What are your top picks for multirotor UAVs for development projects? If you were working on an international development project in a challenging field location - including 3D mapping, air sampling, video, and surveying - which model would you pick?
Some background: I'm working on a research project about the usage of UAVs for international development. We're hoping to suggest a limited number of general purpose multirotors in the handbook, partially to allow readers who aren't familiar with UAVs to get a sense of what's out there.
Generally good would be the keyword here, as we're assuming most development projects aren't going to have the funding to be able to afford a number of highly specialized UAVs. Relatively inexpensive, reliable, and durable are all pluses, as is a reasonable level of modularity.
We want to reach people who aren't already UAV hobbyists with this project, so models that are reasonably simple to maintain and build are a plus.
Hoping to crowdsource this question and see what the hivemind thinks.
Thanks!
Replies
Hi Faine,
Somehow I just saw your post in this forum today :). I am not an expert nor very experience myself in UAVs and I believe lots of people here are way more experience and expert on this stuffs. However, I might share a bit stories/points related to your needs with UAVs which I hope useful. I would put these below:
(1) What is the nature of the development projects you will deal with (disaster response, disaster management, mapping, aerial video, monitoring, ... or...)? Which will determine, in my opinion, choices of settings (and components) you want to develop for the UAV. For example: FPV, Autopilot capability, or mix of them ... etc. So far, APM has been really really really helpful for our work in the Rainforest as well as in the urban context in Indonesia.
(2) Then I would put another question, where would you fly them (Forest, urban areas, open areas, area with lots of obstacles, ... )? Which will determine, in my opinion, also the choices of settings (and components) you want to develop for the UAV.
(3) Then I would go further to the question of endurance or payload? For example, I am pretty sure if it's about mapping you want the UAV to have longer flight time with "enough" payload (mapping camera). Or if you want to work on precision agriculture for example or precision urban-design you might want to carry heavier stuffs (i.e. LiDAR?).
(4) Then I would also put the "cost" factor or can also be seen as DIY or Ready To Fly ones. I don't want to say that RTF ones are always more expensive than the DIY ones (as it might be the opposite). But you might want to think of letting the "community" you are dealing with to be able to reproduce UAV for whatever project they / you are dealing with on their own. So DIY one (with the idea that they can find the materials to build the frame on their own, for example) might be the option.
But above all, I would put Safety first (in design, in flying, in preparation, etc.), so I would say the "brain ware" has to be prepared to some extent as well.
That's just my 2 cents, I hope it's helpful enough, and I am pretty sure that the others here could also give their great opinions based on their years of experience.
Best wishes,
R