buyer’s guide • reviews • pro tips + more…

October 2017 · No 25 · Price £ 5 . 99

Power Rangers Podium Finish Big Build

A glimpse into the future possibilities A first-person view of the Our guide to building a
for drone battery technology iSeries 2017 showdown heavy lifter takes to the air

THE AERIAL VIEW

The UK’s biggest drone survey reveals the
nation’s flying habits and opinions
GONE
PLATINUM
First look at the new
Mavic and P4 Pro

PRO CHOICE IN THE FIELD

a Hands-on review with THE CUTTING EDGE OF
the DJI Matrice 200 AGRICULTURAL TECH

WATER BABY We go fish with the

submersible PowerRay

001_DM25[Cover]IKICGC.indd 1 01/09/2017 19:54

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003-98_DM25[Showcase Photos]IKICGC.indd 3 01/09/2017 02:57

 contributors
Adam
Juniper
Hooked from the moment he saw
the AR.Drone at CES, Adam has
spent the years since building,
crashing, sinking, losing and
occasionally flying drones. With
a background in photography
publishing and over a decade
writing about video and still
photography in his rear-view
mirror, he was the only choice for
Ilex’s recent book The Drone Pilot's
Handbook (on sale now!).
Andrew
Wat ton-Davies
Andrew spends his time
monitoring the globe for drone
news stories, testing to death the
things people send him (mostly
drones), and hoping his cats won’t
moult all over his quadcopters. He's
a graduate of the Freedonia Flying
Academy and has never failed to
walk away from a UAV landing.
You can follow him on Twitter at
@raggedydrones
4 DRONE MAGAZINE
004-5_DM25[Editorial]IKICGC.indd 4
Gemma
Cox
Our launch editor for DRONE,
Gemma has worked at the helm of
NEO magazine for over ten years.
Spending over a decade immersed
in Asian pop culture, she recently
branched out into the world of
technology to take on UAVs. She’s
most excited about the future of
FPV racing and the prospect of
drone deliveries! Can drone racing
go prime time? She certainly hopes
so! Follow NEO at @NEO_Magazine.
Lee
Schofield
Known online as Painless360,
Lee has a YouTube channel and
business dedicated to making RC
technology easier to use. An RC pilot
for over eight years and with a 30-
year background in electronics he
became hooked on quads when he
was bought one in as a present. The
rest, as they say, is history! By now
he can probably strip a quadcopter
and rebuild it blindfolded.
Mark
Baker
Mark is a commercial drone pilot
based in the New Forest. In 2014,
he founded Naughty Cat Media
and specialises in providing low
level aerial video and photography
using drones. Most of his work
is carried out with lightweight
and affordable systems like the
DJI Phantom series. Check out
some of his shots and get in
touch at his website, located at
www.naughtycatmedia.co.uk.
MICHAEL
COOK
Michael gained his experience with
drones through the US Army, flying
the Shadow 200 system. After the
Army he flew drones in Alaska before
founding his own company, M2
Flight Solutions. As well as working
with emergency services, he was also
the first person to fly an AV Puma
system 300 miles from the true North
Pole – the furthest a UAV system has
flown from a coastguard ship.
Dan
francis
Dan has been working within
the protective case industry for
the past three years, specialising
in solutions for drone and
photography equipment. He
founded www.cases2go.co.uk
and has spent the last few years
sourcing and supplying cases for
military, offshore oil, motorsport,
sound and light and film
industries. This issue he's even
made one himself!
rowan
bailey
Rowan is cinematographer and
drone fanatic with a passion for
exploring new places and shooting
them with his Xiro Xplorer. He’s
always looking for new places to
fly and new ways to push his work,
and you’ll often find him along the
Pembrokeshire coastline on most
sunny/non-windy days! You can
follow his most recent shots/trips
on Instagram @RTBaileyMedia.
01/09/2017 19:41
 october 2017 • Issue 25
www.dronemagazine.uk

Uncooked Media Ltd, PO Box 6337,

Bournemouth, BH1 9EH
Telephone: 01202 586035
www.uncookedmedia.com

Editor: Ian Collen

dronemaguk@gmail.com

Managing Editor: Gemma Cox

Design: Imran Kelly

Contributors: Rowan Bailey, Mark Baker, Michael

Cook, Dronestagram, Dan Francis, Adam Juniper,
Christian Liechti, Lee Schofield,
Andrew Watton-Davies.

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please email: licensing@uncookedmedia.com

The Big Kahuna

To Issue 25 of Drone Magazine! Editorial Director: Darren Herridge
wonderdaz@gmail.com

W
ell, what started out as an interesting idea certainly escalated nicely! When
I first spoke with Alan Proto from Phantom Flight School about possibly
Distributed through the UK newstrade by
running a nationwide survey on drone use in UK, I wasn’t really thinking Seymour Ltd, 0207 429 4000
2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT
about the potential scope or scale we could aspire to. I figured that having a few
Distributed through the UK/US specialist trade by
pointers about what the drone community typically gets up to would make for an Diamond Comic Distributors, 020 8536 5730
interesting read, but wasn’t expecting quite such an enthusiastic response – with more Printed in the UK by Precision Colour Printing, Telford,
than 1000 of you jumping online to share your experiences and opinions. So, first and Shropshire, UK
foremost, a huge thanks to everyone who took part! DRONE is published every four weeks by Uncooked
Media Ltd. All text and layout remains the copyright
In fairness, we’re helped by the fact that there hasn’t really been a great deal of of Uncooked Media Ltd. DRONE is a fully independent
research into everyday drone use. Sure, the government opened up a forum for people publication and its views are not those of any company
mentioned herein. All characters and artwork shown
to address some key issues during its recent consultation, but that was geared towards in this magazine remain the © and trademark or their
legislation and industry and didn’t leave much room for the fun stuff, such as how respective owners.

often people fly or what caused them to crash their Mavic Pro into a tree. I like to think
that this is just as important to pilots, or at least a bit more interesting!
As you’ll see, it does throw up some intriguing results (and a few predictable ones),
although I will admit that there might be the odd anomaly due to the open and online
nature of the survey – if we’d simply stopped people in the street or toured flying
organisations and drone companies the results might be a little different.
However, it’s still a fascinating insight into the habits of the UK drone community
and we also got some great feedback on some of the hot topics. I was drawn to the
No part of this magazine may be reproduced without
the express written permission of the publisher.
DRONE can accept no responsibility for inaccuracies
or complaints arising from editorial or advertising
within this magazine. All letters and emails received
will be considered for publication, but we cannot
provide personal replies. The publishers cannot be held
responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs,
transparencies or artwork. Please do not call, email or
write to enquire whether your unsolicited submission
has been received, as our priority is the production of
the magazine.

large number of people flying purely for fun (drone manufacturers take note!) and Another quality cold cut from
how honest so many of you were in accepting ‘human error’ as the main reason for
crashing – but I’m sure something else will catch your eye!

Enjoy the issue!

EST. 2003
DRONE © 2017 Uncooked Media Ltd
Ian Collen, EDITOR ISSN 2059-2876

facebook.com/DRONEMagUK twitter.com/DRONEMagUK instagram.com/DRONEMagUK

WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 5

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 10
28
contents
10 // HIGHER CLAIMS
Our news round-up takes flight with a leading
insurance provider looking to use drones to
speed up its damage inspections.
12 // COLLISION COURSE
The fallout from the UK study into mid-air
collisions with manned aircraft continues, as
we hear from one of its strongest critics.
14 // DJI BANNED
The US Military has made the move to cease
using all DJI products. Find out why and what
DJI had to say about it.
6 DRONE MAGAZINE
006-7_DM25[Contents]IKICGC.indd 6
24
42
34
See how you shape up
with the results of our
huge UK drone survey!
15 // CROPS CIRCLED 28 // FIELD WORK
Are drone pilots working with people making Find out how drones are having a huge impact on
crop circles to get the best photos? At least one agriculture, as we speak to a drone pilot who is
UK police force certainly thinks so. always out standing in his field…
18 // CARGO DROP 34 // DRONE SURVEY
We cast an eye over a crowdfunding project We asked the questions and more than 1000 of
looking to generate public support for a new you answered. Head here for all of the results and
heavy-lifting VTOL drone. feedback from around the UK.
24 // DJI GOES PLATINUM 42 // COMPETITION
Take a first look at the newly announced Mavic One of the best accessories you can buy is a
Pro Platinum, while the Phantom 4 Pro embraces sturdy bag or case for safe transportation. Or
the dark side. you can just win one on us!
01/09/2017 19:42
 50
How to build your

44
own custom-made
carry case

60

66 62 72

SUBSCRIBE TODAY FOR ONLY £14.99!

TURN TO PAGE 96

44 // THE RACING LINE 60 // FULLY CHARGED 72 // FISHERMAN’S FRIEND

As the 2017 season reached its Grand Final, we Longer flight times would be a big breakthrough We get deep with the PowerRay, PowerVision’s
spoke with iSeries director Oliver O’Brien for for the drone industry. We take a closer look at underwater drone that lists angling as just one
more on the indoor FPV scene. the next generation of battery technology. of many potential aquatic uses.

50 // making a case 66 // DJI M200 78 // BUSINESS SCHOOL

If you can’t afford a costly carry case, then An in-the-field review of the Matrice 200, As drones continue to find a place in big
follow our steps on building your very own the flying rig that’s one of DJI’s most recent business, we talk to the experts to find out just
design on the cheap! offerings to aerial professionals. what the future might bring.

54 // THE BIG BUILD 70 // CRYSTAL CLEAR 84 // SPECIAL EFFECTS

The second and final part of our guide offers up DJI was also kind enough to send us a Our latest guide to aerial photography gets
more of the key features you’ll need to consider CrystalSky monitor, so we were able to see just creative, as we show you how one simple editing
when building a larger model. how good it looks in action. tool can have a dramatic impact on your shots.

WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 7

006-7_DM25[Contents]IKICGC.indd 7 01/09/2017 19:43

 8 DRONE MAGAZINE

008-9_DM25[Overview1]IKICGC.indd 1 01/09/2017 03:05

 28
How drones are fast
becoming the cream of
the crop in farming

WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 9

008-9_DM25[Overview1]IKICGC.indd 2 01/09/2017 03:05

 Words by Andrew Watton-Davies
A Premium Solution
Insurance provider turns to drones to speed up claims
F
armers Insurance, one of the largest
insurance providers to homes and small
businesses in the USA, has announced
that it will begin using of a fleet of Kespry
automated UAVs in order to “assist with
residential property damage assessments and
deliver an even more enhanced experience for
its customers.”
The move follows a series of field tests
to assess the most effective use of drone
technology to help with its claims operations,
where the drones will enable the company to
quickly and safely “gather rooftop imagery and
data, generate analytic reports, supplement
ladder assist capabilities and resolve more
claims with greater efficiency and accuracy.”
Keith Daly, chief claims officer for Farmers
Insurance, explained to us that “through
our relationship with Kespry, we believe
that Farmers will have access to the latest
advancements in aerial imaging equipment
and software, in addition to superior training
10 DRONE MAGAZINE
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resources.” It has been confirmed that
the system will see the drones being used
exclusively by existing Farmers claims experts.
A spokesman confirmed: “Unlike other
carriers who may engage third-party drone
pilots as part of the evaluation, Farmers
will utilise its own FAA-licensed drone
operators, who are also Farmers-trained claim
representatives, to provide customers with a
Farmers experience throughout.”
The drones that are to be used were
produced by Kespry of Menlo Park, California.
Founded in 2013 by “engineers who weren’t
that interested in being drone hobbyists”,
the team views itself as an aerial intelligence
company first and foremost, rather than a
drone company. It has designed and built all
its own software, hardware and services since
the start, with the Kespry Aerial Intelligence
Platform being a one-box solution aimed at
the rapid and accurate collection of data. The
2kg quadcopters come with a 20-megapixel
camera, a 30-minute flight time with
swappable battery and 900MHz radio for
communications, all in a carry case with an
iPad included.
We’re told that the craft is able to operate
in winds of up to 25mph and gusts of up to
35mph. The whole flight process is also fully
automated. You just set it up, use a finger to
draw an area that you want surveyed (of up
to 150 acres per flight) and press go. The only
other controls available are buttons to pause
the flight and to initiate a return-to-home
option or an emergency landing. Everything
else is handled by the on-board systems.
David Shearer, Vice President of Marketing
explained to us: “We are not the friend of
somebody who is a pilot by trade, as there is not
a lot for them to do with a Kespry.” Once the
flight is finished, the data is then transferred
wirelessly via the communications hub to
cloud storage, where it can be accessed with
ease and is processed into high resolution,
01/09/2017 03:07
 topographically accurate, models that are
vertically accurate to within 2cm. As it stands,
the models that the system creates are already
of a higher quality than the insurance industry
standards require.
As well as building a detailed model, the
use of drones provides other advantages that
Farmers Insurance is keen to benefit from. As
David described to us, “the primary use case is
hailstorms. After a storm has passed through
you’ve got 10,000 people in a neighbourhood
with smashed up homes, all wanting to make
a claim at the same time. So what typically
happens is you have a ‘ladder assist’, where
someone goes to that person’s home with a
ladder, climbs up on the roof and does a visual
or manual inspection on a sample area.
“That’s obviously quite dangerous; people
falling off roofs is the third highest source
of accident-related injury in America and
an insurance adjuster can do, maybe, three
of these inspections a day. So with a finite
number of people in your team it can take a
lot of time, with people living in those homes
having big holes and damage that they have to
live with until the claim can be resolved.
“What happens with the Kespry solution
is that they go to the homes, fly around it in
010-1_DM25[news_Kespry]IKICGC.indd 11
about five minutes, maybe ten, and get a fully
detailed inspection of the entire roof – and then
move onto the next one. It’s much safer with
no climbing on and off the roof and, because
of the speed of that, they can do up to around
ten homes in a day. That varies depending on
the geography, region and proximity of the
homes to each other, so that’s not a hard and
fast number, but on average if you look at the
increase in productivity, with the time savings
it roughly comes around to that.”
As well as improved productivity and
safety, the system allows existing employees
in a variety of markets to focus on the work
rather than the drones. “If you’re an insurance
adjuster then your primary job is making an
assessment of a roof; that’s your profession.
You don’t want to have to become an expert in
technology and a pilot to do that,” David says.
“The reason that Farmers was particularly
interested in us was that our entire solution
is designed to be really easy for anybody to be
able to take and use in the field. It allows for
speedy roll out and for your employees and
staff to remain focused on the primary benefit
to your company.”
Although in some aspects regulations on
commercial use are tightening up, Kespry
says it has that element covered as well. “Part
of our onboarding process for any customer
is providing a training module and materials
that helps them become certified under the
FAA part 107, all included in the cost of the
system,” David informed us. “The reality is that
it’s a 60-question multiple choice, but it’s really
not that much harder than taking the written
portion of your driving test. It is a requirement
but it’s not that onerous and we have very high
first time pass rates.” Further details on the
system can be found at kespry.com.
WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 11
01/09/2017 03:07
 Words by Andrew Watton-Davies

Crash Tested
Further concerns raised about collision study

A
s you may have seen in our previous
issue, a government-backed study
into the potential result of collisions
between drones and manned aircraft has been
met with some criticism as to the nature of the
testing and the results themselves. The study
entitled “Small Remotely Piloted Aircraft
Systems (Drones): Mid-Air Collision Study”
was a companion study to the Department
for Transport’s own report on safe usage of
drones in the UK airspace and was initially
released in July.
Previously we’d covered the response from
the Drone Manufactures Alliance of Europe, as
questions were raised about the full release of
the data and the methodology used in the study
commissioned by the British Airline Pilots
Association (BALPA), The Military Aviation
Authority and The Department for Transport,
with minimal responses to the queries coming
from the bodies involved.
Following on from the initial wave of
questions raised, Ian Povey of Clear Vision
Security, a UK company that specialises in
providing the security and emergency service
sectors with “practical help and advice on how Ian’s article claims that “the researchers in the most extreme and, by definition, rare of
best to deploy drones”, issued an in-depth and intentionally selected aircraft structures that circumstances, if ever”.
widely circulated critique of the report. Whilst were most likely to be damaged in a collision, He was also heavily critical of BALPA’s
the analysis did conclude that there are some not those that were most likely to be involved involvement with the study and its use of the
obvious concerns about the possible dangers in a collision, which raises some questions results to “create and fan the flames of media
of drone strikes to certain types of helicopter about the intention behind the study.” He also hysteria towards drones”. A follow-up article
windscreens, it focused on addressing the argues that the study “shows that there is no was posted in August, containing further
alleged flawed methodology used in the testing threat to airliners from drones on approach and criticism of BALPA’s involvement with the
for the report. landing and that any threat would only occur study and addressing reactions to criticism

12 DRONE MAGAZINE

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 of the results. It concluded that it is unlikely
the full results of the tests would be released
as they “would undermine the government’s
registration plans and give BALPA headlines
they don’t want.”
“More Like Propaganda”
We spoke directly to Ian, whose been involved
with drones since 2013, including participating
in academic research. When asked about his
main concerns about the released report,
Ian said that, in his opinion, “the most
fundamental flaw of the study was that it was
designed to show a pre-determined outcome
to influence the development of legislation. In
this respect it was more like propaganda than
true scientific research.”
He also said that “due to the fact that the
study is being used as a central plank in
changing UK law it should at the very least
be peer reviewed by independent academic
institutions. This can be done without releasing
the full data into the public domain; for
instance, non-disclosure agreements and the
Official Secrets Act can be used to ensure the
confidentiality of the full data.”
Regarding his extensive criticism of BALPA,
Ian explained that the organisation “presented
this report as if it was an independent,
third-party study which in itself somewhat
“The most fundamental flaw of the study was that it was designed to show a pre-
determined outcome to influence the development of legislation”
012-3_DM25[news_ClearVision]IKICGC.indd 13
misrepresents the truth of the situation.
BALPA wasn’t invited to take part in the
study; they initiated it. In March 2016 BALPA
lobbied the government for this exact study
because it believed that it would show drones
could penetrate airliner windscreens.” He has
also claimed that he has contacted BALPA in
writing on two occasions, “asking for them to
issue a clarification or retraction of their claim
that their image shows a drone penetrating
an aircraft windscreen”, but they have not
responded to his requests.
As for the upcoming UK drone regulations,
Ian is firmly in the ‘against’ camp. “I think that
both the report and the proposed registration
are hugely counter-productive to promoting
safe drone use and have serious implications
for all forms of aviation in the UK. The
registration scheme is a register of users, not
drones, so it doesn’t help with identifying
drones that have been captured or crashed. It’s
the equivalent of the government knowing that
someone owns a car but not knowing what
their registration plate is.”
Ian was also critical of the absence of drone
deliveries in the government reports. “This
step change in drone regulations in the UK is
being promoted under the narrative of safety,
yet the government has made no mention of
autonomous drone delivery systems in either
this study or its consultation report.” This is
despite licences having been issued to allow
the testing of systems by companies such as
Amazon Prime Air.
We did contact BALPA for comment on
the articles, to which we were advised that
the study was conducted by QinetiQ, on
behalf of the Department for Transport, the
Military Aviation Authority and BALPA, and
that it stands by its original comments about
the testing results as posted to the balpa.org
website on 22 July. A BALPA spokesperson told
us: “The research is a solid piece of work which
will be of great use in helping understand the
effect of a drone collision.”
As well as saying it would be keen to see
more research in this area, we were also told
that “BALPA is pro-drone and we want to have
a positive and productive relationship with the
professional and hobbyist drone community,
but ensuring the safe operation of drones
in the airspace is of primary concern.” As
explained in our previous report, the full test
report is being withheld by the Department for
Transport as this is its standard procedure for
security reasons.
QinetiQ has been contacted about the issues
raised but had not responded as of going
to press. Ian’s full articles can be found at
clearvisionsecurity.co.uk.
WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 13
01/09/2017 03:08
 Private Problems
US Military bans DJI over “cyber vulnerabilities”
Words by: Andrew Watton-Davies
D
JI had a rough time in August with
regards to the privacy and handling of
data by its users. The problems started
when the US Department of the Army issued
a memorandum on 02 August calling for all
those under its command to: “Cease all use,
uninstall all DJI applications, remove all
batteries/storage media from devices, and
secure all equipment for follow-on direction.”
This was due to what it described as an
“increased awareness of cyber vulnerabilities
associated with DJI products”.
The scope of the memo was extensive
and applied to “all DJI USA and any system
that employs DJI electrical components
or software, including, but not limited to,
flight computers, cameras, radios, batteries,
speed controllers, GPS units, handheld
control stations, or devices with DJI software
applications installed.”
14 DRONE MAGAZINE
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The decision to issue the ban was based on
two reports issued in May, one by the Army
Research Laboratory and one from the Navy.
The exact details of these reports are not
available, although it is believed that the issue
relates to the sending and receiving of data –
including flight position, imagery and flight
logs – to DJI-operated servers when operating
the craft, combined with increased tensions
between Chinese and United States forces.
Although there aren’t exact figures on the use
of DJI products by the military, it is known
that the company’s equipment is widely used
in a range of roles across a number of services
and forces.
Shortly after the memo was revealed, DJI
confirmed its position in a press release,
stating: “DJI makes civilian drones for
peaceful purposes. They are built for personal
and professional use, and are not designed
for military uses or constructed to military
specifications. We do not market our products
for military customers, and if military
members choose to buy and use our products
as the best way to accomplish their tasks,
we have no way of knowing who they are or
what they do with them. The US Army has
not explained why it suddenly banned the use
of DJI drones and components, what “cyber
vulnerabilities” it is concerned about, or
whether it has also excluded drones made by
other manufacturers.”
A week later on 14 August DJI released a
“local data mode” for its drones, a firmware
update that “stops internet traffic to and from
its flight control apps, in order to provide
enhanced data privacy assurances for sensitive
government and enterprise customers”.
Rather than exchanging local maps,
geofencing, power requirements and other
data that DJI describes as enhancing “flight
safety and functionality”, the new mode
“will stop sending or receiving any data over
the internet, giving customers enhanced
assurances about the privacy of data generated
during their flights.”
When asked if the timing of the release had
anything to do with the US Army ban, Matt
Bailey from DJI stated: “Local data mode has
been in DJI’s development pipeline for some
time as a feature request from customers who
need enhanced data assurances when using
DJI’s drones for critical missions. As DJI has
put more emphasis on developing tools for
enterprise-level operations, we have prioritised
this feature over the past several months.”
DJI has also made mention of its April 2016
statement on its commitment to customer data
and privacy, and its March 2017 whitepaper on
electronic identification for small drones that
had user privacy built in.
01/09/2017 15:31
 Cops Circle
Drone owners linked to agricultural damage
Words by: Andrew Watton-Davies

C
rop circles are a serious problem for
farmers, with the reduction in harvest
from the circles and loss in productivity
from people visiting them causing a serious
reduction in revenues. Tim Carson, one of the
first unwitting recipients of such a circle 27
years ago when the craze gained momentum,
has estimated that the circle that appeared
in his field at Alton Barnes will result in a
loss of around £120,000. Given the scale of
the problem, Wiltshire Police has issued a
reminder to the public that the creation of such
circles is criminal damage and that going on
the farmers’ land without permission is a civil
trespass issue in itself.

However, one notable difference to the

warning issued in July is that it makes direct
mention of drones, stating: “Often immediately
after a crop circle appears, individuals will
arrive with a drone to photograph it.” It also
claims that “individuals using a drone in
the immediate time after a crop circle [is
created] may be connected to the group who
have created the circle. The footage is quickly
circulated on social media to generate interest.”
The notice also states that it has been known
for “individuals to pose as part of a charity
or as the landowner at the site of crop circles
and attempt to take ‘donations’ from people
viewing the crop circle.”
We spoke to Wiltshire Police’s Rural Crime
Officer, PC Marc Jackson, to ask why it chose
to include drones in the warning. “Previous
information reported to Wiltshire Police
over the years suggests that individuals have suggest that every drone user on the site was He also noted that all flights should be made
been seen at farmland in the early hours involved in its creation. He clarified that “as in accordance with the CAA’s DroneCode
during the crop circle season with drones,” with any criminal investigation, we would and commented that “if a farmer sees a drone
he told us. “This is before the circle has been scrutinise any information or evidence which user in the immediate time after a creation
picked up by social media and other outlets, is presented to us, which may lead to enquiries of a crop circle – such as at daybreak, before
suggesting that the individual using the drone being made with individuals to establish their it has been released on social media – this
would have to have known that a circle was connection or knowledge to the damage caused may be of interest to officers who investigate
to appear that night, in order to be at the right to the crops.” the subsequent criminal damage. So this is
place at the right time, as the daylight breaks, His advice to legitimate drone users is that something to be aware of as a drone user.”
to get the footage.” “if you are a drone or photography enthusiast Members of the UK public who see
PC Jackson did want to make it clear that the then we would ask to you respect the land the suspicious vehicles, people or behaviour in
mentioning of drones in the announcement crop circle is on and seek permission from the crop fields are asked to contact the police by
was not intended to urge the public to report land owner prior to entering the land, as you dialling 101, and to call 999 if they see crop
every drone user seen at a crop circle, or to may be committing civil trespass.” circle creation in progress.

WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 15

014-5_DM25[News_DJI Army_Crop Circles]IKICGC.indd 15 01/09/2017 15:31

 Words by Andrew Watton-Davies
Bat Hit Crazy
Possible drone air collision
dismissed as flying mammal
F
ollowing initial reports of a potential impact between a drone
and a light aircraft at Parafield Airport in Adelaide in South
Australia on 11 July, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau
(ATSB) has concluded that a ‘remotely piloted aircraft’ was not
responsible for damage caused to the right wing of the SOCATA
TB-10 Tobago.
The investigation into what would have been the first confirmed
collision between a drone and an aircraft was started when “the
instructor [in the plane] heard a loud thud and the right wing
suddenly dropped.” According to the final report the instructor,
who was conducting a scheduled night flying lesson, radioed the
tower for a full stop landing as they believed they might have hit a
bird. However, as there were no visible signs of biological matter, the
incident was reported as a possible drone strike. Daniel JT O’Malley of
the ATSB confirmed to us at the start of the investigation that “several
smear-type marks were observed in the region of the impact damage
and along the upper surface of the wing.”
Swabs of the smears were taken for testing by the Australian
Museum, with assistance from the Australian Centre for Wildlife
Genomics, and from that they were identified as belonging to a grey-
headed flying fox, a species of megabat that is native to Australia and
can have a wingspan of up to 1 metre and weigh as much as 1kg. As a
result the ATSB has since discontinued the investigation.
16 DRONE MAGAZINE
016_DM25[news_Bats and Amazon]IKICGC.indd 16
Grand Designs
More Amazon patents revealed
A
mazon’s creative minds are showing no signs of slowing down,
as two more adventurous patent designs relating to drone
delivery have been uncovered, both granted by the US Patent
Office in August.
The first (patent no 9731839) is entitled “Aerial Vehicle Delivery
Shroud” and incorporates a retractable cover that “reduces the
transmission of sound” from the drone to the delivery location,
through the use of an acoustic dampening material and reflecting
sound upwards. The design “may also be used to facilitate delivery
of a payload”. The chute itself is described as “approximately six feet,
five inches long and has a shape that is tapered”, being narrower at
the ground. It can be made of “any flexible material”, with Kevlar
mentioned among others, and it would use a cable drive mechanism to
extend and retract the covering.
The second design (patent no 7918564) is for a “Ground-based
Mobile Maintenance Facilities for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles”. This
would operate on a grander scale and describes “intermodal vehicles”
loaded with items for delivery and an aerial delivery vehicle that could
be “coupled to locomotives, container ships, road tractors or other
vehicles”. These units would be “equipped with systems for loading one
or more items onto the aerial vehicle and for launching or retrieving the
aerial vehicle”, which are then directed to a location where “demand is
known or anticipated.”
As ever, Amazon is making no comment about these patents or its
drone delivery projects but you can find all the details over at uspto.gov.
01/09/2017 15:30
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ads.indd 1 01/09/2017 16:29

DM_SEPT_17.indd 1 01/09/2017 10:38:02
 Words by Andrew Watton-Davies
High Hops
Heavy-lifting cargo drone seeks funding
A
n IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign
has been launched to raise £250,000
to help fund the development and
construction of three demonstration “Sky
Hopper” tri-fan VTOL cargo drones. The aim
is for the money raised by the two-month long
campaign to be combined with that already
raised through investment and sponsorship,
giving a total of £500,000 that is needed to
produce an engineering structures vehicle, an
avionics and electronics vehicle test structure,
and a first flight vehicle, certified and usable for
initial missions.
Designed and manufactured by Main Hunter
Aerospace at Prestwick, in South Ayrshire,
Scotland, with its electronics and avionics
development being based in Hampshire,
England, the Sky Hopper is designed to be
4100mm wide and 3500mm long, and capable
of delivering a 100KG payload in its underslung
cargo module, travelling at a cruise speed
of over 100 knots and with a target range of
100km. The final product also intends to add
logistics capability to the growing number
of drone uses. It is initially aimed at helping
remote and isolated communities with more
18 DRONE MAGAZINE
018-9_DM25[news_Sky Hopper]IKICGC.indd 18
straightforward operational safety concerns,
and then the team plans on heading to more
urban areas, including cities, “once we prove
our reliability”.
Sky Hopper’s aerodynamicist, Dr Richard
Brown, explained to us the reason for using
a tilting fan system, rather than the more
ubiquitous fixed wing or multirotor designs
seen in most delivery technologies. “We
wanted VTOL capability because our system
design envisages aeroparks rather than
runways to land on. An aeropark can be a
range of things, from a field to a dedicated and
protected LZ, or it can be a dedicated space
with a warehouse and security fences. What it
will always need is a safety zone procedure to
allow us to operate in and out of that space.
“Our front fans are also rotating and the
structural design of the fan ducts means
that in a near-vertical position they act as
ring wings. This means that we have a cruise
mode, similar to a fixed wing design, which
is energy efficient compared to multirotor
designs in cruise. Multirotors like quadcopters
are not suitable for fast cross-field transit
vectors; they act more like helicopters, but
more importantly at a higher mass, they begin
to need higher energy inputs simply to keep
them on the straight and level.”
The approach is not without its difficulties,
with the team stating that there is a lot
of innovation required across a range of
disciplines, such as battery mass, heat
dissipation from the electric motors, sensors for
detect-and-avoid, and autonomous controls for
beyond-line-of sight operation.
Some of these are what led to the Prestwick
location being selected, with Richard calling
it “a perfect territory of coastal and less-
populated inland areas with 50km to 100km
transit routes where we can perform testing.
There is an existing aerospace skills cluster
around Prestwick Airport and an engineering
and university community in the hinterland
between Prestwick and Glasgow eager to get
involved in innovation.”
Finding a Fanbase
Unlike most other crowdfunded drone
projects, backers of the Sky Hopper will not be
getting a drone in return for their investment
and it is unlikely most of them would even get
their hands on the final product – at least not
any time soon. A more traditional approach of
equity backing would have been difficult, due
to the design not currently being technically
or regulatorily fully possible. However, the
Sky Hopper team is trying to forge a fanbase
around this industrial craft, through a series of
competitions, games and white papers aimed
01/09/2017 21:12
 at sparking interest in this area of development
and getting investment that way.
When we asked about trying to create a
community like this, the Sky Hopper team
was open about the challenge but determined
to achieve their goals. Eben Wilson, Project
Leader, told us: “We have no idea if folk will get
excited about what we are doing, but we are
trying to make them so.
“In the UK today it is all very well being
enthusiastic about buying other people’s
mass-marketed products as an entertainment,
but our view is that we all have to get very
serious about pulling our socks up and doing
proper professional innovation in engineering,
particularly if it brings electric power and
environmental transportation to the fore.
“Yes, it is a marketing challenge, but if we
don’t try to make people aware and interested,
they aren’t going to know how much they can
help push innovation forwards. It’s the old
mantra about the crowd; a hundred thousand
enthusiasts spending not very much can make
something happen and lose very little if it goes
wrong. Finding ten backers who are prepared to bring communities together in friendship that it is making an indirect change to its area
to lose a bundle could well be more difficult. through shared trade”. When asked what of the industry, with Fred Gorrie, Regulatory
“In the end we are going to have to do both, they suggest goes into the drinking vessel, Compliance Lead, commenting that “what
but just imagine the applause if we can say that Eben advised that “if you were half-Scottish we are pleased to see is that a framework
ordinary technically-minded people stepped you could put Irn Bru or Vimto in it – but a for regulation is emerging. While low mass
forward to make this industry happen. It’s real Scot would probably drown that with a regulation will not be relevant to us, the
like Richard Noble and his Thrust One and good big scoosh of the real stuff,” adding that culture of ensuring a safe industry does help
Two initiatives. We have lost the notion of “Quaich’s are great, but they can lead to post- us because we could meet resistance to our
what used to be called public subscription dinner headaches!” operations if the idea of flying drones becomes
these days, but it was the way a lot of Victorian Whilst the development of craft this size discredited as dangerous or intrusive.”
industry was built.” is not impacted by the recently announced More details on the Sky Hopper design and
Included as a backer perks option is a changes to UK and European drone its crowdfunding campaign can be found at
whisky Quaich, included as “Sky Hopper aims regulations, the Sky Hopper team believes bitly.com/skyhopper.

WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 19

018-9_DM25[news_Sky Hopper]IKICGC.indd 19 01/09/2017 15:32

 Words by: Andrew Watton-Davies
Shooting the Breeze
Weapon-carrying drone system launched (with good intentions!)
D
uke Robotics Inc of Gulf Breeze, Florida,
has announced the launch of its TIKAD
octocopter drone system – a “fully
robotic weaponry system on an airborne
platform” that allows for small arms to be
carried and fired with accuracy from the
underside of the UAV.
The system is a field deployable craft that is
designed to reduce the number of casualties
incurred by its operators through a reduction in
the number of troops that need to be deployed
in a combat area, as per Duke Robotics “No
Boots on the Ground” motto. Its proprietary
stabilisation technology is able to absorb the
recoil from weapons weighing up to three times
that of the gimbal, providing immediate aerial
support to any troops in its area.
Due to the military value of the system,
specific specs on the US Department of
Defence award-winning multirotor craft
have been hard to come by. Duke Robotics
has confirmed that it has a maximum take-
off weight of 110lbs, that it can fly up 1500
feet and that the potential payloads for it
include semi-automatic 5.56mm and 7.62mm
rifles, 40mm grenade launchers and a laser
designation system.
A promotional video for the system shows
a soldier operating the TIKAD via a heavily-
customised two-stick control pad with a
drone-eye view display, although no further
details on its control were available.
20 DRONE MAGAZINE
020_DM25[news_Tikad]IKICGC(1).indd 20
The one area we could get insight into
was the technical breakthroughs involved
in being able to use a drone as a reliable and
accurate weapon platform. Lt. Col. (Res.) Raziel
“Razi” Atuar, co-founder and CEO of Duke
Robotics, told us – rather understatedly – that
“stabilising a sniper rifle is a whole lot different
than stabilising a camera.” He explained that
the problem in terms of physics is that “a sniper
rifle has a very large moment of inertia, which
means that you need a high torque gimbal in
order to stabilise and point it toward the target
in real-time.”
He added that “it becomes very difficult
for a standard camera gimbal, which usually
stabilises a payload of approximately one
pound, to withstand wind interferences and
turbulences, not to mention the recoil of a
high-power sniper rifle. When such a small
gimbal tries to achieve such a task, it ends up
in violent oscillations and inevitably in a crash
of the drone. This was tried, more than once
and by many people, I believe if it was that
easy someone would have achieved it a long
time ago.
“The challenge of stabilising a high-power
sniper rifle with a total weight of about 18
pounds (including a telescope, a camera,
mechanical interfaces, fire and safety
mechanisms, and ammunition) in three
degrees of freedom and actively compensating
for shocks in three more degrees is a very
difficult task to achieve, especially when the
total weight needs to be small enough to be
airborne with the payload on a small drone.”
For the Duke Robotics team, the solution
was found in “a parallel kinematics robotics
platform that synchronises six motors to move
six robotic arms that control a plate around a
virtual point in a 3D space that is calculated in
real-time. The closest equivalent is a ten times
heavier industrial hexapod.”
Further information on Duke Robotics
and the TIKAD system can be found at
dukeroboticsys.com.
01/09/2017 15:43
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 Cover story
Insurer creates free app to support its pilots in the air

D
rone insurance specialist Coverdrone
has launched a new free app designed
to help its customers “plan and conduct
their drone flights quicker and safer than
before”. Called FlySafe, the app is available now
for iOS and Android devices and the company
says it can deliver “rich and accurate safety
data, ranging from airspace maps, dynamic
restrictions, environmental conditions, privacy
and safety hazards and even the location
of much of the low-flying manned aviation
traffic, straight to the palm of your hand.”
The app was designed in collaboration with
Altitude Angel – which has previously worked
with NATS on the Drone Assist app – and
includes a range of features to help its policy
holders, such as up-to-date information on
airspace restrictions (including NOTAMs),
ground restrictions and weather, all based
on your location. It also offers one-touch
“area reports” to help pilots evaluate complex
operational environments and provide a
quantitative assessment of operations in that
area – which could help commercial users
decide whether a job is practical or not.
There’s also an (entirely optional) extra or potential hazards, such as any low-flying keep improving the service and our product
feature that can allow you to access a direct aircraft approaching the area. for our customers. We are continually looking
connection with Altitude Angel’s global UTM Andrew Heath, director at Coverdrone, said: for new ideas to improve what we offer, and
system (Universal Transverse Mercator) so that “We’re delighted to have collaborated with we also always offer any enhancements to
other commercial drone operators and aviation Altitude Angel to offer this value-added service existing customers and not just new ones.”
workers can made be aware of your presence to our customers; it’s another step forward in Andrew also told us the company has “other
in the area and avoid any potential conflict. making life as easy as possible for commercial new announcements planned for later in the
With these Airspace Alerts in place, you’ll will drone operators to fly safe at all times.” He also year as well.”
be automatically warned of any notable events told us that “our main aim has always been to Speaking on behalf of Altitude Angel, CEO
and founder Richard Parker commented:
“Altitude Angel is excited to have partnered
with Coverdrone, the UK’s leading provider
of commercial drone insurance, to deliver the
new FlySafe application for iOS and Android.
FlySafe is connected to Altitude Angel’s
GuardianUTM platform and has several
features unique to Coverdrone policy holders
aimed specifically at supporting commercial
drone pilots. We look forward to continuing
our innovative work together to safely unlock
the potential of drones.”
The FlySafe app is free and available now
for all Coverdrone customers to download,
providing support in all EU countries along
with Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the
USA. Once installed you’ll just need to register
with your policy number – and the company
advises anyone with problems in the set-up
process to contact them for assistance. Anyone
with an Altitude Angel app already installed
can download FlySafe and use their existing
login to unlock some of the extra features.
For more information and download links
head to www.coverdrone.com/flysafe.

22 DRONE MAGAZINE

022_DM25[news_Coverdrone]IKICGC.indd 22 01/09/2017 15:36

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Pro Plus
two new models for DJI’s flagship fleet
Words by: ian collen
G
iven the speed with which DJI is
continuing to expand and evolve its
range of drones, it’s rare for a major
consumer event to pass by without something
new to talk about – and it was no different
at the recent IFA Berlin show. It’s one of the
world’s biggest consumer electronics and home
appliances trade shows, and it was here that
DJI decided to announce the new Mavic Pro
Platinum and Phantom 4 Pro Obsidian, plus a
new ‘Sphere’ panoramic mode for the Spark.
“DJI continuously look for ways to improve
its products and introduce new features, many
of which are the result of the positive feedback
and requests we received from customers
around the world,” said Paul Pan, DJI Senior
Product Manager. “Similarly, we’ve done the
same with two of the most iconic DJI drone
products, the Mavic Pro and Phantom 4 Pro.
24 DRONE MAGAZINE
024-5_DM25[news_DJI IFA]IKICGC.indd 22
The Spark’s newly added Sphere mode will also
introduce a new way for people to experience
the fun of aerial photography.”
Mavic Pro Platinum
The Platinum isn’t a huge innovation for
the Mavic Pro but it does build nicely on the
original, most notably by upping the flight
times to 30 minutes (a 10% increase, but every
minute counts!). It’s also reported to have a 60%
reduction in noise power (down to 4dB within
one metre), with both improvements attributed
to new ESCs and “freshly designed propellers”
– with the new props also compatible with the
existing Mavic Pro for current owners looking
to upgrade.
The new design also comes with a rather
cool makeover befitting the Platinum
moniker, making it arguably an even more
All photos by DJI
stylish option than its sibling – though
admittedly it’s hard to tell without actually
getting our hands on it. The rest of the specs
remain much the same, though, so you’re
still looking at the same foldable portability
boasting a 4K stabilised camera and a range
of up to 4.3 miles (7km) – if you ever happen
to find yourself in a situation where that is
both necessary and legal. There’s also the
same FlightAutonomy tech providing obstacle
avoidance (up to 15m / 49ft) and the usual raft
of intelligent flight features.
If you flick ahead to our reader survey
(spoiler alert!), you’ll see that the Mavic Pro was
the most popular drone among more than 1000
people who entered. Although the Platinum
isn’t going to do a huge amount to make those
existing Mavic owners overly jealous, it sure is
yet another attractive temptation for anyone
looking to make a first-time buy.
The Mavic Pro Platinum will be priced
at £1,119 (the original is currently listed for
£1,099) and should be ready for shipping by the
time you read this. The Fly More Combo with
the Platinum will be made available at a later
date, priced at £1,459.
Phantom 4 Pro Obsidian
It’s black. That’s pretty much the rub of things
with this one. While many people might
have been anticipating the arrival of a brand
01/09/2017 21:15

spanking new Phantom 5 – which can’t be
too far away we’d imagine – DJI surprised a
few with the announcement of this distinctly
darker variant of the existing model. To make
the new colour sound a little more exciting,
it has been described as “a sleek matte-grey
Obsidian colour shell featuring a magnesium,
electroplated and anti-fingerprint coated
gimbal which requires a higher standard
manufacturing technique.”
It might not sound like it’s worth paying out
another £1,589, but DJI is saying that the new
look gives professional drone users a suitably
professional appearance. It’s a curious switch,
024-5_DM25[news_DJI IFA]IKICGC.indd 23
as DJI initially made the bulk of its products
white (dare we say ‘Apple’ white) because
that was considered the in-demand look of
the time. Speaking to its European Marketing
Manager, Martin Brandenburg at the launch
of the notably darker Inspire 2, he told us how
professionals argued that the original Inspire
“looks like a toy”, so it’s interesting to see these
darker tones continue to filter through to the
recent arrivals.
Regardless of its colour, the Phantom 4 Pro
remains an impressive tool for commercial
photographers and videographers (we
reviewed the Advanced version back in Issue
23), with a large 1-inch CMOS sensor and 4K,
60fps recording capabilities. The price is the
same as the existing (and very white) Phantom
4 Pro and should be available online and in DJI
stores and authorised dealers by the time this
issue is in your hands.
Spark: Sphere Mode
Last, but by no means least, of the fresh
arrivals is this new panoramic photo feature
for the DJI Spark. It was already loaded with
a standard ‘Pano’ mode that could stitch nine
images together, but the name suggests that
this ‘Sphere’ addition will offer something a bit
more rotational in its movement for some even
more creative results with its fisheye lens effect
– results which, naturally, are designed to be
shared on social media quickly and easily.
This new feature will be made available via
the DJI Go 4 mobile app and Spark firmware
upgrades (due “soon” at the time of going to
print). It joins several other updates announced
earlier in August, including the new hand
gesture for starting and stopping video, a
180-degree photo mode with improved photo
resolution, and integration with DJI Goggles.
It’s worth getting the update as well, as
DJI has also announced that the Spark will
no longer be able to fly if you aren’t running
the latest firmware as of 01 September, in
order to “maximise flight safety and product
reliability.” For more information on these
new products, firmware updates and more,
head to www.dji.com.
WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 25
01/09/2017 15:38
 A Reader’s View
Collingwood, Ontario, Canada
Photo by Eric de van der Schueren

026-7_DM25[ReadersPhoto]IKICGC.indd 22 01/09/2017 03:10

 In the last issue we had a photo of the
Chicago skyline and asked if any other
readers had some shots from overseas –
and Eric de van der Schueren was quick to
comply with this beautiful collision of colour
taken with a Mavic Pro in his native Canada
(he’s since relocated to Australia).
“The shot was taken about 20 minutes
out of a town called Collingwood, Ontario.
It has been a really wet summer back home
and so lots of swamps have been popping
up because of that. We had no idea that this
swamp was near our house until I flew over it
and we’d pretty much walk right past it when
we walk in the bush. It’s amazing how much
you can discover with a little bit of altitude.”

If you’d like to get one of your own photos into the

magazine – and by submitting a shot for us to use,
you are acknowledging that it is your own work and
property – then email us at dronemaguk@gmail.
com, along with the image (the highest resolution
where possible) and ideally a few background
details about it and why or how you got the shot.
Maybe your favourite photo could make it into our
next issue!

026-7_DM25[ReadersPhoto]IKICGC.indd 23 01/09/2017 03:10

 DRONE PRO

The Agri Culture

All photos by SkyWrx

One of the many industries where drones
are making a big difference is farming. We
ploughed Ben Storer from specialist SkyWrx
for more information…

U
sing unmanned aircraft to survey and manage
large areas of land is becoming increasingly
commonplace across a variety of industry sectors,
from construction, infrastructure and maritime through
to aerial archaeology and a whole lot more. The farming
industry is no exception and with agriculture proving such
a vast and critical business all over the world, anything that The huge data sets available through aerial surveys enable
can improve efficiency, yields and profits is always going to finely-tuned land and crop management, and being able
be welcomed. to operate with that advanced insight can lead to increased
Todays farmers have to deal with increasingly complex crop health and overall yield. This past year alone has seen
concerns. Issues such as water (both in terms of quality the development of both drones and software that can
and quantity), weeds, soil quality, pests and diseases are count crops, deliver variable rate prescription maps, define
among the many problems that need to be monitored and soil type and more. We’re even getting to a point of weed
addressed. In recent years farmers have been increasingly identification and mapping from the air.
finding out that UAVs can be a great solution to help
increase crop yields, speeding up traditional laborious Farm Life
tasks, improving a wide variety of agricultural practises So how does this all work? We spoke with Ben Storer,
and solving many of these problems. managing director of SkyWrx, based in the heart of the UK’s

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 DRONE PRO

Farm Friendly
We only cover one aspect of drone use in agriculture in this article, and
Ben highlights a number of other applications which include (but certainly
isn’t limited to):
n Scouting
n Regulation Support
n Land Modelling
n Weed Identification
n Insurance Support
n Silo/Grain Store Surveys
n AD Plant Inspections

arable lands in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, to get a better

understanding of the processes and workflows that are
used. “Agriculture is increasingly short on time, labour and
resources, which means a farmer’s margin can be very tight,”
Ben explains by way of an introduction as to why companies
such as his can make a notable difference. “Any form of
automation, data collection and analysis will always reduce
these pressures and the use of UAVs can be a key tool in this.”
Using traditional methods, inspecting a whole field on
foot can take hours – and that doesn’t accurately capture
the crop condition across the entire field. Ben tells us that
in larger fields the problem is exacerbated. “A UAV with the
correct sensor and analysis tools can cover the same area in
minutes, giving real-time data, that minute accurate data,
and even in some cases show crop stress before it becomes
visible to the naked eye.”
“In recent years farmers have been increasingly
finding out that UAVs can be a great solution to
help increase crop yields”
As Ben explains, with a UAV team on the job you can
“have the drone up in the air in minutes and get actionable
data, field level information within hours, not days.” So not
only does the farmer save themselves time (and a rather
dull job) but they also get far more accurate data – and lots
of it – with which to better analyse the working conditions
of their fields. And being able to see what areas might need

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 DRONE PRO

“The window of opportunity to rectify potential problems in crops is small and the ease
of use, along with a fast turnaround of data, is key”

treating differently to others, whether it’s through more

watering, better drainage, the increased/decreased use of
pesticides and so on, can be crucial.
Of course, gathering that data isn’t as simple as it sounds,
at least not to someone who isn’t familiar with drone
technology or the sensors and software necessary for
the job. So how does Ben and his team deliver this to the
farmers and what kind of equipment and processes does he
use out in field?

Used by the farmer or agronomist to ‘ground-truth’ the NDVI, this map is geotagged so
that exact positions can be found within a large field that might look the same.
Field Work
“We have a variety of options depending on the particular
job,” he explains. “If it is a relatively small area then we use
our DJI Inspire 2 with a multispectral sensor attached. If
the area is larger then we’d use a fixed wing drone, again
with a multispectral sensor attached.” After that Ben says it
becomes something of a science lesson.
“The drone is flown over the targeted area and the sensor
collects information largely based on different bands of
light reflected from the crops below. Different sensors
collect different light bands. These sensors can be general
RGB cameras to a specialised multi or hyperspectral sensor
which collects narrow band with red light.” The point is that
you can equip different sensors depending on what it is you
want to be looking for – meaning that you can survey the
same field several times and get completely different data
sets with each flight.
“The RGB sensor collects mainly the green light which
will tell you the amount of chlorophyll plants have, which
is an indicator of photosynthesis. However, it lacks the

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 DRONE PRO



pesticide or fungicide, which is then fed into the agri

software program and a .shp file is produced – also known
as a shapefile and a popular vector data format commonly
used in geographical information systems (GIS). “The file
can then be imported into the farm management software
narrow band near infrared (NIR) and red edge (RE) light in a tractor, sprayer or seed drill, which will target the
bands. These light bands are reflected from healthy plants. application of the prescription to the specific areas needed,”
This reflection of red light reduces as the plant dies. Near says Ben.
infrared and red edge sensors take advantage of this by “This targeted precision application helps make
monitoring the difference between NIR and RE and the significant savings against traditional full-field spraying
visible reflectance. across time, labour, chemical and spreading costs for the
“This, in turn, is known as a NDVI (Normalised farmer. Straight rate application is comparatively inefficient
Difference Vegetation Index). NDVI can clearly distinguish and has a negative impact on the environment. Case studies
areas of the field where a crop is growing well from where have shown a potential reduction, in some cases up to 30-
not. A high NDVI signal means a healthy plant and a weak 40% in nitrogen application, which can be the biggest cost
NDVI indicates problems or stressed plants. Due to the way to a farmer,” Ben adds. If you’re curious, we’re told that the
a plant reacts to stress, an NDVI can also reveal the presence case study in question is ‘Moving from Uniform to Variable
of weeds, pests and water damage.”
To explain how this data can be used to help farmers,
Ben takes us through his own workflow and the processes
that are used. “First we fly over the field using the drone
and the sensor to measure the reflectance of light. Once the
images are collected – and for a standard 65 acre field that
could mean 800+ images which are all geotagged – these
images are analysed in a agricultural specific software
program, that uses algorithms to produce different maps
which include NDVI, VARI and the like.” VARI is the Visible
Atmospherically Resistant Index, a relatively new and
improved vegetative index designed specifically for use with
RGB cameras.
Ben continues: “These maps are then downloaded by
the farmer or agronomists to be what we call ‘ground-
truthed’. ‘Ground-truthing’ is where the farmers and/or
their agronomist take the NDVI maps into the field to the
parts that are showing low reflectance to understand why
the crop is stressed.” In his own operations Ben tells us
that he “always asks the client to ground-truth the NDVI
maps produced, as a crop can be stressed for numerous
reasons. Getting the correct diagnosis is important as the
prescription will be different according to the issue found.”

Crop Circles
Once the issue has been diagnosed the farmer or
agronomist will decide the prescription rate of fertiliser,

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 DRONE PRO

Fertiliser Rates on Iowa Corn: Effects on Rates and Returns’, mapping, site management, volumetrics to monitor stock
written by Bruce A. Babcock and Gregory R. Pautsch and levels and a whole lot more.
published in 1998. We’ll take Ben’s word for it. As Ben tells us, “it makes sense to seriously consider
It’s always been the case but for modern day farmers any tool that can boost productivity, mitigate input costs
anything that can help them save time, increase and ultimately improve bottom line profit. Farmers that
productivity or cut costs makes a lot of sense. Compared embrace this latest technology and integrate it into their
to the thousands of years of farming that have gone before workflow will wonder how they managed without it.”
it, the use of drones and specialised sensors in agricultural
circles is still in its infancy, but the ability to assess crops To find out more about the work of Ben and his team,
quickly and efficiently will surely make UAVs an attractive head over to the website www.sykwrx.co.uk.
addition to a farmer’s tool shed.
“The main benefits of drone use in agriculture are in
its immediacy,” Ben says. “This becomes invaluable as
the window of opportunity to rectify potential problems This is a .shp, or shapefile, presented in a
2D form. These files are loaded with the
in crops is small and the ease of use, along with a fast
necessary information for variable rate
turnaround of data, is key in making this work within the application in the field – for use by a tractor
agricultural industry. The alternative is waiting around for or seed drill operator, for example.
a clear day so that satellite data can be collected or using
an expensive manned aircraft to deliver the data, which is
impractical for most.
“It is this understandable, actionable data that the drones
collect in the timely fashion they do that proves essential,
as this helps the farmer make real-time decisions and
intervene long before problems become too big to resolve.
The variable rate applications mean lower input costs, a
bigger yield and increased profit.”
What’s not to like? It seems clear that drones are proving
themselves to be an invaluable tool among the farming
community and this will only increase as the technology
improves – and that’s before we touch on the other ways
UAVs could be used, such as for general inspection,

FAQ What kind of distance

After speaking with Ben, he was kind
enough to whip up a list of some his most
frequently asked questions:
What exactly is a
multispectral camera?
A camera which has four individual sensors,
each of which captures a specific band of
light – for example green, red, near infrared
and red edge. These sensors are specifically
calibrated to record a separate image,
which are then combined with software
and various algorithms to accurately
identify different factors about the captured
vegetation or area.
What resolution and
accuracy can you expect?
A typical resolution of 10cm per pixel at
80m altitude, with an accuracy of +/- 1m
horizontal and +\- 0.5m vertical.
Can data be imported to farm
management software?
Yes. All data can be exported as a shapefile
(.shp), which is the most common file
format. Prescription files can also be
produced and imported into your variable
rate machinery via the shape files.
can be covered?
It depends on the drone. We can have a
multirotor drone in the air for 27 minutes
(the Inspire 2 being Ben’s current model
of choice). At the 400ft limit with an 80%
overlap of images we can cover around
76 acres or 31 hectares in that time. The
senseFly eBee fixed wing drone with longer
flight times can cover as much as 500 acres,
or 200 hectares, at the same height.
What are the main benefits
of using a drone?
They’re proven to be an essential way to
save money and improve efficiency. The
NDVI maps help you see exactly where
problems with your crops are. This will
enable targeted applications of treatments
and therefore significant savings can be
made using spot applications instead of full-
field spraying.
What is the typical time scale
from taking the scan to using
it in a tractor?
There are a lot of factors that can determine
this. However, in our trials earlier this
year we have been able to scan in the
morning and then be back in the field in the
afternoon spraying.
How much can farmers
expect to save?
There are numerous factors to consider
when stating a saving, including costs of
chemicals, seed, the agronomist and so on.
From our own trials at SkyWrx, and having
looked at other trials around the world, the
saving from just nitrogen can be as high as
40%, but averages between 10% and 20%.
Then there are the preventative benefits
from the drone and multispectral imaging.
The NDVI can pick up stress in plants 10
days before it is visible to the eye, so you
can catch problems that much earlier,
meaning more yield.
What else can a company
such as SkyWrx do?
The use for drones on the farm is extensive.
Not only can they produce NDVI maps, there
are also orthomosaic maps that can show
you an aerial view of your crop which can be
measured in detail so that environmental
regulations are adhered to. SkyWrx can also
survey fragile rooves and hard to reach or
unsafe places, such as silos and storage
barns, meaning preventative maintenance
can be done withouth putting a human at
risk. One example would be AD (Anaerobic
Digestion) roofing covers that can be
surveyed for tears before winter.

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 Our Survey Says…
We teamed up with the Phantom Flight School to conduct the UK’s
biggest ever survey of drone users – and the results are in!
W
hen we first joined forces with Phantom
Flight School founder Alan Proto and the
rest of the team, our intention was to find out
more about the flying habits of drone pilots
across the UK. There hasn’t been a great deal of research
done so far, with the government’s own drone consultation
period probably the most concerted effort to get a response
from the UAV community. As useful as it was, it drew only
678 submissions (and more than a quarter of those from
the commercial sector), so we thought we could reach more
people – and we did!
about you
Gender
& Age
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034-41_DM25[ftUK Survey]IKICGC.indd 34
With well over 1000 entrants – some no doubt enticed
more by the chance to win a DJI Spark than they were
invested in supporting our interest in drone use (so we
accept that there might be the odd anomaly!) – we’ve got
the biggest breakdown of UK drone use to date. There are
some interesting results and some great feedback from the
Photo by FrSky
community, so take a look through our findings and see
how your flying habits shape up to the rest of the nation!
Please note: All sections marked with an asterisk were
open to multiple answers – which explains why the results
don’t add up to 100%!
01/09/2017 17:05
 Home Location
drone ownership
Length of Ownership

It would seem that a typical drone owner would be a 40-something male living
in the South East! It will be interesting to see how things change in the coming
months, as more youngsters get into FPV and an increasing number of female
flyers take to the sky.

It’s not surprising to see photography as the

most popular use for drones right now, but
the sizeable fun factor isn’t to be ignored.
The future points to UAVs as a key tool in
industry, but is the casual market being
overlooked as a result? It was also interesting
to see a varied number of reasons for people
getting into drones, ranging from work and
commercial opportunities, to fun gifts and
gadgets and more creative uses. And while
the prize on offer might explain some of
those people who don’t own a drone, a lot of
them did point out they were saving up for
one (assuming they didn’t win the Spark!).
Reasons for Buying* Reasons for Flying*

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 drone of choice
Not surprising to see DJI
Favourite Manufacturer Favourite DJI Model
leading the way, with the
Mavic Pro just edging out the
classic Phantom 3. For the
other listed manufacturers,
the top models were the
Hubsan X4, Parrot’s Bebop
and Yuneec’s Typhoon H.
Elsewhere custom or home-
built designs topped the
best of the rest, with notable
mentions for the Syma range
and the 3DR Solo.

Flying Habits
Flying Frequency Different Places Flown

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 Specific Places Flown* Furthest Flown

It’s good to see a fair number of people flying frequently, and in a

variety of locations. Though we do have sympathy with the quarter
of you not flying as much as you’d like! We should also point out
that the furthest flown question relates to distance, not height, so
we’re not assuming that a quarter of the UK is happily flouting the
maximum altitude laws of the land.
As an island nation, it’s not surprising to see a lot of you flying
over water, with many of the more ‘unusual’ responses pointing to
boats, beaches, rivers and so on. Other interesting venues included
Easter Island, the Himalayas, the Arctic Ice Pack, the Grand
Canyon and an Army Training Ground (with permission we should
note!). One responder also admitted getting fired after being
caught flying at work!

Usefulness of Drone

Average score: 7.25

General Happiness
Amount of Fun

Ease of use
Average score: 8

Average score: 7.45

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 Quality of Photos Quality of Video

Average score: 7.42

Average score: 7.25

Some pretty consistent answers across the board in this section, with most of you largely happy with what you’re getting out of your drone and
it’s good to see you’re mostly having a lot of fun with it. Clearly there’s still some indifference though (lots of people giving ratings of 5 to counter
the many 10s), so manufacturers still have a lot of work to do to improve the ease of use and quality of their craft.

accidents
Number of Crashes (£500+ drone) Time of Crash

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 Congratulations to all those who openly admitted to ‘human error’ as the reason for crashing (“I’m an idiot” was our favourite reason given) –
we’d always blame the drone first! An interesting range of detailed responses were given, which could be another article in itself. Technical issues
were obviously a high factor, as were environmental issues such as strong winds, as well as stray dogs, children, other drones and angry seagulls.
Other accidents were attributed to a loss of orientation in flight (going left when you should have gone right) or over-cooking the landing,
although quite a few people were deliberately crashing their craft to test the durability of their model – especially if it was a custom design. We’d
also like to doff our collective caps to the reader who bravely put himself in front of the wayward drone to take the hit and save and his pride and
joy from harm. Thankfully most of you have got away with minimal damage, if any – but do take heed from these warnings!

Reason for Crash Damage Sustained

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 the law
Understanding of the DroneCode

Not at all
16%

Very well
33%

A little
22%

Quite well
29%

Happiness with the Rules

Not happy at all
6%

Very happy
28%

Quite happy
31% Although the number of people unaware of the DroneCode is worryingly high,
we could put some of that down to the non-drone owners mentioned earlier, or
a lack of awareness of this relatively recent CAA initiative. Regardless, getting
that number a lot lower is obviously important, so it was interesting to see more
people were generally supportive of the proposed mandatory registration and
safety training in the UK – though, of course, the concerns of the ‘not happy at
all’ responders are still issues that need to be addressed.

Mostly happy
35%

Happiness with Registration Happiness with Safety Training

Not happy at all

14%

Very happy
35%

Quite happy
27%

Mostly happy
24%

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 Responding to the results of the survey, our partner on this project
and founder of the Phantom Flight School, Alan Proto, also had this
to say: “What strikes me immediately is how much fun people have
with their drones; 40% rate their drone as being “huge amounts of
fun” and nearly a third rate their drone as being “hugely useful to
them”. How often they fly, with 40% of respondents flying at least
weekly, was also interesting, with 20% having flown in more than 20
different places.
“I am also pleased to see that the majority of people completing
the survey understand the DroneCode well and are happy with
the rules it contains. Just as encouraging is the broad support from
drone users for mandatory drone registration and safety awareness
training. More of a concern is that nearly half of the more than 1000
people who completed the survey have had a crash or a near miss
with their drone. Making sure people know how to fly their drone
safely and effectively is what we are all about here at Phantom Flight
School. It looks like there is plenty of work for us to do!”
With over 1000 people getting involved, sharing their flying habits
as well as their opinions on the drone industry, it’s been a fascinating
and hugely rewarding survey. Some of you might feel aggrieved
or bewildered as to why your responses sit within a minority, but
there’s a wealth of intriguing information that’s sure to trigger some
interesting debate – and not just in our office!
We had no real intentions for this to be considered any kind of
authoritative overview of the UK drone market, but it’s certainly as
close to a snapshot of the current UAV community as you’ll find –
and if we can repeat things around the same time next year, it will
be great to see how things shift over the next 12 months!

Have your say “The law needs to be more

We opened up our final question as bit of
a free-for-all, and here are some of the
things you had to tell us:
“Drones are far too easily accessible for
members of the public. They should only
be purchased from reputable model shops
and on proof of either a test certificate for
UAVs or a certificate of competence”
“I love flying my drone; it fills me with joy
and unleashes my full potential of being
able to take aerial shots”
“Is there some sort of 12-step programme
to get over drone addiction? I think I have
a problem!”
“I would love to have a collaboration
between the police drone department and
experienced drone pilots, and also for there
to be local regular meets”
straightforward. I find I am unable to fly
my drone due to worries about the law”
“It’s not all about the pre-built big
manufacturers. There are custom self-
build FPV-ers in the UK as well!”
“I’m all for drone registration and
legislation, and I would hope that more
favourable insurance options will become
available for those who register and pass
the flight tests”
“Although I will abide with the new
regulations I think that they will prove
to be pointless as they will not stop the
people that are flaunting the DroneCode
as it stands”

“The cost of being legal is for very little
benefit and increasing legislation means
I am probably going to sell my drone.
Morons flying dangerously have ruined it
for everyone”
“Almost every time I take off, I am in
wonderment at the new sights and views
that become available and can be recorded
with my drone”

“Why don’t I fly as much? Because I feel

“Training on enforcement of legislation
is required in support of the registration
process. If enforcement agencies don’t
prosecute breaches then the registration
scheme is an empty gun”
“My current UAV is just a toy but gives
me a lot of pleasure. Unfortunately I can’t
really justify the expense of spending the
money to get a really good drone…”
“I am a fully certified pilot which cost me
a lot of money and it bugs me that people
are allowed to buy drones and fly without
a licence”
“I feel there is not enough said about
needing land owner permissions. Why is
this not part of the DroneCode leaflet?”
stigmatised, even though I’m probably
not. Most of the public are friendly and
interested, but the bad press we get just
gives me ‘that’ feeling”
“More designated areas for practice flying
and open skill practice would be good”
“I have found it very difficult to find “I feel the general public need educating
somewhere safe to fly, or to find like- regarding drone usage, if that’s possible.
minded drone people who simply wish to I have had a lot of interest whilst flying,
fly as a hobby” usually hostile. Not all drone flights are
sinister”
“The more I learn about drone flying
the more I realise I don’t know. It seems “The National Trust and English Heritage
extraordinary that people can buy these should allow sensible drone flying near
from Argos and then be flying them an their rural properties”
hour later with little or no idea about they
are doing!” “Can you do anything about the weather?!”

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034-41_DM25[ftUK Survey]IKICGC.indd 41 01/09/2017 17:08

 competition

Win! Manfrotto Pro

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I
n our previous issue we reiterated the importance of having a You can find out more about Pro Light bags and Manfrotto’s
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finding a safe and comfortable way to transport your drone is one
of the best buys you’ll ever make. The Pro Light backpack also comes with
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DJI Mavic Pro, Manfrotto has plenty of options for DJI Phantom Closing date: 12 October 2017. Good luck!
owners, including the new Pro Light 3N1-36 backpack. Priced at
£179.95 it’s suitable across the Phantom range, from the original to
the recent Pro and Advanced variants, as well as doubling up as a
great camera bag for more traditional on-foot photographers – and
the good news is we’ve got TWO of these to give away!
The backpack includes flexible dividers so you can adapt it
to suit your requirements, typically providing space for your
Phantom (or similar craft such as a 3DR Solo) along with several
accessories, including a camera, transmitter and space for a 15-
inch laptop. It comes with UV and rain protection layers and has
a specially designed harness system so you can choose from a
standard carrying position or a ‘sling’ or ‘cross’ style – whatever is
most comfortable for you.

terms and conditions

Terms and Conditions: Competition is open to mainland Great Britain and Northern Ireland residents only. Prizes are subject to availability. No correspondence will be
entered into. No employees of Uncooked Media or the companies providing the prizes may enter. No cash alternative is offered to these prizes. Entries are only valid if they
reach us by the closure date. Multiple entries will be disregarded. The publisher’s decision is final. Good luck!

42 DRONE MAGAZINE

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 MCMCOMICCON
23-24 SEPTEMBER 2017
SEC - GLASGOW

ads.indd 1 01/09/2017 16:29

 interview
All photos by David Portass / iEvent Media
Racing Ahead:
iSeries 2017
Ian Collen chats with Oliver O’Brien, founder of the UK Drone
Show and director of the iSeries, as the batteries cooled after
the 2017 summer season Grand Final…
Can you start with a little background
into what the iSeries is about?
iSeries was a collaboration between us and Multiplay, the
company behind the Insomnia Gaming Festival. We set up
iSeries as a joint venture to run a series of indoor events.
We had our first event last year at Insomnia58 and this year
we’ve had a series of events leading up to the recent final at
Insomnia61. The heats were held at the UKDS Racing Arena,
which is a permanent racing track in Nottingham and run
by the UK Drone Store (as featured back in Issue 19). Since
March we’ve held four events there that have led into this
final at the NEC in Birmingham (which is also the home of
the UK Drone Show).
You were one of the first to use the UKDS
track as a competitive venue. How has it
worked out for you so far?
Really well. It’s a great venue and obviously anyone wanting
to get into FPV can go along there, but for us it worked out
really well. The track’s really good, the gates are really well
made and it’s been great for us to use it for this purpose.
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Every track was different, including the final. We had
the tracks simulated as well on Rotor Rush’s simulator, so
people could practise the tracks – though we didn’t release
it for the final, as that was part of the excitement.
Have you found any differences between
the indoor venues at Nottingham and the
NEC in Birmingham?
The signal is probably a little better in Nottingham. The NEC
is renowned for having lots of metal in the ceiling; though
having said that the feeds we were getting for the final have
benefitted from improvements in the technology since our
Drone Show in December. Things like ClearView have made
it better, and we were anticipating worse video than we
actually got. For me, racing inside is the future because of
the noise and the lights.
You put on a great event for last year’s
Drone Show, so have you been able to
integrate more spectators for iSeries 2017?
Yeah. For the heats, as they weren’t part of a major show, it
01/09/2017 17:26
 interview

was mostly just pilots with local spectators, but at Insomnia

we had an amazing reaction from the crowd, especially
when we were racing on the Friday and Saturday. It was
packed pretty much all the time.
For the first Insomnia we only allowed a small crowd
in and, in hindsight, that was a bit of a mistake which is
why we put it into the Expo. The UK Drone Show had a big
spectator area and as long as we can keep the spectators
away from the netting then it’s fine. We are talking next
year about having a seating area and entertaining people
between races, so we’ll have more pilot interviews and a bit
more interaction with the crowd.
The spectators are the ones we want to please and it’s
amazing how people still haven’t seen or heard of FPV
racing – so it was nice to see so many people see it for the
first time at Insomnia. The reaction is always the same; they
put the goggles on and the ‘wow’ factor is right there.

What was the set-up like for the finals?

We picked up the track and used all of the gates we’d been
using for the iSeries in Nottingham and basically moved
it all to the NEC for the event, so everything was largely
the same. The track itself is bespoke built, so it has all the
lighting within the gates and so on, and I would say it was
definitely on a par with what we did at the Drone Show in
December. The pilots put in a lot of effort, too, putting lots of
LEDs on their quads as part of the specs.
We did have large TVs showing the video feed but I do
think that’s an area we can improve next time. We were also
using new FPV software which makes the appearance of
the live feeds a little bit better, with graphics showing who
was first, who was second and so on. We want to improve
on that by having the track layout showing the positions of
each quad while the race is happening.
Have there been any notable changes in
the tech since the first iSeries event?
I think the introduction of ClearView (Racing Receiver)
is the main thing. We’ve all seen Connex and it is crystal
clear in a venue like the NEC. I’ve always been keen to have
a Connex-only race but the pilots are still keen on their
analogue set-ups. ClearView is sort of the happy medium of
that and a lot of pilots were using ClearView at Insomnia61.

can yoU talk us through the format for

this year’s event?
We had 40 pilots racing in our qualification period, with
points awarded for finishing first, second and so on for each
race, with the top 24 pilots at the end given the chance to
take part in the final. We also did the team racing which
was a new thing for us. That went really well and I think it
can be the future.
From a spectator perspective as well, there seems to be an
easier understanding of how the team racing works rather
than the general qualifying (which is based on the number
of laps completed as well as the times). With the team racing

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 interview
“We also did the team racing which was a new thing for us. That went really
well… I believe that’s the future of FPV racing”
we put a lot of time into the format, based on feedback from
the pilots, and it was nice to see five out of the six teams
brand themselves in a team outfit, as I believe that’s the
future of FPV racing.
Obviously the NexxBlades are a renowned team and a
team called the Hornets was formed a few months ago, but
generally the feeling in the FPV community is that team
racing is needed and this maybe ignited that a little bit
more. Everyone made an effort to go out and buy a team kit
and we’ll see more and more of it, certainly next year.
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How did the team event differ to the
singles racing?
Basically two pilots from each team, so four in total, will
race against each other, with each team competing against
every other one and so the points system builds up (like a
league table). The reason it’s interesting is that you’ve got
coloured quads and each team will have its own colour.
There are points for finishing first to fourth, plus points for
finishing the race as we want everyone to finish and not
just have one quad flying around on its own. Generally it
becomes easier to understand in this format because you
can follow the points.
The final actually went down to the very last race which
made it really interesting. There had been a lot of racing,
so for it to come down to the final race was great. Again,
there are some things we can improve on, such as a huge
scoreboard showing the positions, but we were learning
from it as well and we could see a few improvements we can
make to the format.
Presumably the team event gives you
another good selling point for the show?
It does, but I think it works from the teams’ perspective
as well. When you have a pilot that maybe can’t make all
of the events, from the team perspective it’s easier to get
sponsorship and that gives them funding for other events. If
you’re sponsoring a team you’re not relying on one pilot, so
if one pilot can’t make a particular event the team still can;
they can bring in someone else, a bit like Formula 1 but on a
much smaller scale.
01/09/2017 17:27
 interview

In the singles event Brett Collis was

pretty dominant…
He’s been dominant the whole way through, including
making the fastest lap. It would have been a shame for
him if he didn’t win, if he’d crashed out in the final.
I think the four people that made the final were the
right four people who’d done well over the Friday (in
qualifying) and the Saturday.

You must be pleased with the progress

you’ve made since the iSeries first
launched last year?
Yes, certainly. We’ve put a lot of effort into it and obviously
organising these things isn’t as cheap as everyone may
think so a lot of work has gone into that side of it. Generally
it’s been going pretty much to plan (as best as we can say)
and for us, at the UK Drone Show, it’s an attraction we’d
always want at our events.

So what’s next for iSeries? We hear

something new is coming…
We’re putting together plans now for a winter league. Apart
from the major shows and big finals, we feel that running
an iSeries in June is a bit too much into the summer (where
people want to be flying outdoors). So what we’re looking
at doing is having a league system over the winter months,
possibly starting in October or November and running to
March time. Then we’ll do a finals event at Insomnia again,
either Insomnia in April or August – maybe August so we’ve
got more time to prepare for it.

The pilots are sure to be up for a chance

to race indoors when the weather’s not
great outside!
Absolutely, and that’s the feedback we’ve been getting.
Although with the British weather we could still justify
doing it in the summer!

“We’re putting together plans now for a winter league… possibly starting in
October or November and running to March time”

iSeries 2017: The Results In Numbers

Race 1: March
1. Daniel Peters
2. Harry Plested
3. Leo Whitfield
4. Matthew Evans
Race 2: April
1. Brett Collis
2. Alfie Mitchell
3. Marc Booth
4. Adam FPV Kid
2 days n 40 pilots
Race 4: July 132 races n 4850 laps
1. Brett Collis 520 lipos n 1 winner
2. Jon Smoky Rogers
3. Alfie Mitchell And that was without the
4. Lee Eddison team event! Oliver and the
team would also like to
Grand Final: August thank their sponsors, ACEHE,
1. Brett Collis Gemfan and BBB.
2. Harry Plested
3. Leo Whitfield
4. Matthew Evans

Race 3: May Team Racing: August

1. Luke Bannister 1. NexxBlades
2. Gary Kent 2. Final Rush
3. Harry Plested 3. Team Breakout
4. Jon Smoky Rogers 4. Hornets

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003-98_DM25[Showcase Photos]IKICGC.indd 4 01/09/2017 02:58
 ABOVE DOWN UNDER
Sydney Opera House,
Australia
“While travelling in Australia to a drone
film and photography festival I spent
one afternoon in Sydney. The weather
was perfect, so I decided to fly around
the very scenic harbour and took this
shot. Later an officer pointed out that
flying was not allowed in certain areas.
It was the friendliest way I have ever
been asked to land my drone and he left
saying: ‘I hope you had the opportunity
to get a nice picture!’ - I think I did!”
Photo by Christian Liechti
Supplied by Dronestagram

003-98_DM25[Showcase Photos]IKICGC.indd 5 01/09/2017 02:59

 Carry On Building:
Create Your Own Case
Protective case expert Dan Francis
shows you how to create your own
bespoke storage solution on a budget…
A
s we’ve mentioned previously, and as recently as our
previous issue, it is only sensible that all drone pilots
should be looking for the most practical solutions
to make sure that their kit is carefully looked after, both on
the move and in storage. After you’ve invested in your drone
of choice, along with maybe some FPV goggles, a controller
and some spare parts it is very easy to forget that you will
need to be able to store and transport your kit to and from
your flying locations.
Of course, having already made quite an outlay of cash
to get your craft in the air, you might be rather reluctant
to splash out on a high quality protective case right away.
With this in mind we’ve put together a little ‘how to’ guide,
showing you how easy it is to create your very own bespoke
protective insert on a budget.
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In this instance we’re looking to house something along
the lines of an FPV racer, but the same principles apply to
other models. And to keep things easy we’ll assume that
you don’t have access to a laser cutting tool or CNC routers
and just stick to the basics…
Safety First
Before we get started we should offer up a warning
to the dangers of working with knives and sharp
equipment. Use common sense when using
blades; you need your fingers to operate your
quad so make sure they stay out of harm’s way!
Use a non-slip mat or protective surface to secure
your working material and always take care when
handling sharp objects. Remember this is just a
guide and we cannot take responsibility for you
injuring yourself, so make sure to stay safe!
01/09/2017 03:15
 step 1: be prepared
So here is the challenge: To build a bespoke case for carrying
an FPV model and spare parts without having to spend
big on a premium solution. The first step is to decide what
you would like to go into your case (within reason, accept
that there might not be room for your radio and ten spare
batteries!) and then gather the following materials to make
sure everything is at hand.
You will need:
n An old case (tool and equipment cases are ideal). If you don’t have one you can pick
up a cheap plastic case online for £5-£10.
n A marker pen or Sharpie
n A very sharp knife (again, be careful with it!)
n A sheet of packing foam, which can cost £5-£12 on eBay dependant on case size
(you’ll want at least two layers, so the thickness of the foam should be no more
than half the size of your case)
n Strong double-sided tape

step 2: cut the foam to fit the case

Depending on the depth of your case and foam, cut two or three layers
so that you can use one layer for your insert (where your kit will sit)
and the others for a base inside the case (for everything to rest on). You
might also want to add a layer to the top of the case if there isn’t already
something there to protect your cargo once you tip the case upright.
Then simply place your case on the foam and draw around the outside
of it with your marker pen, then put the case to one side and carefully
cut around the line that you have drawn. After you have made this
rough cutout you can trim it down to fit perfectly inside the internal
dimensions of the case.
As a useful tip, remember that some cases have a chamfered edge
around the base. To create a perfect fit to the bottom of the case you
can cut a 45-degree wedge out of the lower edge to allow the foam to sit
flush within the case. It can be a little tricky to get just right, but it will
make everything fit inside that much better (and prevent any unwanted
movement if the foam doesn’t fit snugly inside its frame).

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 step 3: trace your kit
Once you have cut your foam insert to fit the profile of the case it is time
to trace your kit. Lay out your drone and the rest of the accessories on
top of the ‘insert’ layer of foam, making sure you make the best possible
use of the space, but without squeezing things too closely together.
step 4: cut the foam
Once you’re happy with your layout, to create a firm fit for your kit
carefully cut out around the inside of the marker line – so you’re
effectively making the space a fraction smaller than what’s going inside
it. The flexibility of the foam will still allow you place the item into
the space, and this will produce a cutout that will help to ‘grip’ your
equipment firmly into place.
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Once you have everything in place, use your marker pen to carefully
draw around outlines of your parts. If you make any mistakes or change
your mind about where you want everything to go, you can simply flip
the foam over and try again!
That said, it’s important to note that if you are adding battery pockets
you should ensure that you DO NOT create this tight ‘friction fit’.
Creating a pocket that is too tight will trap the heat inside the battery
and could be dangerous, so don’t take any chances and allow your
batteries to breathe! If you are storing batteries you should always allow
them to cool before closing them in the case.
01/09/2017 03:16
 step 5: fit the foam in place
Take your layers of foam and use double-sided tape to carefully secure
them together and fix them into the case. You can glue them in place, but
using double-sided tape will make it a lot easier to remove and replace
the foam further down the line if required.
step 6: load up!
Now you can place your drone and accessories into the case and, if
necessary, make any final adjustments to get everything just right.
When you come to load your kit you may find that the foam has
compressed slightly due to the numerous items being added. If this is the
case, then carefully trim the edges of the foam cutouts to allow a firm,
supportive grip on your equipment.
And that should be job done! This is a quick, cheap and highly
versatile way to create a carry case solution to suit your needs – although
050-3_DM25[Tut_Foam cut]IKICGC.indd 53
Don’t be shy with the tape! Try to ensure that any part of the cutout
layer that could move around has sufficient tape to hold it to the base
layer. This will reduce wear on the insert and allow it stand up to the
tests of time.
we’d still encourage everyone to check out some of the more professional
options out there for your longer-term needs, especially if you’re flying
with some of the bigger and more expensive models.
However, this option is still better than dragging everything around
loose in a backpack or boxed up in the boot of your car, so if you need a
quick and convenient way to transport your drone, get creative and have
some fun with it! And feel free to share some of your best creations with
us via email or social media!
WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 53
01/09/2017 03:16
 Size Matters:
Building a Big Drone - Part 2
Lee Schofield returns with more professional
guidance on working with models larger than
your average quadcopter…
A
s some of you may have read last issue in Part 1 of
this short two-part series, I was asked recently
about the challenges and considerations when
building larger multirotors for taking video or
photos. I had the opportunity to spend a few days with Ben
Wilkinson from 3DXR who is an expert on this subject while
I attended a commercial pilot’s training course. Ben is one of
the owners of the business, a professional pilot, and works
with everything needed to build such a model, so I picked
his brains to bring you some excellent advice on the matter.
As a reminder, when I asked Ben how his team goes about
picking the components and building the multirotors for
customers he said: “There isn’t an off-the-shelf solution
if you want something bigger than a DJI Phantom but
smaller than the huge models that weigh over 7kg. If you
can build a model that weighs less than 7kg, including the
batteries, then the permission and processes needed to fly
commercially are a little easier.”
Building on that, in our previous issue we looked at the
basic components you’d need to consider when building a
large multirotor for video or camera work (working with
a model around 3-4kg in mind), and how determining the
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All photos by 3DXR / Guy Carpenter, except where stated
kit you want can influence your choice of motor, props
and ESCs. This time we continue to share Ben’s fountain of
knowledge to talk you through some of the other elements
that need consideration.
Flight Controller
There is a lot of choice when it comes to the flight controller
for a larger model, with a few popular options. Rarely will
you find a bigger drone not running a controller without
advanced GPS ability. The extra weight and expense means
that these larger designs need to be treated with even more
care. All of the solutions we will look at here offer smooth
flying, great redundancy, mission planning and autonomous
flight as well as key features like geofencing, where you can
set limits to the range and height of the model that stop it
from accidently flying too far or high.
Where possible, you should ensure sure that you pick
a system with excellent failsafe detection and handling.
Making sure that the craft will handle a problem safely is
key when looking at building a larger model. Most of the
popular choices will have some form of GPS-based ‘Return
to Home’ feature that will try and fly the model back to the
01/09/2017 19:13
 launch point in the event of a problem and handle issues
with radio connection problems, power and low battery.

PixHawk
PixHawk is a very common choice for pilots with larger
models and supports multirotors, planes, cars, boats and
even submarines. The latest generation of this technology is
called the 2.1 or ‘Cube’ and I took a closer look it back in Issue
21. To sum up the key points, PixHawk 2.1 is the most fault-
tolerant and advanced PixHawk yet. It has all of the key
sensors, three of many of them, plus you can use redundant
power systems. The main sensor IMU array along with the
main flight controller is enclosed in a temperature-managed
and sealed unit mounted on shock absorbers.
The PixHawk has fantastic GPS modes, a huge community
and very active (and ongoing) development of the
supporting software. Applications like Mission Planner,
APM Planner and QGroundControl are easy to use and with “Making sure that the craft will handle a
the PixHawk they make for easy set-up and super smooth
flight. Be careful using some of the ‘clone’ PixHawk flight
problem safely is key when looking at building
controllers, though, as not all of them have had the same a larger model”
attention to detail and testing.

DJI N3
Flight controllers like the N3 and others from DJI are
good choices, too. They are designed for these kinds of
applications, support all of the DJI technology and have great
GPS and failsafe as well. The N3 has dual IMUs, improved
algorithms for stability and reducing magnetic interference,
and links easily with other DJI products like its gimbals,
intelligent speed controllers, Lightbridge 2 and DJI Smart
LiPo Batteries.
Primarily designed around multirotors they offer a wide
range of supported frame types, a 16-point ground station
for iPad and PC (with the optional 2.4Ghz Bluetooth datalink
connection), take-off and landing assistance, intelligent
orientation control to help if you get in trouble and motor
failure protection.
Other versions like the premium DJI A3 can also prove a
good choice for larger models. It’s used on many filming rigs
and has lots of redundancy with multiple sensors and GPS
add-ons, and it can support RTK options as well. There can
be some tricky problems getting the DJI flight controllers
to talk to a PC, as the drivers you need to use don’t always
install easily, but once they are up and running working the The big difference from the other two systems is that the
setup and configuration isn’t too hard. OSD and setup are vector-based and use colour, making
flying with goggles a breeze. The entire setup can be done
EagleTree Vector through the OSD itself so there’s no need to use an app for
A good option for those that will be using FPV to fly the configuration at the field. It has excellent failsafe (especially
model more often is the EagleTree Vector. This is a little when using S-Bus) and GPS modes, along with an array of
different from the other options we’ve touched on as it’s mission planning tools, which makes this one well worth
designed from the bottom up to be integrated into an FPV a look for any pilots out there that intend to fly a lot of their
system. It still offers mission-based planning, autonomous flights in FPV and want all of the critical data around the
flight, great failsafes and easy setup and configuration. edge of the screen.
It also supports both planes and multirotors and is silky
smooth to fly. Best of the Rest
Normally this is the part in an article where I talk about
technology like iNavflight. iNav, along with other open
source technology, is excellent and provides a lot of the same
features as the flight control systems mentioned here for
about 10-20% of the cost. However, in my opinion if you’re
going to be putting a large multirotor in the air and carrying
heavy expensive camera equipment, then trying to use a less
proven, open source technology, it could be a choice you may
regret. I’ve been using iNavflight on wings and multirotors
with great success, but would I trust a £400 SLR on a £800
multirotor to it? Not at the moment.

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 “Remember that doubling the capacity of batteries on the model doesn’t
equal double the flight time”

Batteries of the second pack will use some of that extra power. Ben
Standard LiPo battery packs can be used on the larger uses the packs from Tattu in many of the larger models he
models as the efficiency of the motors and props mean that makes for customers. As he explains: “They perform well,
you don’t need huge currents to fly these larger models. As are designed to give the longest flight times with a larger
we looked at in the previous issue, the motors and ESC you mAh rating and have the lower C ratings these models need.
choose will determine the voltage of the pack you need. They also feature some cool touches like the capacity meter
6S and larger are common on much bigger multirotors as on the end, too.”
they can deliver the wattage the motor needs using lower
currents for that longer flight time. Connecting the packs
in parallel will increase the flight time and enable you to
mount the batteries in the spaces available in the frame and
retain a good centre of gravity with all the other equipment
on the model.
Remember that doubling the capacity of batteries on the
model doesn’t equal double the flight time. The extra weight

Photo by Painless360 Productions

Frame and Landing Gear

Now we are getting into the meat of the setup and one of the
trickiest parts of a build: choosing the frame and landing
gear. Sadly there are not a lot of frames on the larger class
above 500mm until you get into the huge multirotors that
will weigh over 7kg, which we’re trying to avoid in this case.
There are options but you will need to spend time looking
at them to make sure that it will support the mount you’re
interested in and have enough room to support the size of
props that you need.
Ben also pointed out a few of the other things to look
at when choosing your frame. “I’ve used Tarot frames for
models weighting 3-4kg, but the main considerations will

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 always be the weight and stiffness of the frame. The key
factor is strength. Good quality carbon fibre tubes and alloy
parts are usually good choices but you will need to look at
the options for the landing gear and arms.
“Where possible choose a frame with folding arms as it’ll
make transportation easier. Think about the landing gear,
too. If you’re only using a 2D gimbal then you can probably
use fixed landing gear; if you want to use a 3D gimbal that
can rotate then you need to look at retractable landing gear.”
Ben also showed me how they have used DJI retracts on a
few models where the customer wanted to be able to have a
360-degree unobstructed view from the camera.

Radio (if you need one)

This is one of the few areas where you don’t have to use any
specialised kit. “We tend to recommend the Futaba 14SG or
the FrSky Taranis radio for the larger models. There is also a
beautiful system from Jetti,” Ben told us. There are a couple
of things to consider when looking for a radio for your large
multirotor. You need to have enough channels to fly the
model, select the modes you want, control any gimbal you’re
using and control the camera.
For standard flying a flight controller will need the five
basic channels: throttle, aileron, elevator, rudder and at least
one channel for the flight mode. On top of that you’ll need
two channels for a 2D gimbal or three channels if it’s a 3D
gimbal. Then you’ll need a few more for the landing gear and
camera control, too. “It’s common for larger models to have
two radios working side by side,” Ben explained. “One for the
pilot flying line of sight and another for the camera operator
to use to control the camera and compose the shots.”
Care should be taken when installing the receiver to make
sure that the antennae for the receiver is routed well for
maximum reception. If possible install the antennae at 90
degrees to one another. Ben also says you should “make sure
that your failsafe on the receiver is set up and configured
with the flight controller you’re using. Test it thoroughly to
make sure that the model will always fail safely.” Wise words
indeed, and not just for the larger models.
Video
There are lots of options for the FPV equipment on a model
like this but more often than not they are flown using line
of sight by the pilot. With the excellent GPS modes using
the flight controllers we looked at earlier, you can ‘park’ the
model in 3D space using the GPS and altimeter and then
concentrate on the gimbal and camera.
Analogue systems are inexpensive but provide relatively
low resolution images back to the ground station or goggles.
The benefit with analogue is that you can easily add more
than one camera (and even multiple transmitters) to the
model and switch between the two.
You can have one forward facing camera on your model
for orientation and another mounted alongside the main
camera in the gimbal to be able to ‘see’ the direction and
framing of the photo or video. If you’re using a smaller
camera like a GoPro then most of those action cameras
provide a ‘video out’ connection that can be plugged straight
into the FPV transmitter.

Photo by Painless360 Productions

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 Will you take a tablet PC, iPad or Android device to the
field? What applications exist for you to set up, program and
monitor the model as it flies?
Monitoring the model as it’s flying often relies on a
radio connection. Connections using Bluetooth are short
range and Wi-Fi is only slightly better. Systems that use
frequencies like 433MHz in the EU and 915MHz in places
like the USA are excellent for maintaining a solid radio
connection for the telemetry. Consider a telemetry radio
setup for the model you’re making and some kind of ground
station, too, as this will enable you to see exactly what’s
going on as you fly.

Ready for Take-Off

The problems facing a builder of a 250 class quadcopter pale
into comparison when looking at building a 3kg model with
Photo by Painless360 Productions all of the features we’ve covered. As you’ll have seen over
these two articles there is a lot to consider and many builders
and pilots tend to get familiar with one set of technology and
use that to the exclusion of all others.
As we’ve seen, not all of the technology is good in the
same areas. One flight controller may be amazing when
used with OSD systems, another has an excellent telemetry
system and simple mission planning – but that doesn’t mean
they’ll be just as efficient in a different model, especially a
larger one.
There are excellent multiple choices for every part of a
large multirotor build right now but being clear on what you
want the model to do for you will help you make the right
“If you needed more flight time then you choices. We need to go back to where we started and those
could connect two 6S LiPo packs in parallel to first principles we looked at. Form follows function so the
time you spend at the start will set the course and decisions
increase the capacity available” you make as you build.
Don’t forget that there are experts like Ben about. If
in doubt use resources such as him and work alongside
retailers and manufacturers as you may need them after the
sale if you get stuck! Hopefully by now you will have an idea
“Form follows function so the time you spend at of the areas of consideration when looking to build a much
the start will set the course and decisions you larger model, so the very best of luck with your next big
build and, as always, happy flying!
make as you build”

Also available is the ability to use HD FPV systems from

manufacturers like Connex. The one available for hobbyists
is the ProSight system but companies like Connex also
provide much more expensive HD transmission systems
for the professional. The ProSight runs at 720p / 60fps and
provides an excellent way to view the image from the model
in real time. Sadly there isn’t a HD DVR as part of the system,
but by using one of the many HDMI outputs you can easily
add one to record the footage.

Telemetry and Updates

Another useful element to look at is the support for the
telemetry that your radio uses. Flight controllers like the
PixHawk 2.1 and Vector have a telemetry cable that connects
to the SmartPort plug on an FrSky receiver. This allows all of
the key data to be shown on the screen of the radio; attitude,
battery health, distance, height and other key metrics can all
be read easily and alarms can be set up in the radio to let you
know if you’re about to have a problem. Using something
like the EagleTree Vector allow you to see all of the critical
data on the FPV screen so you always know exactly what’s
going on.
Consider how you want to fly and what devices you expect
to have with you when you fly. Will it just be an iPhone?

58 DRONE MAGAZINE

054-8_DM25[ftBig Build Pt2]IKICGC.indd 58 01/09/2017 19:15

 From Drone Zero to Drone Hero
With

Mark Thomas
Learn to Fly Like a Pro,
Film Like a Pro
What we can teach you:
Pre-flight checks
Can I fly here?
Beginner

Should I fly here?

James Patterson

Our unique 4:4:3 rules for safe flying

The fail-safes and how they can go wrong
The ten most common reasons for accidents
and how to avoid them
Intermediate

Confident in all phases of flight

Intelligent Flight Mode
Steve Samosa

Flying effectively in ATTI mode

Operating in strong winds

Camera settings
Filters
Composition
Advanced

Smooth operation
Steve Ashman

Cinematic effects
Subject matter
Photoshop
iMovie and Final Cut Pro

Flying indoors
Expert

Drone Deploy
Theory test
Images are by Finalists in the 400ft Britain drone
Flight test photography competition
All are PhantomFlightSchool clients

01244 893 872 www.phantomflightschool.co.uk info@phantomflightschool.co.uk

Drone ad.indd 1 13/04/2017 11:19

 Charging into
.......the Future
Among the many leaps forward
in drone tech, improved batteries
for longer flight times is one of
the most in-demand. Adam Juniper
studies the science and powers up
the possibilities…
T
he Lithium Polymer (or LiPo) batteries common
in modern day drones are a development of
Lithium-Ion, a technology developed in the 1970s
by researchers at Oxford University led by Professor
John Goodenough. However, it wasn’t commercialised in
practical cell form until Sony introduced it in 1991. The story
isn’t one without problems either, a lot of which Sony can
testify to first hand.
In 1995 Sony was still the world’s leading manufacturer
of the battery type it had brought to market, when its
Tochigi factory nearly destroyed its production facility and
dramatically affected worldwide supply. That was just the
forerunner of the notebook fire crisis of 2006, in which 9.6
million Sony-made batteries were recalled due to faulty
manufacturing. Problems, it transpired, stemmed from
growing pains as manufacturing was being transferred
from Japan (and outsourced) to bigger plants in South Korea
and China as the industry grew.
The UAE’s Air Accident Investigation into the fatal crash
of a cargo aircraft in September 2010 found that lithium
batteries were likely to be the cause of the fire which resulted
in the loss of the plane and all crew after a fire was reported
22 minutes into the flight. The upshot is one you’ll likely be
familiar with the cargo shipment of lithium batteries since
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banned on passenger aircraft, though in some cases you
can leave one in checked baggage if that battery is inside
the equipment itself. Spares will need to travel with you as
hand-luggage (or likely not at all if they’re in a Samsung
Galaxy Note 7!).
The specific rules can vary but interestingly some
airlines, such as KLM, have gone so far as to restrict devices
like ‘hoverboards’ altogether. The restriction seems to be
based on the reputation of the manufacturers of these
products, rather than watt hours, and we can at least be
grateful – probably because of the number of ‘intelligent
batteries’ around – that drones and their batteries aren’t
similarly dismissed.
Fire Risk
This susceptibility to fire is partly because of the way
the batteries are made and work. Lithium is, at room
temperature and normal pressure, the lightest of metals,
and in a vacuum it would also be shiny. In real and damp air
it will tarnish quickly. It doesn’t just need to be kept sealed
from the elements, though; a battery works because the two
key elements – the anode (graphite) and the cathode (lithium
cobalt oxide) – are kept separate. In a LiPo battery that job is
handled by the polymer, floating in liquid electrolyte.
Over time and during charging the elements of the battery
will change. This is especially true of the anode where it
faces the separator; as the charge flows back dendrites form,
or spikes looking a little like stalactites. Charging too fast or
unevenly will cause these to grow faster, as will poor quality
original manufacturing.
These dendrites eventually become long enough to
damage the polymer separator itself, shorting the battery
and, at best, rendering it useless. At worst, well, you know!
The electrolyte is flammable which means things will go
downhill rather fast, too.
01/09/2017 15:40
 Samsung officials ascribe the recent and well-known
issues it has had with battery manufacturing to a flaw which
led the electrodes to contact each other. That kind of issue Mastering the Science
might, however, be a thing of the past – from one company There has been a continuous progression towards more power, less weight
at least. American Lithium Energy has found a way of and improved energy density. However, it definitely looks like we could be
adding a fuse to each cell that, according to CEO Jiang Fan, due for an all-new technology to make a great leap forward.
“when something is wrong inside, our fuse will kick in and
break the current and the battery will be safe.”
If we’re honest, though, safety can largely be achieved by
treating drones with respect, so while Fan’s tech (if it works)
will no doubt be licensed everywhere soon, what we really
want is more power in the pack. So what other options for
better batteries can we expect to see coming soon?

Nanotech
It seems simple enough, but shrinking the particles inside a
battery increases their surface area (proportionally). Since
you can cram more particles into the same volume there is
more surface area, so the battery can be more efficient. You
can thank professor Yet-Ming Chiang and his team at MIT
for nanophosphate and he’s not stopped there. His team is
looking at why lithium batteries fail (and why some don’t),
and is speculating that the problem of dendrite formation –
recognised from the early days – might not be the only factor.
The incremental improvements we’re already
experiencing come from new arrangements of lithium
oxide cathodes. Researchers are looking for materials that
can store the maximum number of lithium ions and this
is done by adjusting the proportion of nickel, aluminium,
manganese and (possibly) cobalt. LiCoO2, for example,
creates layers.
Photo by University of Texas

Glass Batteries
Better understanding how lithium batteries fail will be
crucial to Maria Helena Braga, backed up by original Li-
Ion scientist, the now very venerable John Goodenough.
Working as a Senior Research Fellow at the Materials
Institute headed by Goodenough at the University of Texas,
she has proposed the use of a glass separator, otherwise
John Goodenough
known as Solid-State Lithium-ion.

The Zephyr UAV is designed for

reconnaissance missions and flies at
60,000ft (well above the 43,000ft of
civil aviation) using Li-S tech.

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 Photo by University of Texas
manufacturing techniques are mastered, not to mention
better safety. They also suggest that an 18C battery could
be charged in three minutes. Sadly we might have a little
while to wait for solid state; 2020 is a date that appears on a
number of investors’ guideline documents.

Lithium Sulphur
Many millions of dollars have been invested in Sion
Power, the company developing Li-S technology and,
encouragingly from our perspective, UAVs are very much
in its firing line (as well as electric vehicles). Back in 2014 its
batteries, topped up with solar power from the 22.5m (70ft)
wing span, were able to power the Airbus Defence & Space
Zephyr prototype and hold it aloft for nearly two weeks (and
in the local winter to boot).
Although Li-S technology certainly works, and in drones,
too, it’s not yet ready for primetime. There is a great deal
of volume expansion leading to mechanical stress on the
batteries, but there are also a good number of variations for
scientists to explore; areas such as graphite, graphene and
silicon chemistry can all be tweaked.

Sodium-ion
Researchers have been working on using extremely
common sodium, rather than rare lithium, in batteries
since the Eighties. French R&D network RS2E has created
a prototype that works in laptops and has achieved results
that it describes as comparable to existing lithium batteries.
Braga has also tested sodium technology successfully with
her ‘glass’ electrolyte system, meaning the same clean-
chemical benefits can also gain from the charge-cycle and
efficiency benefits of solid state systems.

Dr. Braga’s new design uses
sodium in a glass electrode,
rather than lithium in a liquid
one, and promises three times
as much energy density, as well
as eliminating heat build-up
and reducing charge times.
Although Braga is clear that the very small working
prototypes used in the labs are some way from powering
a drone, she has said that “the metals are not so difficult
to implement in the existing industry,” which certainly
suggests that we’ll see the technology implemented rather
faster than the near two decades LiPo took to get to market.
Yuki Kato and other scientists at Toyota have also
published a paper on the potential offered by what they call
“All-Solid-State” batteries, which adds that they offer the
possibility of higher energy density and higher power once
Lithium Air
Solid state seems like a sensible solution to the dendrite
problem, but one of the most theoretically exciting
approaches is to use oxygen as part of the cathode. Holding
it in place with a porous carbon, the ability to manufacture
at scale has only just been proven. It offers ten times greater
energy density to Lithium-Ion (comparable to petrol), but
is some way from market. Air, of course, isn’t pure and the
chemicals in it also make it impractical; at present lab tests
have only achieved around 50 charge cycles.
Fuel Cell Power Systems
The hydrogen fuel cell was invented in 1839 and passes
hydrogen fuel past the anode. The cathode is exposed to the
outside, takes in the air and drips a little water vapour out,

powering 1799 1836 1859

the past

Voltaic Pile cell lead-acid

Potato power is not so very far away from the
first ever battery, the invention of Italian physicist
Alessandro Volta. He sandwiched brine-soaked
paper between zinc and copper electrodes and
disproved, in the process, the common theory that
living beings were the only source of electricity. It
might sound crazy now, but that was 1799.
British chemist John Frederic Daniell created
a cell that solved the “hydrogen bubble”
issue of Volta’s battery (bubbles collected on
the zinc electrode). Ironically the electrical
potential of Daniell’s cell became the basis
for the ‘voltage’ unit, or one volt, though the
name was adopted from Volta.
The first rechargeable battery was
invented by French physicist Gaston
Planté. It was cheap to build and capable
of supplying huge surge currents. More
than $40 billion worth of lead-acid
batteries are still sold today, largely to the
motor trade.

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 In our previous issue we reported on the new HyDrone from MMC which uses a
hydrogen fuel cell system and boasts flight times of up to four hours.

The Race is On
There are other contestants in the battery-of-the-future race,
too. Former US President Barack Obama set a goal of $100
per kilowatt hour for electricity storage as a target for the
utility industry (storing power is the key to solar and wind
being practical). It’s worth noting that in the mid-Nineties
Li-ion was notching up about $3,000 for this level of storage.
Although this ‘moonshot’ didn’t target the consumer
industry, between this, the rapid growth of the electric
vehicle industry and the needs of the phone and wider tech
industry, pilots can be extremely confident that things will
only get better. Although quite what the Next Big Thing will
be is not clear right now.
so – at the point of use – its environmental credentials are However, any potential investors out there bored with
outstanding. Some might think that the idea of sticking a low bank rates might want to consider that many people
load of hydrogen in the air is an experiment disproved long are expecting the battery market, at the very minimum, to
ago (“Oh the humanity!”), and there is something a little double in the next decade. That should be incentive enough for
disappointingly low-tech about the idea of a tank that needs more investment and innovation in the years to come.
refilling after years of sending the magic invisible electricity
straight into the battery – albeit at a frustratingly slow speed.
That’s not actually the worst of it, either; from an
environmental perspective hydrogen doesn’t quite have
the green credentials its advocates claim for it, but that’s
only because hydrogen manufacturing is typically far from
environmental. As the simplest element, roughly 75% of the
matter in the universe contains hydrogen, like simple H2O,
but it needs to be separated, stored and shipped, all of which
uses power, and not necessarily clean power at that.
The appeal, though, and where there is the backing to
invest in all the necessary safety precautions for hydrogen
handling, is in significantly longer flight times. On an
adapted DJI Matrice, UK-based tech company Arcola
Energy claims flight times “between one hour and two”,
considerably beating the standard 15 minutes. Ultimately this
could have use in delivery drones or surveying, especially
once flying beyond the line of sight gets regulatory approval.

Potato Battery
If you’ve never tried it, you should. Stab a piece
of copper and a piece of zinc into a potato and
connect the two via an LED. It should light
up. The water in the potato conducts the ions “Safety can largely be achieved by treating
through sodium, potassium and chloride, which drones with respect… what we really want is more
are the key electrolytes.
power in the pack”
Lewes Urry invented both the alkaline and lithium
battery for the Eveready Battery Company – which
later adopted a bunny and became Energizer.

1899 1950 1989

NiCad Alkaline Ni-MH

Invented by the Swede Waldemar Junger, NiCad
are wet cells using a liquid electrolyte much like
lead-acid. However, these were adaptable to
standard sizes so were the first rechargeables
most consumers encountered. The downside is
that cadmium is highly toxic, so both government
and the market are seeking alternatives.
Duracell and Energizer are the brands we
recognise, and these typically (though not
always) non-rechargeable batteries were
invented by Canadian engineer Lewes
Urry. The electrolytes are actually zinc and
manganese oxide; an ‘alkalike’ is potassium
hydroxide electrolyte.
Nickel-Metal Hydride replaces the toxic
cadmium for both a better energy density
and more environmental points (an area
where one can have one’s cake and eat
it). Interestingly some of the big sponsors
of the technology are car manufacturers
Volkswagen and Daimler-Benz.

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 GLOWING STREETS
Hollywood Road Park,
Hong Kong Island
“In drone photography the light plays
a very crucial part as well! Here we
are just past ‘the blue hour’ above a
very busy part of Hong Kong Island.
The warm light from the streetlamps
contrasts nicely with the cold light from
the sky reflected by the many high-rises
and lets the street-grid glow into the
early evening of an ever-busy city.”
Photo by Christian Liechti
Supplied by Dronestagram

003-98_DM25[Showcase Photos]IKICGC.indd 6 01/09/2017 03:01

003-98_DM25[Showcase Photos]IKICGC.indd 7 01/09/2017 03:01
 All photos by DJI

DJI Matrice 200 Reviewer: Mark Baker

REVIEW • street price: Starting from £5,899

•  imensions: 887 x 880 x 378mm (716 x 220 x 236mm folded)
D
• weight: 3.8kg / 4.53kg (with TB50 / TB55 battery)
• camera: Not included (Zenmuse X4S, X5S, Z30 and XT compatible)
• battery: 4280mAh / 7660mAh LiPo (TB50 / TB55)
• flight time: 13-27 mins (no-full payload, TB50; 24-38 mins no-full payload, TB55)
• range: 4.3 miles (7km)
• Website: www.dji.com

W
hen we first previewed DJI’s M200 series of
drones – initially comprised of the M200, the
M210 and the M210 RTK – we were impressed
with the specs, but we did wonder how these
latest commercial platforms would find a home in a tough
market. Fortunately we recently had the chance to travel
to Malaysia to check out this impressive addition to the
DJI fleet for ourselves – from unboxing and set up to live
deployment on inspection and survey projects.
The M200 variant we tested was shipped in a solid flight
case, considerable in size but not in weight. It was easy
enough to transport short distances and tough enough to
be slung in the back of a pickup truck. The aircraft itself
transports in a ‘frog’ position, with the front and rear rotor
arms folding forwards and backwards to stretch almost
the length of the flight case. The downward-facing gimbal
remains on the airframe for storage and there is plenty of
room for batteries, controller and various spares and cables.
The landing gear is removed fairly easily and sits inside
the lid, along with the propellers (held in place by Velcro
straps). Overall the case was sturdy enough for industrial
use, but an extended carry-handle and some quality wheels
would be a nice addition.

Getting Set Up
Assembling the M200 proved to be very straightforward.
The detachable landing gear slides into the corresponding
fittings on the airframe and is held in place by a latch. It
is satisfyingly chunky, with a large enough footprint to
give you plenty of reassurance about the possibility of it
pitching the M200 over at take-off or landing – which is not
something you want to be worrying about with £10,000
worth of camera onboard…
The M200’s rotor arms fold out into their flight positions,
with a sleeve that slides down towards the fuselage
and screws in to secure them in place. One thing that is
definitely noticeable about this system (as opposed to the
‘over/under’ folds found on the Mavic Pro) is the fact that

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 “It might not get pulses racing, but on an offshore oil rig or within a few
feet of a power line it’s exactly what’s required”

there is far less chance of creating pinch points for the

cables heading out to the motors and ESCs. The relatively
limited range of movement explains the size of the flight
case, but if it means less chance of important cables
becoming stretched or frayed then the trade-off is worth it.
DJI’s 3515 motors provide the muscle for the M200. They
are matched to 1760S propellers featuring the now-familiar
‘pop and twist’ method of attachment and removal. With
the props on the M200 starts to look a bit more serious. For
a quadcopter that weighs in well below 7kg (fully loaded) it
develops a muscular appearance which is in part due to its
high ground clearance.
Our M200 shipped with two TB50 batteries. This
backwards compatibility will be a welcome bonus for
pilots who have already invested in them for an Inspire 2
setup. There is also the option to upgrade to a larger version
(the TB55) which puts out 7660mAh to increase flight

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times significantly. At maximum take-off weight this is
the difference between 13 minutes (TB50) and 24 minutes
(TB55) in the air.
That extra power does come at a price, as the TB55 is
almost twice as expensive and over 300g heavier than its
counterpart. A word of warning, though: as it stands the
TB55 exceeds the energy limits imposed by most airlines
for transport in the cabin. With stowage in the baggage
hold also heavily restricted, you will need to be aware of the
“We can state officially and unequivocally that the M200 is our
new favourite professional platform”
68 DRONE MAGAZINE
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practical issues of flying with your M200 if you’ve got the
TB55 batteries equipped.
Another nod to the Inspire series can be found in the
M200’s controller, which it shares with the Inspire 2. It can
be upgraded to take the CrystalSky monitor (more on that
over the page) in both its 5.5 and 7.85-inch variants. Perhaps
of more interest to commercial users is the possibility to
combine the M200 with Cendence, DJI’s pro-level controller
featuring a built-in CrystalSky mounting bracket and a host
of customisable switches and ports. Cendence can be used
as either Master or Slave with the stock controller, providing
a comprehensive system for dual-operator flight crews.
In the Air
The M200 doesn’t ship with a camera payload as standard.
We were lucky enough to try it out with both the Z30 and
X5S cameras. First impressions with the Z30 were good.
Once throttled up and in a holding position around 5-10
metres above the ground the M200 does kick up some dust,
but without ever looking like it is struggling.
For the seasoned pilots who had queued up to get their
hands on the controls it was a case of mixed emotions.
While some had been expecting a bucking bronco that
was a test of their flying skills (and cojones!) others had
imagined that the extra weight would make the M200
lumpy and unresponsive. In reality it proved to be solid
and predictable, with plenty of power to send it from A to
B when required and without any fuss. That might not get
01/09/2017 03:19

pulses racing, but on an offshore oil rig or within a few feet
of a power line it’s exactly what’s required.
The consensus was generally that the M200 flies straight
from the box like its diminutive cousins the Phantom
series, the drones that first brought DJI to prominence. In
all honesty it was (arguably) easier to set up and run than
the Inspire 2. While we didn’t have the chance to test it in
the rain, it coped perfectly well in temperatures close to 40
degrees Celsius and claustrophobic levels of humidity.
The combination of M200 and Z30 payload was the real
revelation. Even at full optical (and a bit of digital) zoom we
struggled to generate any of the wobble that is prevalent
066-71_DM25[revs DJI M20_Crystalsky]IKICGC.indd 69
when deploying high-zoom cameras on aerial platforms.
With a bit of coordination it was possible to complete a
slow pan of the subject while maintaining definition and
stability of images. Not only could we get detailed images of
electrical components from a distance, we could also read
the serial numbers on some of them.
Field Work
In the few days that we had on site we had barely begun
to scratch the surface of its capabilities. What was clear
is that DJI has created a genuine commercial platform
capable of taking on precision inspection work, especially
with the ease with which its stunning Z30 camera can be
incorporated into it.
If we’re honest it’s probably not worth getting the M200
if you are only planning to fly with the Zenmuse X4 or X5
payloads. The Inspire 2 already does that, and does it well
for a lesser price. If, on the other hand, you wanted to get
the Z30 airborne this is absolutely the way to go. The added
flexibility of being able to swap it out for your existing
lighter payloads is just a welcome bonus.
If our experience was anything to go by you can expect
to find the M200 being used by two-man inspection crews
on infrastructure across a variety of industries. It would
seem that DJI has nailed it again, just at the time when
the acceptance of drones (and the change that they make
possible) is moving from novelty gadget to commercial
mainstay. We can state officially and unequivocally that the
M200 is our new favourite professional platform. At least
until we get our hands on the M210…
WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 69
01/09/2017 03:19
 All photos by DJI

DJI CrystalSky Reviewer: Mark Baker

REVIEW • street price: £449 (5.5”) / £569 (7.85”) / £819 (7.85” Ultra Brightness)
•  imensions: 153 x 85 x 39mm (5.5” with battery) / 208 x 148 x 35 (7.5” with battery)
D
• resolution: 1920 x 1080 (5.5”) / 2048 x 1536 (7.85”)
• brightness: 1000 cd/m² (High Brightness) / 2000 cd/m² (Ultra Brightness)
• internal / external battery: 980mAh / 4920mAh
• compatibility: Phantom 3 (Pro and Advanced), Phantom 4, Inspire, Matrice, Osmo
and Mavic Pro series, plus Cendence controllers
• Website: www.dji.com

I
n addition to the dedicated display devices included
with the plus variants of the Phantom 4 series, DJI has
also launched its standalone monitor solution called
CrystalSky. Available in 5.5 and 7.85-inch variants
(with a top of the line ‘Ultra Bright’ version as a further
option for the larger screen) it is essentially a dedicated
DJI Go app ground station. We had the chance to test the
standard 7.85” CrystalSky monitor to see if it could live up
to its billing and display clear preview images in even the
brightest of conditions.
It’s worth noting at the outset that while CrystalSky is
designed to slot straight into a DJI Cendence controller, it
requires an adaptor bracket for use on stock Phantom or
Inspire controllers. This is a quite hefty £75 addition, but
once installed it offers a ‘plug and play’ functionality. We
were lucky enough to have the bracket included with our
demo unit, and it took less than two minutes to install on
the Phantom 4 and Inspire controllers we tested it with.
In its folded down position it protrudes slightly more than
the original bracket. For us this meant we had to shave the
high-density foam in our flight case down slightly to allow
the controller to sit in its normal position.
With the bracket in place we set about getting the
screen itself installed. Again, this proved to be very
straightforward – two screws are used to fix a bridging plate
to the bottom edge of the monitor. This allows the monitor
to slide straight into the controller bracket, with a simple
catch to hold it in place. Once the desired angle is achieved
the joint can be tightened to keep everything secure.
It was apparent almost immediately that the CrystalSky
monitor is significantly heavier than any smartphone or
tablet we’d used on a standard DJI controller. This was
before we had even installed one of the dedicated 2S LiPo
batteries which power DJI’s Android-based display. While
the extra weight took a bit of getting used to it wasn’t
a deal-breaker. The batteries slot into the lower half of
the monitor, keeping them closer to your hands and
causing less of a balancing problem than we had feared.
The extra bulk might not suit everyone but it is a natural
by-product of the move towards a professional imaging

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 solution. The CrystalSky bundles do not include a charger
but the charging station is compatible with a variety of
DJI accessories – so if you already own a DJI craft then the
chances are you already have something suitable.
Firing up the CrystalSky gave us the first indication of
what it was capable of. Even in a well-lit room the effect
of the white intro screen on the eyes is akin to waking up
at 4am and turning on your phone to check the time. We
were testing the base version which is stated to produce
1,000 nits of brightness – the Ultra Bright option puts out
twice as much at 2,000 nits! Overall the image quality
was stunning; beautifully sharp without any distortion or
vignetting towards the outer edges. We found that the touch
screen needed quite a heavy hand to operate, but this could
have been to do with the fact that we left the thick screen
protector on (for fear of scuffing-up DJI’s shiny piece of kit).
On Display
Beyond the standard settings menu and galleries there isn’t
a lot you can do from the front end of the operating system.
DJI made the decision to restrict software on the CrystalSky
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to its own and has disabled the ability to install third-party
apps. This might be an issue if you normally use something
like DroneDeploy or Litchi. There are some workarounds
possible using the many ports and connections available
but they are not ideal. It is mooted that DJI’s own Ground
Station Pro app (and likely some of its Enterprise solutions)
will be supported with later updates. The rationale is that
they want to avoid the clutter usually found on a phone
or tablet and, by extension, minimise the chances of
software conflicts and crashes. You do feel, though, that if
the appetite from users is there then DJI might revisit its
position and make some exceptions further down the line.
In the field the CrystalSky performed flawlessly, whether
in bright, cloudy or sunrise/sunset lighting. Its power
source is designed to run for four to five hours at normal
operating conditions, and with two supplied we ran out of
flight batteries for our M200 test craft long before we could
put those figures to the test. Most tellingly we did not have
a single app crash, something which has become a regular
feature of whichever device we’ve used in the past.
Perhaps where the CrystalSky really starts to justify its
price tag is after you’ve finished flying. With a whole host of
ports and slots it is remarkably capable as a playback device.
We even tried running some 4K footage through the DJI Go
4 app’s editing function and were pleasantly surprised with
the results. It can handle both H.264 and H.265 codecs (at
60fps for the latter) and output to another screen or monitor
via its HDMI connection.
If you are just pottering about with your Phantom, flying
for fun, it might be difficult to justify the expense of adding
CrystalSky to your set-up. Where it really comes into its
own is as part of a professional dual-operator system. It is
a massive leap forward from the smartphones and tablets
commonly employed as display screens. For recreational
users it will be an expensive luxury. For commercial
users the cross-compatibility, battery life and playback
performance are likely to make it a must-have addition to a
professional set-up.
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01/09/2017 03:20
 All photos by PowerVision, expect where stated
Powerray:
Making a Splash
Drones needn’t be just about flying!
Adam Juniper dons his waterproofs to
take a closer look at PowerVision’s
novel underwater design…
I
n recent months we’ve seen that PowerVision is not
afraid to shake things up a little in the drone market. You
might not have thought that drones should, or could,
be egg-shaped before, but now it’s hard not to want to
add a PowerEgg to your UAV collection. Similarly it would
be easy to dismiss the idea of drones operating underwater.
Sure, we’ve all seen remote submersibles in action, but to a
company like PowerVision being able to navigate the waters
can be just as thrilling as taking to the sky.
Perhaps to the initial surprise of drone manufacturers, the
fishing community has thoroughly embraced flying drones.
You might not know it, especially if your experience of fishing
is in the muddy canals and rivers of the UK, but in many of
the sunnier parts of the world an aerial view of a lake or the
sea will show you the fish swimming in it. From the shore
you’ll likely see the reflection of the sky because of the acute
angle, but from above (at least in the shallow waters), the light
reflected from the bottom doesn’t have to travel too far and
any fish in those waters will be clearly visible.
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Standard consumer models like the DJI Phantom provide
enough resolution for someone to fly from the shore and use
the screen to monitor the waters below as long as they’re
clear enough. Drones, especially those with 4K cameras,
are also great for the classic fisherman’s boast, without all
that tedious mucking about actually catching the fish in
question. Cropping that super high resolution gives you a
great digital zoom, and if you’re sharing some clips people
will still see plenty of fishy detail.
Taking a Dip
Getting a camera into the water, however, does afford more
detail and anglers might find themselves comfortable with
the FishTec FishSpy, a marker float which transmits live
video from water up to 10m deep to your phone or tablet.
This is useful for spotting features and hazards that might
not make for good fishing and to “check the presentation
of your bait”. Since water isn’t great for WiFi, FishSpy also
records up to seven hour of footage (limited by a three hour
01/09/2017 19:46
 “PowerVision isn’t far from the truth when it describes the set-up as being
‘like a cheat code for angling’”

Interestingly, the Splash Drone 3 can operate in the air as

Photo by SwellPro
well as in water, really giving people the best of both worlds
– but it is worth noting that the thrust and power required
to push its rotors through water is very different to that in
the air which can limit flight times, meaning that a tailor-
made underwater solution could be preferable to those not
so fussed with flying.

Enter the PowerRay

What, then, from the company that brought the world a
flying egg? A drone shaped like a depth charge? A drone
that drops depth charges? Well, no. Not yet, anyway.
PowerVision has chosen to give you the control you can
The Splash Drone 3 can operate both already get above the sea and underground with a remote
above and beneath the surface. controlled submersible; one that anglers or budding nature
documentary makers can pilot beneath the surface to get
up-close and personal with marine life.
battery), so you can relive what you might have missed
when the float submerges.
Most of the time there is a sizeable plastic-coated antenna
in the tail. The fins can even be changed as apparently
different colours are useful in different lights – and
definitely not just because anglers like to switch styles from
time to time, oh no!
Floats are great, but they still need to be cast on a rod
and fishing line. What if that all feels a bit old-tech for you?
In our case it reminds us of a really annoying scene in The
Legend of Zelda on the Nintendo Wii (anyone else?). Why
not use a drone to take your line out to exactly where you
want it and then keep the bait in place while you watch
from a camera? This concept has certainly been tried and
tested by a few manufacturers, and it’s one that seems fairly
practical to carry out.
Once such company is SwellPro which recently unveiled
the Splash Drone 3, a specialist drone built very much with
anglers in mind (and reported on by us back in Issue 22).
This waterproof drone can be used to fly a line out and when
you see a fish on the FPV screen (built into the waterproof
controller) you can drop it, not with the hope or sharp
manoeuvre of some amateur solutions, but with the simple
flick of a switch. It also has a Bluetooth link to its controller
which can be used to link the drone and camera to your
location so it can automatically follow your boat if you’re
drifting, for example.

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To do that the design team has had to overcome a number
of challenges, including the transmission of control signals.
After all, even a heavy fog can be enough to ground the best
of drones, so sea water, as we’ve certainly noted, completely
prevents signal transmission. The solution? A 50m cable
that gently unspools as you pilot your mini-submarine.
That might not make you feel as free as a bird compared
to FPV flights with your favourite quadcopter, but for one
thing such lengths of wire are not unfamiliar to anglers,
and for another you will not be shooting around the world
aquatic at anything approaching the speeds aerial drones
can achieve. It also affords live video, helping you peer into
the murky depths and see what lies beneath.
To get going you can simply toss the PowerRay over the
side of a boat (or down your ice-fishing hole) and pick up the
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controls. There are speed limits for beginner or intermediate
as an option, while thrusters propel the craft forward and
up and down. It’s limited to around 30m (100ft) in depth, but
that’s still plenty deep enough for you to need to make good
use of the built-in LED headlamps to see what’s around you.
The base station (the other end of the cable) is also
the power source and you can connect to it with one of
PowerVision’s controllers just as you would a PowerEgg.
That software will be very familiar to aerial drone pilots
and affords all the perks PowerVision generally offers
with its other models – such as gesture, screen or stick-
based controls, easy switching between camera and video
recording and so on.
Photo by FishTec
RAYS of light
In addition to the standard ‘Explorer’ kit, PowerVision
offers a number of additional tiers to the package. The mid-
level bundle, the PowerRay Angler (priced at £1,899), adds a
‘Bait Drop Line’, which translates as an arm with a shining
light and a remotely operated bait drop (the light acting as
an additional lure to surrounding fish).
It also comes with the detachable PowerSeeker radar can
help you find fish and displays them on the software. If you
hook it up to the mobile app you can drop the PowerRay
into the water, let the Seeker scan the surroundings and
then ping an alert to your phone once it spots a fish closing
in. PowerVision isn’t far from the truth when it describes
the set-up as being “like a cheat code for angling”.
The top of the line package, though, is the Wizard
(£1,999). As well as all of the aforementioned features it
also comes with Zeiss VR One Plus headset that allows
immersive water exploration without any of the mucky
business of getting into a wetsuit and donning a snorkel,
or the risk of encountering one of nature’s living and
breathing rays within stinging range. Think FPV but with
a genuine ‘fish eye’ perspective. Flying like a bird is one
01/09/2017 19:48
 “Flying like a bird is one thing, cutting through a riverbed like a salmon or
exploring a coral reef is something else”

thing, cutting through a riverbed like a salmon or exploring There are many commercial uses for drones in the great
a coral reef is something else. outdoors, but it’s equally clear there will be plenty of
Whatever package you opt for, you can expect up to four underwater opportunities as well – so while there’s good
hours sailing on a single battery. You can shoot video in fun to be had fishing with a drone or taking a first-person
4K HD or livestream at 1080p, with 12MP stills and a burst dive to the bottom of your local lake, we don’t doubt that
mode for photographers. All in all it’s a package that has there are many more ‘in depth’ solutions to come.
many comparable stats to its aerial siblings, and if you did
want to explore your local waters from beneath the surface
rather than just directly over it, it’s certainly a hugely
intriguing proposition. PowerRay Specs
Price: £1,599 / Dimensions: 465 x 270 x 126mm / Weight: 3.5kg
Sea the Future? Video: 4K UHD (1080p live streaming) / Stills: 12MP CMOS
So, is the PowerRay a glimpse into the future and are
underwater drones a definite market for others to consider? Theoretical Depth: 100m / Max Cruise Speed: 2m/s (3-4 knots)
Actually the concept does have several peers, although Battery: Dual 6400mAh LiPo / Sailing Time: 1-4 hours (based on speed)
they don’t have the same design heritage as the PowerEgg. Website: www.powervision.me
The OpenROV Trident is one to watch. If you Google this
one and the price is closer to £31 billion, you might have
got the wrong trident – but why they chose to name it after
the US/UK submarine-launched missile system is another
question. Others in development include the Gladius,
which will have a WiFi buoy at the top of its cable so you
can actually pilot it from hundreds of metres away. Others
nearing the market are the Fathom and the CCROV, but When it
they’re not as advanced, or as slick, as the PowerRay.
Remember, too, that these craft do have big commercial
peers; you might be familiar with the Remotely Operated
Vehicles (ROVs) as seen exploring the wreckage of the
Titanic. These are in regular use and maintenance of oil wells
and pipelines makes them a necessity, as just one example.

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 COLOURED TREES
Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture,
Japan
“After two hours on a fast train from
Tokyo I reached the small town of Nikko
which is very famous for its shrines and
its incredible surrounding nature. In
October, Nikko gets flooded by people
from the capital to ‘watch the trees
turn colourful’. This natural spectacle is
especially impressive from above.”
Photo by Christian Liechti
Supplied by Dronestagram

003-98_DM25[Showcase Photos]IKICGC.indd 8 01/09/2017 03:03

003-98_DM25[Showcase Photos]IKICGC.indd 9 01/09/2017 03:03
 All photos by Aerodyne
Disruptive Behaviour:
Drones and Big Business
Mark Baker takes a look at the key
challenges for incorporating UAV
technology into the wider business
community and speaks to one of the
companies looking to lead the way…
T
he speed at which drone technology has evolved
over the last few years has been nothing short of
astonishing. Like a ‘Moore’s law’ running wild,
their capabilities are growing exponentially, while
industrial-scale production from manufacturers like DJI has
relentlessly driven down costs.
Putting drones into reach for a mainstream market was
just the first stage of integrating them into businesses,
though. Data without meaning is not equivalent to
knowledge – a painful lesson for some of the corporate big-
spenders who surfed the ‘drone wave’ without stopping to
think about what actual value their investments could add.
In regions where UAVs were quick to become established
there was a surge in the numbers of pilots flying them,
many hoping to cash in on the sudden availability of viable
commercial platforms at consumer prices. In the UK
alone the number of individuals and entities issued with
a Permission for Commercial Operations (PfCO) from the
Civil Aviation Authority currently stands in the region of
4,000. The age of DaaS (Drones as a Service) was upon us,
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but for the most part these service providers could only
offer images or video to their clients. In an increasingly
crowded marketplace the larger demands and expectations
of big businesses were a reality check for many newly-
qualified pilots.
More pragmatic pilots were already thinking about
how they could incorporate their craft into their existing
business or skillset. A GIS specialist would find it easy
(if relatively expensive) to incorporate drone data into a
project. A surveyor with technical knowledge could find a
practical application within building inspections. Media
production companies were able to add new capabilities
and creative possibilities to their locker by getting their
cameras airborne, often at a fraction of the cost of employing
a helicopter.
While these approaches made a strong case for drones as
useful tools they weren’t truly a ‘Disruptive Technology’, or
something that actively changes how businesses operate.
For all the hype and technical advances on display, a drone
can still be described as a ‘smart/dumb’ machine. Smart in
terms of the wealth of technology it contains, but dumb in
the sense that ultimately it is just a platform for a sensor. The
same can be said for the sensors themselves – while they get
smaller and more powerful they are still just a method of
capturing data.
Data Management
To be truly disruptive, to fundamentally change the way
that enterprises work, DaaS providers had to take the next
01/09/2017 03:24
 step – turning petabytes of undeveloped data into concise
information. The corporate mantra is much the same as it
ever was: “Do it faster, smarter, safer, cheaper. Preferably all
of the above. And did we mention cheaper…?”
Relatively few drone companies have actually had
the resources (or the nerve) to stick their heads above
the parapet and tackle the demands of multi-national
heavyweights and conglomerates. Going into a boardroom
to try and sell a service based on new technology can be a
nerve-wracking experience. Walking out and realising that
you are only a small piece in a very complex puzzle can be
rather more of a chastening one.
The Catch 22 was obvious to see, but not so easy to address.
How do you persuade someone to invest in a service before
you’ve proved that you can actually scale it up and deliver
it? With the notable exceptions of General Electrics (GE)
and Amazon only a handful of major companies have
shown the capability or the appetite to develop their own
‘in-house’ drone solutions. There was clearly a market for
anyone who could combine DaaS with Software as a Service
(SaaS) and offer the Holy Grail: a fully-managed service
078-82_DM25[ft_intAerodyne]IKICGC.indd 79
which captures, analyses and reports the mountain of data
gathered by drones and can turn it into a solution that was
genuinely disruptive.
One company looking to make such an impact is
Aerodyne. With offices currently in Australia, Singapore,
Malaysia and Indonesia it is launching a London-based
European office later this year. While some other drone
solution providers were going through high-profile (and
often messy) rounds of public and private funding Aerodyne
has been going quietly about its business, developing its own
connections, experience and, most importantly, a cloud-
based software platform.
This was unleashed in early 2016 and since then Aerodyne
has seen considerable growth and the scale of its operations
has reached unprecedented levels. From an original team
of three the company has developed into a fully-fledged
international set-up, employing over 200 staff and with
projects around the world. We’ll cover some of its work over
the page before catching up with CEO Kamarul A Muhamed
to discuss how far the drone industry has come in the world
of big business and where it could be heading next…
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01/09/2017 03:25
 interview

Big Data
Turning huge amounts of images into data, and subsequently turning
that data into useful reports, is the big challenge for UAV companies
working on an industrial scale. Aerodyne currently offers two solutions:
Vertikaliti and myPRISM. In theory the procedure is simply about
combining data capture, analysis and reporting into a single service. In
reality there is a huge amount of technology, capability and innovation
involved at each stage. While the drone often grabs the headlines, it
is only by incorporating it into the end result that it becomes a truly
disruptive technology. Drones are here to stay, but the way we use them is
set to continue evolving at a relentless pace.

Data and images are uploaded remotely to the servers at Aerodyne HQ,
often within a matter of hours. From here a team of technicians can sort,
analyse and produce reports from them. Geo-referencing means that
progress can be highlighted on a map or satellite image. Clients can drill
down on individual assets through the cloud-based software dashboard,
usually within 24 hours of the inspection.

Vertikaliti is Aerodyne’s flagship inspection and asset management

tool, and a great example of how drone data can be incorporated into a
complete solution for commercial clients. Its proving ground has been in
power line inspections, but it is now in use in telecoms, oil and gas and
utilities projects.

To support clients to make decisions the data can also be displayed

in a table for more customised reporting. This also allows different
maintenance teams to access the reports relevant to them for rectification
works. Assets can be prioritised by how critical they are and split out
across the types of contractors required to attend to them.

Field data capture is carried out by flight teams of three (a commander,

pilot and technician) and usually includes video, stills, thermal and high
zoom images. The DJI Inspire has been the weapon of choice over the last
two years but its status is now coming under threat from another DJI
platform, the M200/210.

From both the map and table view, assets can be selected individually
or grouped together to access all captured data and written reports from
the technical teams. Clients have an overview of exactly where problems
exist and they can generate work orders or export reports to their own
software. The whole system is available 24/7 from any connected device.

80 DRONE MAGAZINE

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 interview
All photos by Aerodyne
Talking Business:
Kamarul A Muhamed, CEO Aerodyne
How did you first become involved with
drone technology?
I used to run an interactive production agency and we
regularly chartered helicopters whenever we needed to
produce aerial images. Our projects took us all over the
world and in 2009 I was in Russia to document the journey
of a vessel travelling through the Volga-Don canal. We
needed to charter a helicopter frequently over a period
of three weeks, and we realised that we could get a top-
of-the-range drone for less than a third of the helicopter
charter cost. It also eliminated what was a tricky and time
consuming approval process with the Russian authorities.
So the drone was the logical choice and the rest, as they say,
is history.
When did you first see the potential for
them in wider industry?
We went on to use drones for the next four years to capture
some amazing and unique images which were pivotal to
our production work. And it was exclusively visual. By 2013
drones were becoming more far more capable in terms of
their flight endurance, reliability and sensor technology.
It became clear to us that instead of using the technology
just for the marketing and advertising departments of a
company, we could add value to their surveying, inspection
works, construction projects and so on.
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That’s what prompted us to explore the potential of drones
for industrial uses. It was still strictly visual and eye-in-the-
sky capabilities for the next year or so, but then we began
our first organisational transformation into an engineering
and survey company and started offering data capabilities.
At that point we also had analysts, data scientists and civil,
mechanical and aerospace engineers in the company and we
started delivering actionable data to our clients. Fast forward
to mid-2017 and we’d transformed ourselves again into a
fully-fledged solution company, delivering total end-to-end
drone-based solutions to our clients.
What were the main lessons that you
learned in those early days about
incorporating drones into your business?
Drone safety is a big issue. Lots of effort was required to
convince clients, not just from the inherent dangers of
drone operations but also in terms of privacy, regulatory
requirements and safety compliance. We also realised
early on that it is not just about flying and capturing the
data. The real prize was what we could do with the data
and how we could deliver it to the client. Technology
limitations were also a big issue. Fortunately drone
technology moves faster than Moore’s law; it has now
reached maturity and passed the tipping point of it being
universally accepted in industry.
01/09/2017 03:25

What craft are you currently using in
your projects?
We try not to get too hung up about drone systems. We
treat them as purely data capture devices – an airborne IoT
(Internet of Things) platform if you like. So we deploy the
best platform for each individual client to strike the right
balance between accuracy, performance and cost. Our
current fleet of over 200 drones includes both fixed wing
and multirotors from manufacturers such as senseFly, DJI,
Topcon, 3DR and many more. Currently DJI accounts for
about 75% of our drone assets, primarily on the strength of
the M600 and M200 series. They are impressive and not just
because of their technological features. With the software
development kit we can access a level of automation and
customisation that gives us far more flexibility.
What is your biggest achievement to date?
I’m immensely proud to have seen and experienced the
emergence of Aerodyne as one of the leading drone service
providers. Three years ago there were only three of us
working here – now we have a team of more than 200 across
five countries, and we are still growing exponentially. By this
time next year we will have doubled again in size. In 2016 we
were recognised by Frost and Sullivan as the entrepreneurial
company of the year. Now that has been overtaken by our
achievement this year of completing 30,000 asset inspections
in seven months! I’m really proud of the dedication and
professionalism of our team. It wasn’t an easy thing to
deliver, but with continuous learning, perseverance and hard
work we overcame many obstacles together.
What are the challenges facing drone
technology in the next few years?
The next major challenge is the move towards full autonomy
“In the not-so-distant future drones will become a mode of transport, a delivery
platform, our personal robotic assistants… perhaps even our personal trainers”
The Aerodyne leadership team
presenting Vertikaliti at the Oil and Gas
Asia 2017 exhibition in Kuala Lumpur.
078-82_DM25[ft_intAerodyne]IKICGC.indd 83
interview
and integration into even more aspects of daily commercial
life. At that stage companies will have truly reached the age
of Enterprise 4.0. For this to really work well, better sensors,
flight endurance, system redundancies and advanced
features, such as adaptive sense and avoid, are needed. We
also need to see a central artificial intelligence that manages
the whole ecosystem. This has the potential to create more
flashpoints with regards to regulations and safety concerns.
What do you see as the most exciting
possibilities for the future?
Drones will without a doubt automate a lot more processes
in our daily lives, both at work and at home. In the not-so-
distant future drones will become a mode of transportation,
a delivery platform, our personal robotic assistants,
photographers, communications devices – perhaps even
our personal trainers and bodyguards. I can’t wait to be
living in that future! At work they will also play an integral
role within enterprises, continuously monitoring and
improving performance.
Where do you see Aerodyne in another
three years’ time?
I see Aerodyne emerging as one of the key innovators,
influencers and market leaders in drone-based managed
solutions. There are so many leading-edge projects we are
working on at the moment that are under wraps for now –
so stay tuned!
You can find out more about Aerodyne and its work with
UAVs by heading to its website www.aerodyne.co. You
can also meet the team at the Commercial UAV Show at
London Excel on the 15-16 November.
WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 83
01/09/2017 03:25
 Photography on the Fly

drama
All photos by Naughty Cat Media

class
It’s time to break free from
simply editing and start
get ting creative, as Mark
Baker explains how to give
your shots some extra flair…

S
ince we began our introductory guide to the editing
techniques that free apps make possible, we have mainly
focused on technical issues. We’ve looked at elements such
as cropping, fixing, tuning and adjusting your images in
various ways and, while these are all valuable processes, they don’t
exactly set the creative juices flowing – so it’s about time we had a
bit more fun!
Hopefully our previous tutorials will have helped you develop an
understanding of basic photo editing, combined with a little aerial
know-how. At the very least they should have shown that you don’t
need to devote a huge amount of time and money to give your images
a professional polish. In this issue we are going to move beyond the
purely functional aspects of Snapseed and unlock some of the more
creative tools it has at its disposal.
We’re going to start with one of our favourite effects for adding
some excitement to aerial shots: the Drama filter. It might not be to
everyone’s taste but if used correctly it is capable of turning a drab
image into a dynamic one. On the other hand, though, it does also
have the power to ruin a perfectly good capture. Over the next few
pages we’ll guide you through some of the pitfalls, but don’t forget
this is supposed to be about having fun and experimenting. Don’t be
afraid to push the boundaries. Finding out exactly what doesn’t work
is just a process of elimination leading to what does!

Special Effects
Snapseed’s Drama filter is something of a witches’ brew; it combines
tonal contrast effects with a dash of HDR and a pinch or two of
texture and saturation tweaks. Because of these individual building
blocks it is good to approach Drama as the second step in a three
stage editing workflow.
Step one is to carry out some of the basic editing processes we’ve
covered before; the likes of crop, rotate and spot removal (or Healing,
as covered last issue). At this point your main concern should be on
cleaning up anything that shouldn’t be in your shot and making sure
your horizon is level.
Don’t get tempted to add strong contrast, sharpness or saturation
adjustments, though. Ideally you’d want to keep the image fairly
‘flat’. If you have major issues with exposure or white balance you
can address these, but generally keep things as neutral as possible.
If your shot is already quite high-contrast then it might be helpful to
decrease the Highlights or increase the Shadows sliders.

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 Photography on the Fly

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 Photography on the Fly
The second step is applying the Drama filter itself. It’s found in the
main editing menu under ‘Filters’ – depending on your display device
you may have to scroll down to locate it. We’ll cover the nuts and bolts
further on but essentially there are six pre-sets (two each for Drama,
Light and Dark). The two sliders available for adjustments are Filter
Strength and Saturation, and they run on the standard 0-100 scale.
Finally, for the third step, you’ll want to smooth out any unwanted
side-effects using a selection of tuning tools. The Drama filter is by
its nature a ‘harsh’ process. It can generate a lot of noise and this will
be exacerbated by any strong contrast adjustments you made before
applying the effect. Generally at this point you’ll want to manipulate
Structure (to soften up any excessive noise), Highlights (to address any
‘clipping’) and the Adjustment brush (for targeted exposure, saturation
and temperature corrections).
It is usually a fast process from import to export but it does have the
potential to go wrong just as quickly. Panic not, however, as we’ll guide
you through some examples to give you an idea of what you can achieve
with your own images.
Play Time
We’ll start off with some archetypal dramatic situations. One of the
reasons it’s great for drone photography is the effect it can have on
clouds. If you’re shooting a panoramic landscape at 400ft up there’s
a very good chance that you will have quite a bit of sky to play with.
Having some broken cloud in frame is a nice alternative to a featureless
blue sky and apps like Snapseed can take it to another level.
Our first example is a classic demonstration of the over-the-top
approach that the Drama filter takes towards enlivening clouds. For
some reason the defaults for Strength and Saturation are +90 and -40
respectively. While this might be great for showcasing the extreme
before
after
86 DRONE MAGAZINE
084-9_DM25[Photo Feature]IKICGC.indd 86
editing on offer it isn’t always that practical. Our usual routine is to cut
Strength back to around +75 and boost Saturation towards -10. That’s
exactly what we’ve used in the first example. The foreground has a high-
contrast look that isn’t subtle, but it’s not beyond the realms of taste. The
sky on the other hand looks, well… dramatic!
If there was a checklist of elements that work with the Drama filter
this would tick a few off. We’ve shot with the sun over our shoulder
into a well-lit sky which is lacking in harsh highlights, and we don’t
have any glare or awkward reflections to deal with. It might be that
this sort of situation is all you would ever want to use Drama for, and
that’s fine. If adding some punch to a fairly neutral sky is what you’re
looking for then you may have found a fast and free solution. If you
want to explore Drama a little more for its creative possibilities then
stay with us for now…
Our next example (below) highlights the Drama filter’s ability to turn
a relatively benign sky into a positively threatening one. As with our first
‘before and after’ pairing, our original image is fairly flat and lacking in
strong highlights. We’ve cranked the Strength right up to +95 and left
Saturation at -40. This helps to accentuate tonal detail, without the pop-
art look which the HDR element of the effect can lead to. The finished
edit is stylised rather than realistic but it is interesting enough to capture
some attention.
before
after
To demonstrate the flip side of the coin we have taken a shot from the
same reel as our previous example and worked it a little differently. You
can see the results at the top of the following page, where this time we
have slid Strength back to +60 and increased Saturation to +15. The effect
is a lot more subtle than before and adds tonal interest to the clouds.
At the same time the HDR has impacted our foreground and begun to
recover some of the shadows present.
01/09/2017 03:28
 Photography on the Fly

before after

Boosting Saturation has helped the overall image to look a bit warmer ‘after’ image, and it highlights the need to care of basics before applying
without becoming too garish. The downside is that the clear blue areas strong filters. What was a very light prop blur in our original image
of sky have become a bit ‘noisy’, especially around the edge of the frame. has become much darker and more prominent once we’ve added some
Another unwanted side-effect is visible in the top right corner of the Drama to it.

Split Opinion You then have the option to show or hide the mask while you
are making any adjustments by clicking on the eye icon at the
If you are a fan of what Drama can do to your skyline but you’re lower right of screen. You can also choose to invert the mask with
not keen on its effect on your foreground, there is another the corresponding icon to the left. This is particularly useful if you
solution. This alternative might be crude, but it can be an effective want to isolate a small area from the filter effect. Simply mask it
way of treating different parts of your image separately. and invert to work with the larger selection.
One of the stranger features of Snapseed is that you often
have more control over a filter after you’ve applied it. This is due
to the presence of a masking brush which is lacking in the filter
adjustments options. It might not be the easiest tool to find but it
is intuitive enough to use.
After you have applied a filter and confirmed it you should be
able to see a ‘revert’ icon (an arrow over two chevrons) towards
the top right of your display – as seen on the screen below. Click
on this and select the ‘view edits’ option to bring down a list of all
of the effects that you have applied to your image. You can then
adjust settings, undo changes and select the brush by clicking on
the filter you wish to work with.
With the brush selected you can now colour in a masking area
that you want to make changes to. We’ve separated the sky from
the horizon, but you could work on any area of the image that you
want to in increments of 25 from 0-100.

WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 87

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 Photography on the Fly

Our second example is slightly more divisive, and your opinion is

likely to be shaped by whether you prefer technically correct or more
stylised images. We have shot into the type of strong sunset that a
camera with a limited dynamic range will naturally struggle with.
Applying the Drama filter has done some really interesting things
to the high clouds and the water in the foreground. Unfortunately it
has also turned the sun into a heavily pixelated square. Combine this
with the harsh HDR on the left of frame and you have what we’d call an
‘incoherent’ image; taken separately there are some striking elements
but they don’t fit together in a complementary whole.
This is why we would encourage experimentation along with the use
of the masking brush. With a little trial and error you’re likely to find
before some handy tricks that work on certain areas within an image, even if
they are unsuitable for the rest of it!

“With a little trial and error you’re likely to

find some handy tricks that work on certain
areas within an image, even if they are
unsuitable for the rest of it!”

after

acting up
We’re going to round off this introduction to the Drama filter with a look
at two examples where it can do more harm than good. Our first ‘before
and after’ comparison (above) highlights the dangers of using Drama
when your shot has bright, clear skies and strong highlights. It has
introduced so much noise and ‘ghosting’ around the brighter parts of the
image that the end result is unusable. In this situation it would have been
much more effective if we had restricted our editing to simple tuning
options like Contrast, Highlights and Shadows.

before

after

88 DRONE MAGAZINE

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 Photography on the Fly

Next Issue:
Join us next time when we introduce some less
conventional uses for the Drama filter, including
how it can impact on top-down, or ‘birds eye’,
shots. Until then have fun and fly safe!

Mark Baker is a professional aerial photographer and cinematographer.

You can see more of his work, and get in touch with him if you have any
related questions, via his website www.naughtycatmedia.co.uk.

WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 89

084-9_DM25[Photo Feature]IKICGC.indd 89 01/09/2017 03:30

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 tap in to the best of FSM
Samoa Joe is back to
his imposing best, which
ought to serve him well
against Brock Lesnar
The prospect of 2016’s WrestleMania XXXIII, occurring on April 2,
hottest oddball surprise was nothing if not a newsworthy event. Within its
– the Hardy brothers’ mammoth running time, the show featured a WWE
Universal title switch back to Brock Lesnar from Bill
“Broken” gimmick – in
Goldberg, John Cena’s marriage proposal to Nikki
WWE is one that still has
many fans on the edge
Bella, and what was potentially the final match of
the career of The Undertaker. Even amidst such
of their seats. Michael moments, the return of Matt and Jeff Hardy to
Campbell analyses how WWE for the first time in seven years elicited
the tandem has faired the biggest reaction of the entire show.
without the ability to It had been rumoured for an age that the
play those characters. brothers would show up, although a brutal Ladder
match with The Young Bucks for Ring of Honor the
day before seemingly poured water on the thought.
There was already a significant crackle of electricity
as the tandems competing in the Raw Tag Team title
Ladder match began to emerge, and after Cesaro
and Sheamus, Anderson and Gallows, and Enzo and
Big Cass stalked the ring, ’Mania hosts The New Day
entered the arena, announcing a fourth team into
proceedings, teasing that they themselves would be
that pair. Thankfully, it was a ruse (anything other than
Hardys appearance had the potential to be roundly
booed) and Matt and Jeff emerged to a Road Warrior
pop. The wild clash played to their strengths, even if
it was a little shorter and a less dynamic bout than
that in which they had taken part 24 hours earlier.
Stunningly, they won the belts, much to the joy
of the enormous crowd.
The victory confirmed it: this wasn’t a mere
one-nighter. Throwing everything out the window
to capitalise on the momentum, the pair defended
the Tag Team titles the following night on Raw, their
arms raised in victory 10 years to the day after their
last WWE Tag Team title reign had commenced.
It didn’t just feel like a nostalgic repeat of 2007,
though; in April 2017, it felt as if viewers had been
transported back to the peak of their popularity
in 2000. It was a remarkable situation in which
Matt and Jeff found themselves, after all their
real-life trials and tribulations and, of course,
the success of the “Broken” characters that
had made them superstars all over again.
The DeleTion
There were many ups and downs for the
Hardys throughout the years in which they
were excluded from WWE – and it occasionally
got very dark, such as was the case with Matt’s
alleged “suicide note” of August 2011, or Jeff’s
drug conviction of a month later – but all of this
has been covered by FSM on many occasions.
Their recent time in professional wrestling is
something much more positive, as the May 2016
transition that Matt began making gave him a
new lease of life as a performer, and perhaps
Jeff Hardy, who has just turned 40, has as a person. Referred to as “Broken” Matt, the
rolled back the years since returning to WWE elder sibling began to resemble a demented
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@Buckeyes0723 @WWE You better
give us the BROKEN Hardys because you
are missing out on money and a brilliant
gimmick fans love
Matt and Jeff received the proverbial Road Warrior pop when they returned at WrestleMania XXXIII
“The ‘Broken’
Hardys wasn’t
a concept
that was for
everyone,
for sure, and
nor was The
Final Deletion
match
between Matt
and Jeff on
July 5, 2016’”
amalgamation of Sweeney Todd and Ludvig van into the Mississippi river during his St. Valentine’s
Beethoven. Speaking with a pseudo British accent, Day Massacre 1999 brawl with Al Snow, it was simply
he adopted the tendency of pronouncing “delete”, an attention-grabbing extension of the match itself.
labelled Jeff “brother Nero” (Jeff’s real middle name It certainly didn’t result in him being reborn as a
is Nero), and formed a completely bonkers faction NASCAR driver answering to the name Thurman
around him. As time passed, The Hardys’ activities Plugg, but it did take the form of a match that, for all
increasingly revolved around their home “compound”, the shenanigans, was still two guys fighting for a title,
and the supporting cast that helped colour their with pinfalls, a crowd, and not a drone in sight.
background. Matt’s wife Reby began to flex her chops Following The Final Deletion, WWE served up
as a valuable presence on television (rather than just The Wyatt Family versus The New Day, from the
on Twitter) while their son Maxel was also a regular former’s “compound”. It was quite intentional, but
on-screen. Maxel would even upset UK talent Spud sadly, this was a much inferior deviation of the hostile,
inside the ring on an episode of Impact Wrestling, backwoods battle. WWE misinterpreted the joy of
said to be taped from said compound. the original; it wasn’t about being extreme or creating
The “Broken” Hardys wasn’t a concept that was spectacles that could pass for mini-movies, it was a
for everyone, for sure, and nor was The Final Deletion thrill due to the humour, the kitsch references, and A “Broken” Hardys feud
match between Matt and Jeff on July 5, 2016. Wacky, the sheer absurdity. The Wyatts were low-rent Texas opposite a reunited Wyatt
cinematic, and resolutely the antithesis of traditional Chainsaw Massacre rip-offs, obscured by dark camera family would sure contain
pro wrestling, this bout was a high-concept, all-in shots that sadly could not hide their mediocrity. memorable moments
excursion into the creative brain matter of the Hardys.
The madness was anarchic: gone were headlocks and
selling, in was Señor Benjamin, tasers, drones, and
even a volcano. Wrestlers plunged into a lake only
to emerge reincarnated as their previous gimmicks,
while swantons off trees became a thing.
Certainly, this upset traditionalists, but that was a
known and not unwelcome byproduct. Matches were
replaced with stunt filled, pre-taped fight scenes
that riffed on low-budget action films, but with an
added dose of science fiction. Crucially, this brand
of wrestling wasn’t for everyone, but just as with
barmy British comedies such as The Mighty Boosh,
there’s an element of allowing yourself to believe in
the probability of the ludicrous, and embrace what
outside of its context would be insane.
The influence of The Final Deletion was felt swiftly.
While WWE has often utilised pre-taped footage
and incorporated it into matches (or substituted
them entirely with it), this usually takes the form of
reasonably straightforward Falls Count Anywhere
situations. For example, when Bob Holly was knocked
11
available to
download
today
01/09/2017 19:36
 Drone On Get online with DRONE Maga zine

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over to his Dronestagram profile page,
www.dronestragr.am/author/cliechti,
as well as finding many more great
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 412 METRES
IFC Building,
Hong Kong Island
“The second highest building in Hong Kong
is built on reclaimed land and is home to
countless shops and offices providing a
unique view over Victoria Harbour. The
drone was launched from the nearby
Victoria Peak and revealed the unusual
perspective of this Hong Kong icon.”
Photo by Christian Liechti
Supplied by Dronestagram

003-98_DM25[Showcase Photos]IKICGC.indd 10 01/09/2017 21:11

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