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ModeratorPermalink Reply by Gary Mortimer on March 30, 2012 at 7:44am

This is the smallest available unit that I know of

http://www.suasnews.com/2012/02/11859/sagetech-releases-smallest-li...

K State has flown it already

http://www.suasnews.com/2011/02/3715/sagetech-transponder-flies-in-...

Internet radar is slightly delayed so would not be all that useful.

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Permalink Reply by Jake Stew on March 31, 2012 at 1:28am

Check out...

microadsb.com

The other units linked in this thread are a $250 ADSB IN unit and an ADSB OUT only unit that's probably well over a thousand dollars.  MicroADSB is $97.

Does anyone really think the FAA WON'T require at least a $97 dollar unit that would allow UAVs to avoid passenger planes?

What do you think a judge would say if you told him that you thought a $97 unit that could have prevented some sort of crash was too expensive or too hard to implement?

I think the prosecutor would paint you as a dangerous madman with a reckless disregard for public safety who cobbled together some sort of substandard flying death machine.

I'm just trying to stir up a little interest in staying ahead of the regulation curve.  I'd like to be ready when the regulations come out and it's definitely on my plate, but it will take awhile to develop, test, implement, and prove a system like this.

Personally, I think $100 would be cheap legal insurance in terms of the overall cost of a UAV.  Even if it didn't meet whatever regs come out it would still prove at least an attempt at safety, and you could certainly claim that you reasonably believed it would prevent the possibility of an accident.

It would be the difference between reckless endangerment and simple liability with a non-fatal crash.  Or manslaughter vs reckless endangerment if someone died.

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Permalink Reply by M-H on March 30, 2012 at 6:53pm

These ADS-B units seem almost a requirement for medium sized UAS that fly any significant distance from the GCS. It seems a little overkill for small UAS that operate in airspace not normally used by manned aircraft such as between buildings and at low altitude.

 

This (the FAA Reauthorization Bill) seems to permit privately owned small UAS to fly. I wonder if that means one could use it to monitor the fence along the perimeter of a large cow pasture that you own or if since the cows are part of a business that would be a commercial application.

 

I understand there is something coming from the FAA (regulations?) dealing with "small UAS." I guess we'll know more once that is published. I believe it is expected sometime this year. Anyone know more?

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