Look, Up In The Sky! It's A Drone, Looking At You!!

waltky · Aug 17, 2013

Peru shows how a domestic drone program should be used...

In Peru, drones study ancient ruins and monitor crops
Sun, Aug 18, 2013 - UNMANNED HELPERS: The specially developed drones gather data to estimate the health of plants and crops, and to help build three-dimensional models of lost cities

Drones are most often associated with assassinations in remote regions of Pakistan and Yemen, but in Peru, unmanned aircraft are being used to monitor crops and study ancient ruins. Forget Reapers and Predators the drones used here are hand-held contraptions that look like they were assembled in a garage with gear from a hardware store. They are equipped with a microcomputer, a GPS tracker, a compass, cameras and an altimeter, and can be easily programmed by using Google Maps to fly autonomously and return to base with vital data. These aircraft are small in size, are equipped with high-precision video or photo cameras and go virtually unnoticed in the sky, said Andres Flores, an electrical engineer in charge of the unmanned aerial vehicle program at Perus Catholic University.

Flores heads a multidisciplinary team brainstorming the best ways to use drones for civilian purposes. Up to now we have managed to use them for agricultural purposes, where they gather information on the health of the plants, and in archeology, to better understand the characteristics of each site and their extensions, Flores said. One limitation is that these drones must fly below the clouds. If not, their instruments, especially the cameras, could fail, said Aurelio Rodriguez, who is both an aerial model-maker and archeologist. There are thousands of archeological sites, many unexplored, dotting the Peruvian landscape, most of them pre-dating the Incas.

A man controls an unmanned aerial vehicle in Lima, Peru, on July 10. These drones are sailing the skies of Peru with scientific purposes to conduct research in agriculture and archeology.

Archeologist Luis Jaime Castillo is using drones to help map the 1,300 year-old Moche civilization around San Idelfonso and San Jose del Moro, two sites on the Peruvian coast north of Lima. We can convert the images that the drones provide into topographical and photogrammetry data to build three-dimensional models, Castillo said. By using the pictures taken by drones we can see walls, patios, the fabric of the city.

Hildo Loayza, a physicist with the Lima-based International Potato Center, is perfecting ways to apply drone technology to agriculture. The drones allow us to resolve problems objectively, while people do it subjectively, he said. In agriculture drones allow us to observe a larger cultivation area and estimate the health of the plants and the growth of the crops. The cameras aboard the drones provide us with 500 pieces of high-technology data, while with the human eye one can barely collect 10. High-quality images allow experts to measure the amount of sunlight the plants are getting and study plant problems like stress from heat, drought or lack of nutrients, he said.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2013/08/18/2003570007
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waltky · Sep 7, 2013

Granny wonderin' if'n one o' dem Colorado permits is good in Kentucky?...

Marksmen line up for possible permits to shoot at drones
Sat, Sep 07, 2013 - NO WHIMSY: A Colorado town said it could issue the permits for a quirky festival to draw tourists, but the man who started the idea is selling his own licenses

Voters in one small Colorado town will not decide until next month whether to issue hunting licenses to shoot down drones, but hundreds of marksmen are lining up for permits to fell such aircraft in the unlikely event any appear in local skies. A resident of the small ranching and farming community of Deer Trail, 90km east of Denver, Colorado, floated the whimsical idea of issuing permits as a way to protest the proliferation of unmanned aircraft used for commercial or government purposes, Deer Trail Town Clerk Kim Oldfield said. Town trustees decided last month to put the question to voters, Oldfield said, adding that there are vocal opponents to the idea among the 600 residents of the town, which boasts that it held the worlds first rodeo in 1869.

INUNDATED

Oldfield said the town has been inundated with applications for the US$25 permits, including from all over the country and from as far away as Britain and Canada. I stopped counting when it hit 985, she said. Proponents envision a quirky festival surrounding the notion, with a skeet shooting contest using small model airplanes instead of clay targets. That and other events could attract tourists and infuse cash into town coffers, Oldfield said. Our intention is really not to allow people to shoot things out of the sky, she said.

Oldfield said she was setting aside the uncashed checks until voters decide the issue. If the towns 380 registered voters reject the measure, the town will return the payments. When the idea made headlines this summer, the US Federal Aviation Administration took a dim view of firing at aircraft, even if it was just a publicity stunt.

WARNING

In a statement, the agency warned against shooting at drones, saying that a downed aircraft could damage property or injure people on the ground and could cause mid-air collisions. Shooting at an unmanned aircraft could result in criminal or civil liability, just as would firing at a manned airplane, the statement said. However, Deer Trail resident Phillip Steel, who proposed the license idea, said he was serious about protesting what he calls a surveillance society. He is selling his own mock licenses online and said about 150 people have purchased them. If residents reject the ballot measure, Steel said he would continue selling his permits. They cant vote me out, he said.

Marksmen line up for possible permits to shoot at drones - Taipei Times
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FreshAir · Sep 7, 2013

Zosiasmom said: ↑

They are easily hacked and easy to DIY. This drone thing was not well thought through by government.
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you can buy them on-line for a couple hundred bucks, don't even have to use a remote, just give them the gps info and away they go

waltky · Oct 8, 2015

One of these days...

'It Is Almost Inevitable That We Have a Drone Hit an Aircraft'
October 8, 2015 | The Federal Aviation Administration aims to publish final regulations governing the safe use of small (under-55-pound) drones by June of next year, but those rules may not come soon enough, Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) told the House Aviation Subcommittee on Wednesday:

"What will probably propel this maybe -- actually propel your schedule -- is going to be a very serious accident or incident. I can almost predict there will be one. There are so many of these now flying that it is almost inevitable that we have a drone hit an aircraft, and there will be probably injuries, hopefully not fatalities. "These drones are up to 55 pounds," Mica continued. "I remember going to a testing site...They would throw like a 40-pound frozen bird or something into an aircraft engine, and I saw what that did. These can do as much damage, and you know, I don't need another test to show what will happen. And it probably will happen. Maybe that will speed things up."

A New York man launches a small drone equipped with a video camera to fly over the scene of an explosion that leveled two apartment buildings in the East Harlem neighborhood.

Michael Whitaker, deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, told Mica that pilots are now reporting around one hundred near-misses with drones every month, a five-fold increase from a year ago. "That's 1,200 a year," Mica cut in. Whitaker said of all those near misses, there have been hundreds of investigations, but only 20 "enforcement actions involving civil penalties," which include fines of up to $25,000 per incident. Whitaker told the panel that one of the biggest challenges for the FAA is locating drone operators who are flying their vehicles too close to airports: "If you look at these pilot reports, they tell us where the uas is but they don't tell us where the operator is," he said.

The FAA announced on Wednesday that it has just started testing technology that will track radio signals to locate both drones and the people operating them within a five-mile radius of airports. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) also expressed concern about the "responsible operation" of unmanned aerial vehicles. "We're talking about a whole new generation of people -- the same people who the word cellphone and etiquette don't go together -- are now getting their hands on drones, and I'm worried about responsible operation," Defazio said. Captain Tim Canoll, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, told DeFazio that drones do contain batteries. "And these are dense, heavy metal pieces that will wreak havoc on the aircraft.

MORE
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waltky · Dec 15, 2015

Uncle Ferd wants Santy to bring him a drone fer Christmas...

US Moves to Register All Drones
December 14, 2015 - New regulation aims to promote safety and to link owners with their aircraft, Federal Aviation Administration says

After numerous reported incidents with unsafely operated small drones, the U.S. government has decided to link all unmanned aircraft with their owners through mandatory registration. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which regulates all air traffic within the United States, announced Monday that as of December 31 all drones will have to be registered and will have to bear their license numbers.

Students at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks remotely pilot a drone during a demonstration, June 24, 2014. The Federal Aviation Administration now requires drone registration.

In introducing the new regulation, the FAA's deputy administrator, Michael Whitaker, said the aim was to educate drone owners about safety and responsibility as well as to connect the aircraft with their owners. Registration will cost $5 for all private and commercial unmanned aircraft weighing from 250 grams to 25 kilograms, including onboard cameras. One registration number, available for purchase online, will cover multiple drones owned by the same person or entity and will be valid for three years.

The $5 fee will be returned to all who register within the first 30 days after the rule takes effect. All drones purchased and operated before December 31 will have to be registered before February 19. As of that date, the drones will have to be registered before their first flight. The age limit for registration is 13 years, while younger owners will have to register their aircraft through their parents.

http://www.voanews.com/content/us-moves-to-register-all-drones/3102221.html
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Grizz · Dec 15, 2015

Before you pilfer Santa's bag for your new drone, check this:

WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday announced new rules that will require nearly all owners of remote-controlled recreational drones to register the machines in a national database, an attempt by the agency to address safety fears.

Federal officials have rushed to issue new rules on drones before the holidays, when an estimated 700,000 new drones are expected to be bought. Drone owners will be required to submit their names, home addresses and email addresses to the F.A.A., disclosures meant to encourage users to be more responsible, officials said...

The federal rules are the first of their kind for users of recreational drones, also known as unmanned aircraft systems...

The rule applies to owners of drones weighing between half a pound and 55 pounds, and only American citizens will be allowed to register. The F.A.A. said it would introduce the website for registration, faa.gov/uas/registration, on Dec. 21; registering will be free for the first 30 days. After that period, the fee for each individual drone user will be $5 for a three-year certificate of registration.
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Apparently yesterday's toys are of major interest to the government today, and not without good reason.

Professor Peabody · Dec 15, 2015

Grizz said: ↑

Before you pilfer Santa's bag for your new drone, check this:

Apparently yesterday's toys are of major interest to the government today, and not without good reason.
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Some nitwit wanted to see what was up the private road I live on. He flew a drone up the street examining the houses. Someone with a 10 GA shotgun dispatched the drone in a matter of a few minutes.

bois darc chunk · Dec 15, 2015

Professor Peabody said: ↑

Some nitwit wanted to see what was up the private road I live on. He flew a drone up the street examining the houses. Someone with a 10 GA shotgun dispatched the drone in a matter of a few minutes.
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Then things escalate? Americans are creative...

[video=youtube;xqHrTtvFFIs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqHrTtvFFIs[/video]

JakeJ · Dec 15, 2015

The more significant new regulation is that you can't fly a drone over any property but your own regardless of whether it is registered. Thus, anyone but government or licensed by the government to do so who is flying a drone over your property is committing a criminal offense.

Other regulations include that if the drone is used for any commercial purpose the operator must have a pilot's license. For example, if a farmer or rancher is using a drone to look over their land a pilot's license is required.

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Privacy is not the only concern about drones. They are a real risk to aircraft and they are very suited for terrorist attacks and assassinations. I'm suprised the FAA allowed them to go as heavy as 50 pounds. Those are mega-costly and some can carry a heavy payload of 20 pounds or more.

Professor Peabody · Dec 15, 2015

bois darc chunk said: ↑

Then things escalate? Americans are creative...
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Their problem is they rely on a camera to see and are easily blinded with a lasers.

bois darc chunk · Dec 15, 2015

Professor Peabody said: ↑

Their problem is they rely on a camera to see and are easily blinded with a lasers.
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I think there are a myriad of problems with drones and privacy, not to mention security. Drones are not always going to be easily thwarted. Someone will fix the laser vulnerability. At first they were a trendy toy and a cool way for Amazon Prime to deliver packages. Then someone changed them into remote-controlled weapons that can see you sitting inside your house through the window, when you have no idea it is even there. I think these drones just might be a paradigm shift.

waltky · Dec 25, 2015

Drone almost hits skier...

Camera Drones Banned by Ski Federation After Near-Tragedy
December 23, 2015 - The International Ski Federation (FIS) is banning camera drones from its World Cup races after one of the flying objects crashed and nearly hit Austrian skier Marcel Hirscher during a slalom in Italy.

FIS will prohibit drones "as long as I am responsible ... because they are a bad thing for safety,'' men's race director Markus Waldner told the Associated Press on Wednesday, a day after the night race in Madonna di Campiglio. "It was huge luck that Marcel was not hurt,'' Waldner said. "I am very angry.'' The drone carrying a TV camera came down and shattered on the icy slope just behind Hirscher, a few seconds after the Olympic silver medalist started his second run.

Marcel Hirscher of Austria clears a gate during the first run in the men's slalom at the Alpine Skiing World Cup in Madonna di Campiglio, northern Italy, December 22, 2015. In his second run, a drone crashed directly behind him.

The company responsible for the drone, sports marketing agency Infront, said its initial investigation "indicates a malfunction of the drone.'' "The most likely reason is a strong and unforeseen interference on the operating frequency, leading to limited operability,'' Infront said in a statement. "The pilot followed the official security procedure, purposely flying the drone as close as possible to the ground before releasing it. The aim was to destroy the drone, in order to prevent it from losing control.'' Hirscher was unhurt and continued his run, finishing second behind Norwegian winner Henrik Kristoffersen. "I didn't know what it was, but I felt something,'' the four-time overall World Cup champion said. "I thought it was a course worker behind me, or a gate.''

A TV drone flies beside Canada's Erick Guay during the second practice of the men's Alpine skiing World Cup downhill race at the Lauberhorn in Wenge

Course workers slip through the gates shortly after each skier to smooth the snow surface for the next competitor. "I am very relieved that nothing happened,'' Hirscher said. You don't want to think about what could have happened when 10 kilograms are coming down 20 meters. That would have been a very serious, bad injury. There are a lot of cool things nowadays. But you have to guarantee the safety and that was just insane.''

Did not follow instructions
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See also:

FAA Prepares for Christmas Surge in Drone Registration
December 24, 2015 - The U.S. Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has temporarily suspended its online drone registration to complete maintenance ahead of what is expected to be a busy Christmas Day with people registering unmanned aircraft systems received as gifts.

The FAA said Wednesday that more than 45,000 drone registrations had been completed by Tuesday, and some of those customers reported problems with the site. The FAA says it is working to resolve and address those issues ahead of increased Christmas demand.

It is estimated that as many as 400,000 drones could be sold during this year's holiday season. The FAA requires all aircraft weighing between 250 grams and 25 kilograms be registered. It says the registration will help make users aware of the rules about flying safely and enable the FAA to track drones in the event of an incident.

The DJI Phantom 3, a consumer drone, takes flight after it was unveiled at a launch event in Manhattan, New York

Owners who have been operating unmanned aircraft before December 21 of this year have until February 19, 2016 to register. Owners who have purchased devices since December 21 must register before their first flight.

Registration will cost $5 for all private and commercial unmanned aircraft. One registration number, available for purchase online, will cover multiple drones owned by the same person or entity and will be valid for three years. The age limit for registration is 13 years. Younger owners will have to register their craft through their parents.

http://www.voanews.com/content/faa-prepares-for-christmas-surge-in-drone-registration/3116728.html
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