How drones are helping to save elephants

Conservationists in Kenya have conducted multiple field tests with drones, like the Parrot A.R. Drone, as a way to keep animals at a high risk of poaching away from areas used commonly for poaching. The ivory that these animals carry can be worth thousands, and the price has nearly doubled since 2007, making the ivory even more desirable. 

But park rangers are trying new strategies to hopefully save these animals. By placing tracking collars on the elephants, they can then be tracked online; and If the animal strays to close to a common poaching area a drone can be sent in that will frighten the animal away from the dangerous area. The use of these drones is doing a task that would take multiple rangers to do, possibly one day reducing the ranger costs.

New Blade 350 QX Quad Copter Carry Case!

Blade Helicopters has just announced a new brushed aluminum case with eye catching graphics for the 350QX and 350QX2! .

The case will provide protection on the inside with pre cut sturdy foam and protection on the outside with a locking design that includes keys. No modifications needed to accommodate taller landing gear or the GB200 gimbal.

The Blade 350 QX carry case is designed to carry the 350QX, your transmitter(DX5e up to DX18), up to 6 batteries, charging equipment and various tools! This case is expected late March, and will be a great way to protect your investment!

Netflix Drone Delivery!

Netflix has released a new video showing DJI Phantom Quad Copters delivering DVD movies to customers. Not unlike the Amazon drone delivery video released a while back.

We think drone technology will explode over the next few years but it may be awhile yet before they are actually delivering product. Current battery technology and the lack of fail safes available in case of equipment failure will prevent them from being used legally at least for a while. However, once the FAA catches up and there are acceptable safety plans this could become a reality in the not so distant future.

Watch the Netflix video here:

Farmers take to the sky.

Oregon State University (OSU) has teamed up with Boeing Research and Technology to use unnamed aerial vehicles (UAV) to study potato crops in Oregon. One of the UAVs, a Tetracam Hawkeye, will be making passes along potato fields this week.

Equipped with specialized cameras and sensors the UAV will be able to detected any irregularities in the plants, capture detailed photos down to individual leaves and apply corrective processes to increase the cops health and yield, while decreasing costs.

This is just one of the many ways UAV may change our lives. With the success of this study, farmers may be able to implement the use drones to study their crops. Farmers will know when and where to water, apply fertilizers and/or pesticides. Thus increasing the yield of the crop while using less harsh and expensive chemicals, possibly reducing the cost of cops in the future.

Back To The Future Flying Time Machine?

Flying DeLorean Time Machine! 

One of the exciting things about our hobby is the creative ideas people come up with. Quad Copters have become insanely popular lately and the technology for them has been getting better at a very fast pace. This offers people who enjoy modeling and experimenting to develop some pretty cool flying models that were not really possible a few years ago.

Take a look at this flying DeLorean from the movie Back To The Future. This model was constructed using quad copter technology. The lighting that was added makes it very realistic. We thought this was really cool and wanted to share it.

Below is the video of one of the test flights. Enjoy!

Beer Delivery by drone?

Ever wanted a way to deliver your friend a beer from a distance? One company in Wisconsin has attempted to make this a reality! Lakemaid Beer has recently made the news with their unique way to deliver a case of beer. The company posted a video of them delivering beer across a frozen lake to ice fisherman with the use of a DJI S800. But has recently has been to told to ground any plans of using the drone for beer delivery options.

According to reports, the company had conducted a test flight and posted the video to social media sites, but the FAA has now halted any further test flights. FAA has informed the company that any flights planned will be violating multiple FAA regulations.

Currently commercial use of unmanned aircraft is illegal. But it seems these limits are being pushed everyday and with the demand growing, it will be interesting to see how the "drone" revolution grows and changes in the years to come.

Article source: USA Today

usatoday.com

The New Blade 350 QX2 GPS Quad Copter With Gimbal!

The new Blade 350 QX2 RTF is expected late May 2014. The 350 QX2 has an included gimbal and new C-GO1 camera! With its bigger battery tray capable of carrying a 3000 mah battery this quad is expected to achieve 10 minute flight times. The inclusive package will come with the DX4 transmitter making this an exciting package for pilots of varying skill levels. 

The included C-GO1 camera has a 5.8GHz downlink to support mobile devices, giving pilots live video feed without any additional components or interference. The C-GO1 shoots in 1080p/30 when recording and in 720p/30 when streaming. Although this camera is already included in the 350 QX2's combo pack an additional adapter will be available to support existing GoPro users.

The 2 axis Brushless gimbal will have optional pitch control, but should be noted that a DX7S or higher is required to utilize the pitch control. If you already have a 350QX the GB200 Brushless Gimbal will be available separately and can be added to any existing 350QX. 

Here are some of the other notable improvements that have been made to the Blade 350 QX2:

• New RF chipset with external antenna
• Improved GPS performance and accuracy
• Visual compass error detection to alert the user for calibration
• Included AC/DC charging solution
• White battery hatch for improved orientation

The Blade 350 QX2 AP Combo along with the GB200 Gimbal and C-GO1 camera are all due out early summer, perfect for summer vacation filming!

New! Blade 200 SR X

Blade is making the switch from a beginner heli to a fixed pitch heli even easier with the new 200 SR X. The 200 SR X is the first fixed pitch helicopter to have SAFE technology, giving the 200 SR X three flight modes; beginner, intermediate and experienced. Additionally, the pilot can utilize the new panic button feature and return the 200 SR X to a steady flight.

The brushless main and tail motors are powered by an 800mah 3s 30c battery that will provide the pilot with flight times of 8-12 minutes. The 200 SR X requires a 6+ channel transmitter which is included in the RTF package. 

The Blade 200 SR X is expected late May and will be available in a RTF Package or a BNF package!