Recently released by the good people at Pix4D
http://pix4d.com/pix4dmapper-app/
Only in beta so far but configures the drone to take geotagged images in a preprogrammed grid pattern. The images can be used in the Pix4D Pro software to build orthomosaics and elevation models.
The Pix4D Discovery software available for no charge allows the user to process the imagery but with limited export options.
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I'm going to try this out in the next week or so, once it warms up ahove freezing. What kind of Canadian am I waiting for warmer weather...
Looks amazing but pricey considering you cant use UAVs commercially in the US. (Yet)
For those who don't think this will matter to you, UAV's will certainly impact surveying, take a look here:
It is Written...
"...you can't use UAVs commercially in the US."
That seems to be "common knowledge" and I doubt you'd find anyone on this forum that disagreed with that statement, but what law, exactly, prohibits you from using a drone "for profit"? Is it a Federal Law? What exactly defines "commercial" use? Has anyone been charged with the crime? Has anyone been convicted? Are there special police tasked with discovering criminal drone use? Could State Law trump Federal Law in this matter, like Marijuana? I'm not being flip here. I am genuinely curious.
Dave
It is Written...
lol, sounds sort of flippant to me..However, I dont have time to look it up. I am sure a quick google search will reveal the rules to anyone who wants to look... as for whether they are actively enforcing it...I have no idea. You can always go fly a drone over the FAA headquarters while wearing a sign that says video for sale and see what happens.....
It is Written...
For now there are only "guidelines" that the FAA tried to enforce but failed. I will find the case later and post. That is why you can find many companies advertising they use drones for aerial shots.
Thad
It is Written...
Law is a funny thing. I don't have to Google "murder" to know it is illegal, but "illegal use of drones" is a vague and speculative matter.
The reason why I ask is because I see HUGE potential. That Italian drone could put every aerial mapping company out of business. I don't know what the learning curve would be, but I see a new business venture.
Dave
It is Written...
Oh I agree, I have a drone and am actively testing it...the issue for me is that I cant afford to fight the government so i dont want to be a test case. If I had a few million or a large corporate backer, it might be worth the gamble.
It is Written...
> That Italian drone could put every aerial mapping company out of business. I don't know what the learning curve would be, but I see a new business venture.
My experience is that most decent sized aerial mapping companies make their "real" money on large scale (county and larger) GIS/environmental mapping & remote sensing projects. The site development work they do for surveyors and engineers just fills in the gaps between big jobs and lets them leverage data that is already "in the can".
I just had three 80 acre urban sites flown for 12K total. At 4K a site that's around what I would charge for one day in the field and two days CAD work in the office. The work was performed by a large, well know mapping firm with a resume that looks great in a reply to a request for qualifications. Plus if anything goes wrong, they're licensed & certified professionals with their own E&O coverage. So I'm going to invest in a drone and software, then eat the training expense so I can, if I get real efficient, maybe shave $500 of the mapping fee for an $75,000 project and take on all the liability for the mapping? I'll pass for now.
Math Time
OK James, let's do some math.
The eBee can fly for 40 minutes on a charge. In that 40 minutes, it covers 2 acres. It would take 27 hours to fly an 80-acre job. You'd have to set up a base, but you don't have to set panels, so there's a big time-savings there. 4 days Drone Work would bring you 12 Large, or $3k/Day. If you're only making a paltry 1.33K/Day now, you could more than double your income if you stopped surveying and started flying drones. So, are you still going to pass?
Dave
Math Time
> OK James, let's do some math.
>
> The eBee can fly for 40 minutes on a charge. In that 40 minutes, it covers 2 acres. It would take 27 hours to fly an 80-acre job. You'd have to set up a base, but you don't have to set panels, so there's a big time-savings there. 4 days Drone Work would bring you 12 Large, or $3k/Day. If you're only making a paltry 1.33K/Day now, you could more than double your income if you stopped surveying and started flying drones. So, are you still going to pass?
>
> Dave
You're not taking into account the time it will take me to find clients dumb enough pay me 12K to fly an 80 acres site (not taking into account office time) when a professional photogrammetrist will proved the same thing finished for 4K.
Math Time
Wait a minute, James. You said an 80-acre flyover was $12K, not 4K. I just used your numbers.
Irrespective, I see huge profit potential with the eBee. Snooze, ya lose.
Dave
Math Time
> > OK James, let's do some math.
> >
> > The eBee can fly for 40 minutes on a charge. In that 40 minutes, it covers 2 acres. It would take 27 hours to fly an 80-acre job. You'd have to set up a base, but you don't have to set panels, so there's a big time-savings there. 4 days Drone Work would bring you 12 Large, or $3k/Day. If you're only making a paltry 1.33K/Day now, you could more than double your income if you stopped surveying and started flying drones. So, are you still going to pass?
> >
> > Dave
>
> You're not taking into account the time it will take me to find clients dumb enough pay me 12K to fly an 80 acres site (not taking into account office time) when a professional photogrammetrist will proved the same thing finished for 4K.
Not sure where everyone gets their information from, but....
The area coverage is completely dependent on flying height. At 300m altitude you can cover about 4 sq. miles in one shot. That gives you +/-6.5cm pixel GSD and probably 20cm vertical accuracy. You DO need ground control to get that vertical accuracy BTW.
The eBee could cover 2 acres with about a 20m flying height and gather around 8500 photos at .4cm pixel GSD.
At a more standard 150m flying height, your looking at about 5 minutes for 2 acres.
So in reality you just need a client SMART enough to pay 2K for a better product than a photogrammatrist could provide at 4k. Doesn't seem to difficult to me at all.
Math Time
Dan,
"Not sure where everyone gets their information from..."
Beerleg. Where else?
Dave
Math Time
> Wait a minute, James. You said an 80-acre flyover was $12K, not 4K. I just used your numbers.
I said: "I just had three 80 acre urban sites flown for 12K total"
I'm not saying someone couldn't make money with one, I just don't see it working for me.
It is Written...
Looks like things are about to get sorted out favorably:
Math Time
> OK James, let's do some math.
>
> The eBee can fly for 40 minutes on a charge. In that 40 minutes, it covers 2 acres. It would take 27 hours to fly an 80-acre job. ...
Are you sure about that? Only two acres in 40 minutes? That can't be right.
Actual Proposed Regs Released
http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/rulemaking/media/021515_sUAS_Summary.pdf
