Unmanned aerial vehicles. Drone characteristics

Today the army of drones is huge, and literally every week something new appears. And in order to truly create something outstanding, designers have to really work hard. It is worth noting that their efforts do not go unnoticed.

1. Shooting Star

A device called Shooting Star, is a quadcopter with LED equipment capable of generating up to 4 billion color combinations. Used to control the drone software, which controls the movement of the quadcopter, automates the process of creating color animation, analyzes the quality of the GPS signal and battery level.

Advanced software takes into account all important variables, and the position of an individual drone within the flow is tracked both by GPS and other parameters.

2.Airblock

Makeblock (a drone development company) has released the world's first programmable modular Airblock drone, the first deliveries of which are planned for early 2017. It houses processors, rotors and motors under one foam frame. They are attached to each other using magnets. This allows you to make a drone with 2-3 propellers and experiment with options for their placement. The kit includes 1 main module, using which you can get a small gadget.

Airblock is able to move quickly both on land and on the surface of water due to the use of an air cushion formed by pumping air under the bottom. The drone is controlled by mobile application with an interface based on the drag-and-drop principle. Airblock's component modules can be assembled into a variety of designs and then brought to life through custom code.

3. Disco Drone

The end of summer 2016 was marked by the release of a new product - Disco Drone, the peculiarity of which was the presence of only one propeller at the back and wings, like a real aircraft. The wingspan is 1.15 meters and the device weighs only 750 grams. Its shape vaguely resembles a bomber. This design allows the Disco Drone to quickly gain speed (up to 80 km/h) and stay in the air long time. Launching a drone is very easy. To do this, just throw it into the air like an airplane. If communication is lost, the Disco Drone returns to the take-off location and begins circling over it.

Landing can be done on the belly. The strength of the drone is beyond doubt and it cannot be damaged in this way. The battery charge lasts for ¾ of an hour, and the flight radius is 2 km or more. Control is carried out by Parrot Skycontroller 2, which is capable of transmitting video to the user’s smartphone through a special application.

4. Mavic Pro

This quadcopter is very light weight (only 743 grams) and has a compact, fully foldable design. In addition to amazing technical capabilities, Mavic Pro is capable of demonstrating speeds of up to 65 km/h. At the same time, the battery charge can provide almost half an hour in the air.

Mavic Pro has a 12 MP camera with 3rd axial stabilization, which ensures shooting with a maximum resolution of 4K at a frequency of 30 fps. This quadcopter is capable of supporting gesture recognition.

5. Air Selfie

To be able to take selfies from a short distance, Italian developers have created the Air Selfie drone. This very compact device weighs 52 grams and easily fits into your pocket. Manufacturers state that maximum height Air Selfie lift is 20 m. Air Selfie equipped with a 5 MP camera, a 4GB memory card, and a rechargeable battery that allows the device to fly and take photographs for 5 minutes.

If this time is not enough, then you can use a special case for Air Selfie, which can recharge it (the battery built into the case is enough for 20 charges of the drone). The device is controlled using a special smartphone application.

6. Griff ZOO

Griff Aviation (a company from Norway) has been designing and producing drones for a long time. Now she has presented a new series, the first model of which was drone Griff ZOO. This is a powerful drone that can lift 1-2 people into the air. It weighs 75 kg and has 8 large propellers. At the same time, the device has a load capacity of 225 kg and can operate in the air with a maximum load of up to 45 minutes. This time is quite enough to transport a person over significant distances.

The Griff ZOO is controlled remotely (from a ground control panel), and for an additional fee, manufacturers can install a mobile station on the drone, making it possible to control it directly by the operator. The powerful design of the Griff ZOO allows you to install a number of additional equipment on it (for example, for search or firefighting work).

7. Human Flying Drone

A winter sport such as Drone Boarding, which combines innovative technologies with active winter activities. Casey Neistat (famous video blogger) put on a real show by attaching himself, standing on a snowboard, to a large drone, and moving in this form not only on snowy ski resort, but even rising into the air.

The drone with which Neysat accomplished this (Human Flying Drone) was designed by him together with Samsung engineers.

8. Sparen Voor Later

Developers from the Netherlands have designed a flying hammock Sparen Voor Later. To create it, engineers attached a couch to a large quadcopter that allows a person to fly while lying down.

9. CH-5

The largest Chinese-made combat drone has become CH-5, which was presented at the International Aviation Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai (Guangdong Province). This drone has a reserve of continuous flight time of 40 hours, and with certain modifications this period can be increased to 130 hours.

The range of the SN-5 is 6.5 thousand km, and the weight of the combat load is more than 900 kg. The CH-5 is controlled using a satellite.

10. Tern

The military agency DARPA, together with Northrop Grumman, announced that they are going to present a new military drone Tern. It will be distinguished by the possibility of vertical take-off, being installed on the tail section. Tern will have 2 propellers that will lift the device into the air where the drone will receive horizontal position.

It is planned that the drone will be able to cover distances of more than 1,100 km with the ability to move cargo weighing up to 450 kg.

BONUS

Intel really surprised everyone by demonstrating new technology, thanks to which 500 drones in the air were simultaneously able to perform complex aerobatic maneuvers. At the same time, a world record was set for the number of drones in the air at the same time.

A successful addition to this list could be.

Drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (or a self-propelled non-flying vehicle of a similar type). Those who watched the movie "Oblivion" may remember drones as autonomous combat vehicles that control a certain area. Drones perform mostly reconnaissance functions. They can move in conditions unsafe for humans, they are autonomous enough to for a long time remain without support (for example, drones are charged from the sun), their intrinsic value in the absence of a human pilot approaches zero. In the future, drones will be able to perform a lot of useful functions: monitoring weather conditions and territory, fast delivery of necessary cargo, conducting combat operations without the need to include human units, and more.

The development of the first “reusable” aircraft has started in Russia. The creation of an unmanned rocket plane was undertaken by the ISON company, which provided an image of the new device to RIA Novosti. It is expected that with its help it will be possible to launch a payload into low-Earth orbit.

Pilots have been experimenting with drone racing since the first drones were introduced for the general market. And while piloting such drones requires a high level of skill, the XDC_2 Extreme Circuit Drone Racing, recently held for the first time in Las Vegas, could turn first-person drone racing into a fantastic spectator sport for everyday people.

Most people consider radio-controlled toys to be just a simple hobby. However, some of these products can pose a serious threat to both military and civilian populations. If earlier UAV, or drones, as they are called in a foreign manner, could only be found in science fiction films, today this is our reality. What does Drone mean?? Read some more sensible news, for example, how to understand the word Playoffs, what does Powerlifting mean, what is Parkour? This term was borrowed from English" Drone", and is translated as "drone". The idea of ​​using drones to destroy terrorists was first voiced in Pentagon, and only then other countries began to catch up with them.

The Russian military-industrial complex now produces a fairly extensive line of drones, of all types and “suits.” However, what our troops really lack is a heavy striker drone. However, developments are already underway in this direction, but it is difficult to say how far they have progressed. However, photographs of a mysterious Russian man appeared online. UAV, who was taxiing at the airfield, made by an American spy satellite. In appearance, it looks very menacing, but as for its performance characteristics, this is a sealed secret.

Drone is a drone that is controlled remotely, and can be either flying, self-propelled, or underwater

Main plus Drona the fact that it has enormous autonomy, there are no people who need to go to the shower, eat, or sleep. Pilots sit in specially equipped trailers, which can be located several thousand kilometers from the aircraft.
Now they are creating UAVs that are equipped with solar batteries, which allows you to increase their stay in the air up to a couple of weeks.

There are already drones that are capable of monitor weather conditions, deliver small cargo, monitor road traffic, and most importantly, participate in hostilities while saving people's lives.

Manage Drone, either by issuing occasional commands or on an ongoing basis. The main advantage of the UAV, in addition to the absence of a person in the cockpit, is that the cost of such “pepelats” is much less than a manned aircraft of similar efficiency. For example, the cost modern fighter is approaching $100 million, while drone It will “cost” you only five to ten million dollars. The big minus is vulnerability UAV, both for attacks from the ground and from the air, however, such devices are ideally suited for bombing Papuans.

Thanks to modern media and the Internet, the word “drone” has not been heard only by people who do not have access to the Internet or a TV.

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Today it is customary to call a drone almost any small mechanism that flies on remote control, without a pilot. But let's go back to the roots and figure out what it is - from the meaning of the word itself to the types of equipment.

Drone - what is it

The word drone in English language means “bumblebee, drone.” And this perfectly characterizes the device itself - small size, ability to fly. But the main reason why drones were named this way is the characteristic noise, the buzzing sound that the device makes when flying - like a swarm of bumblebees or drones. True, initially it was more of a humorous nickname for noisy devices. Today, any unmanned aerial vehicle is commonly called a drone, regardless of its purpose and size.

Robotic mechanisms, controlled remotely or moving according to a programmed flight plan, have long been used for military purposes. But the general public has only gained access to new technologies in the last few years. This device gained popularity and almost a must-have status quite recently.

The history of the drone

The first unmanned mechanisms appeared in the very late XIX century. In general, the idea of ​​remotely controlled mechanisms appeared immediately after the invention of electricity. One of the first representatives of the radio-controlled “tribe” can be called a boat on remote control Nikola Tesla, which he demonstrated to the public back in 1899. Before this, the use of balloons to drop bombs in the mid-19th century can be considered a prototype of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles).

All participating countries also showed widespread interest in drones during the First World War. Of course, such unmanned aerial systems were not used for peaceful purposes at all, but to enhance combat power. After the end of hostilities, research in this area continued with new strength stirred up at the beginning of World War II.

Drones were an excellent tool for reconnaissance - for collecting data on the location of enemy and allied forces, obtaining important information. And, of course, for dropping bombs. Of course, at that time there were people who believed that the use of UAVs was also possible for peaceful purposes. But then all resources were directed in one military direction.

What do we have today?

The beginning of the 21st century has become a new milestone in the history of drones. Now drones have gone far beyond army services. And they are very actively used for domestic purposes and even in business. For example, the well-known American company Amazon some time ago launched delivery of purchases using small drones.

They are also widely used in various areas of human activity - from Agriculture to large industrial enterprises. And on the streets you can often meet young people who launch small radio-controlled devices for entertainment or for video and photography.

Over the past few decades, the development of technological progress has also changed the methods of interaction, materials and techniques used to create drones. They become lighter, more maneuverable and technically more complex.

Drone capabilities

Range

This is if we're talking about about relatively light and small drones, which are usually used for shooting from above. They can be controlled using a simple remote control or even through an application for mobile device(smartphone or tablet). They have many auxiliary functions and features.

Drones capable of flying 10 km are already intended for professional use. They don't have many custom goodies in their arsenal, but they do have good speed, high-quality camera and its own control system.

Long-range drones, or copters as they are called, can be perfectly used as an alternative delivery service, which is especially important for big cities with heavy traffic. They can be used as additional equipment for monitoring law enforcement, for inspecting farmland, etc. The scope of their application today is expanding very rapidly.

If we talk about more powerful drones, in particular for government or military use, the parameters here will be different. In the USA, there is a division of drones into classes based on altitude gain, where highest category A. Such devices can rise to altitudes from 5,400 to 18,000 meters. And category G includes devices that fly up to no more than 360 meters.

Time

In simple models, the autonomous flight time is about 10 minutes. In more expensive and more powerful models – from 20 to 40 minutes. And only users at the highest level can afford an hour or more. This is already specialized equipment. And most often – military.

Speed

Naturally, this indicator also depends on the class of the device. If we talk about the maximum level, the most powerful models today are capable of developing up to 100-120 km/h.

Types of drones

Naturally, given such a wide range of uses, it will be easier to distribute drones according to their intended purpose.

• Selfie drones. The fashion for selfies has taken over the world so much that they started using copters instead of selfie sticks. Usually devices for such needs have a camera high resolution, speed up to 40 km/h and range of approximately 100 m.
• Mini drones. This is something between a full-fledged gadget and a toy. Suitable for learning how to operate such a device or just for fun. Usually used indoors. The flight range does not exceed 100-150 m, the time is up to 10 minutes.
• Racing. Naturally, the spread of copters could not help but lead to the emergence of a new sport - drone racing. For these purposes, light and maneuverable mechanisms are used, with good stabilization and a camera, and high strength. Such devices are capable of flying without recharging for 10 to 30 minutes, and with manual control – within visibility range (up to 200 m).
• Underwater. And these devices also “fly” under water. Underwater devices are used for various purposes - from innocent fishing and photo hunting to military needs. Non-specialized devices can dive to a depth of up to 15 m and have a high-resolution camera.
• Military. Drones for military purposes are a separate caste of drones. This includes both flying and underwater UAVs. They can stay in the air for up to 20 hours, carry cargo and have a powerful control system.
• Freight. They belong to the commercial category and can be used for transporting goods to large enterprises or as a courier delivery service.
• Agricultural. Modern technologies allow us to simplify and improve the agricultural sector. Using drones, you can monitor the condition of fields or animals, track and collect data about a particular area. This will significantly save time and effort.

Safety

Naturally, with the advent of aircraft capable of climbing into hard-to-reach places and conducting high-quality filming, the issue of safety has become acute. Secret military bases and facilities were under threat, private life dignitaries and celebrities, the possibility of convenient industrial espionage has appeared, etc.

On the other hand, these devices help to quickly monitor the status of many systems and communications, detecting leaks and breakthroughs in time.

But a way out was found here too. Today, security systems are beginning to include a new element – ​​protection against drones. This includes remote detection of UAVs, their neutralization during flight, as well as preventive measures - amendments to software, restrictions, legislation.

In the minds of most people not related to aviation, unmanned aircrafts are somewhat complicated versions of radio-controlled airplane models. In a certain sense this is true. However, the functions of these devices are Lately have become so diverse that it is no longer possible to limit ourselves to just this way of looking at them.

The beginning of the unmanned era

If we talk about automatic flight and space remotely controlled systems, this topic is not new. Another thing is that in the last decade there has been a certain fashion for them. At its core, the Soviet shuttle Buran, which made an uncrewed space flight and landed safely in the now distant 1988, is also a drone. Photos of the surface of Venus and many scientific data about this planet (1965) were also obtained automatically and telemetrically. And lunar rovers are quite consistent with the idea of ​​unmanned vehicles. And many other achievements of Soviet science in the space field. Where did the mentioned fashion come from? Apparently, it was the result of experience combat use similar technology, and he was rich.

How to use this?

Controlling unmanned aerial vehicles is the same specialty as an ordinary one. An expensive and complex machine can easily be crashed on the ground by making an inept landing. It can be lost as a result of an unsuccessful maneuver or shelling by the enemy. Like a regular plane or helicopter, you need to try to save the drone and remove it from the danger zone. The risk, of course, is not the same as in the case of a “live” crew, but it’s not worth throwing away expensive equipment. Today, in most countries, instructor and academic work conducted by experienced pilots who have mastered the control of UAVs. They are usually not professional teachers and specialists in computer technology, so this approach is unlikely to last long. The requirements for a “virtual pilot” differ from those that apply to a future cadet upon admission to a flight school. It can be assumed that the competition among applicants for the specialty “UAV operator” will be considerable.

Bitter Ukrainian experience

Without going into the political background of the armed conflict in eastern regions Ukraine, it can be noted extremely unsuccessful attempts carrying out aerial reconnaissance by An-30 and An-26 aircraft. If the first of them was developed specifically for aerial photography (mainly peaceful), then the second is an exclusively transport modification of the passenger An-24. Both planes were shot down by rebel fire. What about Ukrainian drones? Why weren't they used to obtain information about the location of rebel forces? The answer is simple. There is none of them.

Against the backdrop of a permanent financial crisis in the country, the funds necessary to create modern weapons were not found. Ukrainian drones are at the stage of preliminary designs or simple homemade devices. Some of them are assembled from radio-controlled aircraft models purchased at the Pilotage store. The militias act in exactly the same way. Not long ago, Ukrainian television showed an allegedly shot down Russian drone. A photo showing a small and not the most expensive model (without any damage) with a makeshift video camera attached can hardly serve as an illustration of aggressive military power"northern neighbor"