Inhoudsopgave van Issue 4, 2016 - Drone

PRODUCING a drone with the feature list that Dobby boasts is no mean feat, but it appears Zerotech were up for the challenge. The Chinese company behind Dobby are not new to the scene. They produce some fairly high end flight controllers, gimbals and complete commercial drones. The marketing behind Dobby makes it look like a wonder drone of the future, it was time to see how it performed in real life. TECH INSIDE Smaller than many smartphones, Dobby packs a lot into a tiny package weighing just 199g including the battery. The brain running Dobby’s core systems is a Qualcomm Snapdragon Quad Core 2.3Ghz processor and Adreno330 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) with 16Gb for storing captured photos and footage on board. It is hard to believe they have squeezed…

From shooting a family holiday to professional video capture, here are some of the best camera drones for the job. OVERVIEW The Typhoon is the updated version of the Q500 4K from Yuneec and as the name implies it shoots 4K video just like the Phantom 4. It has lots of great features for the price. For example, it comes with two batteries and a hand mount that allows you to take the camera (and gimbal) off the quadcopter to use as a mini handheld stabilised camera system. A good alternative to the Phantom 4. FEATURES WE LIKED: • Captures 4K/30fpm HD video • Detachable handheld steady grip for ground footage • No fly zone feature to help keep your flying area legal • All in one transmitter with clear…

OVERVIEW Building on the success of the v1 the current version 2 offers extended flight times and new updated colour options whilst still providing a good all round drone for everyone to enjoy. Most recently Parrot have updated the bulky old Sky Controller to a much smaller version and included FPV goggles for that out-of-body experience. Aimed at the fun recreational market the Bebop is a good complete package and will operate off both your smart phone or tablet or the Sky Controller. At under 500g the parrot would be a fun addition to any holiday luggage and it’s fairly easy for the novice to master. FEATURES WE LIKE • Immersive FPV Experience Goggles • Extended flight times up to 20 minutes • Compact and easy to travel with…

If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush you have come to the right place. These drones are fast and furious. OVERVIEW With its aggressive looks and full carbon fibre frame, the proven TBS Vendetta packs some impressive features like quick-swap arms and solder-free repair which is a big advantage in the field. Sporting the new TBS triumph antenna in combination with the TBS core pro OSD the Vendetta allows for quick configuration via your RC stick controls. Arriving from the factory pre-tuned the RC calibration wizard takes you though the setup steps in just minutes and will have you tearing a hole in the sky in no time. FEATURES WE LIKED • Fully configurable via the OSD • Aggressive looks and performance • Includes a Lost model alarm • Good…

OVERVIEW With its symmetrical carbon fibre frame the QAV250 is a real beast. It excels in both freestyle flying and racing alike and it’s available in both modular kit form or RTF versions. The frame offers some of the best jelly-free camera footage available and it’s perfect for the seasoned racer who really likes to build his/her own quad. It’s one of our all time favourites. FEATURES WE LIKED • Comes in kit form or ready to fly versions • HD camera suitable for mobis • Outstanding freestyle flight and racing performance • Landing gear pegs to keep the dirt off the frame • Killer carbon fibre looks and strength…

WALKERA is not new to the drone scene, they have a number of products that range from novelty toys to fun camera drones and proper FPV racers. I had seen a few tilt-rotor aircraft on the market and was curious what it was like to fly one. The Furious 320 looked interesting, and with the promise of a speed rush I couldn’t wait to take it for a spin. First impressions & specs The Furious 320 is no ordinary drone. Opening the box and picking it up, it certainly has presence. It’s a solid build, it’s quite bulky and blocky and looks like it means business. It is so solid in fact that it weighs in at about 1.1kg with its large 4S battery. That is quite heavy when compared…

WIN Celebrating 10 years of DJI and 2 years of SkyPixel, DJI are giving you the chance to win amazing new Mavic Pro(see our Test Pilot the reviewin this issue, p12),but you’d better hurry as submissionsend 30 December 2016. The winner will be announced on January 2017.Good luck,and in the meantime here is a collection of aerial awesomeness to give you some inspiration. To enter, head over to www.skypixel.com/events/photocontest2016…

As the burgeoning drone market continues its stellar rise into a more mainstream world, those at the pointy end of the scene are upping the ante to keep it exciting and moving forward. Drew Gibson reports from the Mountain Dew Velodrone. “When drones were hit they would flash three times and beep, and then respawn.” AND it’s hard to imagine it getting more interesting and creative than a recent brand activation event for Mountain Dew – three days of drone hunting in a specially made and visually spectacular ‘velodrone’ arena within the EB Games Expo at The Dome in Homebush in September. Yep, drone hunting – a blend of indoor drone stunt piloting and laser tag. And by all accounts, it was as crazy fun as it sounds. On the…

WHILE the winning CanberraUAV team didn’t complete all the requirements of the Challenge (one of their aircraft failed to return to base), most of the requirements were fulfilled, placing it well ahead of the other teams. The Medical Express competition was a big step up from the 2014 Challenge. In the 2016 scenario Outback Joe has had a remote consultation with his doctor who wants blood tests done immediately. Joe has taken a blood sample using his own kit, but his property is cut off by floodwaters. Teams had to use a UAV to retrieve the blood sample from 30km away and bring it back to base within an hour. The aircraft had to land on rough terrain within 80m of Joe but no closer than 30m. After Joe has…

DJI have gone from strength to strength and are by far the market leaders in consumer and professional drones. Until now though, their consumer solution has consisted of one flagship drone which you may know, the Phantom. We love the Phantom, but you will struggle trying to stuff the drone and its large controller into a regular sized backpack and head out for an adventure. Other manufacturers have been downsizing solutions to increase portability, but just as the competition come up with some half decent solutions, such as GoPro’s Karma, DJI aims to wipe the board clean with the Mavic Pro. Great things in small packages No more removing props to pack away, the Mavic Pro folds down neatly and tucks its props away to a ridiculously small size, 83…

First impressions & setup When I saw the box I was immediately struck by how well it was packaged and designed. It looked like some insect that just wanting to get out of the box and be released to the skies. Setup was simple. It comes with a small battery that once placed in the drone stays there and charges in the drone. You don’t even need to have a smartphone since it comes with a Parrot Flypad which is a small RC style controller, although the smartphone does allow you to change settings and provides updates to the drone’s software. This is really easy to do as it guides you every step of the way. Take flight In quad mode it’s pretty simple. It’s nice to fly and does…

OVERVIEW One of the world’s lightest and smallest multi-rotors on the market at just 50mm, the Proto-X is tiny and ideal for indoor flying. It weighs only 11.5g and features bright built-in LEDs, making it easy to see in low-light conditions. A 2.4Ghz radio not only allows for interferencefree flight, it allows for multiple Proto-X quads to fly at once. A 3.7V 100mAh Lipo battery, USB charge cord and spare rotor blades are also included in the ready-tofly package. All you need to add are two AAA batteries. FEATURES WE LIKE • It’s so small and cute how could you resist • Flies out the palm of your hand for tons of indoor fun • The cool LEDs make it look like a firefly…

OVERVIEW With its spider-like appearance and smart features, the Nano QX is the perfect way to get into the hobby. The QX features a SAFE(tm) mode for beginners which keeps the quadcopter extremely stable and easy to fly. Once you have mastered the basics switching to agile mode hots things up and really gives the QX outstanding performance and speed for its size. The box includes a choice of either green and yellow that have matching props. Charging the battery is made very easy thanks to the latest USB battery charger which simply charges on your PC or similar device. FEATURES WE LIKED: • Small enough to take anywhere • High quality with spare parts available • Include choice of canopy colour and props…

OVERVIEW Dubbed the flying telescope, the all new Voyager has a staggering 18x optical zoom HD camera allowing long distance footage whist remaining visual. Smart features like Auto Fly and Waypoint modes allow 360 degrees filming and the easy touch screen interface is both user friendly and packed full of professional features. FEATURES WE LIKED • Simply amazing 18x optical zoom • Retractable landing gear keeps footage obstacle free • Feature rich and user friendly • Real time HD footage to your tablet…

OVERVIEW With its now revised price point, the 3DR solo is a real contender for the serious hobbyist. With its smart flying features it’s a genuinely great all round package. Features such as pre-mapped flight path, orbit and lock-on-and-follow-me enable some real scalability that allows you to capture HD footage via your GoPro. The controller is compatible with your smart phone and larger tablet giving you a real time aerial experience in a wide range of environments. FEATURES WE LIKED • Packed with smart features • Professional looks and quality • Simple and user-friendly controller • Captures very smooth HD video from your GoPro…

OVERVIEW Likes its sexy cousin, the Storm SRD280 featured on the cover of Issue 3, the Ninja shares both outstanding looks and performance. Unique amongst racing drones is the canopy design that is both colour customisable or you can choose from a wide selection of colours. Based on a carbon fibre frame the Ninja is up to 25% lighter than most of its competition and has smart features like a rear-mounted aerial and inbuilt adjustable camera in the canopy that both protects the internals and looks mean. FEATURES WE LIKED • Stunning unique looks • Standout from the crowd with its customisable canopy design • Built-in crash protection from the canopy • Can carry a HD camera like a GoPro to fill the action in HD 1 • Easily adjustable…

OVERVIEW To a seasoned race pilot the IRC Vortex is both well known and a feared competitor. Featuring a slimline carbon body that keeps all the wiring free of anything that comes in its path, the Vortex is both a neat and aggressive package. Featuring virtually unbreakable 3mm arms the Vortex is built to take a beating and come back fighting for more. Available with Spectrum’s Bind n Fly receiver you’ll just need to add your battery and get down on the deck FEATURES WE LIKED • Just Bind and Fly to your favourite Spectrum transmitter • Aggressive looks and performance • Internal wiring is hitting in the frame • Includes camera, video receiver and 3s Lipo • Fat Shark 700TVL camera with tilt adjustment…

FOLLOWING Australian Senator Nick Xenophon’s pledge to move against CASA’s new rules for drones, the federal government has announced it will review the Part 101 amendment that came into effect on 29 September. This is the result of pressure from the Australian Federation of Air Pilots, which has been lobbying against the new rules on the basis of safety. Darren Chester, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport said the review “will ensure the aviation safety regulatory system in Australia continues to facilitate a safe flying environment for all airspace users but also enable growth and innovation in drone usage as this dynamic industry continues to evolve”. The review will be overseen by CASA. In the meantime the new rules will apply. Recreational flying For pilots flying drones weighing less than 2kg…

APRIL saw Dubai enter the ring with the World Drone Prix – its variation on a world event that saw millions of dollars pumped into a competition that showcase the glitz, glamour and prizefund that only an Emirate state can muster. Nowhere else has come close, but others have taken different approaches. In the States, the Drone Racing League (DRL) provides a TV-friendly competitive racing program that airs weekly and The European Rotor Sports Association (ERSA) showcased events in iconic locations in France and the UK and held their European Cup in Ibiza in September. Asian countries such as Korea and China have embraced droneracing, and many other countries this year, Australia included, hosted their own national competitions. As drone flying and rotor sports have grown exponentially, so too has…

WITH so many other tech companies already venturing into drone territory, many have been waiting to see what the company synonymous with extreme sports would deliver Karma comes in a slim, sexy, well presented backpack. It’s a slimmer travel case than just about anything with similar capabilities on the market. That is besides the DJI Mavic (see our review in this issue p14). The case is really compact thanks to the camera gimbal being mounted on the front of the drone rather than the underbelly like a Phantom. The Karma ecosystem The thing is, Karma isn’t just one product. Karma is somewhat of a transforming chameleon. It is in fact more of an accessory suite for the GoPro 5. It consists of the GoPro 5, the Karma Drone and a…

Out of the box The Mambo comes in a nice compact box with everything all set and ready to go. It looks cool and kind of reminded me of a wasp with its slick shape and eerie glowing green eyes. I was really excited to get this naughty drone in the air with its cannon and arsenal of brightly coloured ammunition. This was going to be GOLD! Setup & Controls Setup is really easy, just place the battery in the drone and forget about it. Charging the battery is easy and when the little green light stays on you’re good to go. This little critter has a few tricks up its sleeve. If you just have your smartphone to use as a controller you will find it somewhat slow going…

On November 16 DJI announced the release of the Phantom 4 Pro. This isn’t a generational update for DJI, although it may as well have been, as it certainly raises the bar in camera specs, safety and autonomous flight as well as flight times. If you are a photographer or videographer you are going to love the new P4 Pro. DJI do love to leapfrog themselves on a regular basis, and they have once again done that. THE NEW CAMERA The camera now packs a 1-inch 20-megapixel sensor, and almost 12 stops of dynamic range bring out levels of detail and lowlight performance unprecedented in a flying camera of this size. Its mechanical shutter eliminates rolling shutter distortion in fast-moving scenes. Phantom 4 Pro can capture slow-motion 4K video up…

The Inspire 1 Professional was a ground-breaking transition into a seamless, trouble-free aerial platform, and as been required kit for any professional drone operator since early 2015. Come January 2017, the next generation of Inspire, the Inspire 2 will take flight and make the Inspire 1 look dated. The Inspire 2 is sleeker, much faster and packs vastly upgraded tech to its predecessor. Drone Magazine will be getting hold of a unit once released for a full review in Issue 5, but for now let’s take a look at some of the new features. POWER & PERFORMANCE Out of the blocks the Inspire 2 packs a serious punch. Now with dual redundant self-heating batteries, all that additional power on tap propels this bad boy to an impressive top speed of…

OVERVIEW One of the coolest, most attractive FPV racers in its class, the Anakin has a very high-end look and finish. The clean flat arm carbon frame is designed around a sexy ABS plastic canopy that will both protect your all important electronics whilst providing a more streamlined aerodynamic design for faster racing and tighter turns. The Anakin really proved itself at the Drone Nationals with multiple wins and will give the seasoned race pilot the winning edge. FEATURES WE LIKED • Proven race heritage • Highly attractive design with good crash protection • Includes a quality controller • Several models in its class to suit most budgets…

OVERVIEW Designed from the ground up as a racing drone, the Eachine 250 has plenty of inbuilt durability in mind and cool looks. There’s little you need to do to get up and flying with the RTF package. The control board has been pre-tuned and tested at the factory. All that is required is to attach the props and lipo and get racing! One of the coolest features are the bright headlights and racing tail lights whist chasing your mates around. FEATURES WE LIKED • Ready to fly in minutes • Well built with spares available • The bright lights that are colour changeable • Includes camera, video receiver and 3s lipo batteries…

MORE than 300 delegates packed out the venue and heard presentations about where the industry is heading, what the opportunities are, and how drones are already affecting our lives. Case studies from business, infrastructure, mining, government and agriculture were presented. Lee Ungermann from CASA told the conference that there will be more than 1,000 commercial RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) operators by the end of the year, and it won’t be long before they’re operating beyond visual line of sight. “Between now and 2020 the [commercial] sector is projected to grow between 200 and 500 percent,” Ungermann told the conference, “and it’s expected that the sport and recreational sector will grow even more. “In February 2012 there were 15 holders of UAV Operator Certificates in Australia operating for commercial purposes.…

MORE than 350 spectators, 50 pilots and 100 pit crew and staff lined up at Nerang on the Gold Coast for three days of FPV racing mania. At stake were five places on the team to represent Australia at the World Drone Championships in Hawaii in October. First to be chosen was 17-year-old Thomas Bitmatta from Melbourne (pictured, right), who won the final and the Freestyle competition. Joining him on Team Australia were the three other finalists – runner-up Michael “Webb FPV” Webb, third place-getter Ben “Bingo” Baided, and fourth-placed Evan “Shufty” Leipold. The fifth spot on the team went to 12-year-old Rudi “Red Roo FPV” Browning from Brisbane who made it to the semifinals and also came second in Freestyle. The event started with 56 pilots competing. This was…

GoPro recalls Karma In a dramatic announcement from GoPro, the long-awaited Karma drone has been recalled less than three weeks after its release. According to the company’s announcement the recall is because of “a performance issue related to a loss of power during operation”. All units of the Karma are being recalled and purchasers will receive a full refund. The recall is only for the Karma drone. Hero5 Black and Karma Grip are not subject to a recall. However, if you purchased the Karma drone bundle package, which included HERO5 Black and Karma Grip, you must return those with your Karma drone for a full refund. The company said it planned to resume shipment of Karma “once the issue is addressed”. There was no indication of how long that might…