The Drone Files

Tech enthusiasts in the US West Coast and surrounding areas will be able to enjoy a better shopping experience at GearBest now that the Chinese company has launched its LA warehouse to better serve customers in the region.

Although the company has been operating a warehouse in New York for some time now, the GearBest LA warehouse is the company’s first to be based in the West Coast.

The move was prompted by a high demand for GearBest products in the region and the company hopes to shorten delivery times even further with the launching of its new warehouse there. GearBest orders typically take 3 to 4 working days to reach customers in the US when shipped from the New York warehouse, depending on where the orders are shipped to. With the new warehouse in LA, GearBest expects shorter delivery times of around 2 to 3 working days to West Coast residents.

The LA Warehouse section at the GearBest website currently has 34 items listed which includes an assortment of tech products and RC toys. The company plans to add more products soon.

There are a number of good reasons why you might want to shop at the GearBest LA Warehouse section if you’re living in the West Coast. For one, you can say goodbye to any hassle in dealing with US Customs or paying import duties. If an item costs $99 shipped, there are no extra hidden costs that you need to worry about.

Secondly, products are generally cheaper since GearBest ships them to the US by sea before stocking them at their warehouse. All China-based online retailers ship their orders by air which is much faster than surface shipping but at the same time costs significantly more.

The savings in shipping we are talking about here can be quite substantial. Take, for instance, the JXD 509G quadcopter (shown above) which costs $89.29 when shipped from GearBest China. When shipped from any of the company’s US warehouses to a US address, the price is a more affordable $78.41. That’s a saving of about $10.88.

One of the first proposed uses of drones was to be used as efficient deliverers of small packages and light goods. They would eliminate costs by saving on middlemen and warehousing.

They would be quicker too – drones can travel as the crow flies, directly to their destination, simply flying over any obstacles in their path. Amid the initial excitement were statements by giants such as Amazon and Wal-Mart about their intention to revolutionize the way their products were delivered.

Since the initial excitement, however, relatively little has happened. We still live in a world of warehouses, long-haul trucks, traffic jams and a dearth of parking spaces. We may, however be about to see things start to change. Not so long ago, history was made; the first retailer to customer delivery was made by a drone, using GPS technology.

There was a degree of surprise over the identity of the company to achieve this historic feat – none other than everyone’s local favorite convenience store, 7-Eleven. The delivery itself was also somewhat underwhelming for the first in a new method of delivery which is likely to revolutionize aspects of the retail sector and consumer culture around the world: a chicken sandwich, donuts, hot coffee, candy and Slurpee drinks. They were actually two separate deliveries which took a couple of minutes – perhaps an indication of how mundane drone deliveries will be once they have achieved ubiquity.

7-Eleven actually partnered with the delivery service Flirtey, along with the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems to make the delivery. Chief Merchandising Officer Jesus H. Delgado-Jenkins was reported by Investopedia as saying that the company is looking forward to working with Flirtey, “wherever and whenever” their customers need it. Having shown the drone’s competence at handling both hot and cold products, it seems that the age of drone deliveries has finally begun.

Recent years have seen the inevitable rise in popularity of rotorcopters in sports. From the first enthusiasts racing their drones around parks and woodland, the sport has spawned a number of national and international racing organizations, which are now vying to become top dog in a multimillion-dollar industry.

The two words on everyone’s lips are “next” and “Nascar” – the belief that drone racing is destined to emulate the rise of another sport that was once long-ignored by sponsors and media, but which now competes for airtime and sponsorship with the biggest sports of all.

The biggest players in drone racing to date are the International Drone Racing Association (IDRA), the Drone Racing League (DRL) and the Drone Sports Association (DSA). Of these, the DRA has been reported to have landed $8 million from companies including RSE Ventures, towards helping it launch a new drone racing league, the DR1 Racing Series, to be broadcast live later this month on the internet media platform Twitch.

The DR1 Racing Series itself has secured the sponsorship of Mountain Dew – a name long associated with extreme sports – and is looking to foment a relationship which will take the league to a dominant position in terms of drone racing as a spectatorship sport.

DR1 faces stiff and established competition, however, in the form of the DSA, which, earlier this month, held its showcase event in New York City. Broadcast on ESPN from Governor’s Island, the National Drone Racing Championship showcased 150 competitors from around the world, competing for $50,000 prize money. To ensure only the most highly-skilled pilots made it into the competition, qualifying rounds held in twenty different regions saw to it that almost 90% of those who entered were eliminated.

Aside from having pulled off what must be seen as a major coup in the burgeoning sport by striking a broadcast deal with ESPN, the DSA received further backing for the event from action camera manufacturer GoPro in what constitutes a sponsorship match made in heaven, as the drone’s eye view, broadcast to the world, showcased the company’s technology. The same views, captured by on-board cameras, are beamed directly to the drone pilots, who, through goggles and a controller, weave and jostle for position around a 3D obstacle course. Skill, it seems, take precedence over speed, as the course is specifically designed to stop the drones from flying at over 60mph, when many of them have top speeds of over 100mph.

It’s not just GoPro that is putting its muscle behind the DSA either – AIG and Ernst & Young are among a growing list of major sponsors and investors from the world of business and finance that have spotted the potential of drone racing as a spectator sport. In a DSA press release, covered by Forbes magazine, AIG spokesman Jeremy Johnson put the company’s interest down to the fact that they expect drones to have a transformative effect on the operations of many industries – involvement helps them keep their fingers closer to the pulse. Ernst & Young spokesman Keith Strier was also reported as having said that drone racing presents a unique opportunity to capitalize in a number of areas, from streaming to virtual reality.

DR1 and IDRA will face further pressure to keep up later in the year, as the DSA hosts international championships in Hawaii in the hope of gaining further major sponsorship deals. Forbes reported Dr. Scot Refsland, Chairman of the DSA, as saying that the investment from major brands such as ESPN, Ernst & Young, AIG and GoPro was already an ‘incredible testament’ to the growth of drone racing.

The past two years has witnessed the rise of FPV racing in Malaysia with the Ecoworld Multi Grand Prix Kuala Lumpur being the latest event in a fast-growing sport that is attracting a rapidly growing fan base in the country.

The Ecoworld Multi GP Kuala Lumpur which concluded recently at the Bintang Convention Centre attracted over 50 pilots from Malaysia and neighboring countries including Brunei, Philippines and Singapore who battled it out in multiple qualifying rounds for top honors. In addition to that, the race was also a platform for selecting the top five Malaysian qualifiers for the 2016 World Drone Racing Championships.

The event in Kuala Lumpur, which is the championship’s first race for 2016, kickstarts a series of four grand prix races which will be held in various states in Malaysia. This includes Penang, Selangor and Johor.

At the top of the current Malaysian leaderboard is Muhammad Ariff Ghazali who leads with 10 points followed by Mohamad Sukirman Amirol Suhaili (6 points) and Stephen Price (4 points). The five Malaysian pilots who qualified for the 2016 World Drone Racing Championships are Muhammad Ariff Ghazali, Muhammad Adzlan Bin Abdul Saip, Mohamed Saiful Hairy Shahari, Ibsen Wong Xin Chi and Muhammad Alif Naiman Nordin.

Interestingly, this year’s championships ends on January 17, 2017 with the Eco Terrace Grand Prix in Penang. The next event in the Ecoworld Multi GP Malaysian racing calendar will be held at Eco Tropics, Pasir Gudang, Johor on October 1, 2016. To date, various big name sponsors such as 3D Robotics and Red Bull have shown support for the championships.

Now that the ESCs have been calibrated, there are some minor tweaks that need to be done to the transmitter and FC.

The FS-T6 transmitter has 6 channels and 4 of them are assigned to the control sticks. This means there are 2 more channels (called auxiliary channels) remaining that can be assigned to other flight features. By default, the remaining 2 channels are assigned to the VRB and VRA knobs that are located at the top. Knobs can be used to turn on certain flight features but I believe most people would prefer to use switches instead. The instructions below explain how to assign the SWB and SWA switches to the 2 auxiliary channels.

1. Press the thumb wheel on the left of the LCD screen to bring up the Menu.
2. Using the thumb wheel, scroll to “Functions setup” and press it down to enter that sub-menu.
3. Scroll down to “Aux. channels” and enter.
4. For Channel 5, set the Source to “SwA”.
5. For Channel 6, set the Source to “SwB”.
6. Press the “OK” button to save your changes.
7. Press the “Cancel” button twice to exit the Menu.

Now you can configure the SwA and SwB switches to trigger certain flight features. The following instructions explain how to do this.

1. Move SwA and SwB switches to position “0”.
2. Launch Mission Planner and connect the FC to your PC using a micro USB cable.
3. Click on the “Connect” button in Mission Planner.
4. Click on “Initial Setup” and select “Flight Modes”.
5. For “Flight Mode 6”, select “AltHold” from the pull-down menu and then click on “Save Modes”.

This will assign SwA to turn on the altitude hold flight feature when it is switched to position “1”. In position “0”, altitude hold is turned off and the quadcopter flies in “stabilize” mode where the autopilot assists in the pitch and roll controls to keep the quadcopter upright.

For now, we will leave SwB unassigned. The SwB switch can be used to trigger other flight features in Mission Planner if you want to further explore the many other features in APM.

During your maiden flight, you may notice that the pitch control is reversed — pushing the right control stick (aileron) up causes the quadcopter to fly backwards instead of forwards. Most people are probably more comfortable with having the quadcopter move forwards when the stick is pushed up. The instructions below explain how the aileron control channel can be reversed in the FS-T6 transmitter settings.

1. Press the thumb wheel to enter the Menu and select “Setup”.
2. Select “Reverse”.
3. Change Channel 2 from Normal to Reverse by using the thumb wheel.
4. Press the “OK” button to save your setting and then press the “Cancel” button twice to exit the Menu.

With the channels and transmitter all set up, you now have a basic quadcopter that is ready to fly. The next tutorial will be on how to install a GPS module on this quadcopter so stay tuned.

Innovative Norweigian tech startup Staaker has come up with epic cinematography’s answer to the selfie. As the industry continues to focus on developing drones to film other people – actors, sportspeople and live events – Staaker has come up with something decidedly new.

There is a hint as to its primary function in the name (Staaker is pronounced identically to the English word ‘stalker’), as this is a drone designed to film you and follow you around.

That might puzzle some people at first, as they wonder why they would need to have a drone follow them to the mall to do their shopping, or pick the kids up from school. If, however, the same person decides to run a half-marathon, hike a spectacular trail, take a boat trip out to see some whales, or even just simply go for a bike ride, the drone’s value becomes obvious.

By being able to film yourself while engaging in activities which would not normally allow you to control a drone, you are able to capture scenes which would have previously only been possible with the help of at least one other person, to fly the drone. Staaker eliminates that need. From now on, you don’t need a crew.

This also has huge implications for independent broadcasters, video bloggers and other independent media sources. No longer do you need to point a shaky mobile phone camera at your face and try to capture the events that are happening around you – instead you can behave and talk naturally, simply allowing the drone to follow and film you, choosing the best angles and shots. Staaker could single-handedly make poor quality amateur video a thing of the past.

As you would expect, such an ambitious drone would need to be ultra-user-friendly, and in this regard, Staaker doesn’t disappoint. There is no traditional remote control – it would be a big ask to ask a stunt cyclist or expert surfer to use one and perform to their highest ability. Instead, the user simply wears an armband fitted with sensors, and which sends signals to the drone to allow it to follow them properly.

The drone’s body itself indicates the future of ready-to-play drones – its sleek surfaces fold out and lock into place in tandem with its landing gear. Switch it on, it does a quick system check, looks around and then takes off, ready to follow you. If you want to manipulate the drone manually, it is possible to do so – there are simple controls to move it up and down, forwards and backwards, rotate left and right. But that is not what Staaker is about. This drone wants you to tell it how to follow you.

The simplest instruction is simply to follow you. In this mode, the drone will keep at a constant distance behind you at speeds of up to 80mph, so whether you are cycling or skiing, you don’t need to worry about it getting left behind. Alternatively, it can be commanded to circle you, for those triumphant shots as you stand atop the mountain you’ve just conquered. In stationary mode, Staaker will hover in one place and simply adjust the direction it faces to keep you in the shot. Finally, perhaps the future favorite setting of video bloggers is compass mode, in which the drone will keep filming you from the same direction, regardless of where you move to. This is ideal for keeping sunsets, skylines and other spectacular views in shot. The drone’s GoPro camera ensures the quality of high-speed, quick movement shots.

Staaker is being built by Foxconn, and is taking pre-orders for December for $1,200. After that it is expected to retail for around $1,800.

Earlier this month, we blogged that drone giant DJI unveiled a drone arena in South Korea here. Well, the 15000 square-foot arena is now open to the public and drone enthusiasts of all levels are welcome.

Located in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, DJI Arena features an adjustable LED-lit training circuit for both novice and accomplished pilots, complete with safety nets, LCD TVs that provide spectators first-person view from drones, and maintenance rooms equipped with charging docks and workstations for minor repairs.

Pre-booking via online reservation made to [email protected] is required before one can use the facilities in the arena. It will be on a first come first serve basis. To minimize the risk of mid-air collisions, only 12 pilots are allowed to fly at any one time. Each flying session can last up to three hours and entrance fee is about 15000 won (USD13.50) per person per session.

As stated, the DJI arena provides a versatile venue that accommodates professional and beginner pilots as the facility is “a gathering place for aerial enthusiasts as well as a practice venue for those who are learning about aerial technology such as first-time pilots.” Even children aged 8 to 16 can receive training via the Flying Academy program which will begin on Sept 1. And the good news is, DJI will provide Phantom 4 for participants in the educational programs.

Apart from individual and group bookings, the following programs are also available:

Corporate Event Rental
Rental for corporate and special events is available between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. all week. The minimum venue rental fee is 500000 won (USD452) for 30 people and 30000 won (USD27) per additional participant. Booking must be made two weeks in advanced.

Private Training
Personal training by DJI’s professional pilot will also be available. The participants will learn how to fly the Phantom 4 and learns its tips and tricks. This is definitely the way to go if you want to learn how to fly a drone like a professional.

School Tours
Schools looking to introduce a fun and wonderful UAV experience can book DJI Arena. It can be tailored particularly for each school with booking done in advance. Each session usually runs for two to three hours depending on the number of participants.

So, if you are visiting Seoul for business or pleasure, drop by DJI Arena for a lot of fun flying. Have a race, have fun and keep flying!

I‘ve seen a number of selfie drones being released in the last twelve months. Some of them have been quite notable such as the Hover Camera and the Zerotech Dobby but the latest Wingsland S6 seems to have set new standards for the selfie drone segment altogether.

The foldable S6 looks like a pocket drone straight out of Star Wars and is packed with plenty of smart features that can rival even the best selfie drones in the market today. It does come at a steep price though — $399.99 to be exact but you get what you pay for.

And I’m not kidding when I mentioned that it looks like a gadget from Star Wars — the S6 actually has an optional detachable pellet gun that fires 8mm rounds (6 in total) for air combat matches if you have two or more of them to contest for air superiority.

If you’re not into aerial warfare, the S6 also has a host of other modules such as a search light and LED display although I’m not too sure what you’d be using these modules for.

Minus the frills, the S6 is still a very competent selfie drone. It has fold-able motor arms and propellers and is equipped with a 13MP camera with 3-axis electronic stabilizer which is capable of taking 4K Ultra HD videos at 30fps and 1080P/720P videos at 60fps for some cool slow motion videos.

When fully folded, the S6 is just slightly larger than smartphone making it very portable and easy to carry around.

It also features dual GPS/GLONASS, brushless motors, infra-red altimeter and a detachable obstacle avoidance sensor. This is quite impressive because no other consumer drone in this price range features obstacle avoidance and the S6 is probably the first to feature it.

Like many other selfie drones, the S6 does not come shipped with a conventional RC transmitter and uses a smartphone app for drone and camera control.

The Wingsland S6 can be purchased at GeekBuying for $399.99 and is available in various colors.

GearBest is currently having a brand sale for XK products with an interesting lineup of models up on offer. A total of six XK products are now on sale including the highly popular X251 sport flier and X380 aerial photography drone.

The sale will be active from August 22 (12:00 AM UTC) to August 27 (8:00 AM UTC) with limited quantity for each model.

Early birds will be rewarded with the best prices for the X251 ($69.99), X250 ($63.99) and X100 ($24.99) which will be offered at their lowest prices on the first day of the sale which is today. Prices for these models will increase in two increments on and after August 23 so hurry up if any of these three models have been in your shopping list for some time.

These discounts are quite significant, considering that models such as the X251 normally retail for $106.04 but is now on sale for just $69.99 — that’s a whopping discount of over 30%!

Even the basic version of XK’s flagship X380 (without camera and gimbal) is given a massive discount of $44.74 (limited to the first 40 buyers only). Other products in the sale include the X252 and X251 battery.

17-year old Thomas Bitmatta from Melbourne emerged winner at the inaugural Australian Drone Nationals which concluded recently after three days of hard racing and drama at Country Paradise Parklands, Gold Coast.

Bitmatta dominated a field of over 60 participants representing some of the finest FPV pilots in Australia who battled it out over 5 qualifying rounds before the finals on August 21. Coming in second place was Ben Baided (Bingo) followed by Michael Webb (Webb FPV) and Evan Leipold (Shufty).

Bitmatta, who goes by the nickname BMSThomas, also took the crown for the Freestyle Category with 198 points. The Freestyle Category saw close competition among the top three winners with the first and third place winners separated by merely 5 points.
Thomas Bitmatta (center) wins the Australian Drone Nationals (Photo by Rise Above Custom Drone Solutions / Facebook).

Thomas Bitmatta (center) wins the Australian Drone Nationals.

12-year old Rudi Browning (Red Roo FPV) — the youngest competitor in the race, came in a close second place with 195 points while Lance Woolf (VEK) took third place with 193 points to round up the top three in the Freestyle Category.

Five of the best pilots at the event will receive full sponsorships to represent Australia at the upcoming World Drone Racing Championships to be held in Hawaii later this year. The five are Thomas Bitmatta, Ben Baided, Michael Webb, Evan Leipold and Rudi Browning.

For some time now, FPV racing has remained an underground sport in Australia and the event marks the first time it is being officially recognized as a sport in the country. The event was also sanctioned by the Model Aeronautical Association of Australia and the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority.