to get drone patent for in-store delivery. The idea is to free customers from having to walk across its super-sized emporiums to find what they want and from having to wait while employees return from far-away storerooms. If you order a cup of coffee in the supermarket, the drone will also delivery it for you.

With drones, the office workers no longer have to worry about their pets at home. An American business machine company plans to use drone as the “nurse” and “trainer” for pets. This drone will be equipped with a microphone to detect pets’ cry or bark and a temperature sensor to detect whether the pets have a fever. The drone can also track the pets’ activity area to confirm whether the pets have entered restricted area. While playing with the pet, the drone can also give “verbal praise” or drop a piece of food as a reward. When the drone detects that the pets need to answer a call of nature, it will work cooperatively with other intelligent smart home equipment to let the pets go out.

As the application fields extend, drones’ intelligent operation capacity has been improved. It is said that the Russian drone pilots may soon get a revolutionary virtual reality helmet to pilot unmanned aircraft and get an HD view of terrain and enemy targets. In 2016, a Norwegian laboratory showed their idiodynamic drone that they have been developing. With just a blink of your eyes, the drone can turn the pilot’s brainwave into flight signals.

In rencent years, the drone industry is growing fast in the world. People’s recognition and demand for drones are increasing. With more and more powerful functions, the drones will definitely usher in a worldwide “industrial revolution in the sky”.

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DJI Offers Rewards to Informants Reporting Trouble-makers Disturbing Normal Flights in Chengdu

Recently, drones have been detected in the No-fly Zone near Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport for several times, disturbing normal take-off and landing of civil aviation flights. On April 14^th, 17^th, 18^th and 21^st 2017, over 100 flights were forced to land or return to the airport and over 10,000 passengers were stranded at the airport. The Chengdu Police has placed this case on file and started and will investigate and carry out punishments on relevant people involved in the case.

The malignant behaviors mentioned above not only threatened aviation safety and public safety, but also greatly deteriorated people’s impression on civil drones. As the leader of consumer drones, DJI denounced this kind of behavior and will work together with relevant supervision departments and the public to punish them.

Thus, DJI decided to offer rewards to informants who can provide useful clues to help find out the trouble-makers.

See the details as below:

Reward Period: April 25^th 2017-December 31^st 2017

Reward Target: During the reward period, those informants who can provide crucial clues and help track down the criminals and those who have direct contributions to solving the case.

Reward Amount: Maximum amount up to 1 million CNY

Report Approach: Contact Chengdu Police

DJI is obligatory to safeguard airspace safety and guarantee healthy development of drone industry. DJI expects to popularize and advocate drone safety awareness in society in order to lay foundation for civil drones’ healthy development in China.

DJI

April 25^th 2017

0755-36356042

xiansuo@dji.com

【Appendix】

According to news report, the details are as follows:

On April 14th (2:05pm), drones were detected in the No-fly Zone, 30 kilometers away in the north of the Airstrip West of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. Three passenger planes were forced to detour and the flights on the ground was delayed for 5 minutes;

On April 17th, drones were detected in the No-fly Zone, 18 kilometers (Pidu District) away in the north of the Airstrip West of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. Several flights within this area were forced to hover in the air and 12 flights inbound for Chengdu were forced to land at other airports;

On April 18th (6:26pm and 6:38pm), drones were detected in the No-fly Zones 3.7 kilometers (Shuangliu District) and 14.8 kilometers (Chongzhou District) away successively in the north of the Airstrip West of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. 22 flights were forced to land at other airports and 23 outbound flights were delayed.

Sichuan Provincial Public Security Bureau reported again on April 21st that 4 private drones were detected in Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. 58 flights were forced to land at other airports, 4 flights were forced to return to home and over 10,000 passengers were stranded in the airport.

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DJI Phantom 4 Advanced Compromises Obstacle Avoidance for…

From Netease Drone

While the DJI Phantom 4’s production is to be dropped from the production line by the end of this month, DJI released the Phantom 4 Advanced with similar configuration but much cheaper price. Well, is the Phantom 4 Advanced an update or simplified version of Phantom 4?

Twin Brother of Phantom 4

Phantom 4 Advanced continues the appearance of Phantom 4 series. It is hard to tell the specific model when looking at it in the front. But when you look at it from the side, it is similar to Phantom 4 without the left and right infrared sensors. It is said that the remote controller of Phantom 4 Advanced only supports 2.4GHz instead of the 2.4GHz & 5.8GHz dual bands in Phantom 4 Pro. The Phantom 4 Advanced is like a “twin brother” of Phantom 4.

Similar Configuration to Phantom 4 Pro

Yet, Phantom 4 Advanced also feature similar configuration to Phantom 4 Pro: equipped with the same camera of Phantom 4 Pro, it can record professional 4K video. A mechanical shutter is used to eliminate rolling shutter distortion which can occur when taking images of fast moving subjects or when flying at high speed. And the remote controller is simplified without compromise in image transmission and control range.

Besides, Phantom 4 Advanced also feature a wide range of intelligent flight options: Draw, TapFly, ActiveTrack, Gesture Mode, etc. allowing the users more freedom in aerial photography.
 

Draw

Many customers think that the Phantom 4 Pro is remarkable but the price is too high compared to the Phantom 4. The Obstacle Avoidance can only be used in Beginner Mode and Tripod Mode. Without the right, left and rearward vision sensors, and with a simplified remote controller, the Phantom 4 Advanced is 1000 CNY cheaper than the Phantom 4 Pro. This must be DJI’s response to the market feedback. According to Mr. Paul Xu, Director of DJI Enterprise Solutions, General Manager of Unmanned Aerial System Training Center, the Phantom 4 Advanced features the best aerial camera, which indicates that DJI will focus on this function to cut down the cost. Undoubtedly, the Phantom 4 Advanced will affect the sales of Phantom 4 Pro.

 

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DJI Merge Power and Smart Features to Give the Gift of Flight to All

If you’ve never experienced flying a drone then taking the first steps to selecting which drone to purchase and flying for the very first time may seem a little daunting.  There are several different manufacturers out there offering different types of drones for different uses. These uses include racing, video and photography or simply for the fun of flying and it’s important to select the drone that best matches your needs.

One of the world’s largest drone manufacturers, with seven out of every ten consumer drones in the sky, is DJI.  DJI have a range of drones in their line-up ranging from the easy-to-fly straight of the box Phantom range to the more prosumer interchangeable lens Inspire series and onto the professional Matrice series used for films and industrial inspections.

The latest addition to the Phantom series, the Phantom 4 Advanced Credit:DJI

The latest addition to the Inspire series, the Inspire 2 Credit: DJI

The latest addition to the Matrice series, the M210 Credit:DJI

DJI also shook up the market with the Mavic Pro, a drone that folds up to just the size of a small water bottle and weighs less than 750g.  You may think that in order to achieve a drone of this size some of the smart features included in other DJI drones needed to be discarded but this is not the case.  The DJI Mavic Pro not only includes the same intelligent features as other DJI drones but goes even further and enhances them. Its compact size hides a high degree of complexity that makes it one of DJI’s most sophisticated flying cameras ever.

“We merged power and smart features making it easy for everyone to fly and create beautiful images,” explained a DJI spokesperson.  “The toughest challenge for us was finding the sweet spots between form and function.”

With 24 high-performance computing cores, five vision sensors to help avoid bumps and scrapes, and a 4K camera stabilized by a 3-axis mechanical gimbal, the Mavic Pro helps to turn the sky into your very own canvas ready for you to create your own masterpiece easily and without worry.

The DJI Mavic Pro fits in the palm of your hand Credit: The Verge

The DJI Mavic Pro is the perfect example of what the DJI CEO Frank Wang strived for when first setting up the company just over ten years ago. His aim was to make it easy for anyone to pick-up a radio control and fly without the frustrations and difficulty associated with keeping radio controlled helicopters in the air.

They say that a picture tells a thousand words and thanks to DJI innovations simplifying flight and aerial imaging for all, there are an almost infinite number of words to be told.

 

 

 

 

 

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Drones: An Evolving New Tool for Realtors

Drones are transforming a variety of industries, from delivery services through to inspecting solar panels and everything in between. One pioneering sector that long ago embraced drone technology is real estate. Back in 2012, when drones were still in their infancy, realty commentators like Anita Cooper broadened the industry for the new breed of airborne robots by writing educational articles in trade magazines and websites. With the passage of time, drones have now become a crutial part of the realty business landscape.

Ernie Miller of Cecil County, for example, has been an avid cinematographer since childhood. He has integrated that passion into his realty day job by capturing shots of properties with a drone. To do so legally in the USA, realtors must have an appropriate exemption or pass the Part 107 exam from the FAA.

Ernie uses a Phantom 4 aircraft manufactured by the drone industry leader, DJI. The Phantom 4 has a 4K camera, can travel up to 4.3 miles from the operator and has a front-facing obstacle sensing system. The camera can capture butter-smooth, fluid shots which is a crucial feature for real estate footage.

Miller explains the virtues of using drones, particularly in rural areas, “it is ideal when you have a large property or a farm,” he explains. “It’s also great for waterfront properties. Shooting from the air gives you a good angle of the property from the water. You are able to get the dock and the home in the background. Getting a shot from a boat, you don’t get the scope of the property like you do shooting from a drone.”

Hud Benson, is another local realtor who utilizes drones. He began his drone journey using the DJI Phantom 2 Vision in 2014.

The legacy drone models used by both Miller and Benson have been superseded by far more capable aircraft, recently launched by DJI. Notably, the Phantom 4 Professional has a 1-inch 20MP CMOS sensor able to capture 4K-resolution at 60fps. The aircraft boasts a network of forward, rear, side and downward sensors for obstacle avoidance.

The brand new Phantom 4 Advanced released by DJI in April 2017 features an identical camera sensor to the Phantom 4 Professional, but does not have the rear and side obstacle avoidance sensors.

With both models you get the option to have DJI’s remote controller with an integrated high-brightness display.

The advantage of using a drone for real estate is that the full overview of a property can be captured – cheaply. The only alternative would be using an expensive helicopter or airplane. Luxury properties, in particular, benefit from the characteristic cinematic long sweeping shot that can be achieved with a drone.

“I have used my drone to shoot farms that are for sale,” Benson comments, “it is also a nice tool for doing an elevation photo of a home in a case where the neighborhood is an asset and you want to show where that home is in relationship to the other homes and the surroundings.”

Very generously, Benson also frames an aerial shot of a property and gifts that to the realty customer after they transition into their new home.

As evidenced by both Miller and Benson, realtors have much to gain from incorporating drones into their workflow. Utilizing drones in the realty sector will only become more popular as this astounding technology continues to evolve.

 

 

 

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NAB 2017 – Must See Attractions

This year at NAB Show in the Las Vegas convention center, the 1 million square feet of floor space will have specialized segments called pavilions or attractions, each focused on a specific industry or location. There are 27 different pavilions announced and with such a large floor plan it may be difficult to know where to concentrate your efforts. Here are what we consider the top most exciting attractions.

(screenshot from NABSHOW website)

Aerial Robotics and Drone Pavilion

“Find the industry’s leading experts ready to take you through all the aspects of employing aerial technology and couple that with dynamic exhibitor demonstrations built to give you an up-close and personal look at the latest technologies in action.”

Here we’ll see the latest in drone tech and a number of really exciting sessions like the Aerial Cinematography Techniques Field Workshop. This is a hands-on training course in which new pilots will be flying with professionals to learn standard practices and more. Drones: The Future is up in the Air focuses on regulations, rules, and the volatile nature of public and governmental perception of drones.

Undoubtedly there will be announcements of new drone tech. Recently DJI has been releasing announcements of new products left and right, so we’re excited to see what they have to show us at their booth in the Central Hall of the convention center.

Virtual and Augmented Reality Pavilion

“Get your hands on the latest augmented and virtual reality equipment and software. The AR VR Pavilion features the leading content producers and tech companies building the future and changing the way we consume information.”

This pavilion has too many sessions to count with topics ranging from the technology that is driving it to the content that is being created for it. NAB will be a great opportunity for us to see how the industry chooses to progress.

(photo from http://ift.tt/2qyfddq)

Facebook Live Video Solutions Pavilion

“Facebook has identified a set of tools and platforms that help publishers optimize their Facebook Live broadcasts. At the 2017 NAB Show, a selection of vendors will be on-hand to demo these tools and platforms, which can help take your Facebook Live productions to the next level.”

Such interesting sessions will be A New Era of Live Entertainment Streaming and The Future of Live Streaming will tackle ideas addressing the future of live streaming. The session Broadcasting Live on the Go: How to Livecast from Mobile Devices will also include a lesson on live streaming from DJI GO, the app used in conjunction with their smartphone stabilizer. The technology has finally caught up to consumer needs. Content creators are jumping on this medium and this pavilion will tackle what the future will look like.

 

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