Looking for feedback from the community. We currently build unmanned vehicle for military and commercial applications in the USA. Our current commercial units are obviously very similar to the consumer drones.
What if any features are community members looking for in a RTF consumer drone?
We currently develop our systems under IRAD funds so this is not a Kickstarter type program.
Examples:
Multi-Rotor: Longer Endurance, Installed Video Links, Foldable, More payload capability, Ethernet based? Most of these examples are givens.
Fixed Wing: Larger payload capability, longer endurance, etc? We're getting ready to release a fixed wing system with up to 3lbs. of belly and nose mount payload capability.
Maybe the answer is the market is already flooded and there isn't a need.
Any feedback would be appreciated
Best
Bill D.
Comments
gsm modem as secondary method / failsafe for retasking the uav midflight.
more rugged components.
obstacle sense and avoidance as an add on module
Interesting to see the contrast in responses. Also gives you an idea of the cross section of users on DIY Drones. Seems to be a good mix of DIY individuals as well as professionals (based on requests).
Hopefully other manufactures and DIYrs can use this Blog for their next product or project. Keep the ideas coming
Laser/Lidar scanning for SLAM with landmark recognition
From my perspective - please, please, do nothing. Keep with army stuff and keep away from end customer market. We have enough "nice" video captures from Phantoms on YT and all of them went to more and more regulations.
Doesn't matter if you live in US or Europe, on all places we can see regulations against us.
BTW : One reason why I using open source hw - you can always re-program it for something else like autonomous boat or small car (at least till them ban them also).
In my dreams...
Fixed wing :
How about a semi-autonomous vehicle that utilizes this country's biggest assets, the cell phone networks and the power grid? The cell networks could provide continuous or infrequent telemetry and command between ground station and vehicle. The power grid would provide unlimited power for recharging the vehicle's batteries using induction coupling. Such a vehicle could potentially travel across the country taking hops between power lines, transmission towers, transformers, etc. clinging to them to rest while planning its next route.
Multirotor with 4K video camera, APS or larger sensor, shooting raw with Zeiss glass in a package weighing less than 2 Kg. Flight time of 20 minutes. Good luck.
- Sonar for terrain hugging
- Camera sensors for stability indoors without GPS (and to augment GPS outdoors)
- Obstacle avoidance.
- 3 Axis Gimbal for multiple Cameras (ability to clip on/off counter weights to maintain balance depending on weight of Camera)
- Stable, smooth video capture
- Built in FPV
If you work for military go kill somewhere else.
Long range VTOL Hybrid multicopter / airplane with long range telemetry / control.
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