Drone Magazine Jan18

Hottest News • reviews • pro tips + more…
January 2018 · No 28 · Price £ 5 . 99
sky news snow days shoot to thrill

Meet the photojournalist Keeping you and your The first steps to becoming
taking UAVs into war zones drone safe this winter a great aerial photographer
essential NEW 28
9 772059 287008
FLYER’S GUIDE
Expert advice for rookie pilots
looking to earn their wings
GOING PRO
How to turn a hobby
TOOL BOX
The best kit to keep
into a successful career your drone in the air
FPV FTW! Three Vortex

racers to be won!
001_DM28[Cover]IKICGC.indd 1 24/11/2017 14:29

PHANTOMFLIGHTSCHOOL
Get your PfCO with the UKs Longest Established and
Most Popular Practical Drone Training Organisation
A Radically Better PfCO Course
Everything You Need to Immediately Submit

your Application to the CAA including:
Practical Flight Training
Ground School
Ops Manual
Theory Test
Flight Test
SRG1320
As well as:
Real Life Case Studies
How much to charge
The Right Kit for the Job
The Right Apps to Help You
Night Ops Training (Extra £100 + VAT)
How to Plan and Risk Assess any Mission
Waterproof Matrice 200 means rain won’t stop play
Ongoing Support and Advice from our Drone Experts
4 day Course, every month in Chester and Maidstone

£1,250 + VAT
01244 893 872 www.phantomflightschool.co.uk
PfCO delivered in association with the NQE, 3iC
Proto ad.indd 34 23/11/2017 13:33

Haleakala Sunset
Maui, Hawaii
“The sun beginning to set behind the
West Maui Mountains. Taken from the
switchbacks leading up to the summit
of the dormant Haleakala volcano.”
Photo by Dawn Jernaill
Supplied by Dronestagram
003-98_DM28[Showcase Photos]IKICGC.indd 3 24/11/2017 02:35

contributors
Adam Gemma Mark Dan

Juniper Cox Baker francis
Hooked from the moment he saw Our launch editor for DRONE, Mark is a commercial drone pilot Dan has been working within
the AR.Drone at CES, Adam has Gemma has worked at the helm of based in the New Forest. In 2014, the protective case industry for
spent the years since building, NEO magazine for over ten years. he founded Naughty Cat Media the past three years, specialising
crashing, sinking, losing and Spending over a decade immersed and specialises in providing low in solutions for drone and
occasionally flying drones. With in Asian pop culture, she recently level aerial video and photography photography equipment. He
a background in photography branched out into the world of using drones. Most of his work founded www.cases2go.co.uk
publishing and over a decade technology to take on UAVs. She’s is carried out with lightweight and has spent the last few years
writing about video and still most excited about the future of and affordable systems like the sourcing and supplying cases for
photography in his rear-view FPV racing and the prospect of DJI Phantom series. Check out military, offshore oil, motorsport,
mirror, he was the only choice for drone deliveries! Can drone racing some of his shots and get in A/V and film industries. If you
Ilex’s recent book The Drone Pilot's go prime time? She certainly hopes touch at his website, located at want to keep your drone safe,
Handbook (on sale now!). so! Follow NEO at @NEO_Magazine. www.naughtycatmedia.co.uk. Dan's got your back(pack)!
Andrew Lee MICHAEL rowan

Wat ton-Davies Schofield COOK bailey
Andrew spends his time Known online as Painless360, Michael gained his experience with Rowan is cinematographer and
monitoring the globe for drone Lee has a YouTube channel and drones through the US Army, flying drone fanatic with a passion for
news stories, testing to death the business dedicated to making RC the Shadow 200 system. After the exploring new places and shooting
things people send him (mostly technology easier to use. An RC pilot Army he flew drones in Alaska before them with his Xiro Xplorer. He’s
drones), and hoping his cats won’t for over eight years and with a 30- founding his own company, M2 always looking for new places to
moult all over his quadcopters. He's year background in electronics he Flight Solutions. As well as working fly and new ways to push his work,
a graduate of the Freedonia Flying became hooked on quads when he with emergency services, he was also and you’ll often find him along the
Academy and has never failed to was bought one in as a present. The the first person to fly an AV Puma Pembrokeshire coastline on most
walk away from a UAV landing. rest, as they say, is history! By now system 300 miles from the true North sunny/non-windy days! You can
You can follow him on Twitter at he can probably strip a quadcopter Pole – the furthest a UAV system has follow his most recent shots/trips
@raggedydrones and rebuild it blindfolded. flown from a coastguard ship. on Instagram @RTBaileyMedia.
4 DRONE MAGAZINE
004-5_DM28[Editorial]IKICGC.indd 4 24/11/2017 16:53

january 2018 • Issue 28
www.dronemagazine.uk
Uncooked Media Ltd, PO Box 6337,

Bournemouth, BH1 9EH
Telephone: 01202 087627
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,
Dawn Jernaill, Adam Juniper, Lee Schofield,
Andrew Watton-Davies
Customer Services
01202 087627
contact@selectps.com
Advertising & Marketing

Group Commercial Manager: Rob Cox
rob@uncookedmedia.com
WELCOME
Licensing
To discuss magazine licensing or content syndication
please email: contact@selectps.com
Subscription Enquiries
01202 087627
chris@selectps.com
To Issue 28 of Drone Magazine! Distributed through the UK newstrade by

Seymour Ltd, 0207 429 4000
I
t may have seemed like we jumped on Santa’s sleigh a little early last time around, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT
but with this issue taking us into the New Year (when it feels really weird to be Distributed through the UK/US specialist trade by
Diamond Comic Distributors, 020 8536 5730
celebrating Christmas!) it gives us the opportunity to turn our attention to the
Printed in the UK by Precision Colour Printing, Telford,
many people who might have picked up a new model during the festive season – Shropshire, UK
whether it’s as a gift from others or a bargain in the sales that just couldn’t be ignored.
Although we’re leaning towards welcoming new pilots into the fold, that doesn’t
mean that existing drone owners can’t also benefit from a fresh look. Perhaps you’ve
upgraded to a model with a camera that makes it worth looking into your photo and DRONE is published every four weeks by Uncooked
video options? Maybe you’ve got the kit you need, along with a New Year’s resolution, Media Ltd. All text and layout remains the copyright
of Uncooked Media Ltd. DRONE is a fully independent
to finally kick-start those ambitions to turn your aerial skills into something more publication and its views are not those of any company
mentioned herein. All characters and artwork shown
professional? Whatever your passion, there’s always scope to learn in this industry in this magazine remain the © and trademark or their
and hopefully we’ve got something that will benefit pilots of all abilities. respective owners.
If you really are passionate about the future of drones, and in spreading the good No part of this magazine may be reproduced without
the express written permission of the publisher.
word among the wider aviation community, how about getting involved with the DRONE can accept no responsibility for inaccuracies
CAA’s new ‘Share the Air’ initiative? You can find out more about it on page 18 and, or complaints arising from editorial or advertising
within this magazine. All letters and emails received
having attended the first major event of its kind in the UK, I can safely say that will be considered for publication, but we cannot
there are a lot of people who are interested in finding out more – both drone owners provide personal replies. The publishers cannot be held
responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs,
and pilots from General Aviation curious to find out what all the fuss is about (and transparencies or artwork. Please do not call, email or
write to enquire whether your unsolicited submission
whether we’re really a threat to them, or an ally in the skies!). has been received, as our priority is the production of
Certainly there’s a great deal of work that can be done to help lessen the sense of ‘us the magazine.
and them’, and instead bring the whole aviation world together in unison to promote Another quality cold cut from
the safe, responsible and shared use of the airspace around us.
Enjoy the issue – and Happy New Year!
EST. 2003
Ian Collen, EDITOR
DRONE © 2017 Uncooked Media Ltd
ISSN 2059-2876
facebook.com/DRONEMagUK twitter.com/DRONEMagUK instagram.com/DRONEMagUK
WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 5
004-5_DM28[Editorial]IKICGC.indd 5 24/11/2017 16:53

10 18
30
22
28
contents
10 // BUSINESS CLASS 15 // SIZE MATTERS 22 // NEW FLYER’S GUIDE
Parrot has launched two new craft geared Another delivery solution, but this time If you’re new to drones and looking to make your
towards the professional user – meet the Bebop- featuring a collapsible frame that greatly first flights, we’ll help make you a master of the
Pro Thermal and the Bluegrass. reduces the drone’s non-flying size. skies in no time!
12 // TROUBLED WATERS 16 // SILVER SERVICE 28 // COMPETITION

Rotor Riot causes a stir after a video of its latest Drones can not only mix a mean cocktail, they We’ve not one, not two, but THREE ImmersionRC
FPV stunts around a bridge draws the ire of can also bring emergency network coverage to Vortex quadcopters to give away! That’s got to be
Canadian authorities. crisis areas. worth a quick email…
14 // DOWN UNDER 18 // SHARE THE AIR 30 // IN THE WARS

Google has taken its prototype Project Wing We report back from the CAA’s first self-hosted A fascinating insight into the work of Gail
system to Australia to further test deliveries of event to bring drone users and General Aviation Orenstein, a photojournalist now using drones
food and aid to rural areas. pilots together. to report on areas of conflict and crisis.
6 DRONE MAGAZINE
006-7_DM28[Contents]IKICGC.indd 6 24/11/2017 17:44

38 50
64
70 62 78
SUBSCRIBE TODAY FOR ONLY £14.99!

TURN TO PAGE 88
38 // YOU’RE HIRED! 58 // CROSS WORDS 70 // A NIP IN THE AIR

Fancy turning your passion for drones into a We take a look at how the current version of Don’t let the cold weather keep you grounded!
business? We’ve some great expert advice to Team BlackSheep’s Crossfire RC link is helping Warm yourself up with some great tips for
help get you started. to boost both long and short-distance flights. flying in a winter wonderland.
46 // INDUSTRY INSIGHT 62 // CASE STUDY 78 // IN THE FRAME

We speak to the UK trade association ARPAS A review of the DroneGuard BP 400 backpack More excellent advice for newcomers, as our
about the hot topics on its agenda and what to from Lowepro – perfect for your Phantom and a friendly neighbourhood professional guides you
expect in 2018. whole lot more. through your first aerial shots.
50 // TOOLED UP 64 // PILOT LIGHT 90 // BUYER’S GUIDE

Running repairs and replacing parts is a key A great interview with expert pilot and designer Depending on when you read this, it’s either
part of a drone owner’s down-time. We round Zoe Stumbaugh as she reflects on the good and Christmas or the New Year sales – and both are
up the best kit for your toolbox. the bad of the drone industry. a great excuse to upgrade your fleet!
006-7_DM28[Contents]IKICGC.indd 7 24/11/2017 21:01

Photo by Mark Baker / Naughty Cat Media
8 DRONE MAGAZINE
008-9_DM28[Overview1]IKICGC.indd 1 24/11/2017 02:43

78
how to take your first
shots on the way to
becoming a master
aerial photographer
008-9_DM28[Overview1]IKICGC.indd 2 24/11/2017 20:42

Words by Andrew Watton-Davies
Parrot Goes Pro

Two new models added to its Business Solution fleet
P
arrot has confirmed the addition of two Despite the additional weight of the FLIR craft. The information gathered then allowed
quadcopters to its ‘professional’ fleet of camera and its housing, we’ve been assured for the quick decision to evacuate some 4,000
craft. It’s unveiled the purpose-designed by Vanessa Loury at Parrot that “there is residents from the area.
Bluegrass offering a bespoke quadcopter for only a minor impact on flight time” with the As well as being a useful and very portable
agriculture users, along with the Bebop- projected 25 minutes a little down on the 30 tool for firefighters and other emergency
Pro Thermal, an amended version of the minutes offered by the recent Bebop 2 Power. services, the Bebop-Pro Thermal and its
Bebop 2 which is geared towards helping the Vanessa also told us that Parrot has been companion app also targets the work of
construction industry and rescue services collaborating with firefighters for several architects, builders, real estate agencies and
carry out thermal inspections in safety. years, and that during the 2016 summer floods other professionals in related fields. Examples
The Bebop-Pro Thermal was originally in Paris, the French manufacturer’s drones include roofers checking for thermal losses
announced back in May (see Issue 22 for more) were used by firefighters to survey the severity without putting themselves at risk, as well
and is a modified version of the Bebop 2, with of the flooding in real-time, thanks to the as accessing hard-to-reach places when
a rear mounting for the 36.5g, FLIR One Pro live streaming functionality available on the inspecting buildings for a full thermal analysis.
thermal camera, with a built in 1440 x 1080p
RGB sensor and 160 x 120p thermal sensor. In
addition to the drone and a decent bundle of
the usual accessories – SkyController 2, three
batteries, two chargers and a backpack – the
system comes with access to the FreeFlight
Thermal app, which enables the FLIR One Pro
to be used with three imaging modes.
‘Standard’ mode displays thermal
images from red to blue, allowing for quick
identification of hot and cold spots; ‘Dynamic’
offers a similar function but adapted to the
ambient temperatures; and ‘Hotspot’ is
designed for fire safety and emergency search
and rescue specialists, highlighting only the
highest temperatures combined with the
RGB image. Estimated thermal temperature
readings for an area can be gained by accessing
the app on your smart device – which is a free
Android download, but only compatible with
the Bebop-Pro Thermal.
10 DRONE MAGAZINE
010-11_DM28[news_Parrot]IKICGC.indd 12 24/11/2017 20:50

multispectral solution) while offering the right
flight time to fly over a needed area. We also
wanted Parrot Bluegrass to be a multi-purpose
tool, so it has a front camera in addition to the
multispectral sensor.”
Vanessa added: “Parrot Bluegrass is a multi-
purpose quadcopter solution for smart farmers
or small agriculture cooperatives that helps
them to detect problem areas in all type of
crops.” She also stated that the Bluegrass is able
to fly at low altitude (and up to 2km or 1.2m),
whereas its fixed-wing sibling, the Disco-Pro
AG is able to cover larger areas whilst flying at
higher altitudes.
Although the Bluegrass appears to be a new
design that is optimised for different tasks to
the Disco, we’re told is does inherit a lot from
Parrot’s fixed wing projects. Vanessa says
the new model “is designed around Parrot
C.H.U.C.K. (Control Hub & Universal Computer
Kit), the advanced autopilot also included in
Crop Circles land and infrastructure, as well as spotting our fixed wing drone Parrot Disco.”
Launched at the same time was the Bluegrass, potential problems with crop fields. With a We were also told that Parrot’s experience
Parrot’s first quadcopter designed specifically 25 minute flight time, it’s able to cover up to with fixed wing systems, together with
for use in the agricultural industry (not 30 hectares of land at an altitude of 230 feet its ongoing interest in understanding how
counting the fixed wing Disco or eBee Ag (70m). The system also comes equipped with professionals work and the feedback they
models the company also owns). The craft the Pix4Dcapture flight planning app for ease receive from them, has enabled it “to identify
comes equipped with two monitoring systems: of operation, as well as access to the AIRINOV areas in professional activities where our
a front facing Full HD video camera and a FIRST+ mapping and analysis platform for drones – associated with a complete solution –
Parrot Sequoia multispectral sensor, which processing the collected data. would be able to save time, perform better and
allows for the collection of images over four We asked Vanessa about Parrot’s move into generate more business.”
distinct spectral bands. agricultural quadcopters and she explained: The Thermal package is priced at $1,500
This combination enables users to carry “We wanted to design a drone capable of (£1,226) with the Bluegrass at $5,000 (£3,755).
out low level and precise monitoring of farm transporting a payload (the Parrot Sequoia Details on both can be found at Parrot.com.
010-11_DM28[news_Parrot]IKICGC.indd 13 24/11/2017 20:52

Bridge Toll
Rotor Riot facing fine after FPV stuntS
Words by: Andrew Watton-Davies into any violation of the Canadian Aviation
Regulation (CAR) 602.41 (“No person shall
operate an unmanned air vehicle in flight
except in accordance with a special flight
operations certificate or an air operator
certificate”) and that he had been advised by
the Civil Aviation Enforcement investigator
that the maximum fine could be as high as
$25,000 CAD.
Chad also said that: “I intend on being
accountable to our actions and my number
one priority is that our actions don’t negatively
affect the hobbyists or drone operators in
Canada.” He also commented to the group that
“while neither side has closure yet, the call
seemed to end on a very positive note. I’m not
looking forward to a fine (which I’m hoping
can be reduced), however I feel really good
about being able to share this experience with
all of you!”
We have been in contact with Chad about the
incident, but he was unable to make further
T
he FPV collective Rotor Riot has found stated: “Some of you might be aware that Rotor comment at the time of going to press.
itself under investigation by Transport Riot got some negative attention from the
Canada and the Delta Police Department Canadian news. I contacted Transport Canada
after posting a video of a flight made near a directly (instead of waiting for their call). I
bridge in British Columbia. The footage showed expressed my desire to learn what we can from
a drone being operated in the first-person view all of this. I mentioned the idea of working
flying within metres of the structure while it with them to create some Mythbuster-style,
was in use by local traffic, and includes several educational episodes (closed course, permits,
dives around the support pillars as well as etc.)… Contrary to the accusations and fear-
alongside vehicles on the bridge. based reactions, I want this hobby/sport to
Following the release of the video in late grow in a positive way. I’m willing to dedicate
October, a number of Canadian news agencies my efforts to making it happen.”
became aware of the flights, with News 1130 This was followed by another post to the
describing the incident as “a drone dangerously group, with Chad offering a letter to assist
flying over one of the busiest bridges in Metro Transport Canada with its investigation
Vancouver”. The flight has been described
by many commentators as being in direct
violation of Canadian drone law, which
prohibits flights outside of direct line of sight,
more than 500 metres from the operator, or
within 30 metres of vehicles or the public for
drones weighing more than 250g.
Whilst individuals can be fined up to $3000
CAD per violation, a business can potentially
be looking at $15,000 for each rule breached. At
the time of the news reports Transport Canada
stated that it was “aware of this event and
reviewing the video footage.”
It also pointed out that “there are specific
rules and guidelines in place on how to fly a
recreational drone – also called a model aircraft
– safely and legally. Transport Canada will
not hesitate to take immediate action should
the people flying this drone be found to be in
contravention with the regulations.”
Posting on the Rotor Riot Facebook group
shortly afterwards, member Chad Kapper
12 DRONE MAGAZINE
012_DM28[news_Rotor Riot]IKICGC.indd 14 24/11/2017 20:53

VISIT YOUR LOCAL
LCE FOR ALL
OF OUR LATEST
CAMERA OFFERS
IN K SPARK only IN K MAVIC only IN K INSPIRE from

9.00
C 29.0 C 99.0 C 305
0 0
STO COMBO £6 STO PRO £10 STO 2 £
Meet Spark, a mini drone that features all of A small yet powerful drone with a range of 4.3 mi
Image quality, power and intelligence to meet
DJI’s signature technologies. With intelligent (7km), 5 vision sensors, a 4K camera supported by
the needs of professional filmmakers and
flight control options, a mechanical gimbal, and a 3-axis gimbal, is at your command with just a
enterprises around the globe.
a camera with incredible image quality. push of your thumb or a tap of your finger.
INSPIRE 1 PRO £ 2999.00

Take to the skies with the world’s first fully
integrated aerial system equipped with
the only M4/3 camera built exclusively for
aerial imaging.
PHANTOM 4 PRO from £1589.00

Equipped with a 1-inch sensor, the Phantom 4
Pro camera shoots video at up to 4K 60fps and
20 megapixel stills. It has 4 directions of obstacle
avoidance and a 30-minute flight time.
OSMO MOBILE PHANTOM 3 PRO £ 849.00

+ FREE SECOND BATTERY & HARD-
219.00
It turns your smartphone into
SHELL BACKPACK
a smart motion camera. £
More intelligent, more powerful, and more
accessible than ever before, the Phantom 3
OSMO Professional offer an immersive, fun flying
includes 2x spare batteries experience.
Motion without blur.
Action shots without shake. £ 489.00 PHANTOM 3 STD £ 449.00
Safe, easy, and fun to fly, the Phantom 3
Standard makes it possible for everyone to
OSMO + reach for the sky.
3.5× optical and
2× digital lossless zoom. £689.00 YUNEEC TYPHOON H £739.00
Photography and videography platform packed
OSMO PRO with professional features and new safety and
redundancy elements.
1899.00
4K video at 4096×2160/25fps.
Micro Four Thirds sensor. £
OSMO RAW + FREE 512GB SSD! See WWW.LCEGROUP.CO.UK for

Lossless 4K videos in
CinemaDNG RAW.
Micro Four Thirds sensor. £2999.00 accessories & more
BATH CHESTER GUILDFORD LONDON (STRAND) PLYMOUTH SOUTHAMPTON (HIGH ST)

01225 462234 01244 326531 01483 504040 0207 3790200 01752 664894 023 8022 1597
BRISTOL (BALDWIN ST) COLCHESTER HEREFORD MANCHESTER PORTSMOUTH TAUNTON
0117 929 1935 01206 573444 01432 272655 0161 834 7500 023 9283 9933 01823 259955
BRISTOL (BROADMEAD) DERBY LEAMINGTON NEWCASTLE READING WINCHESTER
0117 927 6185 01332 348644 01926 886166 0191 213 0060 0118 9592149 01962 866203
CHELTENHAM EXETER LINCOLN (HIGH ST) NORWICH SALISBURY WORCESTER
01242 519 851 01392 279024 01522 528577 01603 612537 01722 335436 01905 22314
CHICHESTER GLOUCESTER LINCOLN (SILVER ST) NOTTINGHAM SOUTHAMPTON (CIVIC CTR) OPENING TIMES:
01243 531536 01452 304513 01522 514131 0115 941 7486 023 8033 1720 Mon—Sat: 9am—5:30pm
BRANCHES NATIONWIDE UK MAIL ORDER Next day delivery available from all LCE branches. Postage & Insurance £4.99 for most items. E. & O. E.
Prices quoted include VAT @ 20%. Prices subject to change. Goods subject to availability.
ads.indd 1 24/11/2017 17:54

Wizards of Oz
Project Wing takes its prototype to Australia
P
roject Wing, the drone delivery project
Words by: Andrew Watton-Davies
being run by Google’s ‘Moonshot
Factory’ research and development
division (also known as ‘X’), has announced
that following the success of its 2016 testing
at Virginia Tech University, it has now started
testing its system in Australia.
The new round of trials involves the delivery
of products by the Guzman y Gomez Mexican
food chain and the Chemist Warehouse chain
of pharmacies, and will see customers in
the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and
Queanbeyan regions of Australia being able to
place orders for delivery via their smartphones.
The ACT area that has been selected for and bottled water to farmers in Queensland” a and we can take advantage of the speed and
testing is described by the company as “rolling spokesperson told us. efficiency gained by flying on the wing.”
land spotted with gum trees and horses,” in The choice of the location as a test centre The trials will also offer a chance to learn
which residents face a 40-minute round trip to was also helped by the fact that “Australia more about the companies providing the
reach shops to make food or medical purchases. has always taken a progressive approach products for delivery. Guzman y Gomez will
As well as being the kind of location expected to drone use and has used this technology help the team identify the notice periods and
to most benefit from UAV delivery, the Project for many years in agriculture, industry and lead times required for cooking, packing
Wing team has noted that “with each delivery, during emergency situations. This is reflected and loading the food, as “one well-timed
we encounter a new yard space with its own in Australia’s progressive regulatory system, workflow”. Meanwhile a variety of nearly 100
layout of trees, sheds, fences and power lines. which encourages the safe and controlled products being offered by Chemist Warehouse,
That means that in addition to learning what testing of drone technologies.” and in a wide range of shapes and sizes, will
people want delivered, we also have to learn Details on the craft being used in the trial give details on how to optimise the use of the
how to best deliver items to people.” are limited; however the images that have fixed-sized packaging.
The team has added that it will to train its been released suggest that it is a hybrid craft In addition, the team will also be working
system to “reliably identify safe and convenient with at least 14 propellers. The spokesperson with ACT Rural Fire Services during the trials
delivery locations” through the use of sensors confirmed: “Our current prototypes have to help them assess “how drone delivery
that are used to identify obstacles such as fixed wings like a traditional airplane, with technology could be used in fire-fighting and
parked cars or outdoor furniture. It was also a wingspan of roughly one metre, as well as other emergency services environments to
confirmed that this was not their first trip hover rotors like a quadcopter drone. This help bring urgently needed supplies to the
Down Under. “We’ve been testing in Australia allows us to get the best of both worlds – rotors frontline.” More details on the project can be
since 2014, when we delivered radios, batteries, help us take-off and land with precision, found at blog.x.company.
14 DRONE MAGAZINE
014_DM28[news_Google Wing]IKICGC.indd 16 24/11/2017 17:46

In the Fold
Collapsible frame shrinks delivery options
Words by: Andrew Watton-Davies
R
esearchers at the École Polytechnique paper that you use to package”. He also
Fédérale de Lausanne research institute added: “We arrived at this design by trying to
and university in Switzerland have been address a fundamental issue with the laws of
demonstrating their ‘PackDrone’ design for a physics, which dictate that the lift generated
folding delivery UAV. What makes it unique by an aerial surface is proportional to the
is that, while it has many of the navigation product of the aerial area and of the air speed
and control features found in other delivery over that surface. In the drone world, this
systems, both the package and the multirotor means that larger payloads require larger
system are encapsulated in a protective shell wings or larger propellers.
that is wrapped around it when in flight, but “Therefore, drones that transport parcels
folds away when not in use. are relatively large and this generates two
The design was developed by PhD student problems: The first problem is that one needs
Przemyslaw Kornatowski with funding from more storage space for the drones than for the
NCCR Robotics. The carbon fibre tubes of the parcels, which is impractical both for logistics
cage are connected with flexible 3D-printed centres and for postal officers carrying the
joints, which protect the craft and its cargo told us that the system can be scaled up or drones in their scooters or cars. The second
from collision or fall damage, while also down to accommodate different parcel sizes problem is that drones with large propellers
allowing for the delivery recipient to catch and operational requirements. “We have been can be dangerous for people, which is why
the system in their hands without danger of developing foldable and collision-resilient today delivery drones are conceived to land or
harming themselves or the vehicle. drones for more than five years, but the release parcels far from untrained persons.”
The cage comes with an auto-cut off power project on folding drones for last-centimetre So far the craft has gone through more than
system once it is opened, enabling what the delivery started approximately three years 150 test deliveries, with no incidents incurred
team is describing as “last centimetre delivery”. ago and involved at least four engineers and and lots of information gathered on how people
As well as the improved safety, the design also more than ten undergraduates. We have handle the drone. Exact details on the next
makes it easier to store the delivery system, also developed the autonomous navigation step of the project have yet to be revealed, but
with frame collapsing down to 92% of its in- system and the ground logistics software, and the professor told us that “we received a lot
flight volume – small enough for it to be easily experimented with different user interfaces of attention and interest from companies and
transported when not in use. and operation modalities.” we are currently working with some of them
It can currently carry a 0.5kg package up to As for the PackDrone, Professor Floreano to deploy our solution for last-centimetre air
a distance of 2km. However, Professor Dario said that the inspiration behind this approach delivery.” More details can be found at the
Floreano, who supervised the project, has was to “think of the drone as a wrapping website actu.epfl.ch.
015_DM28[news_Packdrone]IKICGC.indd 17 24/11/2017 17:49

Words by Andrew Watton-Davies
Mixing it Up Holy COW

Get your cocktails on the fly UAV system provides mobile
O network relief
nedr.One, a New York-based provider of “high impact
drone-based experiences,” has unveiled its latest experience:
A
Cocktails with Drones. When installed at an event, guests T&T, the world’s largest telecommunications company and
are able to select any cocktail they wish and have it loaded into the second largest provider of mobile phone services in the USA, has
custom-designed cradle mounted under the drone. Then, by either deployed its Flying COW (Cell on Wings) drone system to the
hitting the ‘shake’ or ‘stir’ button, they can have the craft mix their San Juan area of Puerto Rico to help with the relief efforts following
drink through a pre-set flight routine. Hurricane Maria. This is the first time that the system has been actively
Michael Cirino, chef and artist of the team behind the creative, deployed outside of a testing environment, and saw the system provide
if largely impractical project, has confirmed that the process mobile connectivity for customers in a 40-square mile area with a
doesn’t change the taste of the drink, adding that: “It’s all about the configuration that allows for use by over 4,000 people.
experiences of asking a robot to make you a drink and watching it fly The system uses a Pulse Vapor 55 drone, which has a total propeller
with ‘your’ drink. Creating an awesome moment, a truly special and span of over 7.5ft and a launch weight of more than 55lbs. Flying
personalised video, and then being able to marvel over that moment between 200 and 400ft in a fixed location, the craft is tethered to a
while you enjoy your beverage.” power generator, which allows for both the craft and its on-board
As the system is intended for use near event attendees (and communications equipment to provide voice and data services for “an
exposed blades and alcohol aren’t a wise combination!), Michael says extended period of time”.
safety had to be a priority in its creation. “The layout and execution of Project leader Art Pregler confirmed that whilst this was the first
the event was actually designed with safety regulators, lawyers and real-world outing for the system, there are still plans for it to be used in
insurance agents to make sure we were looking out for the guests, additional areas, including the military hospital at Manati Coliseum, to
the client and our staff in as many different ways as possible.” further assist with relief efforts. However, as the Flying COW exceeds
He also commented that “the project was designed to be the weight limit for operating under the FAA’s Part 107 rules, an
whimsical, simple and unexpected, and it captures guest’s attention. Emergency Certificate of Authorisation had to be issued – although it
The sound of the drone, the wind, the videos being displayed on-site was not confirmed whether or not this impeded on the system’s usual
and through their friend’s social media all get people excited about operations. More details on the Flying COW can be found at att.com.
having their chance at getting a personalised video or cocktail.” If
you need to see it to believe it, head over to onedr.one.
16 DRONE MAGAZINE
016_DM28[news_Cocktail and Cows]IKICGC.indd 18 24/11/2017 17:47

Lost your Mojo?
$379
€399
£379
Available
now!
It’s right here,waiting
!
Vortex 230 Mojo
ImmersionRC Limited proudly presents, in association with Brother Hobby Motors, a product put into motion by
HQ Props, featuring RotorSense 32-bit 30A ESCs, running off of a selection of ST Microelectronics ARM processors,
utilizing the latest Betaflight 3.2 Code. Constructed of 3K Carbon Fiber and HDPE plastic, supported by Titanium Screws and
powered by twin F3 processors. Designed to be used by Experienced Pilots intent on creating yaw-dropping freestyle videos
Vortex ad2.indd 34 24/11/2017 16:36

A United
Front
Ian Collen reports back from
the CAA’s first ‘Share the Air’
event, looking to bring drone
owners and General Aviation
pilot together…
Images courtesy of the Civil Aviation Authority

A
fter the Civil Aviation Authority
announced its new Share the Air
initiative a couple of months ago (as
reported back in Issue 26), it was quite handy
when it confirmed its first ‘official’ event was
to be held a relatively short hop from us at
Compton Abbas Airfield in Wiltshire. The mid-
November weather was befitting of a British
autumn, but that did nothing to dampen the
enthusiasm of those attending, all keen to
find out more about the growing popularity of
drone technology.
What makes this initiative all the more
interesting is that it aims to bring drone
owners (and presumably people who are
already sold on the idea of UAVs) together
with pilots in the wider General Aviation (GA)
community – people who might have rather
more reservations about this new technology
encroaching on ‘their’ airspace; uniting the flying clubs up and down the country will H520 model – and eventually putting on an
two with a shared passion for flying that take it upon themselves to hold similar events impressive aerial display during a break in the
resonates throughout. – whether to large crowds or just a handful of inclement weather.
It’s hoped that by bringing these groups curious locals. We referred to this as the first NATS was also there to talk air traffic control
together at local airfields across the UK, drone ‘official’ event because a club-run event was and, most notably, its Drone Assist app, while
owners will gain a greater appreciation for held in Manchester a little earlier, and anyone the Phantom Flight School was offering plenty
the airspace around them and the importance reading this who fancies getting involved of great advice to new and seasoned pilots alike.
of treating it, and other airspace users, with somehow is actively encouraged to check the Local distributor UAVision also had a stand,
respect. Conversely it aims to help to spread DroneSafe website or contact the CAA for help. ready and willing to provide expert tech support
the positive aspects of UAV use among the The Compton Abbas event was a fairly (and make a few sales to boot!), while Rotor Rush
GA pilots, and show to the rest of the aviation professional affair, with the 130-strong crowd was working alongside VR specialist V-Mach
community that we’re not all idiots looking to snapping up the free tickets within a few Media to showcase its new drone simulator
fly at 1000ft over airports. days of them being offered. Held in one of the – something which proved a big hit with the
Although the CAA was hosting this airfield’s hangars, the gathering was supported younger members of the audience while their
particular event, it’s hoped that airfields and by Yuneec UK, on hand to showcase to its new parents talked about ESCs and flight times.
18 DRONE MAGAZINE
018-9_DM28[news_Share the Air]IKICGC.indd 18 24/11/2017 17:48

Air Support a common appreciation that safety and the have the knowledge of what drones can do
At the start of proceedings a show of hands was legal and moral responsibilities associated with and the kind of people that are involved.
asked to identify the drone owners from the flying was paramount; a theme which also When you talk to them about the things that
GA pilots, with what seemed like a response of helped to bring the GA pilots on board as it was are the really big potential commercial uses
around 65% in the former, 25% from the latter, clear that pretty much everyone at the event for drones, and the potential for transferring
and the remaining 10% happy to plant a flag was of a similar mindset. that technology into GA aircraft – and where a
in both corners. It was widely to be expected, Speaking after the event, the CAA’s assistant really big commercial drone future could fund
as the drone community still has a lot to learn director of corporate communications, some of that – then the GA people become very
about the industry as a whole and days like this Jonathan Nicholson (also the day’s host engaged, and they’re big fans of drones by the
are also a great chance to get an inside look at presenter and target of the bulk of the time you get to that level of conversation.”
the world of General Aviation. questions!), told us that despite some As for future events, that’s up to the drone and
A Q&A at the end of the presentations differences, the drone and GA communities GA communities. The CAA is planning to host
and the general chat over coffee and cake do have a lot in common. “With a lot of private another day in the spring (though further north
afterwards gave an interesting insight pilots the age profile is late to middle age and in the UK), but anyone interested in ‘sharing the
into the various concerns of the attendees. a lot of them got into aviation from building air’ at their own local airfield or flying club is
Unsurprisingly a fair amount of the queries radio controlled aircraft – and I think today’s encouraged to access www.dronesafe.uk, where
were targeted towards the CAA and the version of that is drones. you can download presentations, promotional
likes of drone regulations and “Absolutely there is an initial wariness flyers and other support materials to help put on
commercial use – but there was from GA pilots because they don’t your own show!
018-9_DM28[news_Share the Air]IKICGC.indd 19 24/11/2017 17:48

A Reader’s View
Parys Mountain Copper Mine,
Anglesey, Wales
Photo by James Hare
024-5_DM28[ReadersPhoto]IKICGC.indd 22 24/11/2017 02:45

Although at a quick glance this may look like the bottom of a child’s
crayon box, this impressive array of colour is actually an overhead
view of a copper mine on a Welsh mountain – a mine that dates back
to the Bronze Age.
The photo was taken by James Hare, who explained to us: “It
was taken with my DJI Spark and is a series of nine images stitched
together. The colours of the landscape at Parys Mountain are unreal
and from a distance the photo looks like an abstract painting – it’s
only on closer inspection that you really see what it is.” It certainly
highlights the unique perspectives you can get from the air!
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 what’s in it and why/how you got the shot. Maybe
your favourite photo could make it into our next issue!
024-5_DM28[ReadersPhoto]IKICGC.indd 23 24/11/2017 20:15

Learning to Fly
Getting a new drone is one thing, but actually operating it
safely and with confidence takes a little effort. Thankfully
Adam Juniper is on hand to deliver your first flying lesson…
I
f you’ve just taken possession of a drone, then Take Control
you’ll no doubt be itching to get in the air. The default control mode for your remote
Actually getting it into the air isn’t really the controller, whether it uses physical thumbsticks
hardest part; the point is that you can’t really or virtual sticks on a phone/tablet screen, is called
consider yourself to have mastered the basics Mode 2. There are actually 4 modes: Mode 1 with
of piloting until you’re able to stay in the air for the throttle on the right is relatively unusual in
as long as you want, and then bring it down in the drone world, although it was more common
a state that would make further flight feasible. historically in the UK and Australian model plane
Luckily all that is something we can cover in the communities; Mode 2 dominated in the USA and
time it takes to charge a battery! the Far East.
A drone is a curious hybrid of controls; on one Since ready-built aircraft tended to be shipped
level you think of it as having a distinct front and, with the largest markets in mind first, Mode 2 has
as such, be able to fly forward and backward, as come to dominate multirotors. My advice would
well as climbing and descending. The aircraft can be to fall in line with it, but since many systems
also rotate – whether it’s flying forward or not – do allow you to choose in the settings, check that
and strafe left or right without rotation. you’re in Mode 2. That will be the assumption in
The idea of drones having a front, and so being this article.
able to go ‘forward,’ might seem a little strange
if you’ve only given them a cursory glance. Most Basic Movements
have a rotational symmetry that makes it difficult A drone will use its on-board sensors to stay
to identify the front from back, but in practice level, with you able to move it in either plane
there usually is something to differentiate the horizontally with the right stick – which includes
nose from the tail. If there’s a camera, it’ll most your forward and backward movements. On the
likely point forwards (even it can also rotate). If left hand stick you’ll have both the rotational
there’s no camera you’ll probably just have to control (turning left and right) and the throttle
make do with the paint scheme or possibly some (ascending and descending). It can be confusing
conveniently coloured LEDs to keep tabs on at first, because car owners will be used to the
which way it’s facing! ‘throttle’ controlling forward movement, but
22 DRONE MAGAZINE
022-6_DM28[ft_NFG Main]IKICGC.indd 22 24/11/2017 20:54

It’s also worth making sure you pick a sensible take-off
spot. From a practical perspective, a flat surface is good,
keeping the drone’s sensors level and avoiding vegetation
that might obstruct the props or gimbal. One option is to
carry with you a fold-out landing mat, which will also
reduce the risk of dust being thrown up on take-off.
From a legal and common-sense perspective, you need
to be 50m from people and buildings, 150m from crowds
and built-up areas and rather more from airports. You
can find more guidelines on the CAA’s ‘DroneCode’ at
www.dronesafe.uk and a more detailed breakdown of UK
regulations on page 94.
Taking Flight
Once you’re ready for take-off altitude is your friend. One
of the most common mistakes first-time flyers make is
attempting to hug the ground in case anything should go
wrong. In practice, being near the ground gives you the
shortest amount of time to correct most possible problems
and the largest number of obstacles to overcome. There are
limits, not least the 400ft (120m) the CAA advocates you stay
knowing how the throttle will behave is crucial, as there below (largely as manned aircraft have a minimum distance
are two distinct behaviours. of 500ft from ground objects). In general don’t be over-
The most common among mainstream consumer drones cautious with your first climb – even 100ft is a long way up!
is for an automated hover (or ‘altitude hold’), in which the So, with your take-off position chosen, power up your
left stick will be spring back to the centre when you let go of controller and then your drone. At this point it’s always best
it and the drone will maintain its altitude using its built-in to have control already available in case something goes
altitude sensors. Racing drones and smaller ‘toy’ models are wrong. When you’re ready, step back from your drone with
more likely to have a manual throttle, in which you’ll need the craft facing away from you. If the drone is facing toward
to constantly tweak the throttle control in order to keep the you, many of the controls will be reversed, making it very
drone at the preferred height. unnatural – it’s definitely better to get the hang of things
the right way round first.
Headless Mode
There is an exception to Mode 2, called Headless Mode,
which is offered by many drones as a useful option. This
dispenses with the idea of the aircraft having a fixed
heading, and instead moves in relation to your position (so
you can ‘fly it as you see it’). The right stick moves the craft
around you in one direction or another, while up and down
bring the drone nearer or sends it further away.
The aircraft can still be rotated with the left stick’s
horizontal motion, so you can re-direct the camera on your
subject even if the camera only points forward, but whether
Headless Mode is any easier to use is very debatable. What
it definitely is not is a path toward flying drones in a FPV
racing context, which, of course, is very much head-on and
requires a lot more skill and control.
Pre-Flight Checks
Before anything – before heading outdoors, certainly –
you need to make sure that all of your batteries are fully
charged and that your software is up to date. You will find
rechargeable batteries not only in your drone, but in many
cases for your controller as well – and it’s easy to forget one
when charging the other. If your controller requires you to
use a phone, iPad or other accessory, don’t forget to charge
that, too. If you need a memory card for the camera, check
you’ve got one and that there’s plenty of room on it (ideally
you’ll get into the routine of backing-up and formatting
your card/s regularly).
As we’ve seen, there are some options for setting up your
drone and it’s important that you know which ones you’ve
selected before powering up, especially those that affect the
flight characteristics. Make sure that you also know if and
where your system displays battery information. Failing
that, set some kind of countdown timer to warn you to land
a minute or two before you expect your battery to expire.

“One of the most common mistakes first-time
flyers make is attempting to hug the ground
in case anything should go wrong”
Indoor drones with propeller guards allow a little more

leeway, but if you’re taking off it’s a good idea to face the
back of the drone from at least ten metres. Now it’s time
to give your drone ‘the signal’ to arm it (usually a simple
action via the controller) and get those propellers turning.
Then just push the left stick upward to launch it into the air,
without being afraid to take it a good distance into the sky,
but still within clear sight.
Be ready to keep your aircraft from drifting sideways
with the right stick by countering any unplanned
movements such as those caused by a strong breeze; if it
moves a little to your left, push the right stick slightly to
your right. This is how you compensate for the wind if you
don’t have (or aren’t using) your system’s GPS – DJI drones
call this ATTI Mode. Mostly, though, your first concern
should be achieving a controlled take-off and then simply
hovering using the left stick’s vertical motion (the throttle).
You’ll soon find that you’ve got the hang of this simple
manoeuvre and are ready to progress. If you’re flying a
drone with GPS and have only touched the throttle then
ideally you’ll barely have drifted from the take-off point so
you can try a first landing. To do this throttle down a little
– to the point the aircraft is slowly descending – but do not so use this as an opportunity to get a feel for the drone’s
push the stick to the floor as the drone will drop too rapidly travelling speed.
and you risk slamming into the ground. Use this process to move your drone in a square path and
bring it back to hover close to its original take-off position
Get Moving (so forward, left, back, right). The front of the drone should
After slowly bringing the drone back to earth, you can de- still be pointing in the same direction (away from you).
arm the craft to test that you understand how that process Once you’re confident with these movements it’s time to
works and then power it straight back up for another test experiment with the drone’s rotational control on the left
flight. Take off again and resume your hover, but this time stick, also known as yaw.
you can start working with the right stick. Assuming there By rotating the drone on its axis, you change your
are no obstacles, push it gently forward (pitch) so the drone perspective on all the controls you’ve just tried, so a first
moves away from you. Now try pushing it left a little the step would be to try turning the drone through 180-degrees
same way and watch the aircraft move. It should be easier to – so if there is a camera on the front, it’s now facing you
judge the distance travelled as you strafe (roll) left and right, ready for your first drone selfie! Then carefully repeat the
24 DRONE MAGAZINE

movements you made while getting the hang of the right
stick; notice how moving the stick left now sends the drone
right. You can repeat the same ‘square’ pattern as before
with just the right stick, or you can try rotating the craft
through 90-degrees so that the ‘front’ is facing the intended
direction of travel.
It’s always a good idea to round off each exercise with a
manual landing, rather than relying on a Return to Home
function, for example. It’s also good practice to rotate
back to the original facing away take-off position before
descending as it’s just easier to land if you don’t have to be
mentally translating the roll and pitch controls. Before you
power down, check the battery.
Manoeuvres in the Park

Once you’re in the air and you’ve tried out the basic
movements, the next step is to start putting them together
into some basic manoeuvres. By combining yaw and roll
to orbit, for example, you start to make the drone more
useful and by practicing these moves you give yourself
something useful and fun to help build up your confidence.
There’s nothing really complicated here, and once you’re
comfortable with them, you’ll be able to put them together
however you choose – you’ll be a pilot!
Circle
The horizontal control on the left stick (in Mode 2) takes
the place of the rudder on a traditional model plane, which
turns the drone around its central axis. Combining this
with pitching forward using the right stick and you’re flying
in a manner much like a traditional model plane. If you can
fly in an even circle, this is a good way of getting the knack
of the controls – you’ll need to constantly balance the speed
and yaw which can take some getting used to, but it’s great
practice and helps train your mind to instinctively choose
which control is best for correcting any drift.

Figure of Eight If you apply the rudder too hard you’ll spin in small
Still keeping things broadly two-dimensional, try circles and still drift off in the same direction, while if the
moving from the circle to a figure of eight. It’s a little more directional roll control is too strong, the drone will arc
challenging as you’ll need to do more than just keep the away like a decaying orbit. Only the perfect balance will
sticks in roughly the same positions. This time you’ll need to give you an orbital circle. If getting great video is your
actively move the left stick as you move into and out of the plan, this is definitely a move you’ll want to master.
turns at either end to accommodate the change in direction. Admittedly, more and more drones will have such
manoeuvres as one-touch automated features, but you
Orbit should still learn to get used to flying them all yourself
This is similar to the circle, but this time pick a central – you never know when you might lose GPS or have a
point or object (possibly yourself) and rotate around it, software malfunction!
while keeping the front of the drone pointed at the object.
If you’ve got a camera, this is another great time to perform
a ‘dronie’ and test drive its video capabilities. Control-wise,
combine the left stick’s horizontal moves (yaw/rudder) with
Fly, Fly Away!
the sideways movement of the right stick (roll) so that the This should be enough to get you comfortable
speed you’re traveling with the craft is exactly countered by with the basics of flying, until you decide it’s
the speed you’re rotating. time to take an advanced class or perhaps start
targeting specific uses (such as photography or
FPV racing). However, by combining these turns
and then gradually adding the third dimension with
the throttle – such as an orbit that slowly rises up
or descends like a helix – you’ll be able to quickly
build up your skills and confidence. And with a
little perseverance and a lot of practice, you’ll be a
master pilot in no time!
The illustrations used in this article were replicated

with permission from The Drone Pilot’s Handbook, also
written by Adam Juniper. The book is available now from
Amazon and other good retailers priced at £9.99.
26 DRONE MAGAZINE

MCMCOMICCON
ads.indd 1
2960_MCM_OnTourAd2018.indd 2 24/11/2017
08/11/2017 11:31
14:44
competition
Win! A Vortex
Racing Quad
awesome FPV action for racers of all levels!
to be in with a shout of winning one of these three great models

all you have to do is email us with the correct answer to the
I
following question:
mmersionRC has been at the forefront of FPV flying for many
years, as regular readers will have seen in our interview We featured ImmersionRC’s excellent
with co-founder Sander Sassen in Issue 19. Back then the new video transmitter back in Issue 20.
company was launching its small but speedy Vortex 150 racing What is it called?
quadcopter, with the larger Vortex 180 also on the way. Now the
ImmersionRC team is ready to let fly with its newest model, the A) trump av
Vortex 230 Mojo – and the great news is that we’ve got one of each B) tramp hv
model to give away!
C) hobo hd
The three designs each excel in their own right, and with
differnt pilots in mind. The Vortex 150 is perfect for newcomers or To enter simply send an email to dronemagcomp@gmail.com,
intermediate pilots looking to hone their skills. It combines speed with the correct answer in the subject header, along with your
with agility and its robust frame makes it a great choice for anyone name, address and a contact phone number.
looking to have fun without too much drama. The Vortex 180 is Closing date: 04 January 2018. Good luck!
similar in design but the 4-inch props and custom XNova motors
makes it an out-and-out racer at its very best. The all-new Vortex
230 Mojo really combines the best of both worlds, maintaining
the electric speed and precision of its predecessors but also adding
improved agility to appeal more as a freestyle/racing crossover,
with fast stops and super-smooth rolls and tricks.
All three craft pack the best in ImmersionRC tech, with the
Synergy flight control system with twin F3 processors, Tramp HV
video transmitter, Touch ‘N’ Race support and much more. You
can tailor each quad with your own choice of battery set-up and
you’ll also need to add your own receiver and display (typically
your FPV goggles of choice), but whatever you use you can be sure
you’re taking flight with one of the best racers around!
You can find out more about each model and the rest of the
ImmersionRC range by heading to www.immersionrc.com – but
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!
28 DRONE MAGAZINE
028_DM28[Comp]IKICGC.indd 32 24/11/2017 17:10

Established 2010
FLIGHT SCHOOL
TAA CERTIFICATION
ALL IN ONE LOCATION
PACKAGE DEALS AVAILABLE
The original and best Commercial Drone (UAV) training centre
COURSE OPTIONS
• Ground School
• Flight Training
• Flight Tests
• Operations Manual
Consultancy
• Aircraft Servicing/
Maintenance/Repair
• DJI & Yuneec Dealer
Some flight training offered at reduced rates
01225 722733
info@phoenixuavcentre.co.uk
www.phoenixuavcentre.co.uk
T: 01225 722733 M: 07776 450293 E: info@phoenixuavcentre.co.uk W: phoenixuavcentre.co.uk
Phoenix UAV Centre, Unit 3, Springleaze Park, Farleigh Road, Norton St Philip, Somerset BA2 7NG
Phoenix UAV Centre, Springleaze Park, Farleigh Road, Norton St Philip, Bath, Somerset BA2 7NG
ads.indd 1 24/11/2017 17:55

DRONE PRO
Gail combines aerial work with her more traditional
All photos by Gail Orenstein

on-foot photography, so it’s not about changing
her toolkit; it’s about expanding her options.
Fight or Flight:
Taking drones into war zones
explains. “Even when I was doing film, it was ‘how can I
A photojournalist with more than 25 years’ push these boundaries more?’ And so drones were just like a
experience working within conflict and happy marriage.”
A native of Mystic in Connecticut, USA, Gail has been
humanitarian crises, Gail Orenstein spoke living in London for 20 years, and she earned her flying
with Ian Collen to explain how drones have wings with the Phoenix UAV Centre out in Somerset,
before opting for a DJI Phantom 3 Pro and a Parrot Bebop
given her work a fresh perspective… 2 to kick-start her fleet. “I was really ready to fly; I just
wasn’t sure if I should bring these to Iraq and where I
“W
hen I first saw a drone I just started thinking, should start flying first with them. In the end I decided I
not could I possibly, but I have to take these was just going to go ahead and bring them.”
drones into war zones.” Having worked as Her first trip with the drones took place in March
a photojournalist since first documenting prisoners in 2017 during the liberation of Mosul. “There were a few
Guatemala in 1982, subsequently covering conflict zones photographers, a few video journalists, but no way were
across 71 countries and seeing her work in a wealth of major
media outlets (CBS, the BBC and TIME, to name just a few),
drones are a relatively new technology in Gail’s toolkit, but
they are changing how she can view the world around her
– and therefore how all of us can see these events unfolding
in the news.
“Immediately when I saw small UAVs I thought that
this absolutely is an extension of my work, because where
I work I have to be incredibly careful and there are places
I want to go but of course I can’t.” It’s not just avoiding
threats on the ground, such as IEDs and snipers, but also
in reaching places that are difficult on foot. “I’d always
been fiddling with monopods, extending them and trying
all different ways of extending this DSLR camera,” Gail
30 DRONE MAGAZINE
034-9_DM28[DronePro_Gail]IKICGC.indd 30 24/11/2017 02:48

DRONE PRO
there any drone pilots there at that time when it was being
liberated,” Gail says. “I think I saw one crew in Mosul but
none at the refugee camps. That’s not to say they weren’t The Phantom Menace
there, it’s just that during the few months I was there DJI has become the biggest name in the drone world, but that fame comes
doing that work, I never saw anyone – so it lent itself a lot at a cost. Not only because negative media stories on UAVs will typically
of opportunity.” have a stock photo of one of its models alongside it, but also because
customs officials and security forces also recognise them – as Gail has
A Flexible Friend found out on her recent travels to Iraq. “Every time I bring the large DJI
Gail lived out in Iraq for a few months whilst working craft in, it’s impounded,” she says of her Phantom 3 Pro. “There hasn’t
there, and quickly found that there was a lot more to her been a time when I’ve been through and it hasn’t been impounded.”
new equipment than just getting photos and aerial footage. Part of the reason is that the Asayish, the Kurdish military security
“Every single day I had drone work. I think especially in wing, use the Phantom 4 for things such as surveying, so there’s an
conflict zones you’re really a useful tool when somebody awareness of the product range there. Also others have been looking
hears that you’ve got the ability to do particular types of to weaponise these craft. “Islamic State had used the Phantom in some
surveying. So I went from camp to camp, looking at what pretty gruesome ways so until I had the proper paperwork, they wouldn’t
the NGOs (non-governmental organisations) needed to release it,” Gail says. Curiously the likes of the Bebop 2 and Mavic Pro
build in the camps, working with programme directors
have remained largely untouched.
and things like that. We looked at a lot of the area and how
“A part of me is now
far out they could build using the footage, and it was pretty
thinking I don’t really
amazing to be able to help in a different way.”
need the hassle, so the
One such example was in a refugee camp in eastern
next time I’m not bringing
Mosul which saw floods of people fleeing the city, leaving
the Phantom. I’ll have my
those in charge of the camp having to manage some 40,000
Mavic and my Bebop. So
new residents. “They always had to walk the premises to get
it might be something
a sense of surveying, so droning was just a natural thing I
people want to think
presented to them,” Gail told us.
about; you have to make
“We’d sit down, look through the footage, go over the
sure you have your
aerial views of how large the camp was getting, where
paperwork in place before
clusters of people were using the water on the ground, why
you start bringing larger
they were using this area of water more than the others…
models into these areas.”
You could look at the footage and really start to think about
food and aid distribution – all kinds of ways without having
to walk around the premises every single time.”
All of this was a far cry from the safety of the quaint
“I was putting in my batteries while riding in a little
British countryside where Gail had trained to fly with the
Phoenix UAV team. “I learned how to drone in the most auto-rickshaw, as I knew I had about eight minutes
difficult circumstances at a very early point in my (aerial)
career,” she says. “When I decided to take the drones to Iraq
until the monsoon hit”
Gail shows a young refugee how her small

Bebop 2 operates. Many Iraqi refugees have had
very negative experiences with UAVs, such as
drone strikes or when IS used smaller craft as
weapons against the civilian population.

DRONE PRO
Gail explained: “Many of the churches in Nineveh

had been tripped-up (booby-trapped) by ISIL upon
their defeat and the drone helped the community
to evaluate the aerial footage first before
approaching the hazardous situation.”
I had to fly through really difficult situations,” pointing to challenging but I was able to get close to the altar and get
the likes of power lines and telephone wires that had been them the footage they wanted.”
downed amidst the surrounding rubble. In contrast, more recently Gail also had to contend with
One prime example was when she was asked by monsoon season on the border of Myanmar and Rakhine
Assyrian Christians to film the nine churches in Nineveh State in Bangladesh, where torrential rain could be only
Plains that had been destroyed by Islamic State. “They minutes away. “The times the monsoon hit you’ve got
wanted to rebuild them and they said ‘can you drone maybe 20 minutes of flying time and then it is going to
inside the church and can you film as close as you can to be a downpour. So that’s the antithesis to Iraq where it
these altars as we need to see where these major repairs was very dry, so you have to start thinking a lot about the
are and we can’t get up there’. So I did the Church of weather conditions.”
Ascension, which is the biggest church there, and wow! With a lot more buildings downed during the conflict,
I would say every three feet there were downed wires. Gail found herself flying inside more often, making the
And the church is pretty large, so it was really quite smaller and more nimble Bebop 2 the preferred drone
Part of a survey of Camp Chamkor in eastern Mosul.

After scouting for a suitable flight path, Gail was
able to get a good idea of the enormity of the camp.
32 DRONE MAGAZINE

DRONE PRO
A few days prior to this photo taken on foot with

her DSLR, there had been fatalities following a
stampede at another food distribution area. As
tensions rose, Gail was able to use her drone to
capture the rest of the story from a safer distance.
of choice on many occasions. The fixed camera required that way; it’s a very different way to pilot. You really have to
more thought, “but it was so good through literally so be malleable if you’re going to make a conscious choice and
many obstacles. I was talking to someone who does a lot of say ‘I’m going to drone in a conflict zone’. I find it incredibly
drone racing and I thought it was interesting as they were challenging and absolutely fascinating.”
doing these straight lines and I was doing just the opposite, What’s interesting with Gail’s work is that her experience
dodging and weaving, and you really learn to be quite agile in photojournalism tends to keep her a lot closer to the
when you’ve got such obstacles in front of you.” ground than many of the newer recruits to the profession.
“There’s a big difference between the way we work, as they
In the Zone drone at a massive distance. Coming from my background
Certainly flying in areas of conflict demands a somewhat
different mentality to your working habits, making speed
and mobility preferable over something that might be better
but more cumbersome. “Drone journalism is a very niche
kind of droning; it’s very different,” Gail told us. “I’m not a
drone Instagram person. So if you’re looking for revved up,
HDR footage, that’s very secondary to me. Good quality is
a priority but I’m not looking for 20,000 hits for the most
beautiful footage.
“I see these guys using their DSLRs on their drone but in
the kind of environments that I’m in, I think that would be
a hindrance because I don’t really have the time to change
lenses. You can’t fuss about; you have to be safe and you
have to be quick and really think on your feet. Most of the
time I was putting in my batteries while riding in a little
auto-rickshaw, as I knew I had about eight minutes until
the monsoon hit – you really have to prepare for these
situations in a very different way than just your normal pre-
flight preparations.
“Going fairly hardcore with the flying like this has been
very good for me. You have to be very fast and when you’re
navigating you have to think very quickly. Until you do it,
it’s very hard to describe because most people don’t pilot
“That is a profound, life-changing

experience when you start reviewing
footage in post-production that you
never imagined you could see”

DRONE PRO
“When I started droning I just

couldn’t fly at a distance… I felt very
distant from the actual emotion of
what was going on around me”
as a photojournalist, I never shot with anything except a

14mm fixed camera, so any time there was unrest, I was
always in the unrest, shooting, getting the emotion of the
crowd and everything like that.
“When I started droning I just couldn’t fly at a distance.
I could see more and I could see the environment but I felt
very distant from the actual emotion of what was going
on around me. When you’re piloting over it, it’s like I’m
not feeling any emotion, I’m just droning – but I feel it in
Not-so-Secret Agents post-production when I look at the footage. Whereas as a

photojournalist you’re very much in the moment with the
If you’re interested in following in Gail’s footsteps, her advice is to get emotion, so it’s very, very different.”
yourself an agent. Gail herself is contracted to three agencies and you can
find all of her drone footage on Getty Images. “I’m already established as a A Fresh Perspective
photojournalist, so my agents took the video as well,” she tells us. “It was Using drones does give Gail more options in the field, both
like ‘okay, now she does video as well’, so I had a place to send the footage. in terms of offering up the aerial view as well as reducing
“A lot of people who are starting out don’t have that, so they might go the risk of putting herself in harm’s way. She tells of a
and drone for the love of droning, but you might not get published, or you situation where thousands of hungry Rohingya people were
might not get an assignment from an NGO. It’s very, very competitive, struggling to reach a food distribution area and there was a
because you have people like me who are published already, who are in the risk of escalation. “A few days before there was a stampede
field already and the next step is we’re using drones. If you’re looking to where several people were killed in another feeding
start this now, if you’re looking to monetise this, you should probably have distribution field. So I said, ‘you know what? This is way
an agent before you go, some place that can sell the aerial footage. I’m too dangerous’ so I jumped off the truck and said ‘I’m just
fortunate in that I’m already established.” going to drone it’. It’s really fascinating to be able to have
that choice.”
Another example saw her taking an auto-rickshaw past
a new camp for days on end, before finally deciding to take
a drone up for a better look. “I was absolutely gobsmacked
at how large it was – it was enormous. I went back and forth
every day to the same camp and it wasn’t until I droned it
that I got a real sense of the enormous impact, not just upon
the environment but the whole situation. That is a profound,
life-changing experience when you start reviewing footage
in post-production that you never imagined you could see,
because you couldn’t get there.”
The nature of her work and the places she travels to
also means Gail has on eye on the wider humanitarian
potential for drones, pointing to UAVs dropping aid and
relief bags into war zones. “Your mind starts to think
about all kinds of things related to how you can help
humanity using the technology. A camera is a great
tool, but a camera is never going to have an extended
arm that can feed people. Now that I have my drone and
34 DRONE MAGAZINE

DRONE PRO
I’ve got the ability to do this, I’m thinking about bigger to work in the refugee camps doing surveying because a lot
responsibilities towards these crises.” of the time when you’re in a refugee camp for a long time,
there’s such severe boredom. I would love to be part of some
High Hopes kind of training scheme that trains young females to start
Unsurprisingly Gail has an optimistic view of her future thinking about how this could fit into their future. I’d love
drone use, as far as seeing the potential for the technology, to see a lot of young women get in on this technology early;
even if there is still a long way to go. Battery life is one such that would be fabulous.”
issue – not too dissimilar to Gail’s younger days dragging As for her own path into the drone world, Gail seems to
around up to 50 rolls of film in her bag, only now she’s find it challenging and rewarding in equal measure. “So
packing a bumper seven batteries for each drone she takes far I’ve been lucky. In this drone community I have felt
into the field. It’s an expensive and heavy solution but incredibly welcome and everybody has been fascinated
there’s not always going to be a handy power supply in a by what I’ve been doing. I feel very good about it; I feel
conflict zone. wonderful about the way women are getting involved in the
Having recently upgraded the Phantom 3 to a Mavic drone industry right now. It’s very exciting.”
Pro Platinum to fly alongside her Bebop 2, Gail is getting a
little more flight time, and she also appreciates the reduced To see more on Gail’s photojournalism career and her
noise and foldable frame that adds to the ever-important aerial work head to her website www.gailorenstein.com.
portability. Her only regret is that drones weren’t around You can also follow her on Twitter @DroneOrenstein.
on her previous visits to the likes of eastern Ukraine and
Syria: “I can imagine how many less risks I could have put
myself in if I’d had a drone when I was in these places, but
the technology just wasn’t there.”
As the technology does advance, Gail is hopeful that more
photojournalists, and more women, will follow her into the
skies. “Women have really lost out on technology,” she says.
“I’m not making any profound feminist statement here, I
just know because I see it. It’s true that there are wonderful
female photojournalists. Are they in the majority? Certainly
not, but they’re there. I’m hoping we can get in early on
drone journalism, or in any drone field whatever it is, but
especially in my field because many of the victims are
women and children.”
One area where Gail is interested in having a direct
impact is with the very people she’s been documenting over
the years. “It would be great if maybe locals could be trained

Making Windrows
Saskatchewan, Canada
“Swathers at work in a canola field.”

All photos by DJI
Business
School
Helping your aerial career take off!
Whether you’re
new to flying or
a seasoned pilot
looking to turn
pro, there are
many commercial
opportunities out
there. Rowan Bailey
is on hand as your
personal drone
business advisor…
38 DRONE MAGAZINE
038-44_DM28[ft_NFG Business School]IKICGC.indd 38 24/11/2017 17:21

S
o you want to turn this hobby into a profitable
income? It’s more easily said than done, so it’s
important you appreciate the ins and outs of
what it’s like to start an aerial business or how
to supplement your current work in a safe and legal
way. In this article we’re leaning more towards the likes
of photography and video work as these are the most
common areas, but the same philosophy can apply to other
areas of drone use.
Before we get into it, there’s a lot of information here
and a lot of do’s and don’ts. It may sound like we’re
being negative about the amount of work involved or the
restrictions in place but this is simply to highlight the
challenges you’ll face. Working as a professional drone
operator is an incredible job and very rewarding, but it’s
crucial to ensure you’re operating legally and safely!
To start with, it’s worth talking about the UAV
industry and how it’s evolved over the past few years.
Since drones as we now know them hit the market the
industry has evolved at an incredible rate. In fact, the
legalities surrounding safe operation had to catch up
(and many would say they still need to) with the amount
of people getting into it. Technology has made it so that
almost anyone can be up and flying relatively easily so
understandably when people hear you can make money
from this fun hobby it’s no surprise that there’s a lot of
them wanting a piece of this potentially lucrative pie.
The problem with anything like this is that the
marketplace can become saturated very quickly, with
competitors undercutting each other – and let’s not forget
those people or companies that are operating illegally
or unsafely and creating a negative stereotype for drone
operators in general. This brings us to our first point…

“There’s good money in commercial and large scale production work, but
it’s also incredibly hard to get your foot in the door”
How Much Can You Earn? fine but it does mean that your clients will come to expect
You might hear about drone operators making £1,000+ day similarly low rates in the future.
rates and think that you’ll be turning over six figures in no I’ve also seen many people offering their services for
time, but unfortunately for most this simply isn’t going to free because they haven’t got their permissions from the
happen. There are different ways to profit from this work and CAA yet. This, again, is a big problem in many situations
certainly some aspects can bring in rates such as this, but as they are breaching a lot of the restrictions. Even though
there are so many things you have to take into account. they’re not charging for the work, it doesn’t mean the
Depending where you’re based, there could already be footage/photos aren’t being used for commercial use so
dozens of companies competing for the same kind of work they are still liable and should be operating with the correct
you want to get into, so make sure you do your market qualifications and insurance.
research. We’ve seen it many times where someone starting The majority of people working in the drone industry
out will offer to do jobs for next to nothing just to get their are working as cinematographers and/or photographers.
foot in the door and expand their portfolio. This is absolutely There’s good money in commercial and large scale
production work, but it’s also incredibly hard to get your
foot in the door unless you already have the contacts or
experience. Realistically most of the work out there will be
events-based, real estate or tourism and travel work.
You can earn some good money from this but if you’re
already a photographer or videographer you’ll be aware
of the kind of budgets your clients have – so don’t expect
to charge a lot more for using a drone on top of your
usual rates. You can top up your costs by including it, but
remember that flying the drone is only a small percentage
of what’s required time-wise when shooting professionally
(more on this later) so you may end up with a lot more work
for little return.
If you want to get into a more niche area of the industry
then it could be worth looking into the likes of 3D mapping
and construction work. You will need to spend more time
40 DRONE MAGAZINE

on courses, training and investing in the relevant software procedures to follow. This involves running tests to try to
but if you market yourself properly the potential income is reconnect and, if all else fails you need to be on the phone
much greater. It’s a growing market, albeit not on the scale to the nearest airport and emergency services to inform
of standard photo/video work, so if you do your research them of a drone heading their way. You should have all this
and get your qualifications and permissions, you could soon information at hand, as you don’t want to be wasting time
be on your way to making a full-time income from survey Googling these numbers or rooting around for a manual.
and site inspections.
Getting Qualified
Ground work In order to operate professionally you need a few things in
When you become a commercial drone operator you’ll place, not least a Permission for Commercial Operations
quickly realise that the majority of your daily routine (PfCO) in the UK. The CAA determines that any flight which
involves paperwork, research, requesting permissions and will result in payment or commercial gain would need
marketing; followed by marketing and then some more to be done by a qualified pilot. As mentioned, it’s not just
marketing. Flying drones is a lot of fun but for the most about whether you are earning money or not; it’s whether
part if you’re shooting photo and/or video content you’ll the content you’re creating is being used for commercial
typically be in the air for 10-30 minutes (assuming you’ve purposes and whether you’re operating within the
planned things correctly!). restrictions imposed on aerial work.
The paperwork and assessments that you need to operate For example, if you’re into property management and
legally can take a few hours to complete, if not more take some great aerial shots of a house you’re selling, even
depending on the complexity of the shoot. There are things though you’re not being paid directly, then there’s still a
you can do to expedite these processes but these are not commercial gain to be made from those photos. Likewise,
things you want to get wrong. It becomes easier when you you can’t offer jobs for free to build up your portfolio prior
get used to what you’re looking for and the various forms to taking your training if you want to operate legally.
you have in place. Technically even YouTube videos with ads running can
The main point to make here is that I’ve heard many count as commercial use so bear this in mind and err on the
people moaning about this aspect of the job. What you side of caution if you’re not sure.
have to remember is that if you’re running a business then The bottom line is you need permission from the CAA to
all liability lands on your shoulders. You may have never operate commercially. Most people call this a license but it’s
crashed a drone or had any problems whatsoever, but if you not quite how it works. You’re essentially given approval to
aren’t aware that there’s going to be low flying military tests operate within certain parameters, with the PfCO to show
in the same area or high levels of interference from a nearby that you have a solid understanding of drone operation,
power grid, then it could result in a serious accident. You airspace regulations and all of the necessary checks and
may be confident with your drone of choice but you never research required for safe operation.
know if you’re going to have a motor failure or a fly away. This is typically done in a classroom environment where
If you’re flying at an event with a lot of people on the your studies lead to written exams (and the creation of an
ground and your drone disconnects from the remote and Operations Manual that outlines your personal commercial
it’s in ATTI mode, then you need to know exactly what intentions and safety protocols), most likely followed by a

to cover your commercial work. Without this they will not
give you permissions. Depending on what drone you’re
using and the extent of the coverage you need, insurance
policies can start from around £25 per month – although
typically you’d be looking at £40-£50 a month.
A Head for Business

One thing for certain is that you need a good business head
on your shoulders. You don’t need to have a business degree
or even have experience in management but becoming
a professional drone operator isn’t just about flying and
creating great content. As mentioned, there’s a lot of
paperwork to complete for each and every job. On top of
that you’ll need to strategise things like marketing, website
development, a social media presence and networking in
order to turn it into a profitable business. Even if you get all
of this nailed there’s still no guarantee that you’ll make a
practical flight test where you showcase your abilities to healthy income just from flying.
follow procedure before and after flight, as well as operating You should do your market research; find out what
in certain challenging situations. Think of it as a driving test competing aerial companies are in your area and how much
for your drone. they charge. It may not be worth starting out on your own
These courses can take anywhere between two and four if the market is saturated and it may even benefit you to
days, so prepare for hotel and travel costs if the nearest approach one of these businesses offering your services
training centre isn’t close by. Costs vary from course to as a freelancer, or possibly change tact and look to offer
course but generally speaking you can look at spending something that they don’t.
£1,000-£2,000 on a course and around £110 a year on your Teaming up with others is no bad thing, though. You
fees to the CAA. If you manage to pass both the written and may need to produce a show reel or shadow them on a
practical stages then a request for your PfCO will be sent few shoots, but if you can prove your worth then you can
off to the CAA, which generally takes about 4-6 weeks to cover jobs where they’re double booked as a win-win for
get approved. There are further additional qualifications or both parties. Working as a freelancer is a great way to earn
permissions for specific situations that you can do, either at money in this industry if you know what you’re doing and
the same time or at a later date, such as operating heavier you’re naturally networking whilst you work, which can
platforms and flying at night. have some incredible returns.
In addition to passing your tests you also need to prove A lot of my work has come from freelancing and making
to the CAA that you have the necessary insurance in place connections in the industry – this, in turn, has led to
42 DRONE MAGAZINE

“You don’t need to have a business degree but becoming a professional
drone operator isn’t just about flying and creating great content”
international jobs as well as working for large organisations to ensure that the weather predictions are accurate when on
and getting sponsorships from drone companies. location. Bear in mind that wind speed on the ground will
differ from that at a higher altitude, but it will give you a
Gear Up! rough idea of what you’re dealing with at lower levels. Make
If you’re thinking of turning your hobby into a profession sure you test the wind speed over the span of 5-10 minutes
then the chances are you already have a platform that you’d so that any large variations of wind are measured. Anything
be operating with, or at least a good idea of what you want. less and you could miss a gust that increases the wind speed
Beyond your drone of choice, however, there are several above what your platform can handle safely.
other things that you’ll need in addition to make sure you’re A first aid kit should also be on your shopping list.
operating safely and with backup. Generally speaking the main issues you may have to
It’s a Health & Safety staple, but you’ll need to get a high contend with are cuts and abrasions caused by the props,
visibility jacket to make it clear that you are the ‘Pilot but having a fully stocked kit for every shoot should keep
in Command’ as well as relevant jackets for additional you covered. On a more extreme level, you should also
staff such as camera operators and spotters. Some form get a fire extinguisher! As many of you may know, drone
of signage to state that drone operation is taking place in batteries can be incredibly volatile. If punctured during
a given area is a great way to inform anyone that may be a crash or exposed to water they can become explosive or
passing not to enter the area or make them aware of the start a fire, so have an extinguisher with you that’s suitable
potential dangers. for an electrical or battery-based fire.
You are required to be in control of those around you We’ve covered some of the other accessories in recent
(such as making people in the area aware you are flying and issues but, to quickly summarise, you should also stock up
adhering to the rules outlined on page 94) so you’ll need on spare batteries, SD cards and props. A power bank with
to consider anyone who might wander in unexpectedly. USB output is also to be advised, as is checking your radio is
There could be public access just out of sight of your take-off fully-charged before each trip (consider buying a second as
area so sign posting these areas will highlight the dangers back-up). On one occasion, as I placed my transmitter into
immediately. You can also cordon off the take-off/ landing a Pelican case, the compression of the foam turned it on. By
area to establish a safe (and legal) perimeter. However, even the time I was set up and ready to fly the battery was almost
with these signs in place it’s still recommended that you dead which meant I was grounded for the day!
have an assistant with you to help keep the public and other
dangers
Photo by Christian Miller / Parley in check and away from you and your drone.
for the Ocean Social Services
Another key addition is an anemometer to measure wind Once you’ve got yourself qualified and ready to make
speed at ground level. You’ll need this for your notes but also your first steps into the commercial world, there are some

other useful factors to consider. An obvious step is set up a what you can do and offer them a price that is competitive
website. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just something with a from others. Be honest with them about your experience
clean home page, a portfolio of your work (and services) and level and offer to do the job for a set rate but they only have
contact info for potential clients to get in touch. There are to pay if they’re happy with the results. Some people are
templates and plenty of support tools to help get you online. still dubious about drones but more often than not when
Your website can then tie into social media. Your they see the resulting images they’re blown away. The worst
preferences might vary depending on your work, but case scenario is you shoot some content that they don’t want
Facebook and, for me, Instagram are a must. Facebook has (or pay for) but you get more experience and another solid
one of the most powerful advertising tools that enables you example to showcase to others.
to target very specific people for all of your ad campaigns. All being well, it won’t take long to build up a decent
Instagram is a great place to share your aerial shots with a portfolio and, in turn, your client base. However, you will
large user base of drone enthusiasts, with pages dedicated always need to keep up your social media presence and
to sharing drone work from people around the world. Find add to your website on a regular basis. Even though the
out what hashtags work well on drone-related pages and marketplace can become a bit saturated it’s still relatively
use them on every post. easy to compete by having a solid SEO strategy in place for
It pays to target other drone operators and hobbyists your local area to keep you on top. And if you need to Google
at first, rather than just possible clients, as they are more ‘SEO’, you’ll soon appreciate the irony.
likely to interact with your page. It’s easier to build up a As a final, and perhaps most important, word of warning:
large following and likes per post with people who are also Never rush a job or take on a project if you’re not 100% sure
into drones. Once you’ve built that up you will look more about the safety and legality of it. For every single shoot
appealing to potential clients. If you’ve got 89 followers with ask yourself if you could confidently defend any potential
5 likes per post and your competition has 10K followers accident in a courtroom. To this extent you should be sure
and averages 1,000 likes, then you’re always likely to be the that you can prove that you have taken every eventuality
second choice. into account and prepared sufficiently for them.
When it comes to building up your actual workload, if If you can’t, then you either need to abandon the shoot
you’re looking for a foot in the door, get in touch with drone or take further precautions to ensure that everything is
companies to establish new contacts and offer to freelance running safely. It might seem like a dour note to end on, but
for them, if it’s just as a spotter. Even a 10 minute coffee with it’s worth echoing the point that you are liable for each and
someone can open a few doors for future opportunities, so every flight you make, so it’s about protecting yourself as
take your time to approach others. The worst they can do well as the safety of others!
say is no.
Also start looking for local businesses that could benefit
from your aerial expertise. Whether it’s a hotel in the Rowan Bailey is a professional photographer and
countryside, a sporting event coming up or just someone cinematographer. To see his own website, portfolio and
you know who is getting married. Explain who you are and aerial services head to www.rtbaileymedia.com.
44 DRONE MAGAZINE

ads.indd 1 27/09/2017 11:30
24/11/2017 17:06
interview
arpas:
The Voice of an Industry
Andrew Watton-Davies speaks with Perran Bonner, chairman of the
Association of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, to see what the
future holds for drone owners…
A
RPAS is the largest professional body and trade including standards, promotion of education, finance,
association for the RPAS industry in the UK. business development and membership. Each of us are
Founded in 2013, it now has over 500 individual unpaid volunteers, putting in two, often more, days
and group members in its ranks. Since March 2017 a month towards achieving objectives in the overall
it has been chaired by Perran Bonner, who sat down to take business plan. As well as that great core team, we have
us through how things have gone under his watch so far, various working groups with a majority of those involved
and what can expect moving into 2018. being our members.
For those who might be new to the drone What does your own position involve?
world, can you explain what ARPAS is and My role involves normal chairman duties, which really is
what does it does? helping to effectively manage the team as well as performing
ARPAS UK is a not-for-profit professional body that my business plan objectives. Because of my experience
represents our fast-evolving, remotely piloted aircraft of working within the industry, I’ve also done a lot of the
industry. We work as a committee on behalf of our meetings with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and I also
members to influence regulation and promote safe deal with the corporate negotiations and member benefits.
operational best practice. Chairmen typically stand for a year; I took the post in
We have a chairman – currently myself – and eight March so at our AGM in March 2018 I’ll be handing on
active directors who perform a number of different roles, to another worthy candidate that will be elected by the
46 DRONE MAGAZINE
046-9_DM28[int ARPAS]IKICGC.indd 46 24/11/2017 17:38

interview
to be a hard Brexit and we’re not going to get a clear idea on

that for a while.
Fundamentally, if you asked “what’s the impact of the
upcoming regulations?” once things are nailed down and
further details are clarified they should be able to accelerate
routine operations, such as beyond-visual-line-of-sight
(BVLOS), and there are number of organisations that
are in need of that kind of operating permission. I know
that within the police we are currently utilising BVLOS
on a day-to-day basis, but commercial industry – and
particularly those interested in parcel delivery – they see
that as the next step. So once the decision behind ‘which
direction are we going to go in?’ on terms of governance is
decided, I see routine operation of BVLOS accelerating with
membership. The AGM is a day where we’ll present the more commercial use.
team, present what we’ve been doing, look at what we’ve
achieved – and sometimes didn’t achieve – against the
business plan, and we’ll look at new candidates and vote in
those that the membership believe will be most beneficial
to the organisation.
What made you join up with ARPAS?

As an individual, I originally joined because I wanted the
ARPAS name and brand on my website and my literature. I
wanted something that said I belong to a trade association
that represents the industry that I work within. And then
the more I learned about the association, the more I realised
what it was doing and I personally felt that it was important
that there was an association lobbying for the industry, that
is well connected with the CAA, Department for Transport
(DfT) and other official bodies, and indeed are our European
counterparts, that best represents us.
Also there was a closer networking opportunity; that
quality of the people within the group. You get a more
serious calibre of person joining; we have a website and
a technical forum, so there are good communication
channels with your fellow associates that you can share an
awful lot of information with, both the good, the bad and
the ugly.
Can you give use some examples of the kind

of lobbying that ARPAS has been doing for
the industry?
At the beginning of the year we replied to the Department
for Transport consultation, with ARPAS getting directly
mentioned in the final response, and we’ve been consulting
on the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) proposals
as well.
Did you contact them to get involved or did

they seek ARPAS out?
Through various channels, we were encouraged to be
one of the replying bodies, not least by the CAA. They
encouraged the commercial users out there and us, being
the association representing unmanned aviation, to
respond. The CAA did their own response, we did our own
response and various corporations and businesses did their
own response. We also encouraged our own members to get
stuck in and send responses; the members were probably
sick of seeing the calls for a response by the end of it!
“I’m confident that when talking to senior
What are your thoughts on the current members of the CAA they know and
regulations being proposed?
I think we’ve got to look at it in two ways. There’s going to
understand what ARPAS is doing and they
be the ‘With Europe’ EASA regulations and then there’s value that”
going to be the ‘Without Europe’ DfT option. None of us can
say which it will be as it all boils down to if there is going

interview
“The weight of the industry is now so big that

I don’t see it going backwards, but good news
stories will help it go forwards”
the same with other Government committees around

unmanned aviation. So I’m happy with where we are in
terms of positioning and recognition.
How do you think things are shaping for

the industry in 2018?
We’re seeing a significant change in the market; things are
less focused on the individual now and it’s becoming more
and more focused on the medium-to-large enterprises.
You’ve got the big corporates that are getting involved and
they are employing consultants to advise on setting up and
creating unmanned operations within their businesses,
and they are starting to spend money on fleets of drones to
perform cost-saving, or life-saving, tasks. The key thing is
that the industry is maturing.
Does this mean that solo operators risk

becoming a dying breed?
No, I don’t think so and I wouldn’t want to even suggest
that. A lot of our members are individual operators and I
My concerns on the NPA (Notice of Proposed run a consultancy, so I would very much be in that same
Amendment) that’s been proposed by Europe, is that there boat. What I think is happening is that they’re being sub-
is a lack of differential between commercial and leisure contracted to larger operators to perform their tasks and
users, and the potential for an influx of inexperienced obligations. It’s just maturing; we need more pilots as
operators. I’m also particularly worried about the general industry is becoming more aware of the potential of
potentially reduced levels of training and flight experience unmanned vehicles.
required to become a qualified flight operator under the Those of us who were in the industry five years ago
European proposals. Those are the kinds of things that had lots of those frustrating meetings, presenting
we’ve been lobbying Europe hard on. the capabilities and benefits of drone operations. But
that’s not so difficult these days as companies are more
Do you think these official bodies hear understanding of the benefits and, rather than you having
what you’re telling them? to approach them, they’re starting to approach you.
I’m confident that these bodies are listening to us, as ARPAS quite often gets people asking for careers advice,
per the DfT final response. I’m also confident that when so you’ve got two options where you go and get your
talking to senior members of the CAA they know and training and then you set yourself up as a commercial
understand what ARPAS is doing and they value that, operation or you apply to an organisation to become a drone
48 DRONE MAGAZINE

interview
pilot for them – and we’re seeing more and more adverts
just looking for drone pilots. One option involves running
your own company and the other involves being employed
with someone else having that challenge.
Do you think an increase in the number of

drones being operated will help with the
public’s acceptance of them?
I think so. The industry as a whole has got an awareness
problem. If you’ve got a police hat on then the public’s first
thought is, ‘are you spying on me?’; if you’re a commercial
operator and you’re working, you’ve got people going ‘I
don’t want you working here!’; they’re not aware of the
benefits of what you’re doing. I think that once the public
starts seeing more of it, and starts to understand that it’s
not a threat, starts seeing the cost saving, health and safety,
or even life-saving advantages over things like manned
aviation, then they’ll see the benefits of it.
It is not helped by our sensationalist media, which likes to
report a drone strike or airprox on an approach to Heathrow
that then turns out to be a black plastic bag. When they do
that, the damage is done and the sensational story is out
there, but what the media doesn’t do is follow up two weeks
later when it’s been investigated and go ‘sorry everyone, we
got it wrong’.
Is ARPAS involved in addressing these

sensationalised stories?
Yeah, I’ve done various interviews. A number clearly
weren’t sensational enough as they never got aired, so I’ll
take that as a success. Also one of the requests we’ve had
from a number of organisations, including the CAA and a
number of major drone manufacturers, is for good news
stories to get out to the public. That’s something that the
general drone community can get involved in. I would
absolutely encourage them to share positive drone stories on
their own media channels and to send them in to the likes
of ARPAS and the CAA. In my opinion, the weight of the
industry is now so big that I don’t see it going backwards,
but the good news stories will help it go forwards.
What do you see happening on the

technical front in 2018?
If you reflect on the last 12 months, and the 12 months
before that, the advancements are significant. For example,
DJI came out with the Mavic, so for a thousand pounds
you’ve got a HD camera, with sense-and-avoid and track-
and-follow technology that you can deploy out of a pocket
and fly for 25 minutes. Three or four years ago it would be a
lot of time rigging up a camera on a huge craft that could fly
for 15 minutes.
I think over the next 12 months, amongst other things,
we’re going to see improved flight times and a lot more
in the way of automated technology. You’ll start to see
swarming technologies and managed flight technologies
for BVLOS flying. Personally, I want to see improved
weather durability; something that can fly in rain and
higher windspeeds, as that’ll tick a lot of boxes for
emergency services.
And for the industry as a whole?

I think it’s going to be a good year, I really do. We’re going
to suffer from the odd media story, and it’s certainly going
to be part of the role of ARPAS to deal with those challenges For more on ARPAS, as well as membership details,
and publicise the good news stories, but I fundamentally operators and additional industry information, head to
believe that in the UK, and globally, drones are here to stay. the website www.arpas.uk.

tools of the trade
If you want to make the most of your craft, it pays to have the
right kit. Lee Schofield takes you through the essentials for
basic maintenance and building…
W
hen you start out in any hobby you’ll find A lot of the items here you may well own already if you
that there are some specialised things that have a reasonably well stocked toolbox. Others you’ll have
you need. It’s no different with drones, and if you’re into electronics or if you’ve used other electrically-
whether you’re flying for fun or with more powered models, but together they form the basics for any
serious intentions, you’ll likely find you need a collection of hobbyist to build and maintain a model.
tools to get things in order. As you progress you’ll find you need tools with much
Over these pages we’ll take you through some of the key more specific uses, but for now we’ll look at the basics that
additions to your aerial workshop, along with a few tips and you’ll need. The majority of the photos in this article are
tricks for items that can prove useful accessories to keep in taken from this writer’s own toolkit, which explains the
that ‘spares’ bin. At the end, you’ll have a good selection of wear on some of them! But remember: a good tool is an
tool to keep your drones in airworthy condition. investment and will last for decades if looked after…
50 DRONE MAGAZINE
050-5_DM28[ftWorkshop]IKICGC.indd 50 24/11/2017 02:52

The Bare Necessities
Screwdrivers
Okay, this is probably an obvious starter but most of the
screwdrivers in an average household are not designed for
the miniature screws that we have to deal with in modern
multirotor models. Phillips and Pozidriv screw heads are
very common and a set of smaller screwdrivers designed for
detail work (such as those used to repair spectacles) will be
a great help.
In addition, the screws in smaller drones are often made
from aluminium, not steel, as it’s lighter and cheaper for
the manufacturer. The problem is that it’s a soft metal and it
won’t take much for you to damage the head if you’re using
the wrong sized bit. Invest in a set of precision screwdrivers
or bits and save yourself a lot of trouble when taking things
apart. It also helps if you can avoid overtightening things,
as often these are screwed into a plastic part of the model
which can be damaged.
Soldering Iron
This is one of those less common tools in the modern
household but can be essential for maintenance on the
modern drone once you get beyond the cheaper models and
start looking at replacing or upgrading components. Very
small indoor craft usually forgo bulky expensive connectors
to keep prices low and reduce the weight. The downside is
that the soldered connections used in their place may need
to be unsoldered when replacing a part.
Hex Drivers If you’re someone without a lot of soldering experience the
Another very common type of fastener on a modern temptation is to go for a cheap soldering iron and non-lead
multirotor are the kinds with the hexagonal head, solder ‘just in case you need them’. In my experience this
particularly for high stress areas like motor mounts and is a false economy. I’ve had the same Weller soldering iron
key bolts in the frames of many models. In the early days I station for almost 30 years and it’s still going strong. Irons
used a set of ‘Allen keys’ from the local hardware store. They with replacement tips are very handy as you can change the
worked okay but were not very well-made so I did round out tip depending on the fineness of the work you’re doing and
a few stubborn bolts with smaller hex heads. Luckily with a replace them as they wear out and oxidise. Soldering is like
precision set of hex drivers even a damaged bolt can usually any other skill, it improves with practice. Trying to solder
be removed. Just like the screwdrivers, cheaply made Allen well with a poor quality soldering iron is tricky even for
keys are a recipe for trouble. those of us who’ve been using them for decades.
“Invest in a set
of precision
screwdrivers
or bits and
save yourself
a lot of trouble
when taking
things apart”

Needle Nose Pliers
It might not be something you’ll see in many manuals, but
you’ll use these a lot! There are hundreds of uses for a decent
pair of needle nose pliers, from retrieving a washer that’s
fallen inside the model’s body, to helping pull the servo
cable through an opening in the body. I also have a set of
tweezers with various tips and sizes for the finer jobs but
a decent set of needle nose pliers will be able to do most of
the work you’ll need. You’ll usually find that the smaller the
tips, the better.
Multi-Meter
This is one of those things that is worth its weight in gold
when you need it. A multi-meter is vital if you’re building
Wire Snips your own models and also essential when troubleshooting
Sharp, small wire snippers are handy. I’m sure many of you a problem. I’ve had many chats with pilots who’ve had an
without this tool that maybe needed it would have done issue with their drone and they couldn’t perform basic
the same as I did in the early days – used the cutting jaws troubleshooting and check that the voltage is where it needs
on the side of some big pliers. That’s tricky to do when the to be.
wire you’re trying to cut is in the middle of a small model Checking that everything is electrically sound is also
alongside a dozen or so other vital connections. With a vital when building to make sure that there are no short-
quality set of flush side cutters you can snip wires to length circuits between the power connections before plugging in
as well as trim tie wraps neatly. Once you’ve got a pair you’ll the battery for the first time. I know a few people who’ve
wonder how you managed without them! ‘made do’ without one of these until the first time they
plugged in a battery and saw ‘magic smoke’ escaping!
Wire Strippers
Manual wire strippers are cheap and will save you a ton
of trouble stripping wires. Automatic wire strippers
are great if you have the space to wield them but often
you’ll be working in tight spaces. Using a blade works
but it can damage the connector as well as remove the
insulation. Always err on the side of caution when stripping
wires, so you make sure it’s only the insulation that the
strippers catch, and test the setting on the strippers before
committing to stripping the wire(s) you need.
52 DRONE MAGAZINE

LiPo checker
When starting out it’s a simple task to keep track of the
LiPo batteries and their charge status. You charge them and Gifts That Keep on Giving
then fly, right? Once you start to get more into the hobby To round off any good toolkit, here are two things that are my most
and invest in more batteries then you’ll find it harder to common answers when the friends and family of a pilot pull me to one
keep track. Most pilots have a system to make sure that the side and whisper: ‘What can I get them for a present? I’ve got no idea’...
batteries they use are fully charged and the ‘empty’ packs
are put in a safe place for charging later.
Sometimes when you’re out in the field you can lose track
Action Camera
Admittedly this is less of a tool and more of a fun addition, but a decent
of things or need to land due to an unforeseen issue which
camera is still an essential addition in my book. Action cameras come in
can confuse matters. Being able to check that the battery is
lots of shapes and sizes, with the likes of the compact Mobius or RunCam
as fully charged as you think it is before taking off is very
useful. A friend of mine has lost three quadcopters by flying models that are very useful for a variety of drones and can be attached
over water with a battery that wasn’t fully charged, so be almost anywhere, while there are also the GoPro-type designs that might
warned, it does happen! need a little more thought due to the size and weight.
I’d always make sure that the camera you choose is well mounted on
the model and nice and bright (RunCam cameras all tend to be orange
now) as they do tend to be
‘ejected’ from the model
in the event of a crash so
finding them in the grass
can take a lot of time. Safe
landing or not, watching the
aerial footage back in HD
afterwards is huge fun and
can sometimes highlight
parts of your flight you didn’t
see when you were flying that
you can learn from ready for
the next time you head out.
LiPo Battery Charger

Computer Most drones come with a basic LiPo charger if the model is supplied with
Most modern flight controllers have companion software
a battery. I had a whole tin full of these little mains-powered devices
that helps you set up the model to fly the way you want.
in the early days. However, these chargers are very slow and use low
Windows PCs seem to run all of the software at the moment
currents to charge the battery you’re using. Modern battery chargers are
but support for Macs is getting better. Android tablets are
much smarter and can charge a LiPo in a fraction of the time, as well as
also useful but, for me, it’s better to use a Windows tablet or
monitoring the battery while they do so. Battery chargers able to charge
PC to run all of the applications like Betaflight, BLHeliSuite,
more than one battery at a time are becoming a lot cheaper, too.
Mission Planner and others. It can be handy to run a flying
or FPV simulator on it as well, to keep those skills sharp in With the huge range of battery sizes, capacities and voltages we use,
the winter months or when you’re not able to get out and fly being able to charge and balance them properly is vital. I have a couple of
in the real world. 4-port chargers and they have reduced the time taken to charge all the
Up to this point we’ve covered the key tools I find myself LiPo packs before flying from the best part of a day to under two hours. A
using almost every day in the hobby. To expand things a decent charger is an investment. As a point of caution, you should always
little more, we’ll also take a look at some of the others that I use a LiPo safe bag when charging a battery and never leave a charging
use less often but still come in very handy! battery unattended.

useful additions
Servo Checker
This device allows you to check that a servo is moving and
to connect the servo horn as close to 90 degrees as you
can when building a model or replacing a broken servo.
With the lack of quality assurance on cheap fixed wing
models and servos on places like eBay, for example, it’s very
possible to get a bag of 9g servos and find that one or two are
dead. A servo checker is great for powering and checking
everything is working before you install the controls into
a model. It’s also very handy to check that the servo is still
okay after a nasty crash.
5v Supply
Most electronics in the drone world run on 5 volts so being
able to power them quickly and easily for testing and
troubleshooting is great. Flight controllers get their power
from the 5v supplied by the USB cable. You can modify a
spare USB cable to provide the 5v needed to power receivers
while you bind them. I also have a few 5v UBECs with
battery connectors on the end for testing servos or when I
need to power something that needs a lot of current.
Hot Glue Gun

Crashing is part of the hobby, so don’t feel too bad, as
it happens to all of us – and you should find you learn
something every time you do! A glue gun can help as it has
a huge variety of potential applications, such as repairing
damaged foam models, providing strain relief for cables,
supporting and holding components in place and helping
with rapid prototyping of parts and repairs. Hot glue is
cheap, strong and easy to use, and can also be peeled off flat
surfaces when you’ve had enough.
“A normal day with my flying

buddies regularly involves the use of
a couple of glue sticks for repairs to
keep everything in the air”
54 DRONE MAGAZINE

If you don’t own a hot glue gun, then get one if you can. I
have two of my own; one runs from the mains and the other
runs off 12v via a battery connector so it can be used out in
the field with a LiPo battery. A normal day with my flying
buddies regularly involves the use of a couple of glue sticks
for repairs to keep everything in the air.
Blade Balancer
In the early days of the drone technology as we now know it,
we were building models using motors and props designed
for fixed wing models. We’re lucky these days that there are
hundreds of choices of motors, propellers and ESCs to help
us power the drones we fly and build. Balancing the blades
reduces vibration on the entire model, reduces the load and
wear on the bearings in the motor, and also improves flight
times and makes tuning a model easier as well.
Many pilots don’t bother balancing their blades on their
models but you only have to look at the efforts in software
to create things like notch filters in Betaflight and anti-
vibration supports and designs for flight controllers to see
what a huge problem this can be for a drone. Do yourself a
favour and always balance your blades; it’s good practice
and a good habit to get into.
Prop Spanner / Motor Wrench

The 2205 and 2206 motors common on the racing sized
quadcopters are very powerful and efficient but many use
locking nuts to hold the propeller on. Without the proper
tools it can be tricky to get these on and off easily. Sure, you
can use a standard socket to hold the nut but when it’s tight
the motor can be tricky to get hold of while you crack the
nut loose.
These two items were the last ones I invested in on this
list and I wish I’d have got myself a set years ago. They make
the fitting and removal of props much easier and eliminate
the risk to your hands when you’re trying to remove a
broken prop with sharp edges – that can certainly do some
damage if you slip.
Summary
So, there you have it. As previously
mentioned, many of the basic tools
listed here you may well already have
in a drawer in the kitchen or a toolkit
in the shed, but it’s still wise to pick
up the specialist tools for the job if
you can.
I’d also recommend investing in a
‘drone’ toolbox to store all of these
pieces in and also act as a safe place
to keep all of your spare parts.
Whether flying by yourself or with
others, the lack of one or two of
these items can make the building
and repair of a model harder than
it needs to be. Every minute spent
struggling is a minute less you could
be flying, and having the right tools
can get you or a friend back in the
air rather than having to call it a
day – which is always going to make
your investment in them seem all the
more worthwhile!

Prairie House
Saskatchewan, Canada
“An old farm house in the middle of a
wheat field”

All photos by Team BlackSheep
In the Crossfire
As Team BlackSheep’s Crossfire
system continues to evolve,
Lee Schofield takes a closer
look at how this popular
RC link is shaping up
right now…
I
t seems hard to believe, but TBS Crossfire Cross Examination
has been around for over two years now. So why should you bother to consider using Crossfire?
More recently there have been a number of changes and As mentioned earlier, the system uses a much lower
developments in the product to keep it ahead of other frequency than the ‘standard’ 2.4GHz radios most of us
vendors looking to enter this space. If you’ve heard of the use to fly. You can choose between 915MHz and 868MHz
Crossfire system or watched some online videos you’d be depending on where you live (as seen in the graphic below).
forgiven for thinking it’s all about super long flights that are This lower frequency has a much longer wavelength,
many kilometres long, but that’s only part of the story. and longer wavelengths propagate further on the same
In terms of its general appeal, by using a much lower power. The bottom line is you can fly in your normal space
frequency and some clever technology to preserve the signal with far more safety, or (if legal) fly miles and miles away
quality, the Crossfire system is designed to provide a better and still retain a strong connection to the model. With
signal than traditional 2.4GHz radios. While it’s true that this the maximum power of two watts, using the larger TBS
does result in much more range, it also provides a more secure Crossfire module flights of tens of kilometres have been
link for flying in close proximity as well as providing a much achieved easily.
faster low latency connection to the model you’re flying. But there are a few other tricks up its sleeve that make
That said, most pilots who are using the Crossfire it worth considering if you’re not interested in long range
are using it to push the flight distances, so if you’re not
planning on flying for miles at a time should you just
skip this article? We’d still advise you to read on, not least
because the Crossfire system has developed into a very
powerful and flexible connectivity system for our models
and now provides some features that you’ll not find on any
of the other long range systems that we’ll cover here.
On a personal note, I have learnt a lot about the system
over the past two months and the developers at Team
BlackSheep (TBS) have been generous with their time in
helping me wade my way through the manual and pick
up some tips and tricks along the way. With all of the
recent changes some pilots are now not sure what the TBS
Crossfire system can do, so let us look at some of the basics
and check out the latest features of this system and pass
these tips to you..
58 DRONE MAGAZINE
058-61_DM28[ftTBS Crossfire]IKICGC.indd 58 24/11/2017 03:00

flights but are looking for the fastest connection to your
model. TBS has developed a super-fast, resilient protocol
called CRSF. This enables pilots to talk to the module in the
radio ten times faster than PPM and then have the signals
sent to the flight controller at the other end three times faster
than S-Bus. The result is a super-fast, low latency connection
to the model for those flying at speed or needing the finest
control – something which is especially handy when racing.
The other benefit of the CRSF protocol is due to the fact
that it’s a flexible and resilient two-way system. It allows
for information to be sent to, and received from, the flight
controller and systems on the model. If you’re using
Betaflight 3.2 you can use the LUA scripts on the radio to
configure all of the Betaflight settings over the link and
there is further development to improve this in Betaflight
3.3 due out early 2018. You then install the module into the back of the radio
Not all radios and systems support CRSF right now. If (if it has a JR-style bay) or connect it to the trainer port on
you’re not using one of the OpenTX powered radios then the radio using one of the supplied cables. The first time
you can connect the Crossfire module to the radio using the you power up the module, it will ask you to confirm your
supplied trainer cables and use PPM as normal. At the other location and it will then use that detail to set the maximum
end you can configure the receiver to send PPM, PWM or power levels. If you’re using OpenTX 2.2 or later then copy
S-Bus if you’re using a flight controller that isn’t ready for the Crossfire LUA scripts to the SD card so you can configure
CRSF yet, so the system should be able to work with any the module from the controls on the radio.
model and system. Once you’ve done that you can pop the TBS Crossfire
If you look on the TBS website (team-blacksheep.com) system into ‘Bind’ mode and power up the receiver. If it
you’ll see that there are two versions of the Crossfire module doesn’t connect automatically a quick push of the bind
available: The full-sized original ‘Crossfire TX’ and the button on the receiver will start the process. You’ll notice
newer, more compact, ‘Crossfire Micro TX’ Module. The that the firmware will be updated on the receiver during
smaller module doesn’t have the screen and can’t support this step, too. Very clever.
transmission powers higher than 100mW but here in the EU Now you can configure how you want the TBS Crossfire
we can’t run that much power anyway. Apart from that all receiver to operate and set the failsafe. The configuration
of the features are shared between the two modules. of the receivers is very flexible. Using the screen on the
Crossfire module or the LUA script on the radio, you can
How it Works configure any output and input on any of the pins available
Installing and setting up the system is straightforward. on the receiver you have. Using this setup you can configure
Before doing anything else I’d pop on the T-shaped antenna the receiver to output PPM, PWM or S-Bus for traditional
and update the Crossfire transmitter module to the latest systems or CRSF for things like Betaflight. You can also
firmware using the USB port on its side and the TBS Agent configure MAVLink telemetry to be sent and received on
software you can download from the website. spare pins, too.
“The Crossfire system has developed into a very powerful and

flexible connectivity system”

data over its own link, removing the need for that extra
complexity and setup.
The icing on the cake is that the full-size Crossfire module
can also send and receive the MAVLink signals using a
built-in Bluetooth modem to a tablet or PC, so you can
simply connect the device to it and get all of that MAVLink
power wirelessly.
As the CRSF protocol specification is open, it appears that
a number of other manufacturers like Spektrum and Futaba
are also working on adding CRSF support to their radios.
This is great and will help make the system even easier for
those who don’t use FrSky radio systems and help make the
CRSF protocol one of those we all know and use daily.
You do have some choice when it comes to the receivers.
There are two currently available, a smaller one for
multirotors (TBS Crossfire Micro Receiver V2) and a larger
full-sized receiver (TBS Crossfire 8ch Diversity Rx) that
includes a rechargeable battery inside. That’s very handy
when using the ‘Model Finding’ mode on the transmitter. If
the model crashes, even if the battery is ejected, the larger
receiver will stay powered, enabling you to use the signal
strength graph on the transmitter to find the strongest signal
and direction to the model. Very cool.
Crossed Wires
As with any system there are common ‘gotchas’ that new
Then it’s just a case of setting up the model as normal, but pilots make and, having spoken with TBS on the matter,
now with the ability to use the CRSF protocol for very fast here are a few of the most common:
communication to the model. With software like Betaflight The best tip is to update to the latest software on the TBS
you’ll need to use a hardware UART for CRSF but other Crossfire module as soon as you get it. Install the latest Beta
manufacturers are starting to work towards native support software. Normally I would always advise that you stay
so it should get easier to use this newer protocol in future. So away from the Beta software unless you are a beta tester but
far it’s all pretty normal for any seasoned pilots out there, but the rapid changes to the code and pace of innovation at TBS
let’s take a look at a few of the nice touches in the system. at the moment is resulting in the code not staying still for
long enough to become an official ‘gold’ release. The latest
The X Factor firmware will give you all the bells and whistles – so update!
As some of you may have already gathered, the TBS As with any system, antenna alignment is key. The
Crossfire works best with OpenTX. Without the screen and Crossfire system uses a ‘T’-shaped antenna and similar
controls on the back, the smaller Crossfire Micro TX module antennae on the receivers, too. When the antennae are
will need a radio running OpenTX 2.2 and the LUA script to aligned physically there is the strongest signal but as
configure it. This integration with OpenTX provides some the model pitches and rolls the antennae will fall out of
great features. Using the system you’ll be able to discover a alignment and the signal drops. The advice is to mount the
whole set of Crossfire-specific sensors that can be used to antennae vertically on the radio and in an ‘L’ or ‘V’ shape on
warn you if the signal is dropping or if the mode changes the model; that way as the model moves one of the antennae
while flying. The RQly sensor is the most useful at the should be in alignment and give great reception.
moment and you’ll need to set up a warning at 70% and an
alarm if it goes below 60%.
Key Features
The MAVLink support in Crossfire is very sophisticated.
A lot of APM and PixHawk pilots used Crossfire in the
early days due to this feature alone. Normally to use the
n Longer range flights
MAVLink telemetry wirelessly with these flight controllers
n Uses much lower frequencies
you need to install separate 3DR-style radios on the model
n Two-way communication protocols
but the Crossfire system can transmit and send the MAVLink
n Low latency, 150MHz updates
n Receivers can output PPM, PWM, S-Bus or CRSF
n Selectable RF power
n Dedicated Head Tracking (HT) port
n Wireless connection to app on phone/tablet
n Two receivers available: Full-size with built-
in battery, Micro-size for drones and flight
controllers
n Configurable through LUA script on OpenTX 2.2
n OLED display on original version
60 DRONE MAGAZINE

If you want to use Crossfire on the FrSky Q X7 or X7S
radios you will need OpenTX 2.2.1 or a hardware mod for it
to work properly and not give telemetry errors constantly.
The problem is down to a very slow signal inverter inside the
radio that can’t run the CRSF protocol at full speed (we told
you it was a lot faster than PPM). There are mods coming out
for the radio to replace that slow inverter but until they are
available we’re stuck waiting for OpenTX 2.2.1. It’s likely
that when FrSky decided to replace the Texas Instruments
inverter fitted to the very first batch of radios with another
inferior version the company wasn’t thinking about high
speed systems like Crossfire and CRSF…
While we’re on the subject of OpenTX, remember that
you’ll need a radio with the Crossfire LUA script on it to
configure the Crossfire Micro as it hasn’t got the OLED
display and joystick on it to help with configuration. You
can download it from the link on the TBS website.
My final tip is a very handy one if you need to change
the location detail that you used the first time the Crossfire
module powered up. Maybe you are in the EU but are now
flying in the USA? At the moment TBS is trying to install
the ‘Konami’ code (seasoned gamers will know what this
is!) into all of its products to get you out of trouble. With the
system powered and a receiver connected you can input this
code into the full-sized Crossfire system using the joystick
or simply press the button on the back of the Crossfire Micro
TX module 10 times to ‘unlock’ it to allow you to change the
settings – equally handy if you’ve made a mistake!
Summary
With the choice of UHF systems about it pays to do
your research before investing. It appears that other
manufacturers are jumping on the Crossfire bandwagon
and creating their own, largely similar, systems – which
also means that the TBS team will not be resting on their
laurels. That’s good for us as more competition means more
innovation and lower prices.
The benefit of the Crossfire system is that it’s been around
long enough to have almost all of the wrinkles ironed out
and can provide a solid platform to build in new features
for us owners. The bottom line is if you’re looking for safe
ranged flying, to support a fast connection to your model or
to fly a MAVLink-capable flight controller more safely and
easier than before, then the TBS Crossfire system is well
worth a look.
The TBS Crossfire is currently priced at $208.95 (£158.25)

and is available at team-blacksheep.com.
Things to Watch
n Poor antenna position will affect range
n Select the region and correct frequency for
where you’re flying
n You’ll need the Crossfire LUA if you use the
module without the OLED screen
n Full bi-directional support for changing all of the
settings will be available in Betaflight 3.3
n An update is needed for the Q X7 models (OpenTX
2.2.1) to get it working on those radios perfectly

All photos by Lowepro, except where stated
Lowepro DroneGuard BP 400

A
good drone needs a good backpack. They go together
like school and a schoolbag, gym and a gym bag, or dog
• rice: £129
P
walks and a little plastic bag. We need them because
REVIEW • Internal Dimensions: 30 x 20 x 47cm
only by slinging the bag over our shoulders and marching
• Weight: 1.69kg
out into the great outdoors do we grant the drone access to
• T ype: Clamshell backpack
all of the beautiful countryside that its high-spec camera
• Compatibility: DJI Phantom series
deserves access to. Most of us know the rules about proximity
• Website: www.lowepro.co.uk
to people and the urban environment, so getting away from
them in maximum comfort is an issue for all pilots.
That distance exacerbates things, too; when you’re away
from home you need to carry as many charged batteries
and other accessories as you can. You might even find you
want to bring a laptop with you to admire, edit or share your
handiwork on location. At the same time you definitely don’t
want to be adding strain to your poor back. You want a bag
to be as light as reasonably possible while protecting your
precious (or at least pricey) cargo.
Step forth the DroneGuard BP 400 from Lowepro. This
backpack features a padded ‘CradleFit’ pocket for a 15-
inch laptop, and inside the main body are flexible dividers
that enable you to comfortably fit a DJI Phantom (1 to 4
Advanced), the remote controller, an iPad or iPad mini, and
up to – by our estimations – eight spare batteries. Lowepro
itself conservatively puts it at five “and some personal items”.
Perhaps it’s a weight thing – in fairness I don’t have that
many batteries for my Phantom so I wasn’t able to fully test
the theory.
A lot of thought has obviously gone into protecting your
gear while you bounce over the landscape. The elastic strap
62 DRONE MAGAZINE
062-3_DM28[rev_Lowepro Case]IKICGC.indd 62 24/11/2017 17:25

Rock the Cradle Photo by Adam Juniper
This 15-inch MacBook Pro, made slightly

chunkier as it’s encased in a two-piece
protective plastic shell, slides neatly into
the CradleFit Pocket. Apparently it’s also
possible to fit a further 10-inch tablet at
the same time, with the pocket’s load
supported above the bottom of the bag,
like a cradle (hence the name).
Choices, Choices
The design is very flexible. You could
easily move a few battery bays to create
room for your camera, for example.
There’s room for a decent-sized
mirrorless or a small SLR, but the hard
shell’s width is definitely designed with
the Phantom series in mind. Photo by Adam Juniper
with Velcro is both quick and easy to pull around your for – but in fairness the bag DJI itself supplies with the
Phantom, but keeps it in place firmly, even if you hold the Mavic Pro isn’t especially thickly padded and the drone and
bag open upside-down (don’t worry, I’ve tested this so controller must knock around next to each other, so perhaps
you don’t have to). There is a similar, and equally effective, it’s not that much of an issue.
solution for the controller. Finally, perhaps the most important question is do these
In terms of keeping the weight down while maintaining features add up to a comfortable bag? And I’ve got to say yes.
the bag’s semi-flexible, compression-moulded, FormShell I was happily able to walk several miles with drone, laptop
shape, Lowepro opted not to fill the bag with protective and all the other accessories behind me without feeling
(but restrictive) custom-moulded foam. Instead it’s placed a remotely uncomfortable (or wanting for the chest strap that
single pad on the lid of the case which can be positioned at at first I’d been worried was missing). At roughly the price of
any point along the centre, but the logical position is so that a spare battery, I’d gladly recommend this as another way of
it makes contact with the centre of your Phantom when the extending the range of your drone – although, coincidentally
bag is closed. The Phantom then effectively becomes part of it’s a case that may also make you want to splash out on
a central pillar preventing the shell from collapsing in on another LiPo for your travels…
itself. Don’t worry; it’s a much better idea than it sounds.
On the inside lid of the bag is a pocket for your propellers,
though I found that it was tricky to use this and the DJI prop
bag I already have. There are other smaller pockets which
will serve as homes for spare memory cards and so on, so
you can be very flexible with how you load things.
Incidentally, I did try using this bag with my Mavic Pro,
but I was surprised to find that, rather than putting it in
the main drone bay – even if I tweaked the positions of the
pads – it actually made more sense to use the spaces either
side of the Phantom for the Mavic and its rather less chunky
controller. I’m not sure whether this would be a good idea
on a long excursion – there would be rather less padding
between the Phantom and the Mavic than you might hope
062-3_DM28[rev_Lowepro Case]IKICGC.indd 63 24/11/2017 17:25

interview
Zoe Stumbaugh:
Love at First Flight

Z
An avid pilot, racer and designer, Zoe oe Stumbaugh has been involved with drones since
2014, both as a drone developer and as a highly-
Stumbaugh has been at the forefront of the skilled FPV pilot (she won the USA’s first fully-
drone world for several years now. Andrew sanctioned FPV race). As a freestylist with AirVūz,
as well as being a technical collaborator with the likes of
Watton-Davies finds out more about her passion UniqueFPV, BeeRotor, GemFan, RunCam and Tattu, she has
for flying and the problems facing women in an a very busy schedule. Fortunately, though, she was able to
increasingly male-dominated environment… find a little spare time to talk to us about how she got into
the hobby, what craft she has been tinkering with lately
and some further thoughts on the world of FPV and getting
more women involved in the sport…
What was it that first got you interested in

the world of drones?
I was a computer science major at Cabrillo College, as I’ve
always had a passion for technology. Then unfortunately
I was basically bed-bound from a bunch of medical
complications. I couldn’t motorcycle, I couldn’t go to school.
A friend told me to go and find a hobby because I needed
something in my life. I went to a hobby store and I ended up
finding a little Proto-X microdrone.
I then flew the hell out of that, crashed it into the ceiling a
good 20 times on the first day and kept flying it till I broke it.
So then I went ‘okay, I need a new one’ and went back to the
store. I got a Nano-QX and fell in love with flying that. I felt
‘this is fun and this is a skill I can keep coming back to see
continual improvement on’.
When I found out the upgrade for it was $300 I decided
‘screw that’ and went online and found out how to do it
myself. That’s when I found people flying FPV and I was
like ‘WOW! People flying with goggles; that’s amazing,
I want to do that’. So I sold my original Oculus Rift
Development Kit One to buy a pair of FPV goggles and that
was my ticket back into the world around me – that gave
me a spark in life again.
What was it that led you from here into

developing your own custom parts for
Unmanned aircraft?
Necessity! Quite literally nothing was good enough for me. I
remember the 2015 drone nationals; I was getting into flying
3D and at the time there was nothing that worked well with
it. I knew what I wanted to do was possible but I didn’t have
the hardware to do it. So I went on a long and tortuous track
of going to different manufacturers, dealing with people
working on designs and working on a theory to make sure
that whatever I designed is going to be functional. And, lo
and behold, the quest to build a quadcopter that flew the
way I wanted it to got me into the realm of the back-end of
drone design, development and production.
So you rang up the manufacturers and

said “I like that part you have, but can you
make it like this”?
Yes, that and providing the designs and specifications.
That’s why I have so many partners on my website; I talk
64 DRONE MAGAZINE
064-8_DM28[int Zoe Stumbaughv2]IKICGCIC.indd 64 24/11/2017 17:40

interview
to and deal with a lot of people in the industry. I love

tinkering, so testing stuff and creating new products is,
for me, more fun than racing the quads. It’s kind of like
the Wild West: the access to the technology, to 3D printers,
to carbon cutters, manufacturers, to the people making
the parts and products. For someone like me that isn’t
necessarily out there looking to make a big buck but loves
innovating and creating something new, it’s amazing.
There’s always something new to do, something new to try,
always a new plateau to reach. That is why I love drones and
why I love flying.
The first machine that I put out was the Excalibur, with a
custom design, custom frame, custom motors and custom
propellers. It’s not a rebrand; there are a lot of pilots that
have rebranded products with their name on it and made it
look really shiny but they have done nothing for the back-
end design and development of that motor. They’re like ‘oh, I
like the way this motor feels so make me this motor but use
my name’. I can honestly say, as far as I’m aware, that I’m
the first pilot that came out with their own unique motor.
The Drone Racing League (DRL) holds the world record for
the fastest quadcopters using ESCs that I helped develop.
What are you working on at the moment?

It’s going to be a giant drone racing frame from Dysonian.
The final improvements to it are being made and it’s taking
a bit of a different approach than mini-quad frames. I’ve
seen the expediential development of them over the last few
years – boxy quads growing into aerodynamically shelled
machines that I’m seeing breaking the speed records.
So, we’re taking the best of that and incorporating it into
a standard frame design and using that as the core for future
designs going forward. I’m finding out what we can scale it
up to, practically, and what doesn’t work at that size. And
we’re getting there. They weigh about five to six pounds;
the size of the frames varies but right now the sweet spot is
about 800mm.
The aerodynamics have a lot more impact than the
weight, though, and there’s a lot happening to them with
the physics that the mini-quads don’t have to deal with. In
a straight line we can break 130mph, in turns we’re hitting
consistently above 70mph, so it’s getting to that point. For
perspective, some of these machines are now faster than
the cars on the automotive race track we use. And once the
industry starts seeing what we’ve been doing, we’ll see a
very different landscape with racing going forward.
Do you think this could be the next ‘big’

thing on the racing scene?
(Groans) Oh, the puns! Well, let me put it this way: if you
follow MultiGP News, they announced ‘big things are
coming from drone racing’ and they’ve partnered up with
MDX and I know they’re going to have a Titan Class. On top
of that, I know that at least two or three giant drone racing
organisations are working on the sport going forward with
different leagues, and that there are sponsors out there that
are saying ‘hey, you build them and we’ll come’.
They look like monsters compared to quad

racers. What are they like to fly?
Re-introducing the danger certainly makes them a bit more
fun, especially when you’re dealing with experimental
machines. You are always going to be dealing with things
that are on the edge of working. The one I’m talking about
is 1000mm and has 15-inch propellers, and travels 130-
plus mph. Locally there is a group that started up called
X-Class for anything larger than 800mm and smaller than

interview
The DRL Response

DRL’s full statement in response to its decision to hold an event in Saudi Arabia
can be found on Sally French’s blog at thedronegirl.com. It reads in part: “As we
expand, we do so with our values of inclusion and competition at the core, bringing
the best pilots, staff and technology everywhere we go.”
It adds that: “DRL’s decision to host the 2018 Allianz World Championship race in
Saudi Arabia was driven not only by our desire to satisfy our growing fan base in
the region, but also because the GSA is making a concerted effort to bring global
sports to the kingdom, by their own description, “that will also lead to wider social
and economic benefits for the country.” DRL is one of many sports organisations
hosting events in Saudi Arabia in 2018, including La Liga football, the automotive
Race of Champions (featuring drivers from Formula 1, NASCAR, Le Mans and
IndyCar), the World Chess Championships and the World Boxing Super Series.”
The statement went on to say: “This venue announcement changes nothing
about our league. As it has always been, DRL is an inclusive league. It is open to
people of all genders, gender identities and nationalities. To date, we’ve had two
seasons, and in that time we’ve had both men and women and citizens of eight
countries compete in DRL. As we plan our 2018 Championship race we will work
to ensure we are respectful of local cultures while ensuring our values remain
uncompromised.”
“It went from being the tinkerers and innovators to, as a guy working in the
industry put it to me, ‘Bro Culture’”
DRL didn’t really respond to my emails to them about

the issue, and they didn’t get back to me after 24 hours
and it was keeping me up at night as it affects me and
other women going forward in the industry – it’s a big
problem. I made up the image [of Jet from the DRL as a hair
dye packaging parody] before I even made the post as it
summed up my opinion that it’s a league ‘Just For Men’ and
I could not have said it better any other way and that’s why
that image exists.
I posted that image up on Sally’s Facebook page and it got
a little bit of attention from women in the industry. I was a
bit disappointed by the small response it got, though, as it’s
a big issue and most of the men in the industry either don’t
know about it or don’t care to do anything about it, so that’s
when I decided that it was something I could do to help get
the conversation going.
So I ended up spending a day writing and trying to find
the right words, and then slept on it… Once it was up, it was
like a storm. Every few seconds there was another message.
1200mm, so substantial-sized machines. If you go to my DRL got in touch and asked nicely that I ‘comply’ to take
team’s website you’ll see what we’ve been doing. the image down, but in the same email that they politely
threatened me to take down the image, they also asked me
There was recently an outcry from the to come out to New York to meet them face to face.
female pilots about the Drone Racing
League’s decision to run events in Saudi What are your feelings towards the Drone
Arabia. Can you talk us through your Racing League at this time?
involvement in this? Honestly, at one point I thought it would be cool to be a pilot
Sally French originally posted a note to the Amelia for DRL. But after all the stuff that I’ve seen, it’s not a league
Dronehart Facebook group about how she had contacted I want to support because of that culture – and that’s sad,
DRL about where they were hosting the races: a DRL because they have the most money and the most ability to
spokesperson returned with a statement and Sally wanted make changes in this industry.
to get other women’s ideas and thoughts on it for a post. The whole point of the post was that Jet is the face of DRL
I and several other women said that it would bar us from right now, along with all those other, exclusively male,
competing and that that’s not cool. So she ended up taking pilots. If women see that, are they really going to think
those quotes and the quotes from the DRL representative ‘this is a sport for me’? If I saw that advertised to me when
and posted it up at thedronegirl.com, which brought the I was originally getting into it, I wouldn’t really feel all that
issue to light, publicly. interested in it. Instead, when I was getting into it in late
66 DRONE MAGAZINE

interview
2014, it was promoted as these quirky, different things for

intellectuals that want to experience something different.
This was just three years ago and the culture of this has
changed rapidly. I mean it went from being the tinkerers
and innovators to, as a guy that’s working in the industry
put it to me, ‘Bro Culture’. This was someone who’s been
into drones long enough for him to see it going from this
weird eclectic thing in the Eighties that were mostly land-
based giant machines to the drone racing we have now, we navigate this problem, because if we don’t start talking
which is being largely promoted by the industry to young, about how, I believe, some of these bigger leagues are
male audiences. keeping women out of them, and creating an environment
where they’re really not welcomed, it creates the culture
Do you see this as a problem that’s been going forward.
growing for some time? When I got into this hobby – back before drone racing
I’ve had to keep my mouth shut on a lot of the transgressions was even a thing, nothing was ever called drone racing, it
I’ve personally seen in the industry because bringing them was like wasn’t even a term! – it was just people with quads
up might cause a fervour, and it doesn’t necessarily look hanging out, flying and having fun. It was purely about the
good for the industry as a whole. I really want the industry out-of-body experience that these machines could afford
as a whole to flourish, so for me to talk about this issue and you and how freeing that was. It was a different culture
bring it to light in the way I have was something I wrestled then. There was also, I think, a higher ratio of women in it
with for a few days. I was really trying to work out: how do then than there is now.
Zoe celebrates with Angela Jacques, Charles Skip

Walton and Austin Gossard after clinching first
place at the IDRA Dover International Team Drone
Race: “I am so proud of these misfits!”

interview
start seeing change. Right now, I think there are enough

women pilots with the right skills that can compete at that
top level; they just need more visibility. I know a lot of great
pilots that compete regularly, that don’t post Instagram
photos all the time, that aren’t posting on YouTube every
week. If you’re not doing all of those things it doesn’t matter
how good you are, because no one’s going to know or take
you seriously.
A lot of the women that do [promote themselves] end up
getting a lot of sexist comments, and once you start being
public about it, because of the culture that exits, it ends up
almost painting a target on your back and that makes it
even harder for women to stand out. At the end of the day
they just want to fly, they just want to be treated as equals
and be included in the groups.
At this time in the sport, it’s at risk of becoming like
every other automotive sport where it’s really hard for
women to compete. Drone racing has an opportunity
to buck the trend, especially when this is one of the few
sports where it really eliminates the physical nature of
the sport; it’s muscle memory and the brain. That’s really
why I want to see it flourish as a sport that includes, and is
promoted to, everyone.
For more details on Zoe’s story and her various projects,

go to Zoefpv.com. More on her giant drone racing team
can be found at Dysonian.com. The Amelia Dronehart
group can be found at Facebook.com/groups/
how much of a ‘scene’ is there for female AmeliaDronehart.
pilots these days?
There are a very small number of female pilots out and
about, racing and competing. That being said, I’m being
followed every day by one or two more female pilots posting
FPV posts and images. I know that these women are out
there, I know they’re flying and I know that, over the last
year especially, women have been getting into this hobby,
industry and sport and have become really great pilots.
They might not be as visible as some of the male pilots in
the industry, but I know they’re out there as I’ve seen them
with my own eyes. They’re getting into flying, but they’re
not getting into ‘the community’, as ’the community’ right
now is a bro-tastic culture of guys. A lot of women have a
hard time integrating into the culture that currently exists.
It becomes a self-fulfilling problem, because there are no
women in the drone racing industry, so it’s harder to get
women into the drone racing industry.
I know in my heart of hearts that when I’m out in the
field or I’m going to an event, if other women know about it
then a higher than average number of women turn out. If
there are role models available, and shown, then things will
change. Angela from FPV Racing Mexico hosts the Mexican
drone nationals, the biggest event in the country. She’s an
amazing pilot; we travelled around for four weeks last year
going to different events.
One of them in Oregon was a drone retreat for women.
Each of the pilots that went to that event has gone on to fly
better and to promote themselves. They really have that
spark behind them that they can put out there with the
guys, to really promote more women in the industry. And
that spark… you can either stomp it out, or support it.
What do you think the community can do to

address the problem?
Over the years I realised that women are just not included
at the highest levels of drone racing. If you start involving
women at the highest levels of these events you’re going to
68 DRONE MAGAZINE

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

Chilling Out The winter weather doesn’t usually favour drone
pilots, but Lee Schofield has some excellent advice to
keep you and your craft safe and warm!
T
he first time flying in the colder climes of winter With all that said, for anyone who is entering into
can be an educational time for most new pilots. It their first winter flying UAVs you can also find a magical
doesn’t matter if you’re flying a small FPV quad, a new dimension to your flying when it’s above frost or
fixed wing drone or a larger platform with high-end even snow-covered landscapes. The photos, videos and
camera gear – the cold, damp and wintry conditions affect experiences flying in these conditions can be amazing, so
both you and the drone. let’s get started with making sure that those aerial shots
This may seem like such an obvious statement but the make it back home in one piece!
fact is that these differences can catch many pilots out, so
over these pages I’ll cover some of the tips and tricks that Warming Up
I’ve learnt from flying in cold conditions. A few of these The most important part of your set-up that will need
pointers come from the direct result of problems both I, adapting for the colder weather is, of course, you! Standing
and some of my flying buddies, have had over the years still for long periods in a field and moving very little while
and I’ll share a few of the less embarrassing examples to flying will let the heat ebb away from your feet, hands, face
illustrate why certain things need consideration when and anywhere else that isn’t covered by lots of layers. The
flying in the winter months. answer is to wrap up and make sure you have something
70 DRONE MAGAZINE
070-4_DM28[ft_Winter Flying]IKICGC.indd 70 24/11/2017 17:26

warm with you. I tend to take a flask of something hot with kit warm while you fly but I find them cumbersome and
me, as spending a few hours in a freezing field can become prefer to fly with bare hands or thin fingerless gloves and
painful on the extremities and a hot drink can help warm warm my hands between flights.
you up and keep your fingers nimble.
I’ve had problems in past seasons by not making sure that Batteries Don’t Like
my hands went straight back into gloves between flights. The Cold Either!
Your fingers are your sole connection to the entire control LiPo batteries convert stored chemical energy into electrical
system and when cold they will become stiff and slow down energy and how well that reaction works is related to the
your reactions. A few of my flying friends keep a hand- temperature: The colder the temperature, the slower the
warmer or two in their jacket pockets and use them to keep reaction. A battery that gives you ten minutes of flight time
the circulation going between flights, helping to keep that in the warm days of summer may only last eight minutes
much-needed flexibility and feeling in their fingertips. in very cold weather. To this extent, reduce the timers on
You’ll probably have noticed that LiPo batteries will get the radio for your model/s by about 20% to avoid over-
warm when used and so these can also double up as useful discharging the packs. For the first few flights be prepared
hand-warmers after a flight. Many is the time I’ve been for the power to be a little less, too, until you get used to the
taking a break to watch a friend fly, while holding onto a feel of the craft in the colder air.
couple of spent LiPo batteries to get the feeling back into My advice is to keep the batteries in a warm place and only
my fingers. bring them into the cold when you’re about to fly. I used to
There are also large enclosures available for the radio and pop everything into the boot of my car on the way to the field
your hands, too. They appear like one huge glove that covers where they would slowly chill, but now I keep the battery
everything and have a clear panel on the top so you can see box up front with me where the heat is as I travel to the flying
the screen of the radio. Those will help keep you and your field and only take them out of the warm at the last minute.
The other consideration is for all of those batteries that
you won’t use over the winter season. Don’t store LiPo
batteries away fully charged as it will cause irreversible
changes to the chemistry inside the battery and decrease its
performance and lifespan. Use the ‘Storage Charge’ setting
on your charger to get each of the cells in a battery to 3.8v.
At that voltage the batteries will be happy to sit for
months. Even with the low levels of self-discharge over
the winter months, the batteries should still be in good
shape when you get them out to charge again in spring.
The ‘smart’ LiPo batteries using BattGo technology will
auto-discharge to this 3.8v per cell level after a period
automatically but its good practice to always store your
packs at a storage charge any time of the year.
Clean and Dry

The big problem with the adverse weather is that the flying
conditions will often be muddy and wet. Moisture can affect
all of the electrical systems on a drone and cause failures
and unexpected behaviour. Multirotors are especially
vulnerable, as modern high performance frames and
motors have lots of space for cooling and saving weight.
This means that landing on wet grass, dirt or snow can
kick up a lot of water and mud into the sensitive parts of
your model. To counter this, I use a piece of foam-board
covered in tape to take-off and land on (although purpose-

“The photos, videos and experiences flying in these conditions can be
amazing, so make sure that those shots back home in one piece!”
built landing mats are available to buy), as well as keeping It’s the multirotor drones that tend to have the worst
a towel handy to dry off a model after a flight and help keep problems with the soft ground in winter months. ‘Hard
everything else clean and damp-free. landings’ that would just result in maybe a bent prop in the
Fixed wing models tend to end up with long muddy summer can end up with you digging the model out of the
streaks on the undercarriage and wingtips during landing. ground in winter. I’ve had a few crashes where one arm of
If it’s a foam model then you don’t need to worry too much the model was stuck straight into the muddy soil.
about it out in the field while it’s wet. Instead you can let the In the event of any imperfect landing, take care when
model dry out at home and use a soft brush to remove the recovering the model and try to remove as much of the
dried soil. It’s easier and works better. muck as you can. Be careful not to push the soil and grit
further into the motor or electronics and under any heat
shrink. I tend to remove what I can in the field and then
take it home to dry out and use a soft brush to clean up
what’s left.
If the bearings in the motor are not sealed then you may
end up with grit in one of them. If so, don’t panic; you
can flush them with bearing oil to dislodge any stubborn
particles. Motor protectors on the ends of arms can save
a lot of problems when flying in muddy places. Likewise,
there are products you can use to spray exposed electrical
components that provide a waterproof layer. If you are going
to fly a lot in places where the model may end up a little wet
these are well worth looking at.
Line of Sight
With the poorer light conditions, adding bright tape, and
especially LEDs, to a model is a great idea to improve your
eyes-on visibility. Orientation can be more challenging in
the flatter, lower light so the LEDs will let you fly safely in
dusk conditions allowing for a slightly longer flying day.
72 DRONE MAGAZINE

from the colder battery packs, the drone may not fly exactly
how you’re used to. You’ll quickly get to grips with it but use
the first few flights to get a feel for things and double-check
the flight times you’ll get from the LiPo packs you’re using.
The First-Person View

Flying FPV is one of the most fun ways to take to the skies
in the winter weather, as the sights are simply spectacular
and you’ll see some wonderful views of your local winter
landscape normally reserved for the birds and local light
aircraft. Again, it’s wise to add LEDs to the model. If the FPV
system has an issue you’ll need the help with orientation,
especially if you don’t have an automatic ‘Return to Home’
GPS function.
It also helps to ensure the model has a buzzer alert as a
model can sink into snow and slush. The first time I tried
to fly FPV in the cold weather I crashed. The lenses in my
FPV goggles steamed up in a matter of seconds and left me
unable to see what was going on. A short ditch-dive later I
was digging the quadcopter out of the mud.
In light of this incident, you should also watch out for
condensation on goggles and camera lenses and keep all
Watch for lower clouds and mist as you’re flying. The of your FPV gear in the warm until you intend to fly. Don’t
cloud base can be a lot lower in cold weather and the height store the goggles in the boot of the car like I had that first
of them can be deceptive, so stay on your toes and be time (much like the batteries); even with a demisting fan
prepared to reduce your altitude if you start to lose sight of like those fitted to the Fat Shark Dominator 3 and HD3
your drone in the clouds. goggles you’ll struggle to keep the lenses clear.
An obvious piece of advice is to be prepared to land Consider using a ground station instead of goggles in the
quickly if the weather changes. Rain, snow and lots of other cold weather. It’s not as immersive but in the lower light
winter delights can happen without a great deal of warning of a winter’s day the screen is a lot easier to see and there
and making sure you’re always ready to land at a moment’s isn’t the problem of misting up to consider. If you have
notice is good practice. I’ve had a few friends take off in something like the Fat Shark transformers, the screen can
lovely calm conditions and then be fighting gusts of wind be unclipped from the goggles and mounted on a tripod for
trying to bring a model into land safely. just this type of flying.
Remember that the denser, colder air will make the craft The last area to watch out for is the capabilities of the FPV
perform differently and with the changes in performance camera you’re using. Watch out for poor light conditions

and the likelihood of a low sun when you’re about to fly.
Cameras without a wide dynamic range will struggle to
expose the bright sun low in the sky and keep the detail in
the ground. Most of the modern cameras from RunCam and
Foxeer have very wide dynamic ranges and can handle this
easily, but older, cheaper cameras and those on the smaller
models can struggle and leave you looking at nothing useful
to fly with.
that’s a wrap!
Just because the weather closes in and the temperatures
drop, it doesn’t mean that you need to put your new hobby
on hold. With a little care, flying in winter can be even
more fun that flying in summer. Just watch those batteries,
including those in the radio and action cameras you’re
using, and don’t forget to wrap up warm yourself!
With the shorter days there are fewer opportunities to
fly unless you have a model with all of the extra pieces and
permissions for night flying. So my last piece of advice is
to consider buying a flying or FPV simulator to use when
conditions are against you in order to brush up on your
skills and keep that muscle memory nice and sharp. That
way, when you do have a beautiful calm and clear morning
you’ll be ready for a fun day’s flying!
“The cloud base can be a lot lower in cold weather

so be prepared to reduce your altitude if you start to
lose sight of your drone”
74 DRONE MAGAZINE

tap in to the best of FSM
I know you’ve written

about how much you
love print, but downloading
available to
download
today
FSM every month is just

so easy. I prefer doing it
this way!
– david ritchie, oak brook, Illinois
n Hi-res screen brings

out the best in FSM’s
photographs
n Many hours of relevant
matches and interviews
are included, exclusively
to FSM’s digital format
n Reading on the go has
never been easier
n Immediate access to
new and back issues
Try the FREE sample issue of FSM by searching your app store
for Fighting Spirit Magazine. You can also read FSM on your PC or
Mac by visiting www.tinyurl.com/PocketFSM
Super A4 house ad.indd 1 24/11/2017 18:20

Three’s a Crowd
Maui, Hawaii
“A swimmer comes across two sea
turtles near a reef.”

Photography on the Fly
All Photos by Naughty Cat Media
78 DRONE MAGAZINE
078-82_DM28[Aerial View]IKICGC.indd 78 24/11/2017 14:32

first
shots
One of the most popular
and obvious uses for
drones is for photography
and filming. So, for anyone
looking to take their first
aerial views, Mark Baker
is on hand to guide you
through the basics…
P
erhaps you’ve just finished unwrapping your brand
new drone, or maybe you’ve finally been tempted
to pick one up in the New Year sales – and of course
you want to get it in the air and show what you can
do. You might fancy yourself as the next big thing in aerial
photography, or maybe you’re planning some Hollywood-
quality video creations ready to dazzle your friends or
YouTubers around the world.
The bad news is that you’ve never shot an image that wasn’t
from your smartphone or an old digital camera. However, the
good news is that we’re here to help with some basic tips and
advice to give you the best possible results from your early
flights. Creative photography is a long (and often frustrating)
journey, so do yourself a favour and learn from the many
mistakes of those who have gone before you!
Schoolboy Errors
There are plenty of ways to ruin an aerial photo or video shoot
and, whether it’s your first flight or your thousandth, some of
them are easier to prevent than others. The following ground
rules might sound obvious, but trust us; pilots of all levels can
(and have) come unstuck. Whether you create a meticulous
mental checklist or some hastily scribbled notes, these basic
rules should be front and centre whenever you fly.
1. Always Remove Your Lens Cover!

Forgetting to do this on a traditional ground-based camera is a
minor inconvenience and only slightly embarrassing. At 400ft
and 500m away it can be soul-destroying. This is exacerbated
if you are a new pilot and lose your bearings without a video
feed, prompting an early function test of your drone’s ‘Return
to Home’ option.
If you can see the likes of grass, feet and ants on your screen
before take-off then you’re probably good to go. If all you see
is darkness do yourself a favour and check the lens cover is
off. We have it on good authority that more than one new
purchase has been returned to a dealer because “the camera
isn’t working”…
2. Check your Storage!

In the ‘good old days’ aerial photography was literally a hit-

and-hope affair. You pressed the timelapse shutter on your

GoPro and that was the last thing you could control until
you landed. For this reason it was reassuring to know that
you couldn’t possibly start capturing images without a
MicroSD card inserted.
However, many modern drones will not warn you
that your card slot is empty until you try and take a shot.
Arguably even worse, some apps will let you capture
images directly to your phone or tablet, but only at low
resolution. This writer once captured hundreds of shots of a
once-in-a-lifetime meeting of three cruise ships (in perfect
lighting conditions) and not realised until later that night
that they were stored on an app in 720p – which is great for
thumbnails but not so good for printing in poster size.
Always check that you have a card, it has enough space
on it, and you’ve inserted it before take-off. Keep a spare
card in your wallet, your car, or anywhere else that will save
you a humiliating journey home to get a new one. Get into
the habit of transferring your shots to a hard drive or cloud
storage, and then formatting your card before it goes back
into your flight case.
3. Remove Your Gimbal Guard / Clip!

These simple plastic attachments are fantastic for protecting
your precious camera / gimbal combination in transit.
Leaving them on while your drone is powering up is one
of the fastest ways to burn out the motors of your gimbal,
though. The crazy twitching that your camera unit does
when initialising is an important part of its calibration and
balancing routine. If you’re worried that you might forget,
attach a luggage tag, cable tie or even a big lanyard that
states “REMOVE ME!” to the retaining clip.
4. Keep it Clean!
Your monitor screen might do a good job of telling you that
you’ve left the lens cap on your camera. It’s not always great
for helping you identify fingerprints, dust, grease and any
other contaminants on the glass that could spoil your shoot.
‘Spit and Polish’ is great for shining boots but not really cut
out for delicate camera components.
The first line of defence is to minimise handling the
camera and keep the unit away from dust, sand and water.
For the times when that fails, do yourself a favour and
invest a few pounds in a lens-cleaning kit. It should have
a blower and/or soft brush for removing dust, a gentle
cleaning solution and a microfibre cloth.
Fully Automatic speaking, the auto mode will do a pretty

decent job of covering up any mistakes you
yourself a lot of aggravation – leaving you
free to spend more time flying and less
Even relatively basic drone cameras can make, giving you a much better foundation time fiddling with menus!
have a baffling array of features and to work from. Over time you will want to
settings for you to get lost in. In the longer experiment and push the camera settings
term you will want to master every variable to achieve certain effects or counter
at your disposal to produce the perfect problems you might face.
print (as we’ve covered in some of our If you are interested, it’s well worth
earlier issues). In the early days it’s better taking a bit of time to read up on what each
to avoid the frustration of battling with setting does to your final image. Change
fiddly menus, especially if you are new to only one variable at a time and you will
photography in general. Let your camera develop a much better understanding of
do some of the work for you, and leave as what works in a specific situation. Just
many settings as possible at ‘Auto’. don’t kill your new-found enthusiasm for
Historically, auto settings would give aerial photography by trying to do too
you a ‘best of a bad bunch’ result. With much, too soon. If you’re happy with the
recent drones this is not so true. Generally results in full auto mode then you can save
80 DRONE MAGAZINE

Shoot to Thrill
Practicalities out of the way, you’re probably desperate to
get snapping. While we can’t condense the whole spectrum
of aerial photography into one issue, there are some useful
tips we can offer to get you off the ground. Remember that
all rules are made to be broken, so if you find a different
technique that works for you then go for it!
Light and Shade

n The best lighting for shooting landscapes and those
scenic vistas is generally with the sun behind the camera.
If you think of the drone as your eyes it’s easier to imagine
the optimum position for the sun as coming over your
shoulders. This ensures that the scene is well lit without
harsh shadows and highlights.
n Shooting directly into the sun can create issues for your
camera. It can struggle to capture the darker parts of the
image accurately, even on a fairly cloudy day. Unless you
want to work with very high contrast shots or create strong
silhouettes try to avoid being ‘blinded by the light’.
This will likely be your introduction to HDR (High
Dynamic Range) – the difference between the brightest
and darkest parts of an image, and your camera’s ability break away from this and change the angle of your gimbal
to render them accurately in a single image. There are so that you have a ratio of one third foreground to two
editing solutions that can recover shadows and highlights, thirds sky, or vice versa.
but in general the easiest starting point to work from is an
evenly-lit image. n Another common trap to fall into is framing your shot
with the subject in the very centre. Try to reposition your
n Time of day is also a factor to consider. The first hour or camera so that points of interest sit on the line between
two after sunrise (and those before sunset) will often give vertical thirds of an image. For example, if you are shooting
the most pleasing results from an artistic point of view. This a building against a horizon, shift it to the left or right
holds true for many types of photography, but especially ‘third’ line instead of having it dead-centre.
when your tripod is at 400ft!
Colours will usually appear softer, warmer and a little n Even more impactful is to place subjects at the
more natural-looking. The long shadows at these times of intersections where vertical and horizontal third lines
day can be problematic, but they can also be used creatively. meet. This is a great way to naturally lead the viewer’s eye
Looking straight down from above when the sun is low in through an image.
the sky can unlock a whole world of shapes, shadows and
textures which aren’t apparent from the ground.
If you are struggling to visualise the thirds within an image try looking
n Watch out for glare and strong reflections which might at the options within your camera app. Most will allow you to overlay a
become a problem when you are higher up. Water (such as 3x3 grid on your preview image for precisely this reason (as do the likes
the sea and lakes) is the most common culprit but snow and of Instagram). Alternatively you could crop your images later in editing
ice, bare ground and reflective surfaces on buildings can all software to follow the rule of thirds, but remember you will lose overall
impact your image. These can be overcome to an extent by
resolution – and possibly other points of interest – by doing so.
changing the pitch of your camera gimbal or flying to shoot
from a slightly different angle.
Our recommendation, though, is to invest in a Circular
Polarizing filter (often called a CP or Polar) as your first
drone accessory. You don’t need to spend more than £10-20
to get hold of something which can make a massive impact
on your photography, reducing glare, adding contrast and
creating rich and interesting skies.
Classical Composition
While photography is a subjective matter there are a few
tips which can help to keep your shots interesting and add
some professional polish. Feel free to experiment with the
following and add your own twist to the classic techniques.
n Splitting your image into the ‘rule of thirds’ when you

compose it is a simple yet effective way of leading the eye
naturally through an image. The temptation when you first
start drone photography is to fly as high as possible and
keep the camera parallel to the ground. This usually results
in a horizon which sits exactly halfway in the frame. Try to

General Advice n Get yourself familiar with some free editing apps. We
n Plan ahead. Drone batteries don’t last for very long, so you tend to use Snapseed, but there are plenty of alternatives for
don’t want to waste precious air time by looking around for iOS and Android platforms alike. They will introduce you to
the perfect shot. If you can scout an area from the ground some of the fundamentals of image processing and creative
before take-off, or even use the likes of Google Earth to get editing, without you having to lose yourself for hours in
an aerial view, then you can give yourself an idea of what manuals and tutorials.
you want to photograph or film in advance, enabling you to
spend more time shooting and less time doing recon once n If you have a location nearby where you can fly safely,
you’re up in the air! try shooting at different times of the day and in varying
light conditions. This will really help to give you an
n It’s difficult to tell accurately from your camera exactly understanding of the different styles of image and effects
what you are capturing. Always shoot plenty of images, you can achieve, as well as identifying any strengths or
even when you have a clear idea of what you want to begin weaknesses in your camera’s performance.
with. Change your angles, heights and distances to give
yourself the most options to work with later, especially if n Try to get involved with aerial photo sharing sites (like
you are shooting in unusual lighting or a location you can’t Dronestagram and Skypixel) or join some of the many
easily get back to. Take shots on the way to, and back from Facebook groups dedicated to drone imagery. Don’t let the
your subject. We’ve had plenty of occasions when these odd troll discourage you from sharing your own shots – you
‘B-Roll’ captures have turned out to be the star of the show! can get advice, inspiration and support that might get you
through any spells when you don’t feel like you’re making
n Take a second or two to ease off your controls before you progress. And above all, fly safe and have fun!
hit the shutter. Drone gimbals have come a long way in a
short time and do a great job of stabilizing your camera, so
give them the best possible chance to give you a sharp image Mark Baker is a professional aerial photographer and
by letting your aircraft settle into position before a capture. cinematographer. You can see more of his work, and get
Shooting from a moving drone leaves the shot susceptible to in contact with him if you have any specific questions, via
blurring or having the props tilting into the frame. his website www.naughtycatmedia.co.uk.
82 DRONE MAGAZINE

THE UK’s best magazine
for Asian pop culture
Anime, manga, movies, games, music,

cosplay and more!
Every four weeks
£4.75 at Tesco, Asda, WHSmiths and independent shops
facebook.com/neomagazineuk www.selectmagazines.co.uk/product/neo twitter.com/neo_magazine
NEO house ad_NEW_SuperA4.indd 1 01/11/2017 12:50

Drone On Get connected with DRONE Maga zine
facebook.com/DRONEMagUK twitter.com/DRONEMagUK
All the latest news, videos and industry announcements. Follow us to Regular tweets about the magazine and updates from around the drone
stay up-to-date and have your say on new developments. industry. 280 characters is more than enough!
instagram.com/DRONEMagUK w w w.dronemagazine.uk
We’ll be sharing some of the best images from the magazine, and Take a few clicks to catch up on any missing back issues or pick up a
maybe a few photos fresh from the latest press event! great subscription deal and get the mag delivered straight to your door.
Dronestagram
www.dronestagr.am
The beautiful showcase shots in this
issue were taken by Hawaiian native
Dawn Jernaill. You can see more great
shots of her homeland and other
stunning locations on her Dronestagram
profile page, www.dronestragr.am/
author/dawn-jernaill, as well as finding
many more great photos and videos on
the main website www.dronestagr.am.
www.get-drone.today
www.dronestagr.am Never miss an issue! Subscribe today from only £14.99.
84 DRONE MAGAZINE
084_DM28[SocialMedia]IKICGC.indd 84 24/11/2017 17:31

Nationwide professionals for hire
Drone Safe Register (DSR) provides a national,
searchable database containing the contact
NEW Aerial Footage Stock Website
details and profiles of trained, qualified and
insured drone pilots who are available for hire
within the UK.
Y
DSR has made the process of finding and hiring
a legal drone pilot quick and easy.
Simply search using a postcode or area and The U
K’s
prem
choose from the list of approved drone operators ium
aeria
available for hire in that region. l stoc
webs k
ite
HIRE
dronesaferegister.org.uk
Core
CoreCoverdrone
Coverdronefeatures…
features… BESPOKEINSURANCE
BESPOKE INSURANCE
. . Loss
Lossorordamage
damageto tothe
thedrones
dronesandandassociated
associated equipment
equipment Weunderstand
We understandthe
therisks
risksinvolved,
involved,the
themechanics
mechanicsandand
. . Public/ProductsLiability
Public/Products Liabilityinsurance
insurance properties
propertiesof
ofCommercial
CommercialDrone
Droneapplications.
applications.Coverdrone
Coverdrone
. . In-house,fast
In-house, fastclaims
claimsservice
service isisaabespoke
bespokeinsurance
insuranceproduct
productfor
forthe
theaviation
aviationindustry.
industry.
. . AviationLiability
Aviation Liabilitycover
cover(hi-jacking,
(hi-jacking,unlawful
unlawfulseizure
seizure of
of aircraft
aircraft and other perils) WE
WECAN
CANCOVER
COVERIT
IT
. . ProfessionalIndemnity
Professional Indemnity(inc.(inc.data
dataprotection
protectionand
and invasion
invasion of privacy)
. . Reinstatementofofdata data Whether
Whetheryour
yourintended
intendeduse
useisisfor
forInspection,
Inspection,Surveillance,
Surveillance,
Reinstatement
. . Increasedcosts
costsofofworking
working(replacement
(replacementdrone
drone hire)
hire) Photographic
Photographicororother
otherpurposes
purposeswe wecancanhelp.
help.IfIfyou’re
you’renot
not
Increased
. . Fullreinstatement
reinstatementcovercover sure
surewhat
whatcover
coveryou
youneed
needjust
justgetgetinintouch
touchand
andwe’ll
we’llbe
be
Full
. . Coverforforoperating
operatingatat‘high-risk’
‘high-risk’premises,
premises,over
over water
water and
and indoors happy
happyto
toadvise
adviseyou.
you.
Cover
. . Worldwidecover
Worldwide cover
.
Coverdrone
CoverdroneFlySafe
FlySafe
. ‘In-training’cover
‘In-training’ cover
Compliantwith withEUEURegulation
Regulation(EC)
(EC)No
No785/2004
785/2004 Coverdrone
CoverdroneFlySafe
FlySafeisisaacompanion
companionapplication
applicationfor
forallall
Compliant
Coverdrone
Coverdronecustomers
customersdesigned
designedtotohelp
helpplan
planand
and
conduct
conducttheir
theirdrone
droneflights
flightsquicker
quickerand
andsafer
saferthan
than
ever
everbefore.
before.Available
Availableon onboth
bothiOS
iOSand
andAndroid.
Android.
@coverdrone
@coverdrone coverdrone
coverdrone
“Flysafe.
“Fly safe. We've
We've got you covered.” coverdrone@johnheath.com
coverdrone@johnheath.com
www.coverdrone.com
www.coverdrone.com
ads.indd
ads.indd 1
1 27/10/2017
01/09/2017 18:23
10:38
Next Issue Photo by ImmersionRC
GETTING OUR MOJO

Hands-on with ImmersionRC’s new Vortex 230 racer
ON SALE thursday 4 th january

Plus
DJI Goggles Racing Edition // 3D Mapping
Zenmuse X7 // Augmented Reality // And more!
86 DRONE MAGAZINE
086_DM28[NextIssue]IKICGC.indd 86 24/11/2017 17:32

back issues order form
back issues
Missing an earlier issue? Order a copy and
Your details
Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms (delete as applicable)
First name ..................................................................................................................................................................................
Surname .......................................................................................................................................................................................
complete your collection today…
Address ...........................................................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Issue 27 Issue 26 Issue 25 Issue 24
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Postcode ............................................................. Country ....................................................................................
Email .....................................................................................................................................................................................................
Daytime phone .................................................................................................................................................................
Issue 23 Issue 22 Issue 21 Issue 20

Mobile ................................................................................................................................................................................................
Payment details
Issue numbers of Drone Magazine required
.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Each back issue costs £5.99 + £1 for p&p (UK only)*

Issue 19 Issue 18 Issue 17 Issue 16 *For overseas rates please visit our website at www.get-drone.today,
or call 01202 087627
Cheque
[ ] I enclose a cheque for ..............................................................................................................................
All cheques and postal orders must be made payable to “Uncooked Media Ltd”
Credit/debit card
[ ] Visa [ ] MasterCard [ ] Maestro [ ] Switch
Card Number
Issue 15 Issues 14 Issue 13
drone Expiry date Valid from (if shown)

magazine
back issues
are priced Issue number Security number
(if shown) (last 3 digits on the back of the card)
at £5.99
+ £1 p&p
Three easy ways to order: Signature ...........................................................................................................................................................................
01202 087627 Date D D MM Y Y Y Y

Please have all your details to hand
Return this form to: Drone Magazine Back Issues, Select
Complete the form (right) and send it to: Drone Magazine Back Issues, Publisher Services Ltd, PO Box 6337, Bournemouth BH1 9EH
Select Publisher Services Ltd, PO Box 6337, Bournemouth BH1 9EH [ ] Please tick this box if you DO NOT want to receive any other
information from Select Publisher Services.
www.get-drone.today [ ] Please tick this box if you DO NOT want to receive any other
information from other companies.
Go to the above URL and click on the back issues link for a full list
Please allow 14 days for delivery of your back issues. DM#28 WWW.DRONEMAGAZINE.UK 87
087_DM28[BackIssues]IKICGC.indd 1 24/11/2017 17:33

Photo by DJI
Never miss an issuE OF
DRONE MAGAZINE
Subscribe today from as little as £14.99*
88 DRONE MAGAZINE
088-9_DM28[subs]IKICGC.indd 88 24/11/2017 14:38

Photo by DJI
SUBSCRIption form
YES! I’d like to subscribe to DRONE MAGAZINE and save money.
This subscription is: n For me n A gift for someone* DM#28
Your details Mr n Mrs n Miss n Ms n

First name ............................................................... Surname .................................................................................
Address ............................................................................................................................................................................
Postcode .................................................................. Email ........................................................................................
Daytime phone ..................................................... Mobile ......................................................................................
*If giving DRONE MAGAZINE as a gift, please complete both the recipient’s and your own details (above).
gift recipIent’s details only Mr n Mrs n Miss n Ms n

First name ............................................................... Surname .................................................................................
Address ............................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................... Postcode .................................................
Payment options
Direct Debit payment £14.99 every 3 issues (UK only)
Instruction to your bank or building society to pay by Direct Debit

Please fill in the form and send to:
DRONE Subs, Select Publisher Services Ltd,
Service user number 8 n n3 n8 n7 n7 n3
PO Box 6337, Bournemouth BH1 9EH
Name and full postal address of your bank or building society:
To: The Manager Bank/building society .....................................................................................................
Address ....................................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................. Postcode ...................................................
Name(s) of account holder(s) .....................................................................................................................................
n n n n n n Account number n n n n n n n n
get 12 issues for £50!
Branch sort code
Get 12 issues for £50! Reference n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n (Official use only)
exclusive christmas offer Instruction to your bank or building society

Please pay Select Publisher Services Ltd Direct Debits from the account detailed in this
instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand
that this instruction may remain with Select Publisher Services Ltd and, if so, details will
Call 01202 087627 be passed electronically to my bank/building society.
and subscribe via debit or credit card Signature ................................................................................................. Date n n /n n/n n
Online at www.get-drone.today Banks and building societies may not accept Direct Debit instructions for some types of account.
Subscription pricing when paying by cheque or credit/debit card

Pay by cheque or postal order, made payable
to Uncooked Media Ltd
6 issues UK £30 n 12 issues UK £50 n 6 issues EUR £45 n
And send to: 12 issues EUR £80 n 6 issues ROW £50 n 12 issues ROW £90 n
DRONE Subs, Select Publisher Services,
PO Box 6337, Bournemouth BH1 9EH Cheque
I enclose a cheque for ............................................ (made payable to Uncooked Media Ltd)
Benefits
Get your copy before it hits the shops Credit/debit card n Visa n MasterCard n Maestro n Switch
Save money
Never miss an issue Card Number nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Posted direct to your door
Free delivery Expiry date n n n n Valid from n n n n (if shown)

n n (if shown) nnn
prices Issue number

Security number
(last 3 digits on the back of the card)
UK 12 issues £50
UK 6 issues £30 Signature ................................................................................................. Date n n /n n/n n
Eur 12 issues £80
I would like my subscription to begin from issue ................................................................. (month + year)
Eur 6 issues £45
ROW 12 issues £90
Return this form to:
ROW 6 issues £50
DRONE Subs, Select Publisher Services Ltd, PO Box 6337, Bournemouth BH1 9EH
Direct Debit = UK only, £14.99 every three issues lease tick this box if you DO NOT want to receive any other information from Select Publisher Services Ltd
P
and Uncooked Media Ltd.
Please tick this box if you DO NOT want to receive any other information from other companies.
*with a UK Direct Debit
088-9_DM28[subs]IKICGC.indd 89 24/11/2017 14:38

Buyer’s guide
Bionic Bird
Category: Ornithopter
Street Price: €129 (£116)
Camera: None
our comprehensive guide to some of the best Weight: 9.2g

Wingspan: 330mm
drones on the market. check your budget, the Battery Type: 55mAh LiPo
Control / Range: 2.4GHz / 100m
key specs and see what’s right for you! Best Feature: Fly like a bird!
TrndLabs Fader
Category: Indoor, Outdoor, Fun Flyer
Street Price: £99
Camera: 720p, 1MP
Weight: 55g
Diagonal Motor Spacing: 175mm
Battery Type: 520mAh LiPo
GestureBotics Aura Best Feature: Good starter model
Category: Toy, Fun Flyer
Street Price: £99.99
Camera: None
Weight: 54g
Diagonal motor spacing: 85mm
(without cage)
Battery type: 500mAh LiPo
Control / Range: Glove / 7 metres
Skeye Hexa Drone Best feature: Fully gesture controlled
Category: Toy, Indoor, Compact
Camera: None UDI U818A FPV
Weight: 30g Category: Camera drone
Diagonal Motor Spacing: 130mm Street price: £130
Battery Type: LiPo Size: 250mm
Control / Range: 2.4GHz / 50m Weight: 140g
Best Feature: Great for beginners Best Feature: Live-view in App
Parrot Mambo Revell Control GPS Pulse

Category: Indoor, Outdoor, Fun Quadcopter
Street Price: £99 Category: Indoor, Outdoor, Fun Flyer
Camera: 3MP / 60fps Street Price: £109.00 BLADE INDUCTRIX
Weight: 63g Camera: 720p, 2MP FPV BNF
Diagonal Motor Spacing: 180mm Weight: 152g Category: Indoor, Racer, FPV
Battery Type: 550mAh LiPo Diagonal Motor Spacing: 185mm Street Price: £85.99 (£164 for the
£150
Control / Range: iOS or Android / 20m Battery Type: 610mAh, 7.4v LiPo Ready-to-Fly version)
Best Feature: Ideal for office hi-jinks! Control / Range: 2.4GHz / 50m Camera: Integrated FPV
Best Feature: Great stability for its size Weight: 24g
Revell Control
under
Battery type: 200mAh LiPo

VR-Quadcopter Revell Multicopter Control / Range: 2.4GHz RF / 100m
Category: Indoor, Outdoor, Fun Flyer Hexatron Best feature: Perfect for rookie racers
Street Price: £99.00 Category: Outdoor
Camera: 720p, 2MP Street Price: £100.00
Weight: 100g Camera: Optional FPV version Syma 4 Channel 2.4Ghz
Diagonal Motor Spacing: 280mm Weight: 1200g Quadcopter with Camera
Battery Type: 500mAh, 3.7v LiPo Diagonal motor spacing: 114mm Category: Indoor, Outdoor
Control / Range: 2.4GHz / 50m Battery type: LiPo Street Price: £45
Best Feature: Good introduction to FPV flying Control / Range: 2.4GHz / 100m Camera: Front-facing, 0.3MP
Best feature: It’s just monstrously big Weight: 590g
Battery type: LiPo
Control / Range: 2.4GHz RF / 500m
Best feature: Lightweight prop guards
Top 5
Budget Drones Revell Control
Mini Charger
1 Hubsan X4 Category: Indoor, Outdoor, Fun Flyer
2 Parrot Rolling Spider Camera: None
3 Syma X5SC-1 Weight: 15g
4 UDI U818A FPV Battery Type: 250mAh Li-Po
5 Blade Glimpse FPV Control / Range: 2.4GHz / 20m
Best Feature: Protective cage
90 DRONE MAGAZINE
090-3_DM28[BuyersGuide]IKICGC.indd 92 24/11/2017 02:57

Cameras
Not every drone comes with its
ImmersionRC Vortex 285
Category: Racer
Street Price: £300
Camera: Fit your FPV camera of choice
camera attached… Weight: 350g (no battery or camera)
Battery type: 3S/4S Li-Po
Control / Range: RF
Best feature: Foldable
Yuneec Breeze
Category: Indoor, Outdoor, Flying Camera
Street Price: £439
Camera: 4K / 13MP
Xiro Xplorer Mini
Weight: 385g (inc. battery)
Street Price: £429 / €499
Camera: 1080p, 13MP
GoPro Battery Type: 1150mAh Li-Po
Control / Range: 5GHz Wi-Fi / 100m
Street Price: Hero 4 £280 / Best Feature: Great for aerial selfies
Battery type: 1650mAh, 3S Li-Po
Session £160 Control / Range: 2.4GHz / 100m
The grand-daddy of all action cameras, Best feature: Portable AND powerful
DJI Spark
the GoPro Hero series is well loved by Category: Indoor, Outdoor, Flying Camera
professional filmmakers the world over, Street Price: £519
and the top-end Black Edition can grab Camera: 1080p, 12MP
Ehang Ghostdrone 2.0
4K video at 30fps, but a faster frame rate is Weight: 300g
Aerial
Category: Outdoor, Flying Camera
helpful for FPV, so users often switch down Diagonal Motor Spacing: 143mm
Street Price: £540
to ‘Full HD’ (1080p) at 60fps. The tiny cube- Battery Type: 1480mAh, 3S LiPo
Camera: 4K Sports Camera (GoPro 3, 3+ and 4
like ‘Session’ model can also shoot video at Control / Range: Wi-Fi / 100m
compatible)
this quality, though it can’t capture stills. Best Feature: Great tech in a small package
Weight: 1150g
Battery Type: 4500mAh LiPo
Xiro Xplorer
Control / Range: Smart device required / 500m
Best Feature: Fully controlled with
Street Price: From £315
your phone
Camera: 1080p, 30fps
Battery Type: 3S Li-Po, 1300mAh
Mobius Best Feature: Great price
Street Price: £60

A less financially-distressing action The Beast 280 MK2
camera, the Full HD Mobius is also shaped Racing Drone
differently, with the lens on the nose of a Category: Racer
mini candy bar rather than the GoPro’s tiny Street Price: £350
£150-£600
traditional camera shape; many find this Camera: Sony 700TVL
more practical to strap onto self-builds. Weight: 30g
Battery Type: Li-Po
Control / Range: Optional
Best Feature: Very, very fast
Propel Star Wars Collection

Category: Fun Flyer, Air Combat, Collectible
Street Price: £190
Camera: None
Weight: Varied
Diagonal Motor Spacing: Varied
Accessory: B&W Type 1000

Battery Type: 800mAh Li-Po
DJI Zenmuse cameras Best Feature: Too cool to fly!
DJI Spark case
Street Price: Z3 (Zoom) £800 / X5
from £1,250 Price: £40.91
DJI’s Inspire 1 introduced a mount for a Top 5 Dimensions: 270 x 215 x 105mm
weight: 1.7lbs (1.9lbs with packaging)
detachable camera and gimbal combination
which has now made it into a number of Beginner Drones volume: 4.1 litres
DJI aircraft, as well as the handheld Osmo. Designed as an entry level case for the aspiring
The Z3 offers 3.5x optical zoom for £799, 1 DJI Phantom 4 Spark pilot, this offering from B&W boasts all of
while the X5 features a detachable lens 2 Parrot Bebop 2 the features that we have come to expect when
looking for a rugged storage and transport
and, crucially, a much bigger image sensor
– as each pixel can more accurately detect
3 Hubsan X4 solution for your quad. It makes for a solid,
more subtle gradations in light and is less 4 Blade Nano QX lightweight, durable travel system that feels
susceptible to noise. 5 Blade Glimpse FPV like it could take a real beating and still protect
the equipment inside.

Software
Accessories
If you’re going to take drones
DJI Phantom 4 Advanced
Category: Commercial, Flying Camera
Street Price: £1,469
DJI Matrice 200
Category: Professional, Flying Rig
Street Price: From £5,899
Camera: 4K, 20MP Camera: None (X4S, X5S, Z30 and XT compatible)
seriously, then expect software to
become a big part of your life, too! Weight: 1,368g Weight: 3.8kg
Diagonal motor spacing: 350mm Diagonal Motor Spacing: 887mm
Battery type: 5870mAh, 4S LiPo Battery type: 4280mAh Li-Po
Control / Range: 2.4GHz / 4.3 miles (7km) Control / Range: 2.4/5.8GHz / 4.3 miles (7km)
Best feature: Excellent camera Best feature: Brilliant with the Z30 camera
DJI Inspire 2 Yuneec Tornado H920 Plus

Category: Commercial, Professional, Flying Camera Category: Professional, Flying Camera
Street Price: £3,059 Street Price: £3,999
Camera: None (X4S and X5S compatible) Camera: 4K, 16MP
Weight: 5kg
Adobe Lightroom
Weight: 3,920g (with batteries, without camera/
gimbal) Diagonal Motor Spacing: 920mm
£6.98 per month Diagonal motor spacing: 605mm Battery Type: 4000mAh, 6S LiPo
Battery type: 4280mAh Li-Po (dual system) Control / Range: 2.4/5.8GHz / 1 mile (1.6km)
Easily the most capable image cataloging
Control / Range: 2.4/5.8GHz / 4.3 miles Best Feature: Pro air and ground solution
and editing program to emerge in the
era of ‘RAW’ image files. What makes Best feature: Top of the line technology
RAW files such a leap forward is that they
record as much of the dynamic range as QuestUAV Q-100 Datahawk
the camera is capable of recording. This DJI Matrice 600 Category: Pro-mapping, long-range survey
effectively means that even if something Category: Commercial, Professional Rig Street Price: £15,995
is way too dark or too light there is a
Street Price: £3,999 Camera: 20MP Sony QX1
decent chance of recovering it – and
Camera: Not included Weight: 2kg
Lightroom is the place to do it.
Weight: 9.1kg wingspan: 1160mm
Diagonal Motor Spacing: 1668mm Battery Type: Ah Li-Po
Battery Type: 4500mAh Li-Po (5700mAh Range: 8,000m
optional) Best Feature: Rugged, all-weather design
Control / Range: 2.4/5.8GHz / 3.1 miles (5km)
Best Feature: Highly versatile
PowerVision PowerEye
Category: Commercial, Flying Camera
Street Price: £3,999
Pix4Dmapper Mesh Camera: 4K, 16.1MP
£320 per year Weight: 3.9Kg
If you’re interested in landing work with
£600+
Battery Type: Dual 9000mAh LiPo

quantity surveyors, or perhaps have an
architectural scheme to pitch, this will Control / Range: 2.4GHz / 3.1 miles (5km) PowerVision PowerEgg
allow you to turn a grid of photos into a Best Feature: Intelligent design Category: Outdoor, Flying Camera
photorealistic 3D model. In turn you can Street Price: £1,399
also do great things from spectacular Camera: 4K, 13.8MP
special effects to digital volumetrics. DJI Mavic Pro Weight: 2.1kg
Category: Indoor, Outdoor, Flying Camera Diagonal Motor Spacing: 476mm
Street Price: £1,089 Battery Type: 6400mAh Li-Po
Camera: 4K/1080p, 12.7MP Control / Range: 2.4GHz / 3.1 miles (5km)
Weight: 743g Best Feature: Unique stylish design
Battery Type: 3830mAh, 3S Li- Po
Control / Range: 2.4GHz / 4.3 miles (7km)
Best Feature: Great tech in a portable package
Liftoff Top 5
£14.99 on Mac or PC
Liftoff isn’t the only FPV sim out there, but
it’s the one the community seems to talk
All-Time Greats
about the most. You can fly a virtual Vortex 1 DJI Phantom Series
250 or 285 using a Spektrum or FRSky 2 Parrot AR.Drone
Taranis controller (or a PS4 pad). Pricier
simulators like DroneSimPro or RealFlight 3 Hubsan X4
might make more sense if you’re looking to 4 Fossils Stuff Gravity 250
master more than just FPV.
5 Yuneec Typhoon H
92 DRONE MAGAZINE

Gear up for FPV
Even if you’re getting a pre-built
GPC Inspire 2 Backpack
Price: $299 (£228)
dimensions: 610 x 520 x 254mm
racer, make sure you’ve got (or weight: 363g (544g shipping)
are getting) everything you need. At $299 this isn’t cheap, but then quality cases aren’t and
this definitely offers more than just another solid box to
move your drone around in. If you’re prepared to ‘shell’
out even more to protect your Inspire 2, then you can add
a hard case to store the backpack in for a further $295.
Alternatively, GPC also offers a hard-shell Travel Mode Case
for $469 and the top-end Landing Mode Case for $549.
Fossils stuff revo

Category: Bind-n-Fly FPV
RC Controller Street price: $288 (£219)

Size (motor-to-motor): 180-240mm
and Receiver Weight (frame only): 115g

Best feature: Super rigid design
It should be obvious, but you’ll need
something to control your craft and
communicate via the transmitter (TX),
and your craft will need the means to hear ImmersionRC Vortex 250 Pro
it (RX). The pair will need to work together Category: Ready-to-Fly FPV
(so use the same manufacturer). The big Street Price: £400
brands are Spektrum, Turnigy and FRSky, Size (motor-to-motor): 250mm
and more expensive models offer the Holybro Kopis 1 Carbon Fibre: 4mm thick
ability to store settings for multiple craft Category: Ready-to-Fly FPV Weight (before battery, camera): 415g
and possibly even to display telemetry
Street Price: £175 Best feature: The LEDs (in this RTF version)
data like battery health (assuming the
Size (motor-to-motor): 230mm
aircraft can transmit it).
Weight (with battery!): 300g
Best feature: Beautiful carbon fibre finish ImpulseRC Alien 5”
Category: FPV Frame
Street price (frame only): £110
Lumenier QAV-X CHARPU Size (motor-to-motor): 225mm
Category: FPV frame Weight (frame only): 135g
Street price (frame only): £90 Best feature: Replaceable arms
Carbon Fibre: 4mm thick
Goggles (or monitor) Size (motor-to-motor): 214mm
Top 5
Weight (frame & battery protector
and Camera
FPV frames
only): 93g
FPV is defined by the ability to see that
‘first person’ view. The company Fat Shark
Best feature: Camera mount system
Flying Cameras
is almost synonymous with these goggles, 1 DJI Inspire 2
although alternatives can be found (some ViFly R130
find the bigger Quanum screen-in-a-box Category: Bind and Fly FPV
2 DJI Phantom 4
more comfortable). Some feature built-in Street Price: $189 (£143) 3 Parrot Disco
receivers and might be bundled with a Size (motor-to-motor): 130mm 4 Yuneec Typhoon H
camera and transmitter, too. FPV racers
see a lot of static, so look out for a ‘non-
Weight (frame only): 165g 5 3DR Solo
Best feature: Good all-round FPV model
blue screen’ monitor which won’t revert
to a blank ‘no signal’ screen in tough
conditions.
Accessory: FrSky Taranis Q X7S
Batteries Price: £164
Channels: 16 (up to 32)
and charger lcd screen: 128 x 64 outdoor readable LCD
model memories: 60 (extendable via
If you’re not going down
the DJI route (and few MicroSD (TF) card)
people would purely for Compatibility: FrSky receivers in
FPV flying), then charging D16/LR12 mode
batteries, or Lithium-ion Polymer batteries We could still happily recommend the original Q
(better known as Li-Po), while still not X7 as an entry-level radio but with upgraded M7
exactly art, are a little further from science gimbals, new switches and several added features
than you might hope for. A good charger (such as the wireless trainer function), the Q
and a charging/discharging regimen is X7S just offers that little bit more – but at a cost.
important; always make sure you look Although if you don’t fancy the extra expense,
after your batteries! you should be able to pick up the older model at a
knock-down price!

All photos by LaTrax
RE GUL AT IONS : UK
If you’ve recently got your first drone it’s crucial that you understand and
appreciate the rules and regulations for flying. Here’s a one-stop guide to the
key information you’ll need to stay safe and legal in the United Kingdom!
THE LEGAL POSITION Article 94; (Small Unmanned Aircraft) (b) over or within 150 metres of an organised
The operation of multirotors for sport and 2) The person in charge of a small unmanned open-air assembly of more than 1,000 persons;
recreational purposes is covered by the same aircraft may only fly the aircraft if reasonably (c) within 50 metres of any vessel, vehicle or
legal considerations as other model aircraft; satisfied that the flight can safely be made. structure which is not under the control of the
the law makes no specific distinction on types 3) The person in charge of a small unmanned person in charge of the aircraft; or
of aircraft other than weight limits. aircraft must maintain direct, unaided visual (d) subject to paragraphs 3) and 4), within 50
The overriding consideration is compliance with contact with the aircraft sufficient to monitor metres of any person.
the relevant articles of the Civil Aviation, Air its flight path in relation to other aircraft, 3) Subject to paragraph 4), during take-off or
Navigation Order; the primary “endangering” persons, vehicles, vessels and structures for the landing, a small unmanned surveillance aircraft
provisions are addressed by Articles 241 and 240 purpose of avoiding collisions. must not be flown within 30 metres of any
which are reproduced here: 5) The person in charge of a small unmanned person.
aircraft must not fly the aircraft for the purposes 4) Paragraphs 2) d) and 3) do not apply to
Article 241; of commercial operations except in accordance the person in charge of the small unmanned
“A person must not recklessly or negligently with a permission granted by the CAA. surveillance aircraft or a person under the
cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any control of the person in charge of the aircraft.
person or property.” Perhaps the most relevant provisions in terms 5) In this article ‘a small unmanned surveillance
of photography / filming with model aircraft aircraft’ means a small unmanned aircraft
Article 240; as a sport and recreational activity are covered which is equipped to undertake any form of
“A person must not recklessly or negligently act within Article 95 below, which sets out the surveillance or data acquisition.
in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft, or basic conditions of operation, as well as
any person in an aircraft.” specifying exact distances. These regulations are only concerned with
models equipped with cameras, video
These apply to all model aircraft at all times, Article 95; (Small unmanned surveillance equipment etc that have the potential to be
whatever their weight or size. aircraft) used for surveillance purposes, either visual
1) The person in charge of a small unmanned or electronic. It should also be noted that the
Article 94 (set out here) covers the general surveillance aircraft must not fly the aircraft above legislation (Articles 94 and 95) does NOT
principles that again apply to all model aircraft. in any of the circumstances described in prohibit you from flying a camera or video
However, only the provisions that specifically paragraph 2) except in accordance with a equipped model for recreational purposes.
apply to the activity we are discussing here are permission issued by the CAA. The person in charge of the model must retain
included. Aircraft weighing in excess of 7kg 2) The circumstances referred to in paragraph direct visual contact with the model (Article
have other, additional legislation, but these are 1) are:- 94) and there are some restrictions as to where
fairly specialized pieces of equipment more (a) over or within 150 metres of any congested you can fly (Article 95). Probably the most
usually employed in commercial operations. area; important of these restrictions are the limits of
94 DRONE MAGAZINE
094-5_DM28[RegulationsUK]IKICGC.indd 94 24/11/2017 02:56

“The operation of multirotors for sport
and recreational purposes is covered
by the same legal considerations as
other model aircraft”
not flying within 50 metres of any person or package (provided that the activity is legal in The other main consideration is the overall
30 metres from any person during take-off and respect of the Air Navigation Order). suitability of the location for the activity, and
landing, and these are exactly the same as for However, where a flight is made for payment that all flying can take place in compliance
any model over 7 kg. or the purpose is in any way commercial, i.e. with the primary “endangering” provisions
not as a sport and recreational activity, then it of the ANO (Articles 240 and 241) and also in
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION becomes classed as ‘commercial operations’ by accordance with the distances set out in Article
As ever, a little common sense goes a long way the CAA and requires an exemption to the Air 95 above.
towards interpreting and complying with the Navigation Order to be issued in order to take
relevant legal requirements. The primary aim place lawfully. Details of this and exemption Text provided by www.bmfa.org. Visit the site
of the various Air Navigation Order provisions application information can be obtained for more information on all aspects of model
is to prevent members of the public being through the CAA website www.caa.co.uk. flying, including membership and insurance.
endangered, and full size aviation being It should be noted that “commercial operations”
endangered. To a lesser degree, these provisions are an entirely separate activity to model flying
also help to limit the potential for causing and, as such, must be insured under the terms
nuisance and for invading privacy. of an appropriate commercial policy. SUMMARY
In terms of filming or image capturing, this The standard policy provided to BMFA members
n Be familiar with the legal requirements relating to
limits how close we can get to people and does not provide cover for aerial photography
your chosen activity.
structures that are nothing to do with us (i.e. on a commercial basis.
n Do not endanger person or property.
not under the control of the pilot); however,
the positive aspect is that the wording of 95(c) FLYING LOCATIONS n Ensure that the proposed flying location is
permits closer operations where it is with the Whilst the overall considerations are the same appropriate and safe.
consent and knowledge of all parties involved as for any other model aircraft, there is no
n Maintain line of sight for the purposes of control at
(notwithstanding the primary endangering doubt that multirotors open up new areas for
all times (see CAA Exemption for specific details of
considerations, of course). flying due to their ability to operate in relatively
FPV flight permissions).
small spaces. This does however mean that
n Charging for flights renders it a commercial operation.
commerical operations OR careful consideration is required before flying
SPORT AND RECREATION? in order to remain lawful. n Do not constitute a nuisance.
Another primary consideration is the purpose If intending to fly on private land, then the
n Do not invade privacy.
of the flight. The flying of a model aircraft with permission of the landowner should be sought.
a camera on board is recognised as a sport and If flying on public land such as a park or open n E nsure that appropriate liability insurance cover is
recreational activity by the CAA, and therefore access site, then you must ensure that there are in place to protect you in the event of an incident
covered under the terms of the insurance no bylaws in place specifically prohibiting or leading to a claim against you.
provided as part of the BMFA membership restricting model flying.
094-5_DM28[RegulationsUK]IKICGC.indd 95 24/11/2017 02:56

DRONE GLOSSARY
A Guide to the Tech Talk
Types of Drones Parts
Drone: A popularised term for all Accelerometer / ACC:

unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) Component that measures the G
force/acceleration
Camera Drone: A drone
(usually a quadcopter) with a Battery Eliminator Circuit
camera attached / BEC: Device to allow the battery
to power multiple components
Radio Controlled / RC:
Drones and model vehicles of all Electronic Speed
sorts that are controlled remotely Controller / ESC: Conveys
signal from controller to motors
Multirotor: A drone with
several motors, or props Flight Controller: Controls
the movement of the drone
Tricopter: A drone with three
motors, or props Gimbal: Mount that steadies the
camera’s movement relative to the
Quadcopter: A drone with ground
four motors, or props
Gyroscope: Device to allow the
Hexacopter: A drone with six drone to maintain its level
motors, or props
Lithium Polymer / LiPo:
Octocopter: A drone with Popular energy source for drone
eight motors, or props batteries
DRONE SAFE REGISTER: UK on-baord camera typically via
Nanocopter: An exceptionally database of trained pilots and a pair of goggles or a monitor, Props: Short for propeller, the
small drone commercial UAV services usually for racing rotating motor that the blades are
fitted to
Ready To Fly / RTF: A drone FAA: Federal Aviation Line of Sight / LOS:
supplied with all parts, ready to go Administration Maintaining visual contact with Power distribution board
from the box your drone at all times: a legal / PDB: Divides electrical power to
FPVUK: A non-profit organistion requirement the circuits
Bind ‘n’ Fly / BNF: Ready to be for FPV flying in the UK
bound to a transmitter and flown Payload: The amount a drone Receiver: Device that receives
IAA: Irish Aviation Authority can lift, aside from its own weight signals from the transmitter and
Almost Ready To Fly / ARF: and batteries sends them to the flight controller
A partially built drone Jargon
PfCO: Permission for Commercial Transmitter: The control
UAV: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Autonomous: A pre- Operations. The certification device that sends pilot commands
programmed flight mode for a required to fly for work in UK. to the drone’s receiver
Associations and drone with no live input from pilot
Organisations Pitch: The front/back movement
ARPAS UK: Association of

Altitude Hold: Maintaining
height in flight mode
or tilt of the drone in the air Useful links
Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Return to home / RTH: A www.arpas.uk
Bind: Connecting a controller to failsafe GPS option that returns www.bfpvra.org
BFPVRA: National association for the drone so it can pick up signals the craft to a pre-set point www.bmfa.org
FPV racing in the UK www.caa.co.uk
Build: A completed, usually DIY, Roll: Rotation left or right www.dronesaferegister.org.uk
BMFA: British Model Flying drone built from parts or a kit without other movement www.faa.gov
Association www.fpvuk.org
First person view / FPV: Yaw: Rotation around a central www.iaa.ie
CAA: Civil Aviation Authority Viewing the drone’s flight via an point
96 DRONE MAGAZINE
096_DM28[Glossary]IKICGC.indd 1 24/11/2017 17:34

ads.indd 1 24/11/2017 11:38
Fallen
British Columbia, Canada
“A portrait of a massive fallen tree in its
resting place on a river sandbar.”

flYBY
Your future as
a drone pilot
starts Here
With Flyby Technology’s unique training system, we will teach you to think like
neW!
professional pilots and equip you with the confidence to excel in any situation.
All Flyby Technology instructors are ex-military pilots with extensive experience of
training today’s fighter and helicopter pilots. We want to share that expertise
with you to give you the professional and practical skills you need. ONE-WEEK FAST
Whether you wish to be a professional pilot to land your dream job, are wishing to TRACK COURSES
add to or start a business, or are looking for the best training for you and your AVAILABLE NOW
organisation, the team at Flyby Technology are here to make that happen.
Visit the website and book on a course today! BooK online
www.flyby-technology.com
Flyby Technology Pilotwise International Ltd | Marlborough House | York Business Park | Nether Poppleton | York | YO26 6RW
FREEPHONE 08081 680626 | admin@flyby.technology
Untitled-2 1 09/06/2017 12:37

The UKs longest established and most
popular drone flying school
One to one hands-on flying

lessons for beginners to experts
Flying sites for lessons across the UK
One Hour: £120, Two Hours: £200
Our Pilots
Alan Proto Anto Baird Anna Henly Simon Smith Newall Hunter Tom Jacobs
Free flying lesson and drone set up when you buy your DJI drone from us
3,000 hours of one-to-one flying lessons, workshops, and drone holiday flying completed
100% 5* reviews on website from happy flying lesson customers
01244 893 872 www.phantomflightschool.co.uk
PFS 1.indd 1 02/08/2017 11:45

Drone Magazine Jan18

Diunggah oleh

Informasi Dokumen

Hak Cipta

Format Tersedia

Bagikan dokumen Ini

Bagikan atau Tanam Dokumen

Opsi Berbagi

Apakah menurut Anda dokumen ini bermanfaat?

Apakah konten ini tidak pantas?

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

Drone Magazine Jan18

Diunggah oleh

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

Hottest News • reviews • pro tips + more…

January 2018 · No 28 · Price £ 5 . 99

sky news snow days shoot to thrill

FPV FTW! Three Vortex

001_DM28[Cover]IKICGC.indd 1 24/11/2017 14:29

A Radically Better PfCO Course

Everything You Need to Immediately Submit

4 day Course, every month in Chester and Maidstone

Proto ad.indd 34 23/11/2017 13:33

003-98_DM28[Showcase Photos]IKICGC.indd 3 24/11/2017 02:35

Adam Gemma Mark Dan

Andrew Lee MICHAEL rowan

004-5_DM28[Editorial]IKICGC.indd 4 24/11/2017 16:53

Uncooked Media Ltd, PO Box 6337,

Editor: Ian Collen

Managing Editor: Gemma Cox

Design: Imran Kelly

Contributors: Rowan Bailey, Mark Baker,

Advertising & Marketing

To Issue 28 of Drone Magazine! Distributed through the UK newstrade by

Enjoy the issue – and Happy New Year!

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

004-5_DM28[Editorial]IKICGC.indd 5 24/11/2017 16:53

12 // TROUBLED WATERS 16 // SILVER SERVICE 28 // COMPETITION

14 // DOWN UNDER 18 // SHARE THE AIR 30 // IN THE WARS

006-7_DM28[Contents]IKICGC.indd 6 24/11/2017 17:44

SUBSCRIBE TODAY FOR ONLY £14.99!

38 // YOU’RE HIRED! 58 // CROSS WORDS 70 // A NIP IN THE AIR

46 // INDUSTRY INSIGHT 62 // CASE STUDY 78 // IN THE FRAME

50 // TOOLED UP 64 // PILOT LIGHT 90 // BUYER’S GUIDE

006-7_DM28[Contents]IKICGC.indd 7 24/11/2017 21:01

008-9_DM28[Overview1]IKICGC.indd 1 24/11/2017 02:43

008-9_DM28[Overview1]IKICGC.indd 2 24/11/2017 20:42

Parrot Goes Pro

010-11_DM28[news_Parrot]IKICGC.indd 12 24/11/2017 20:50

010-11_DM28[news_Parrot]IKICGC.indd 13 24/11/2017 20:52

012_DM28[news_Rotor Riot]IKICGC.indd 14 24/11/2017 20:53

IN K SPARK only IN K MAVIC only IN K INSPIRE from

STO COMBO £6 STO PRO £10 STO 2 £

INSPIRE 1 PRO £ 2999.00

PHANTOM 4 PRO from £1589.00

OSMO MOBILE PHANTOM 3 PRO £ 849.00

OSMO RAW + FREE 512GB SSD! See WWW.LCEGROUP.CO.UK for

BATH CHESTER GUILDFORD LONDON (STRAND) PLYMOUTH SOUTHAMPTON (HIGH ST)

ads.indd 1 24/11/2017 17:54

014_DM28[news_Google Wing]IKICGC.indd 16 24/11/2017 17:46

015_DM28[news_Packdrone]IKICGC.indd 17 24/11/2017 17:49

Mixing it Up Holy COW

016_DM28[news_Cocktail and Cows]IKICGC.indd 18 24/11/2017 17:47

Vortex ad2.indd 34 24/11/2017 16:36

Images courtesy of the Civil Aviation Authority

018-9_DM28[news_Share the Air]IKICGC.indd 18 24/11/2017 17:48

018-9_DM28[news_Share the Air]IKICGC.indd 19 24/11/2017 17:48

024-5_DM28[ReadersPhoto]IKICGC.indd 22 24/11/2017 02:45

024-5_DM28[ReadersPhoto]IKICGC.indd 23 24/11/2017 20:15

022-6_DM28[ft_NFG Main]IKICGC.indd 22 24/11/2017 20:54

022-6_DM28[ft_NFG Main]IKICGC.indd 23 24/11/2017 17:01

Indoor drones with propeller guards allow a little more

022-6_DM28[ft_NFG Main]IKICGC.indd 24 24/11/2017 17:01

Manoeuvres in the Park

022-6_DM28[ft_NFG Main]IKICGC.indd 25 24/11/2017 17:01

The illustrations used in this article were replicated

022-6_DM28[ft_NFG Main]IKICGC.indd 26 24/11/2017 17:01

to be in with a shout of winning one of these three great models