UAV

DJI creates M600 for professional aerial photography and industrial use

DJI has released its latest professional aerial photography product Matrice 600. The new drone is specially designed for professional aerial photography and industrial applications. The drone is a dust proof propulsion system that ensures easy maintenance. With actively cooled motors, the M600 operates for longer durations of time. Moreover, the new drone supports all Zenmuse cameras and gimbals including the Z15 series and the Zenmuse X series cameras, which are unmatched in providing stabilized aerial imagery. It could also fly the Ronin-MX, DJI’s newest handheld and aerial three-axis gimbal, and a variety of cameras from Micro Four Third systems to the RED Epic with the help its capacity of managing a maximum payload of 6 kg. http://nhv.us

Iconem help to restore Palmyra monuments

The ancient Semitic city of Palmyra, which thousands of years ago was a hub for commerce and trade and which in more recent times has been known for its impressive ruins and stunning ancient colonnades, temples, and arches, has been at the center of many recent news stories. An effort is being conducted by French startup Iconem, which specializes in 3D scanning technologies and has dedicated itself to digitally preserving archaeological remains that are in danger of destruction or disappearance since its founding in 2013. The company, which is working in collaboration with Syria’s Directorate-General of Antiquities & Museums, has been deployed to the recently recaptured city of Palmyra in order to 3D scan and digitally restore five monuments that were badly damaged by ISIS forces: the temple of Bêl, the temple of Baalshamin, the monumental arch, the valley of tombs, and the Palmyra museum. http://www.3ders.org

Aerial Photography, Inspection Top List of FAA-Approved Business Uses for UAS

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) has released an interactive analysis that finds 38 types of business operations have been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly unmanned aircraft systems commercially in the National Airspace System (NAS). According to the report that analyzed more than 3,000 FAA exemptions, aerial photography received the most, followed by real estate and aerial inspection. The report also finds that exemptions have been approved in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. In Sept. 2014, the FAA started granting exemptions for certain low-risk commercial UAS applications under Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. Since then, the agency has received more than 15,000 and approved more than 4,600 petitions. www.auvsi.org/exemptions

Indian Industry Group presses for UAS Operating Rules

Recognizing the need for a regulatory framework for operating civilian unmanned aerial systems (UASs), the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has provided India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation initial guidelines that it hopes will form the basis of legislation. The final policy is expected to be released by year-end, Rajiv Nayan Choubey, India’s secretary for the Ministry of Civil Aviation, confirmed to AIN recently.

Currently, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation permits only government agencies to fly UASs in India. The Indian Space Research Organization has made a start to open operations to others by filing a request for proposal (RFP) for exploratory studies using UASs for remote sensing. An unidentified U.S. company is believed to have received a separate RFP from the Gas Authority of India for using UASs to inspect a 60-mile stretch of gas pipelines in the Indian state of Bengal. www.ainonline.com

FAA approves Tremco’s SkyBEAM UAV drone operation

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved Tremco Roofing & Building Maintenance’s Building Envelope Aerial Mapping (SkyBEAM) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for conducting night-time commercial drone operations in the US. www.aerospace-technology.com

FAA committee allows micro UAVs to fly over cities and crowds

A committee set by FAA on how small drones should be regulated in city area, submitted its report. As per new guidelines, FAA has allowed micro UAVs to fly over cities and crowds. The committee report has opened a path for commercial drone flight over US cities. The report argues that drones weigh less than 250 grams should be allowed to fly with no restrictions, as they don’t pose a serious risk. Drones that weigh four to five pounds, would be allowed to fly over populated areas and even over crowds, but would have to maintain a greater distance from people, staying at least twenty feet above or 10 feet away. The report further suggests of creating several classes of drones, and allowing them to fly over people, if they meet certain safety thresholds.

SimActive revamps Correlator3D

SimActive has announced the latest version of its Correlator3D that comes with a completely redesigned aerial triangulation (AT) module. To enhance it further, the company has added tie point extraction and a bundle of algorithms to address problematic input data. The release features an industry-first alignment tool which automatically registers new projects to older mosaics and DEMs. It removes the need for recollecting ground control points.

Hemisphere GNSS strategic partnership with CPAC Systems AB

Hemisphere GNSS has announced a significant expansion of their strategic partnership with CPAC Systems, Gothenburg, Sweden (CPAC), owned by the Volvo Group. After signing a large contract, Hemisphere will now be the sole source of GNSS positioning and heading systems to CPAC Systems. www.HGNSS.com.