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Image Credit: DJI Studio There has been a lot of confusion about DJI’s STORM. Unlike the company’s previous drones, which were revealed with all but fireworks, rumors about STORM slowly trickled down and were not confirmed until the drone was presented to the Chinese market as a service. DJI Studio then released a video on STORM giving the public a better understanding of the drone and its specs. Video Credit: STORM custom aerial platform STORM is DJI’s most advanced, professional cinematography drone yet. It is an 8-rotor aircraft that can carry a payload of 40.8 lbs. That's 27.6 lbs more than the Maurice 600, a drone commonly used by cinematic professionals. STORM also has a top speed of 50 MPH and a flight time of 8-15 min, and depending on the speed and load size, it can perform well in temperatures ranging from -50°F to 104°F. By releasing a drone with such a large payload capacity, DJI Studio is providing its consumers with more freedom when choosing their equipment. However, STORM as a product is not for sale. DJI Studio is presenting it as a cinematography service that comes with its own van and crew. In fact, it is believed that the lack of hype for this new product was because STORM will not be providing a mass market service. It was developed for a very niche market, a market that consists of professional filmmakers and media teams with very high budgets. Either way, it is definitely a big step towards becoming the missing link between the drone industry and pro cinematography. Blanca Tavera is a University of Georgia grad with a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Communication Studies. She’s an intern at Women Who Drone and is relatively new to the drone industry. Her main goal as an intern is to gain a holistic understanding of the industry and experience as a writer in order to provide beneficial and entertaining articles to the readers. #dji #DJI #DJISTORM #dronecinematography #cinematography #DJIStudio #film #filmmaking #Maurice600 #VersatileRobin2

Image Credit: Johns Hopkins APL At some point, we have all wondered, “Are we alone in the universe?” For decades, people have sought to answer that question and have fantasized about what it would be like to find life elsewhere among the stars. In 2005, NASA's Chief Historian, Steven J. Dick wrote in an essay that one of the driving forces behind space exploration was the search for life: “Why do we explore? As this essay series suggests, there are many answers. But since the beginning of the Space Age one of the chief drivers has been the search for life beyond Earth. Already in 1962 the Space Science Board of the National Academy of Sciences declared the search for extraterrestrial life as the prime goal of NASA's nascent space biology efforts. ” Over the years, NASA has made several efforts to find life and research habitability in our solar system. Notoriously, the world watched with bated breath as the Mars rovers trudged around the red planet. With the Mars mission behind us, NASA is ready to start anew with drones leading their latest plan. Video Credit: NASA While we’ve been discussing what drones are doing down here on Earth, NASA is planning on sending a drone into space. Announced on June 27th of this year, Dragonfly is NASA’s fourth mission of the New Frontiers program. It’s also the name of the drone due for Titan. NASA aims to launch Dragonfly rotorcraft in 2026 with the goal of it landing on Saturn’s Moon Titan by 2036. Titan is Saturn’s largest moon out of 62 and our solar system’s second-largest moon overall. On their website, the Dragonfly team explains that Titan was chosen because of its oceanic nature and dense atmosphere. Scientists consider Titan to be the heavenly body within our solar system that’s most similar to Earth, containing an abundance of “complex organic material” worth studying to understand extraterrestrial habitability. Image Credit: Johns Hopkins APL The Dragonfly is a dual-quadcopter that’s equipped with a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) to supply it with power. Dragonfly will fly around exploring specific areas of Titan’s geography and collecting samples. According to Dragonfly’s team, their drone was “designed to take advantage of Titan's environment to sample materials and determine surface composition in different geologic settings.” This mission will be helmed by a team from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) that’s comprised of leading Titan scientists, space system engineers and rotorcraft experts. This team has an immeasurable amount of experience and understanding of our solar system, and it will be exciting to see what they will accomplish. Image Credit: Dragonfly What do you think team Dragonfly will find on its mission? Will the drone fare better than the rovers? I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #space #NASA #TheNationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministration #Saturn #Titan #moon #Dragonfly #science #JohnsHopkins #AppliedPhysicsLaboratory #APL #rotorcraft #environment

Image Credit: Wix Stock Library Congratulations! You did it. You got the license, bought the equipment, and established your brand. You are only steps away from finally kicking off your very own drone business, but there are a few more things you need to work out. One of them: figuring out the best way to price your projects. There are several things you have to consider before you monetize your work. The goal of this article is to provide you with a quick list that will hopefully give you a better understanding of how to make your business profitable. That way, you can focus on what’s really important: flying. TYPE OF SERVICE What type of services is your business administering? Your projects’ pricing will depend on what you can provide your client. Will you offer photography, videography, and editing? The more services you present, the higher you can price your projects. It is recommended that you develop a standardized price range for every deliverable, but every project should have a custom quote since every project is different. Client 1 might require more services than Client 2. By catering to each customer, you can make every quote as unique as the individual. Image Credit: Wix Stock Library PACKAGING It is smart to have packages for your clients to choose from. It is common for individuals to establish packages based on images, videos, or a combination of both. The packages’ prices commonly vary according to size/length, number of deliverables, resolution, editing, and type of equipment used. INDUSTRY Much like your services, you should also choose what industry you want to work in. This will determine the type of clients you will be working with. Price range will vary according to your client and to what level of skill they require of you. Also, certain industries have higher liability rates which can lead to higher prices. LEVEL OF EXPERTISE How much experience you have will also affect the pricing of your projects. It is recommended that you research your competitors' price range, but you also have to acknowledge how long they have been in business in comparison to you. With that being said, be wary of undercutting the competition. Though it could be a clever tactic that might attract customers to a new business, it is not a long term solution. Image Credit: Wix Stock Library EXPENSES To make your business profitable, you have to take your expenses into consideration. Equipment, insurance, training, marketing, and manpower are just a few of the expenses you'll have to account for when pricing your drone projects. While some are one-time expenses, others are not. By keeping tabs on your expenses, you will be able to price your drone projects in a way that brings your business the revenue it needs to thrive. In conclusion, there are many choices to make before deciding how you'll price a service, but the key points I would like you to take away from this article are these: think well about the services you want to provide and the industry you would like to go into, have a standardized price range but custom quote for every project, and experience matters but know your worth. The drone business is growing because it’s on-demand. You are providing a unique service, and it is up to you how involved you'll be in the industry. It’s your business - build it and price it the way you want to. Blanca Tavera is a University of Georgia grad with a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Communication Studies. She’s an intern at Women Who Drone and is relatively new to the drone industry. Her main goal as an intern is to gain a holistic understanding of the industry and experience as a writer in order to provide beneficial and entertaining articles to the readers. #Price #DroneProjects #monetization #pricing #photography #videographer #videography #photographer #editing #dronebusiness #expenses #profit

Image Credit: FLIR Systems, Inc In April of this year, we published an article detailing the history of the Black Hornet Drone, also known as the world's smallest reconnaissance drone. The concept of the Black Hornet began with inventor Petter Murren, a Norwegian inventor with a proclivity for tiny UAVs. His desire to create the world's smallest and most advanced UAV led him to creating Prox Dynamics where the Black Hornet project began developing. This drone would be a nano captor with reconnaissance capabilities for military use. It wasn’t long before Prox had a contract with British Armed forces. Eventually one contract became multiple contracts with military forces from around the world. Meanwhile, the drones were being enhanced with technology from FLIR Systems, Inc, a company that would go on to acquire Prox Dynamics and further develop their Black Hornet project. As of this year, the latest iteration of the black hornet has been used in the field by over 30 nations. Video Credit: FLIR Systems, Inc Earlier this year, it was reported that the U.S. Army intended to send out Black Hornet’s to operational units and last month an update to this plan was finally released. In June, stripes.com reported that the drones would be distributed to soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. They also reported that other units will be receiving Black Hornets as well. The Army is still figuring out how to best employ the system throughout their brigades, so there may be more updates in the future regarding their adoption of this new technology. Regardless, Black Hornet drones are expected to become standard equipment. I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #blackhornet #militarydrone #minihelicopter #nanodrone #nanouav #Afghanistan #smalldrones #FLIRSystems #PetterMurren #UAV #proxdynamics

Location: Murfreesboro, Tennesee Tell us about yourself. I work full-time for a water utility as their GIS Coordinator and only licensed drone operator. I enjoy working in the GIS field, helping support engineers and field crews with their GIS, imaging, and mapping needs. I also fly for fun, mapping cemeteries and historical sites for data analysis. What inspired you to begin flying drones, and what made you want to enter the industry as a drone pilot? I started manned flight lessons years ago and flying drones helped me stay within the aviation industry. I couldn’t afford manned flight lessons anymore and learning about drones and flying them kept me interested and connected to aviation. Having manned fight experience also helped me learn all the flight jargon needed to pass the Part 107 exam. What were you doing before you started flying drones, and what made you make the transition? I have spent the last 20+ years in the GIS and Engineering fields working with aerial imagery. When I started taking flying lessons, I completed 25 hours of training and fell into learning about drones as a hobby. Once the Part 107 regulations went into practice, I switched to flying drones professionally for my local county government GIS office. What drones are you currently flying, and what drone accessories do you love? I fly a DJI Mavic Pro and Mavic Air for fun and mapping missions for historical projects and cemeteries. For work, I fly a DJI Phantom 4 RTK. The best accessories so far are having a RTK base station that allows data capture at 1-2 cm accuracy. Also, having an assortment of lens filters helps, too. I think my favorite is a N8 filter? I’m not really sure as I’m still learning about photography. What is your favorite feature on your drone and why? The DJI Go 4 app and all the cool things you can do with it! My favorite things to do with the app are mostly free flight and recording videos. All the mapping missions I fly are planned and captured using Pix4D’s Capture app. What drone images are you most proud of and why? I flew a cemetery, and we could see from the imagery possible locations of unmarked graves. Have you learned any valuable lessons from being in the drone industry that you can share with our female drone community? Practice, practice, practice flying and planning your missions. Whether it's from a creative, commercial or humanitarian perspective, tell us about your most memorable drone flight you have piloted thus far. Flying and mapping cemeteries. I have mapped several cemeteries and photographing the various headstones and monuments is always cool. I have completed aerial imagery surveys for two cemeteries that date back to the 1840s. One cemetery is still in use while the other cemetery was once threatened by a bridge development project. Both cemeteries are preserved and being cared for at this time. Cemeteries are peaceful and mapping them helps us understand settlement patterns, family groups, epidemics, and the material culture (i.e. headstones, inscriptions, plants, left offerings, etc) can tell the story of a community. I started flying cemeteries because I wanted to see if we could determine if a bird’s eye view could give us an insight into unmarked graves and their possible locations. I pair the imagery with ground penetrating radar or a LIDAR study to look for depressions not seen with the naked eye. Having a bird’s eye view helps us look at the cemetery in a different perspective. What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? The use of drones is expanding in the engineering and mapping fields and it is great seeing woman expand their roles in the field. Do you have any drone tips & tricks you can share with our audience? Learn to fly the drone by sight and by having to fly it via the remote's little orange line on the screen. You never know when you'll have to fly it back via the remote if it gets out of your line of sight. What's the best way for our readers to get in touch with you? E-mail is the best way. My email is bhall1821@outlook.com. My Instagram is @bhall1821, and I have posted videos on Skypixel through DJI as my handle is the GISNinja. Most of the images I capture are stills until I stitch them together with Pix4D Mapper or create videos through Skypixel. I haven’t shared much online as I do not want to encourage vandals to visit these sites. Here is a link to a wacky video I created after flying Curlee Cemetery in Bradyville, TN. This is a link to Lytle Cemetery in Murfreesboro, TN. Bethany Hall is a GIS Analyst and Drone Pilot that enjoys capturing a bird's eye view of the World. #pilotspotlight #femaledronepilot #wwdambassador #womenwhodrone #Engineering #GIS #DJIMavicPro #DJIMavicAir #DJIPhantom4 #dronemapping #LiDAR #Skypixel

Image Credit: AirMap One of the first things you learn as a drone pilot is that you can’t fly everywhere, and there’s no stricter no-fly zone than airports. To the majority of us, airports and their surrounding area are forbidden territory, but there are a lucky few who have access to this restricted airspace. That’s probably thanks to the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC), one of multiple collaborations initiated by the FAA. But what is it exactly and how does it benefit commercial pilots? Today, we’re going to dive into the FAA website and break down how LAANC helps to bridge the gap between drones and restricted airspace. Video Credit: Kittyhawk The FAA website states that LAANC is the first partnership under the FAA UAS Data Exchange, which they describe to be “an innovative, collaborative approach between government and private industry facilitating the sharing of airspace data between the two parties.” So, LAANC’s primary purpose is to assist in integrating UAS into the National Airspace System specifically by processing requests from commercial pilots. In other words, it bridges the gap between commercial pilots and airports by allowing drone companies to share and receive authorization information. Video Credit: AirMap The FAA has streamlined the application process for obtaining authorization into NAS by partnering up with businesses that already offer drone management and incorporating LAANC into their services. After completing the necessary technical steps, well-known drone businesses like AirMap, DJI, Kittyhawk, Project Wing, and Skyward have entered into an agreement with the FAA and have become approved LAANC UAS Service Suppliers. Thus, a commercial pilot who relies on Kittyhawk to manage their drone fleet can also use their software to access LAANC to apply for permission to do a number of things, flying under 400 feet in controlled airspace around airports being one of them. From there, It’s almost like they’re running a UAS background check using information from the FAA UAS Data Exchange to determine whether to give an applicant authorization or not. Image Credit: Kittyhawk If you're a commercial drone pilot or a business that utilizes drones, you may want to look into a drone management service that's also a LAANC UAS Service Supplier like the ones mentioned above. These services have sped up the authorization process, and in some cases authorization has been given almsot immedialtey. The LAANC page on the FAA website features a table of approved suppliers and also clarifies whether Part 107 Near – Real Time Authorization and Part 107 Further Coordination are publicly available services with these companies. Read more about the LAANC and read the table of approved suppliers here. I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #laanc #NationalAirspaceSystem #LowAltitudeAuthorizationandNotificationCapabi #FAA #UASDataExchange #NAS #AirMap #DJI #Kittyhawk #ProjectWing #Skyward

Photo courtesy of Flyability If you couldn't make it to AUVSI XPONENTIAL this year, then you missed out on witnessing current projects in drone technology and business firsthand. In particular, the latest innovation in drones used for inspections was revealed during the conference: Flyability’s Elios 2. Elios 2 is the latest version of the inspection drone built by startup company Flyability, and their second drone overall. Its creative design reconsiders how drones avoid obstructions and changes the way drones navigate through indoor spaces. Flyability is a Swiss company that builds drones specifically to be operated safely "indoors, in complex and confined spaces, and in contact with people." Dr. Adrien Briod and Patrick Thévoz founded Flyability in 2014, and it's based In Lausanne, Switzerland. They describe their company as a "spin-off from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne and the laboratory of intelligent systems." In another post, we’ve mentioned how the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (a.k.a.Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne) housed the research team that researched and developed the foldable drone, so it seems like innovative solutions to drone-related problems are their thing. Image Credit: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne Flyability made a name for themselves when they released Elios 1 in 2016. When they released the original Elios, they described it as the first “collision-tolerant” drone. Rather than focus their efforts on creating and testing sensors that can scan their surrounding area to avoid bumping or crashing into things, they instead designed a protective frame around their drone. The protective frame is made from carbon fiber and can tolerate collisions up to 15 km/h. It also has a modular design to make it easy to maintain. Elios’s unique design was inspired by insects, which are able to maintain their stabilization after a mid-flight collision. We’ve all seen flies ram into light bulbs and bounce back just fine; it’s kinda the same idea. Flyability advertises Elios as being able to Improve safety, reduce downtime, and save money. These key factors were improved upon with the Elios 2. Elios 2 was built in partnership with IQ Motion Control, a robotics company that specializes in developing advanced motion control systems. In their blog post, Flyability states that they formed this partnership to “bring an active collision tolerant propulsion system to life.” You can read more about it here. Photos courtesy of Flyability Elios 2 is also advertised as the most intuitive, reliable, and precise indoor inspection drone and is designed to navigate through confined spaces. On their blog, you can see several case studies where Elios 2 created photogrammetric models of mines, inspected amusement parks, investigated the aftermath of a fire, and more. If you're interested in flying the Elios 2 for your upcoming inspections, feel free to contact Flyability directly to learn more about the new Elios 2 platform. They are currently accepting orders and training is included along with easy maintenance and a support team. I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #collisiontolerant #AUVSIXPONENTIAL #droneinnovation #EcolePolytechniqueFederaledeLausanne #Flyability #SwissFederalInstituteofTechnologyLausanne #Elios #Elios2 #droneinspection #inspections #aerialphotogrammetry #IQMotionControl #collision #crash

Company: McCutcheon Media Location: San Francisco, California (but nomadically-inclined) Tell us about yourself. I'm 29, and a dedicated Ashtanga yoga practitioner. I also like to write songs on my six-stringed ukulele. What inspired you to begin flying drones, and what made you want to enter the industry as a drone pilot? I'm an active outdoors person, and drones seemed like a fantastic way to communicate the elevated feeling that comes with a dramatic landscape. What were you doing before you started flying drones, and what made you make the transition? I worked for several years as an Associate Producer for a small documentary production company. (Keep an eye out for their upcoming film, Free for All: Inside the Public Library!) They hired a drone operator for a shoot in Wisconsin, and I was so blown away by the footage and how the aerial perspective could elevate the overall quality of the film. Right around that time, I signed up for the Drone Pilot Ground School newsletter and purchased a drone simulator to practice on my laptop. What drone(s) are you currently flying, and what drone accessories do you love? I fly an Inspire 2 with the Zenmuse X7 camera (bought used through the Drone Pilot Ground School forum), a Mavic 2 Pro, and a Mavic Air. What is your favorite feature on your drone and why? I mostly like to fly manually, but I've recently discovered 360 photos. Been having a lot of fun putting some of those on Google Maps! What drone images are you most proud of and why? These days, I'm loving smooth, slow, meditative 15-30 second shots where where you don't necessarily assume it's filmed by a drone - you're just struck by how stunning the imagery is. (à la this guy's work at oneeyedbird.net). I also love when I can get some satisfying symmetry going on. Have you learned any valuable lessons from being in the drone industry that you can share with our female drone community? The fanciest drone isn't always the best one for the job. I recently did a shoot for a client and used both a Mavic Air and an Inspire 2. They ended up using footage from both and didn't comment once on the quality difference! Since then, I've decided to use the Mavic series (Mavic 2) over the Inspire for filming that focuses on people, unless the client specifically needs ProRes or RAW and will pay a higher fee for it. Whether it's from a creative, commercial or humanitarian perspective, tell us about your most memorable drone flight you have piloted thus far. A former White House calligrapher hired me for his lifelong dream project of writing a poem on a beach. We met at Bodega Bay in California and spent a half day filming large-scale calligraphy from an aerial perspective - all in 20 mph wind (with some higher gusts that did push the drone's limits of stability)! Then, I camped along the beach in my converted van, which is my favorite thing to do when flying drones around California. :) It's been a fun challenge to edit the piece together to make the poem flow smoothly + feel comprehensible. He'll be debuting the short film at the International Calligraphy Conference in Toronto this summer! I'll post a link in the WWD facebook group when it's up. What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? There's so much demand for it right now! I've been really pleasantly surprised how quickly things have been falling into place for me, work-wise. It definitely helps that I'm somewhat connected in the documentary world already - most of my clients have come through word of mouth. So I recommend cultivating good relationships with people who are interested in the same things as you. You really never know where those will lead! What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? More friends! Do you have any drone tips & tricks you can share with our audience? If you have access to wide open spaces, that's the best place to fly! (Perhaps that's obvious) More specifically - in the U.S., you can't fly in National Parks, but there are other types of federal public land where you CAN fly legally. For example, land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service are great options. This is likely easier to find in Central/Western U.S. where there's lots of open space. Figuring out specifics of federal public land can get confusing, so I like to refer people to this article to parse out the types of public land and their related drone regulations: Making Heads or Tails of Flying a Drone Over U.S. Public Lands. What's the best way for our readers to get in touch with you? You can email me at hello@elliemccutcheon.com, or find me on Instagram at @ellie-mccutcheon. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? I also want to get into mapping with drones, but haven't scratched the surface of that. So if anyone has any tips/tricks on how to get started with that, I'm all ears! Also curious for any tips on 360 video - don't yet know how to do that either. Ellie is a Part 107 FAA-certified remote pilot specializing in aerial storytelling techniques for filmmakers and journalists. She loves filming dramatic cinematic landscapes, and is interested in pushing the creative limits of what you can communicate with a drone. After spending several years in the San Francisco Bay Area’s documentary film scene, Ellie borrowed a friend’s drone and took to the vast public lands of the Western U.S. (specifically, land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service) to practice flying. More than a hundred flight hours later, she travels around California doing client work and making short aerial films with her DJI Inspire 2 and Mavic 2 Pro. Some recent clients have included NPR, UC Berkeley, Blue Shield of California, and a former White House Calligrapher. #pilotspotlight #womenwhodrone #WOMENANDDRONES #EllieMcCutcheon #California #producer #femaledronepilot #DronePilotGroundSchool #Inspire2 #ZenmuseX7camera #DJIMavic2Pro #MavicAir #360photos #BureauofLandManagement #USForestService

Image Credit: DJI Technology Co. People often say that the best way to learn is by doing. It seems like DJI takes this old adage seriously as they continue to put out products that emphasize educating in an interactive way. That's definitely what we're getting with RoboMaster S1, their newly released robot. Named after their international robotics competition, DJI RoboMaster, this robot is being advertised as both educational and fun. RoboMaster S1’s advertised features are reminiscent of the Tello drone, which was also advertised as an interactive learning tool. Along with typical robotic features, the S1 has different gameplay and educational features that can go hand-in-hand to create a fun experience for users to learn robotics, programming, and AI. Image Credit: DJI Technology Co. This robot was crafted by DJI’s top engineers to give learners hands-on experience assembling and programming a robot that is also capable of teaching physics and mathematics. From a robotics standpoint, your hands-on experience comes from building the S1 yourself. Yes, yourself! RoboMaster S1 has a modular design, meaning users can put their robot together like a 3D puzzle. As for programming, RoboMaster S1 supports Scratch 3.0 and Python coding, making it accessible to beginner and experienced programmers. Additionally, RoboMaster S1 has a companion app that features numerous educational resources like "Road to Mastery", a series of projects designed to "enhance programming, robotics, and AI to strengthen problem-solving and critical thinking skills”, and RoboAcademy, video courses and programming guides to enhance their knowledge of mathematics, physics, and basic programming. “These lessons let users of any level understand complex principles in an engaging way.” Image Credit: DJI Technology Co. Now, for the fun part! RoboMaster was also built to be entertaining, and it accomplishes this by having gameplay features that include FPV driving, omnidirectional movement, target shooting, and more. As part of its accessories, S1 comes with vision markers that you can use to build your own competition arena. RoboMaster is equipped with various sensors capable of recognizing claps, gestures, hits, and more, and its automatic driving feature allows the S1 to recognize simulated roads and traffic lights. S1’s various AI applications give it Line, Vision maker, Individual, Clap, Gesture, and S1 recognition. This means that it can recognize people, gestures, itself, and more. Also, the RoboMaster app features multiple competition modes where these features work together to provide competitive gameplay with Math and Physics knowledge in addition to the aforementioned hands-on experience with robotics, programming, and AI. Image Credit: DJI Technology Co. Currently, RoboMaster S1 is available for $499 with free shipping. if you have an approved academic email address, you may qualify for the DJI educational discount program where you can get 10% off of your purchase for being a student, educator, or academic research staff. at the moment, each customer is limited to two units so attempts at more purchases will be canceled. There’s a lot more to RoboMaster S1 than what was mentioned here. If you’d like to see for yourself, check out its product page on the DJI store site or read the article “RoboMaster S1: Unboxing & Highlights” posted by DJI. I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #DJI #RoboMasterS1 #robotics #programming #coding #Tello #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #education #Scratch #Python #fpvracing

No matter what platform we use, we're surrounded by amazing drone photography. On a daily basis, you may be scrolling through a mile's worth of overhead shots of foreign terrains you dream about visiting. We all love seeing a pilot's latest shots on Instagram and Facebook, but what if they were also on your clothes? Drone technology and fashion are constantly evolving industries. Now, thanks to Australian fashion designer Yumi Morrissey, these industries are converging. To give you a little backstory, Yumi Morrissey is the creative mind behind Zilpah Tart, the Australia-based fashion brand named after her grandmother. Yumi started Zilpah Tart to create designs that are both unique and comfortable, and she created all the fabric prints she uses in her collections. After becoming interested in drones, she has further set her brand apart by incorporating her drone photography into her print designs. I was fortunate enough to interview her about her work. It all started almost a year ago when Yumi purchased her first drone, a DJI Mavic Pro. Like many beginner pilots, she lost control of it on a windy day at the beach and eventually, its battery died over the ocean.Traumatized by this event, she quickly replaced it and aimed to be more careful. “Don’t ignore the wind warnings!!!” was her main takeaway and solid advice. Yumi’s favorite place to fly is the coast, and her favorite images are top-down photos of the water. In her interview, she states, “I just love the view of the ocean and how [a drone’s] perspective from the sky is so, so different to what you can see from the shore. It's just so beautiful.” Living in Canberra (inland Australia), it’s only a two-hour drive for her to get to the south coast. On the weekends, she loves to escape to the beach to find new spots to fly, which explains why so many of her designs feature crystal clear waves and the blues, greens, and whites of the ocean. Broulee, a town on the south coast where the water is unbelievably blue, is one of her favorite flying locations. She’s also in love with images she’s captured higher up on the central coast where, she states, “It’s amazing that the colour of the water is so different just a few hours north, with a green tinge.” Yumi's constantly thinking of ideas for her next fabric print and says she automatically looks at every image with a print in mind, taking into consideration patterns and how the colors and shapes would look on the body. As a result, she began to see the potential in her drone shots as possible designs. “I also love telling stories through my use of photographs to create prints, and using these images tells a story of one of the things that makes me happy – flying my drone at the beach.” Learning through trial and error, she has gained enough experience as a fashion designer to recognize what kinds of shapes work in prints once they’re on the body and has found that organic shapes work the best. Regarding choosing which images ultimately become designs, Yumi stated that she tries to pick an image that is already a pattern and has high contrast to make it interesting. To ensure that a design works, she also uses Photoshop to visualize what it might look like as a dress. Moving forward, Yumi thinks she’ll continue to use drones in her business by experimenting with photos of a forest or autumn trees for a new collection, flying for photo shoots with the models, or creating promotional videos of the dresses from the drone’s perspective. When asked for words of encouragement for female pilots and businesswomen, she stated, “Follow your passion and work towards it every day. Put yourself out there. If you love what you’re doing, people can see it in your work, and they’ll want to follow you. Do more of what makes you happy. If that means heading to the beach with your drone, then make time, all the time to do that!” Thank you, Yumi, for your encouraging words and for taking the time to share your story. Yumi has now released two collections using her drone images for her Zilpah Tart brand and has recently released Zilpah Tart Active, an active wear brand that features drone images as well. Check out the Zilpah Tart and Zilpah Tart Active main websites and follow @zilpahtart and @zilpah_tart_active on Instagram. I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #womenwhodrone #dronebusiness #bussinesswomen #dronephotography #fashionbrand #dronefashion #australia #femaledronepilot #YumiMorrissey #ZilpahTart #DJIMavicPro

Company: Social Swell Digital Marketing Location: Long Beach, CA Tell us about yourself. Hey, guys! I'm Maddy, and I'm a freelance digital marketer and drone pilot! With my background in photography, I was so intrigued with all the creative perspectives drones were able to capture and knew I had to get my hands on one. I am now a licensed drone pilot in addition to running my own marketing agency as well! What inspired you to begin flying drones, and what made you want to enter the industry as a drone pilot? A few years ago, I started seeing drone photos pop up on my Instagram feed and was so intrigued with the cool angles and perspectives they were able to capture! I have a background in photography as well and am always looking for ways to stand out from the crowd. I tried out my friend's Phantom and was hooked! I saved up my money and bought my own drone a few months later and began capturing everything around my city. About six months later, I decided to study up and get my Part 107 license as well, so I could start using my drone for work such as brand photos, hotels, etc. What were you doing before you started flying drones, and what made you make the transition? Before I started flying drones, I was doing freelance photography and digital marketing. I still do both of these and am happy to say that my drone services are a happy bonus! My background in photography was also incredibly helpful because instead of worrying about exposing my photos properly, I was able to fully focus on the flying process when I first started. What drones are you currently flying, and what drone accessories do you love? I just bought the new Mavic Pro 2, and the Hasselblad camera is dreamy! I also have a Phantom 4 Pro and Mavic Pro along with Tiffen filters. What is your favorite feature on your drone and why? I would have to say the vertical pano feature! Especially since I post so many of my images on social media, I prefer them to be in a vertical format so the panos really come in handy and let you capture so much more in the frame than just a normal photo. What drone images are you most proud of and why? My favorite drone image actually happened the most recently! I was on a whale watching boat off the coast of Dana Point and we saw a whale entangled with rope around his tale swimming very slowly. We sent our drones up in the air, and we were able to get pretty close and capture photos of the rope to send to rescuers. The rescue team then used our photos to not only locate the whale but also prepare to cut the rope. I will forever be proud of those photos because we were able to use our drones for good and potentially save this whale! Have you learned any valuable lessons from being in the drone industry that you can share with our female drone community? My most valuable lesson so far has been that sometimes people are going to push you down, but that just fuels your fire! As a female drone pilot, I've seen SO many sexist comments made about girls not being able to fly or know anything about drones. Little do they know that anything guys can go, girls can do better ;) Whether it's from a creative, commercial or humanitarian perspective, tell us about your most memorable drone flight you have piloted thus far. My most memorable drone pilot so far has been the whale watching day I mentioned above. As pilots, we often get a lot of flack from people who don't fully understand drones, so it was nice to be able to do something good for this animal and help the rescue teams too! What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? I think my biggest piece of advice would be to just get started! My very first drone was a little $60 toy off Amazon, and I slowly worked my way up after practicing. There will always be excuses, but sometimes we just need to put those aside and try. Otherwise, we'd never know what we're capable of! What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? What most excites me is just getting more women involved and watching the ripple effect! I'm so tired of the sexist comments from men in the industry so I think the more women we can get involved the better! Do you have any drone tips & tricks you can share with our audience? Shooting in manual has completely changed the way I capture my drone content! It gives you so much more control than auto, along with WAY more freedom in the editing process. I would definitely recommend learning your camera and switching over to manual. Practice makes perfect! What's the best way for our readers to get in touch with you? I'm most active on Instagram! You can find me @mmaaddzz or stay in the loop with all my current adventures over on my blog alohamadz.com! Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? Flying drones can seem scary at first - I totally get it! I didn't want to fly over water for weeks because I was scared of crashing. But once I got comfortable before the controls, it was so freeing and everybody should be able to experience that feeling! Maddy was born and raised in Long Beach, California. She picked up her first drone almost two years ago and was immediately hooked! After leaving her 9-5 to start freelancing, Maddy is now a freelance digital marketer and drone pilot. She is also Part 107 certified and has integrated her drone imagery into her marketing services along the way. She's worked with brands such as Lululemon and hopes to expand that list very soon. Living so close to the beach gives Maddy plenty of amazing locations to work with and much of her work involves sunsets, waves and lots of sand! #pilotspotlight #wwdambassador #womenwhodroneambassador #MaddyWashburn #LongBeach #part107certification #Phantom4Pro #djimavicpro #DJIMavicPro2 #California

Image Credit: Wix Several weeks ago, we reported on the recent change in drone regulation put forth by the FAA regarding drone registration and identification. On February 25th, a new regulation went into effect requiring that FAA-registered drones display their registration numbers clearly on the outer surface of the drone. They enacted this rule to aid law enforcement and for safety reasons. Having a drone’s registration numbers displayed clearly on the outside allows law enforcement to identify a drone without coming into direct contact with it. Ideally, this new rule will improve the safety of officers and make identifying drones more efficient. However, it’s really only a step towards something greater: Remote Identification. Clearly displaying your registration number on the outside prevents law enforcement from having to handle an unidentified drone that could be potentially dangerous, but the officer on site would still need to be close enough to the drone to identify it with the naked eye, or they would need equipment to identify the number form a safe distance. These would not be obstacles with a method to identify a drone’s origin or owner remotely. Image Credit: Wing and AirMap In June of 2017, the FAA chartered a committee called the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Identification and Tracking Aviation Rulemaking Committee (or simply the ARC). Later that year, the committee submitted recommendations to the FAA on “technologies available to identify and track drones in flight and other associated issues.” The committee discussed emerging technologies and the issue if remote tracking, safety and law enforcement in a detailed report that is available on the FAA’s website. Essentially, the consensus was that the FAA should consider a direct broadcast method and a network publishing method for remote ID and tracking as “both methods would send the data to an FAA-approved internet-based database.” Now, the big question is: Who will be developing this technology and how will it be enacted? The ARC has stated that the FAA should “promote fast-tracked development of industry standards while a final remote ID and tracking rule is developed, potentially offering incentives for early adoption and relying on educational initiatives to pave the way to the implementation of the rule.” On December 20th, 2018, the FAA issued a Request for Information (RFI) for a remote ID system. This RFI closed earlier this year on February 4th. Video Credit: Wing Also in December, three UAS companies gifted us with a possible solution to the remote identification problem. AirMap, Alphabet’s Wing, and Kittyhawk.io worked collaboratively to put forth a remote ID application that’s network-based and works on the InterUSS Platform. InterUSS is an open source network used to connect drone service suppliers and share safety information. Together, these companies successfully demonstrated how the application works by using the app to identify drones near them. In the demonstration, the app was able to show the user drones within a 1-mile radius and flying on different platforms in a controlled airspace. The app showed the drone’s model, the purpose of the flight, its speed, and its altitude. Since the app shares only necessary safety information, the privacy of the pilots is still protected. Hopefully, along with this demonstration, we’ll soon see more steps being taken towards a practical application of remote identification. I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #RemoteID #remotedroneidentification #FAA #faaregistered #GoogleWing #AirMap #AlphabetsWing #Kittyhawkio #InterUSS #RFI #RequestforInformation #UnmannedAircraftSystemsIdentificationandTrack