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Drone project aims to deliver rapid disaster response after cyclones

A new research project is examining how drones can help in disaster recovery

The Australian Red Cross has teamed up with tech experts to run the project, which aims to not only drop aid packages to isolated areas but also assess disaster impacts to co-ordinate traditional emergency responses.

Stanford University fellow and co-founder of tech firm WeRobotics, Patrick Meier, has joined the project and said the benefits to using drones was clear.

"The positive aspect is we can try to accelerate the assessment of the disaster damage," he told ABC News Breakfast.

"If we can assess faster, we can assist faster.

"This is not supposed to replace existing, traditional mechanisms, it's supposed to augment and complement."

Dr Meier said the technology could have direct application to the response to Cyclone Debbie, which swept through the north of Queensland this week and was followed by severe flooding in NSW.

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New York City drone film festival takes filmmaking to new heights

“People are just starting to understand the creative power of drones and starting to incorporate them”

The Oscars were held last month, but it’s not the last awards show of the season. This weekend was the third annual drone film festival.

From the skyscrapers of New York to the cliffs of Ibiza, drones are taking hobbyists and filmmakers to new heights -- and capturing extreme athletes in ways never seen before.

“It can go anywhere you want -- and that’s amazing -- as long as the operator is good enough to put it there,” said Randy Scott Slavin of the NYC Drone Film Festival.

Slavin is gearing up for the third annual New York City Drone Film Festival -- a growing event he started after seeing an emerging number of drone videos without a proper outlet to showcase their work.

“Drones are all over the place, you see them on every film set, every commercial set,” Slavin said. “You see them on TV all the time.”

But it’s not just for the pros. Amateur film-maker Doug Armknecht grew up on rural Kansas and scored some breathtaking views of his family’s wheat harvest.

His nominated film “Beauty and Bounty” takes viewers inside the bread basket of America.

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Wedding drone photos shot in the middle of the ocean

Team flew a DJI Inspire X5 camera drone for aerial shots of the ceremony

How do you go about shooting a wedding when the ceremony is half underwater? That’s what the photographers at Del Sol Photography were challenged with recently when they worked a wedding out in the middle of the ocean. When couple Susana and Jovany were planning their wedding, they were told by their wedding planner that they should scrap their idea of getting married in the ocean because it was “much too complicated.”

“I have always loved the water,” Susana says. “I’m a scuba diver and was fortunate enough to grow up with a pool in the backyard and the sea not far away. My happiest days were always in the water.”

When photographer Sol Tamargo heard about the couple’s idea, however, she convinced the couple to turn their dream into reality.

“A wedding in the middle of the ocean is difficult for MANY reasons,” Tamargo says. “I understand why Susanna had been told it was impossible. Moving her 100+ guests to the ceremony location using 2 boats and a catamaran was one challenge.”

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Drones increasingly finding a place in the solid waste industry

Broad adoption in the waste and recycling industry is just beginning

Solid waste firms are continuing to find applications for unmanned drones within the industry.

One of the most common uses of drones in the solid waste and recycling industry has been to take aerial photos or videos of facilities. Within large solid waste and recycling facilities, drones can photograph areas that are less accessible to allow troubleshooting.

But that’s only the beginning of what these tools might be able to do for the industry.

“It is anticipated that drones will be equipped with GPS devices, thermal imaging cameras and sensors to monitor sites which could save on expensive monitoring currently done on foot over rough terrain,” says to Anne Germain, director of waste and recycling technology for the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) based in Washington, D.C.

David Biderman, executive director of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) based in Silver Spring, Md., says drones are used

at an increasing number of waste disposal facilities and provide real-time imagery of what is happening at a site.

“They help landfill operators maximize airspace, assess slope stability and monitor their facility’s operations for erosion, standing liquids and hot spots,” Biderman says. “They are also used to assess cap integrity and are particularly useful for performing damage assessments after major weather events. A number of consulting firms are utilizing drone technology to supplement their services and add value for landfill customers.”

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4 cool ways drones have a future in golf

Like many other aspects of life in the 21st century, drones are set to make an enormous impact on the golf world

Drones will be make golf more enjoyable on multiple levels. They are already transforming coverage of PGA events. The aspects of holes that drones can uncover open up a whole new world of golf film coverage. Here is a closer look at all the ways that drones are either currently or soon getting ready to impact golf on the professional and amateur levels.

1. Covering Every Angle

One of the coolest thing about drones for fans of televised golfing coverage is the flight of the ball. Soon, it will be tracked in the most beautiful, high-definition way. No longer will some less eagle-eyed viewers have to struggle to track the flight of the ball.

You can check out these stunning drone videos of golf courses to get a better feel of the views you can get from a drone. With drones set to cover strategic vantage points of every hole, viewers will be able to see multiple angles of all the shots of their favorite PGA stars.

2. Helping to Locate Lost Balls

One of the biggest hassles in golf is struggling to search for a lost ball.

Imagine a world where each golf ball is equipped with a GPS chip that a drone can track. The drone would move to hover over the errant ball, allowing golfers to find their balls in a flash. While it would certainly be helpful for professional golfers, just imagine how much time weekend duffers will save since they will never again have to waste time looking for a lost ball.

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Construction firms are flying high with drone technology

With construction firms leading the way in drone technology, Claire Cameron takes a closer look at how drones can be used onsite

THE use of drones in the construction industry has soared in recent years with almost a fifth of firms utilising flying robots to scope out work and monitor projects.

From surveys and site inspections to reducing health and safety risks onsite, the sector is one of the top five industries leading the way in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), according to the UK Drone Usage Report 2016.

So why should construction companies adopt the technology?

While the traditional method of manually surveying a building is still fundamental, it does have limitations, explains Paul MacMahon, architectural assistant at rg+p, who says the immediate benefit of using drones is the ability to obtain otherwise impossible views of buildings, potential development sites and landscapes.

The multi-disciplinary practice uses imagery and data from drones to survey rural and inner city development sites to assist with every stage of the construction process, from design through to completion.

“Deploying a drone is quick and the amount of new information that can be acquired from these unique aerial views, up to 120m in the air, enables more thoroughly informed decision-making across all stages of the design and construction process,” explains MacMahon, who holds a Civil Aviation Authority PfAW licence in order to fly drones.

Using drones eliminates cherry pickers, scaffolding and the need to put surveyors in danger by working at height, explains Lee McDougall, director, Geomatics at AHR Building Consultancy. They also have the ability to significantly reduce cost, effort and time by increasing flexibility.

“In the past, if a survey was planned for a particular day and then the weather was poor, rescheduling was a time-consuming and costly exercise, whereas with a drone a re-shoot is a very simple procedure,” he says.

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Drone flying high over the Amazon Spheres architecture

Study the architecture from right above with drones

Rudy Willingham, a Seattle drone photographer with a thing for architecture, has captured dramatic new video footage of the Amazon Spheres that provides a unique perspective of the ongoing project.

Willingham, who runs a website called Rudy Drones showcasing his videos and photographs, posted his latest work on Vimeo and imgur.

The drone takes off above the three spheres from Lenora Street and moves over the construction site between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. One shot rises straight up from the center of the biggest dome, and the entire video offers a bird’s-eye view of the grounds where the orbs will sit.

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Drones blaze new trails into the night, and Lady Gaga leads the way

300 Intel drones. One amazing light show

Brian Wynne, CEO of AUVSI, said the analysis shows the variety and popularity of uses for drones ranging from inspecting infrastructure to surveying crops. But he said the industry and the economy would benefit from expanding drone regulations to routinely allow flights at night, over people and farther than the pilot can see, which the industry calls beyond the line of sight.

“This would open up a whole new world for (drones) that may one day include package delivery and Internet services,” Wynne said.

The FAA developed comprehensive rules for remote-controlled aircraft to ensure safe flights and avoid collisions with passenger planes or people on the ground. The rules allow routine flights for drones weighing up to 55 pounds during the day, within sight of the pilot and up to 400 feet above ground.

The rules avoided the need for the FAA to review thousands of drone applications on a case-by-case basis. But the industry continues to expand and seek additional ways to fly that aren't routinely allowed. The FAA sets limits on the size, speed and height of drone flights to avoid hurting people or property.

Flying multiple drones at once is important because they would follow automated paths that would be key for uses such as deliveries, rather than be steered by a single pilot with a joystick controller. Intel of Santa Clara, Calif., demonstrated for Super Bowl LI how the technology is developing: 300 Shooting Star drones flew formations that looked like the American flag and the Pepsi logo for Gaga's halftime show.

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Flying drones from a running boat

Consider these upsides and downsides, plus tips from pros for reconnaissance and photography

A video earlier this year showed anglers catching longtail tuna after a drone places their baits 400 yards off a beach in New South Wales, Australia. It has millions of views, so you might have seen it. In any case, the video (in the article with link below) shows just one of many possibilities that drones might offer for fishing in the future. For example, for beach anglers like those guys after longtails, midprice drones are capable of holding a bait on the surface and providing the resistance needed to release a kite clip. On the other hand, the roughly 20-minute battery life — less when carrying a heavy bait — limits drone use somewhat.

A drone’s built-in camera provides spectacular fishing photography. But even beyond that, the overhead view and territory-covering ability are perfect for scouting for fish, scrutinizing topography, and illuminating nuances of fish behavior. Those applications make it somewhat surprising that, thus far, few top anglers are actually using drones to bend rods and bring more fish boat-side.

For a clear view of the benefits and limitations of drones for fishing, I persuaded seven pro fishermen and photographers to share their tips for finding more fish, enticing more bites, and capturing better images using the drone’s-eye view.

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Drones are off to the races

Drones are launched from the starting line during a practice session as drone racers from the area gather at Solms Park in New Braunfels

Five pilots crossed the grass field at Solms Park, each carrying an 8-inch drone and a controller in their hands. They lined the devices up on the grass, one by one, and walked back to take a seat in a folding chair behind a net covering. After adjusting their goggles, they gave a thumbs up to signal to the announcer they were locked in and ready to race.

“All right, we have an aggressive takeoff,” announcer and fellow drone pilot David Granc of San Antonio said into the mic as the flying objects rose into the sky and took off for the course, some reaching up to 45 mph as they zipped by flags and through air gates. “Well, one guy is taking it easy.”

About 30 drone pilots met in New Braunfels on Saturday to compete in a regional qualifier for the MultiGP drone-racing league. The top five pilots would move on to regional finals later this year, one step closer to national finals in Las Vegas. While many of the pilots in attendance Saturday started flying less than a year ago, they’ve quickly taken to the growing sport, searching for places to fly or races to compete in at least a couple of times every month.

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Drones may one day buzz inside a Walmart near you

Walmart may use drones like in-store messenger pigeons

The retail giant was granted a patent this week for a system in which drones would shuttle products between different departments inside its stores. 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.

Ultimately, Walmart believes that drones “can greatly improve the customer experience without overburdening the human associates of the facility.” Waiting, the filing said, “can contribute to reduced customer satisfaction.”

The drones would mostly avoid buzzing above customers' heads by being routed over shelves instead of store aisles, according to the patent filing. But the filing did leave the door open to humans and flying delivery assistants crossing paths.

Although flying drones over people's heads may not be a safety risk, steering clear of customers may "nevertheless provide an increased feeling of security for those below,” the filing said.

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Can drones deliver emergency defibrillators?

Woman giving a demonstration of an ambulance drone with built-in defibrillator

A drone network could be deployed to speed defibrillators to bystanders trying to help people in cardiac arrest, getting the devices to the patient faster than emergency services, a recent Canadian study suggests.

Researchers examined historical data on 53,702 cardiac arrests over 26,851 square kilometres (10,367 square miles) of rural and urban regions surrounding Toronto, Ontario, to see how drones might be deployed to get help to cardiac arrest patients more quickly than typical 911 response times.

If drones were spread evenly across the region, researchers calculated that it would require 37 drones spread across 23 bases to get patients started on defibrillator treatment about one minute faster than they would have been if they waited for emergency services.

“Because the drone can fly in a straight line, potentially avoiding obstacles that the ambulance cannot, the drone can arrive to scene more quickly and be carrying a defibrillator that a bystander can use before the paramedics arrive,” said Timothy Chan, director of the Centre for Healthcare Engineering at the University of Toronto.

“Paramedics can take over after they arrive, but because survival from cardiac arrest is so time sensitive, even defibrillating the patient a minute before paramedics get there can make a huge difference,” Chan said by e-mail.

By concentrating more drones in urban areas instead, it would require 28 drones on 15 bases to get aid to the patients an average of one minute faster, researchers report in Circulation.

In their simulations, drones in the most urban areas yielded a best time savings of six minutes 43 seconds, and in the most rural areas, the best clocked times got the drone to the patient 10 minutes and 34 seconds sooner than historical 911 response times.

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10 things you should know about drone wedding photography

Drones reveal landscapes, spectacular views and give you a much more powerful sense of scale

You’ve successfully snagged the wedding venue of your dreams and now you’re looking for the best way to capture it in all its glory. Consider using a drone. These image-capturing aircrafts are the latest trend in the bridal market and may be just the ticket for scoring cinematic quality aerial footage. While we love the automated ones, it’s best to leave the photography to a professional on your special day. 

To help get you started, we spoke to Jovan Tanasijevic, founder of Above Summit Aerial Cinematography and Lovely Valentine Wedding Photography for a crash course in drone photography.

1. Drones can be disruptive. Drones are not quiet things. They have propellers and engines, and they make noise. The last thing you’d want is a drone whirring away during the poignant moment when you and your beloved are exchanging vows. Tanasijevic and his crew usually set down their drones during the ceremony to avoid interruptions.Tanasijevic suggests letting both your videographer and your guests know to keep all drones grounded during the important bits.

2. Drone photography is often an add-on photography cost. Lovely Valentine, like a number of other drone wedding photographers, doesn’t offer drone photography/videography as a standalone item. Budget-minded brides will want to take note that adding a drone package could run $800 or more.

3. A knowledgeable operator is very important. Just because you can fly a drone doesn’t mean you’ll get footage for the highlight reel of your dreams. Rely on the skills of a a great operator.

4. The possibilities will blow the traditional wedding album out of the water. Nothing compares to the cinematic grandeur of aerial footage. You can capture your entire venue, all your happy guests and maybe even a breathtaking sunset. According to Tanasijevic, “Drones reveal landscapes, spectacular views and give you a much more powerful sense of scale.”

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Drone film festival takes flight in the village this weekend

A film called 'Drone Parkour' shows some incredible athleticism by a human being.  Just as incredible — the photography using drone

An unusual film festival is taking flight, celebrating movies and videos shot with aerial drones. Many of the images are spectacular. NY1's Roger Clark has a preview of the third annual New York City drone film festival.

A film called 'Drone Parkour' shows some incredible athleticism by a human being.  Just as incredible — the photography using an unmanned, remote-controlled, aerial drone.

"The drone has a great way of getting angles that we haven't seen before," said Randy Scott Slavin, founder and director of the NYC Drone Film Festival. "And it just moves in beautiful ways that normal cameras can't."

And that will be on display at the third annual New York City Drone Film Festival this weekend — Saturday at NYU's Skirball Center and Sunday at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City.

More than 35 filmmakers from around the world will show off their work, the first and largest festival dedicated to drone films.

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Rwanda introduces drones to deliver supplies to farmers

Zipline drones will help deliver farm inputs especially livestock vaccines

Livestock farmers in Rwanda will be the next beneficiaries of first drone port with livestock vaccines delivered on the farms.

Following its success in delivering the first drone guided medical supplies, Zipline is now focusing on highest impact deliveries to support government plans of improving agriculture and livestock production.

Statistics indicate that 90 percent of loss in livestock productivity is currently being caused by East Coast Fever, which is prevalent in the East African regional countries.

“Rwanda, through the ministry of Agriculture is currently examining a vaccine for east coast fever. Once it is approved, we will start supplying livestock vaccines by this year,” William Hetzler, the COO of the American company Zipline told KT Press today alongside the Africa Aviation 2017 conference taking place in Kigali.

For now, the robotics company has to beat the challenge of establishing infrastructure, software and training the Rwandan farmers expected to benefit from this service.

“We need to survey farm areas, train staff, establish sky maps and develop software for this project. This takes time and the biggest challenge is locating suitable delivery locations, which is one of the challenges we faced in listing hospitals,” said Bosco Nkurunziza, the Zipline Flight Operator and Controller.

The Silicon Valley based drone robotics company has also raised $25 million for its expansion in Africa especially in Tanzania, developing next generation aircrafts which will also be used in Rwanda.

“Zipline will focus on health deliveries in Tanzania as it is in Rwanda but we are also looking at livestock and agricultural supplies delivery which is lacking in the market yet there is a vast demand,” said Nkurunziza.

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9 ways drones are changing real estate

In marketing real estate, you're trying to get people's attention and get them to spend more time looking at the property

What's that buzzing above the neighbor's house?

As the spring homebuying season gets underway, drones may be a more common sight above homes about to go on the market. More and more real estate professionals are turning to drone photography and videos to better market their listings.

In August 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration loosened its restrictions on the use of drones. Drone pilots no longer need an FAA pilot's license -- just a remote pilot certificate that costs about $150 -- and drones are now approved for commercial use. That has opened them up to a host of industries, but they're especially appealing to real estate pros.

Brian Balduf, CEO and co-founder of real estate photography company VHT Studios, said his company started offering drone photo and video packages to clients last year in addition to its other photo services.

"In marketing real estate, you're trying to get people's attention and get them to spend more time looking at the property," Balduf said. "Drone photography and video is definitely unique and offers a cool, interesting perspective."

His company uses professional drones that are sturdier than some hobbyist models, he said.

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Canadian mining company offers lessons in drone tech

AGM uses drone to survey its mine properties, monitor the environment and conduct security surveillance

The Canadian-owned Guyana Goldfields / Aurora Gold Mines (AGM) is offering to train Guyana’s security personnel in the use of drones, but so far government has not responded, a senior company official said.

The company’s Country Manager, Violet Smith said AGM is willing to provide free training by its drone specialists to the relevant security agencies.

“We have heard that there is a mood, a trend to look at drones, introduce drones in that (security) sector. We are not part of that but we have written…so we have said ‘we have someone who is an expert in this would be in country for a month. Are you interested in teaching some persons?’ – so that offer is out there,” she said.

Asked whether government has responded, Smith said “so far we have no response.”

The AGM Country Manager said the offer had been made while the consultants had been in Guyana to teach Guyanese security personnel. “There is no fee attached. That’s the point I am making that we do reach out to other groups if we are bringing new technology because we are at the cutting edge of technology in our sector and we are pushing the button on that,” Smith said.

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