Hi,I am doing a college project related to unmanned aircraft, and would like to include a section on the low-cost projects currently being developed on the internet. Most commercial projects appear to be very large and expensive, I'm interested in small systems around $800 and below. This price range could allow for more research into how swarms could be used, also cheap enough for risky scientific research, such as collecting data from volcanoes and other danger zones. Surveillance craft exist already, but cheaper versions could be used to track animal herds, or keep an eye on crops.If a couple of people wouldn't mind answering this mini questionnaire I'd be very grateful;- Do your personal UAV projects (if you have any) have a 'purpose'. By this I mean have UAVs been made to do anything more than fly? Perhaps collect weather data, take videos (just for pleasure?) or use data collected to alter waypoints (e.g. track something on the ground).- Do you think there is a use for low cost UAVs at the moment, or are they currently just an area of research?- What roles do you expect low cost (or "ultra-low cost" open source) UAVs to be carrying out in the next few years? I have listed some of my ideas above, I'd be VERY interested to hear about any other uses people can think of.Thank you very much for your time!Barney.
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- Do your personal UAV projects (if you have any) have a 'purpose'. By this I mean have UAVs been made to do anything more than fly? Perhaps collect weather data, take videos (just for pleasure?) or use data collected to alter waypoints (e.g. track something on the ground).
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Yes my personal project has a purpose. We have fruit trees, berry bushes and other small crops on our mostly flat property. Deer come and eat everything! Fencing is much too expensive, deer proof fencing is even more prohibitive. But sending out the RC plane to disorient the deer works well. They must not like the buzzing of the electric engine.
Sometimes people trespass and break tree branches when they steal fruit, photographs would help identify them. Aerial photography makes it harder for them to steal the camera. Ground based cameras have limited range, require multiple locations, and are easy to vandalize or steal. RC gives us a less costly option. And simply adding a small speaker to broadcast warnings to trespassers really motivates them to not come back. Simple. Safe. Effective. Legal. And less likely to escalate into something nasty.
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- Do you think there is a use for low cost UAVs at the moment, or are they currently just an area of research?
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Yes, many uses. Botanical clone researchers need new growth tips of the branches of very tall trees such as Redwoods and Sequoias, auto-hover RC helicopters with cameras and clippers get samples better than the old method of climbing and sharp-shooting off the tips of branches. The samples often got caught in upper branches.
Snowpack meters and other sensors do not need powerful transmitters and large power supplies if they can send a weaker signal a shorter distance. UAV/RC planes can fly over places that are difficult to reach in person, ping the data recorder, collect the data and move on. Much like the wireless meters used by some utility companies in the united states.
Hope you like these ideas for a start. I'm a professional brainstromer, creative services available.... :)
My goal is to use the UAV for archaeological systematic survey purposes. Digital video pan/tilt camera for observing the ground, and pan/tilt high resolution camera for shooting remotely triggered photos of interesting targets.
Second goal is sequential or GPS triggered vertical photo shooting for orthorectification and GIS mosaic building.
Third goal is aerial photo documenting archaeological excavation dig.
For now, we used real plane or helicopter flight hours to do tasks 1 and 3, but budgets running quite low for our activity, I am seeking to reduce those real flight expenses by implementing UAV.
Oh, I forgot an important goal: having fun doing it !
Pizza delivery, kid. The future isn't free mortgages, FBI salaries & expenses, or Office of the Secretary, but pizza delivery by UAV. That's going to make money. My personal interest is autonomous movie crews for home video. Instead of paying cinematographers, gaffers, grips, directors, producers, & sound recordists, have robots do it all.
Replies
- Do your personal UAV projects (if you have any) have a 'purpose'. By this I mean have UAVs been made to do anything more than fly? Perhaps collect weather data, take videos (just for pleasure?) or use data collected to alter waypoints (e.g. track something on the ground).
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Yes my personal project has a purpose. We have fruit trees, berry bushes and other small crops on our mostly flat property. Deer come and eat everything! Fencing is much too expensive, deer proof fencing is even more prohibitive. But sending out the RC plane to disorient the deer works well. They must not like the buzzing of the electric engine.
Sometimes people trespass and break tree branches when they steal fruit, photographs would help identify them. Aerial photography makes it harder for them to steal the camera. Ground based cameras have limited range, require multiple locations, and are easy to vandalize or steal. RC gives us a less costly option. And simply adding a small speaker to broadcast warnings to trespassers really motivates them to not come back. Simple. Safe. Effective. Legal. And less likely to escalate into something nasty.
----------
- Do you think there is a use for low cost UAVs at the moment, or are they currently just an area of research?
----------
Yes, many uses. Botanical clone researchers need new growth tips of the branches of very tall trees such as Redwoods and Sequoias, auto-hover RC helicopters with cameras and clippers get samples better than the old method of climbing and sharp-shooting off the tips of branches. The samples often got caught in upper branches.
Snowpack meters and other sensors do not need powerful transmitters and large power supplies if they can send a weaker signal a shorter distance. UAV/RC planes can fly over places that are difficult to reach in person, ping the data recorder, collect the data and move on. Much like the wireless meters used by some utility companies in the united states.
Hope you like these ideas for a start. I'm a professional brainstromer, creative services available.... :)
Personaly, I would just read the threads and take your time to conclude!
Second goal is sequential or GPS triggered vertical photo shooting for orthorectification and GIS mosaic building.
Third goal is aerial photo documenting archaeological excavation dig.
For now, we used real plane or helicopter flight hours to do tasks 1 and 3, but budgets running quite low for our activity, I am seeking to reduce those real flight expenses by implementing UAV.
Oh, I forgot an important goal: having fun doing it !