Here's an interesting lifting body design for a MAV (Micro Air Vehicle) by Theiss Aviation. Its autopilot uses thermopiles, so you won't be using it indoors.
From Robot Living:
"The new model TIC costs around $6,000 and can potentially be launched from the trunk of a car. It contains chemical as well as biological sensors and could also be outfitted with a small color camera. These vehicles are designed to fly in ventilation shafts, tunnels, small quarters and even dense woods. Using a 72 MHz radio, the TIC has a range of 1.5 miles and can be run in basic radio controlled mode, auto assist mode or completely autonomously.
Theiss Aviation is now seeking to sell these aircraft to police departments, search and rescue crews or other emergency personnel.
Unfortunately the FAA seeks to treat these tiny craft just like regular planes.
The owners of a TIC must register the aircraft with the FAA and give 60 days notice of flight plans to the FAA."
Here's more about Shawn Theiss, from Fortune Small Business, discussing the regulatory problems for UAV entrepreneurs. We should have him on as a podcast guest!
From FSB:
"Here's what every TIC owner must do to be certified: submit detailed drawings of every part of the plane, wait three months, answer any FAA questions, then wait another month for a registry number.
Finally, the tiny drone must be cleared to leave the ground by FAA officials every time it flies. For drones, most flight plans must be filed 60 days ahead of time.
"The size of the unmanned air system doesn't matter," says Alison Duquette, an FAA spokesperson. "Any size could pose a danger to private or commercial planes." Also, officials point out, the TIC is too small to be tracked via radar.
Critics argue that the agency is being squeamish about a technology that would help public safety more than harm it.
"Small unmanned planes are not rocket science," says Dave Nestic, entrepreneur in residence at JumpStart TechLift Advisors, a Cleveland incubator that studies the propulsion market.
Theiss, stymied in his bid to sell to anyone but the military, is still fuming. The FAA is "not aviation-minded," he says. "It's regulation-minded."
Just like development of pubic key encryption you can't stop UAV innovation. DIY Drones could be shut down, but how will they monitor us? They will miss out on our new systems innovations. FAA should give UAVs air space below 1000' above non-congested areas.
They won't realize there mistakes until UAVs rule the sky!!! By then it will be too late... Just around the corner WalMart add "SAMs UAV $100 by one get one free..."
I've been hearing this story for years... I talk to folks almost weekly who are getting into or are in the business. The FAA processed about 100 COA's last year and EAC's are about as rare as hen's teeth. This whole process is a real shambles. Anyway, happy New Year.
hi Rana,
Not sure what or which part are you taking about but in general , answer i guess is "Not right now and no if we can help it and in any case it can be hosted else were where big boys lobby cannot reach :))
Hey theres one law for us and another for the "big boys"...
Sad when its like that, id give anything to be in the industry... to do it commercially seems more and more impossible :(
When will they come out for some "real world" rules for small & micro UAV's?
We're trying to fly sub 5kg UAV's under 400ft here, not 5 ton @ 2000ft!
Comments
Not sure what or which part are you taking about but in general , answer i guess is "Not right now and no if we can help it and in any case it can be hosted else were where big boys lobby cannot reach :))
Sad when its like that, id give anything to be in the industry... to do it commercially seems more and more impossible :(
When will they come out for some "real world" rules for small & micro UAV's?
We're trying to fly sub 5kg UAV's under 400ft here, not 5 ton @ 2000ft!
BTW I see a picture in my head.
The next will probably be shuting down DIYDRONES.COM,they will find some §§..
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