While the United States unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) industry is still waiting on the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to deliver its flight regulations for civil and commercial use of unmanned vehicles, many law firms are forming UAS units to assist clients with legal issues pertaining to the developing technology. Some firms offer advisement for manufacturing and operating clients, others offer assistance with the rule making process, while some are proposing preemptions to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued by FAA.&nbsp;Hunton &amp; Williams LLP recently announced the formation of a UAS integration unit to assist clients with the legal complexities associated with the developing commercial UAS regulations. The firm will be able to assist with issues regarding the rulemaking process of the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board, and other state and federal agencies.&nbsp;“Our view, in general, is that with emerging technology like this, which has so many obvious applications for various uses, that there are lots of other opportunities that many folks haven’t even considered yet. We think there’s just such a broad range of applications that clients like ours could use the technology for and it’s not just the UAS platform itself, but what it can do for them, how they’re implementing that into their businesses, and that, I think, provides a rich landscape of opportunity for them to do things faster, better, cheaper, and in ways they hadn’t envisioned before,” said Michael Sievers, a counsel at Hunton &amp; Williams.“Coupling all that with a regulatory environment that’s just being born around this technology, we certainly saw a need for our clients to have some advice in navigating that landscape, influencing that landscape if they can or have that desire, but otherwise, really learning with it and complying with it,” said Sievers.&nbsp;“Our UAS integration unit’s current initiatives include collaborating with clients to develop internal working groups to include representatives from legal, new technologies, risk management, privacy and security and aviation departments; risk management, privacy and security and aviation departments; and participation in joint efforts of industry, trade groups and government to clarify rules regarding the operation of UAS and related systems,” Hunton &amp; Williams said.&nbsp;The UAS integration unit is part of the larger Unmanned Systems Group and is led by Sievers, Doug Kenyon, Eric Murdock, and Lisa Sotto. The unit includes business, litigation and regulatory professionals who will monitor and participate in the developments of regulatory programs for UAS and other unmanned systems.“The use of these emerging technologies draws on the areas of the law in which we have significant proficiency, such as aviation, environmental, government relations, insurance, maritime patent, privacy and data protection, products liability, property and land rights, risk management, technology and transportation,” said Hunton &amp; Williams.&nbsp;Like partners at Hunton &amp; Williams, Donald Mark is also leveraging a law career linked to the aviation industry into an unmanned aerial vehicle law practice. Mark, founder of Minnesota-based Fafinski Mark &amp; Johnson, will help lead a team equipped to advise and represent a range of clients from large-scale UAV manufacturers to small-time operators. The law group represents Fortune 500 companies, international clients from Sweden to Dubai and recently, represented an aviation client in a case that made it to the U.S. Supreme Court.&nbsp;“We felt like the time was right to launch this new group. We’ve been watching the technology very closely,” said Mark. “When the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration puts rules to paper we are going to see an explosion of uses for the UAS industry.”&nbsp;FMJ explains potential liability and certification issues, for UAV manufacturing clients. For operators, Mark and his team explain technology offerings and the possible role of insurance. “I think the insurance industry will have a lot to say about drones and how they are utilized. If you want to get insurance, you will have to abide by the qualifications that the insurance companies will require,” he said.&nbsp;Many of FMJ’s clients to date have been in the precision agriculture sector, Mark says. “The farmers have figured it out,” he said of the agricultural communities’ embrace and understanding of the opportunities presented by the implementation of UAS into day-to-day operations. Other industries, including utilities, oil and gas and even sports teams, will benefit from the imminent FAA rulemaking. “We are now seeing some sports teams that are using UAVs to get a better view of football practices. They can view from above what a pulling guard is actually doing. It’s pretty remarkable and we’re going to see uses in the next two to five years that we haven’t even thought of,” Mark said.&nbsp;McKenna Long &amp; Aldridge LLP has joined Hunton &amp; Williams, FMJ, as well as other U.S. law firms in capitalizing on the UAS industry’s need for advisement. The firm recently petitioned the FAA, on behalf of its UAS Advisory Group, requesting that any notice of proposed rulemaking issued by the FAA addressing small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) including a regulation that preempts state and local regulation of sUAS including design, sale, distribution or operation.“What we’re requesting is that the FAA, as part of their federal rulemaking process, where they define the operation use of navigable airspace in UAS, include a preemption provision that says essentially no state can regulate the use of UAS,” said Mark Dombroff, a McKenna partner who formerly headed the U.S. Department of Justice’s aviation litigation group.&nbsp;“The language we’re proposing would preempt, in other words preclude, any state UAS specific laws relating to the design, use or operation of UAS even if it’s for the purpose of privacy,” said Larry Ebner, a nationally recognized authority on federal preemption.&nbsp;The petition, which was prepared in union with McKenna attorneys, explained that a sUAS preemption regulation would be in the public interest and preserve and promote aviation safety.“The FAA has the know-how, experience, and personnel for regulating UAS on a nationally uniform basis,” said Ebner. “Allowing each state to adopt its own UAS regulations would jeopardize aviation and public safety by undermining national uniformity.”&nbsp;“At McKenna, our UAS Advisory Group is focused on policy-making during this critical period of federal rulemaking that will shape the regulatory world in which the UAS industry will live, said Lisa Ellman, co-chair of McKenna’s UAS practice. &nbsp;Author: Emily Aasand&nbsp; Staff Writer, UAS Magazine&nbsp; 701-738-4976&nbsp; eaasand@bbiinternational.com

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From operations to liability, UAS law firms are providing several forms of guidance.

UAS law firms take different approaches

Textron makes a myriad of products for both the military and civilian markets, ranging from power tools to unmanned minesweepers for the U.S. Navy. Until recently, Textron’s unmanned aerial systems were primarily known for their use in the military world.&nbsp;Signaling a shift in its UAS focus, however, the company made its first appearance at The Commercial UAV Show held annually in London. David Phillips, vice president for small- and medium-endurance UAS in Textron Systems Unmanned Systems, delivered a keynote address entitled: “UAS: A Game-Changer in Oil and Gas Security.”“Textron Systems Unmanned Systems is extremely interested in ultimately segueing into the commercial marketspace,” Phillips says. “Much of what we’re doing right now is positioning for that.”Textron has long been a fixture in the military world with its Aerosonde and Shadow unmanned aerial vehicles and its UAS ground control systems. But as Phillips explains, the company has always planned to enter the commercial market in concert with the Federal Aviation Administration’s timetable to integrate UAS into the national airspace.&nbsp;“What we’ve done along the way is put enough attention into our UAS, whether it be size-related or reliability-related or redundancy-related or engine-related, so that a transition to commercial airspace is easier,” he says.&nbsp;In particular, the purpose-built UAV engine designed and manufactured by Lycoming—a Textron subsidiary—is “the most critical enabler for improved reliability in the system,” according to Phillips.&nbsp;The market potential for commercial UAV engines is one reason Textron wants to expand into the civilian marketplace.&nbsp;“Volumes in the military don’t get engine manufacturers too excited, which is why we don’t have too many purpose-built engines in this industry for UAS,” Phillips notes. “So it’s an eye toward the commercial market and the much larger volume potential that the commercial market provides that’s really the end-game for unmanned systems. It’s not much different, quite frankly, than a lot of other technologies that started in the military and transitioned to commercial.”Just as the global positioning system started as military technology and became ubiquitous in civilian applications, Phillips says UAS electro-optical and infrared sensors, as well as data links, will find commercial uses as they become more affordable.“What we’ve been concentrating on as the systems integrator and the air vehicle manufacturer is the reliability of the aircraft,” he says. “We then partner with our supply base to make sure that the payloads we don’t develop, but that we integrate, will be commercialized.”&nbsp;Two of the most important aspects of commercializing a technology are reducing the cost and making it exportable, which is one reason Phillips says Textron considers the oil and gas industry a near-term path for UAS commercialization. In fact, Textron is already flying UAV missions overseas for customers in the industry.“We’re flying in high-risk areas for our oil and gas customers right now in coordination with their governmental agencies, their equivalents of the FAA and the air traffic control of nearby airports,” Phillips says. “Because Textron can readily demonstrate the benefits of flying high-risk aviation missions using UAVs in remote, low-populated areas, Phillips believes the prospects are better for commercializing UAS technology with the U.S. oil and gas industry.&nbsp;“We see commercial applications where it will be a little more difficult to work a certificate of authorization—things like precision agriculture, domestic pipeline monitoring and environmental studies—where it’s probably not as imminent. But the oil and gas stuff, right now, we’re doing it,” Phillips says.&nbsp;Even though much of Textron’s UAS work has been for the U.S. military, Phillips described some of the civilian projects in which it’s been involved and others that could occur in the near future.&nbsp;For example, the company was asked by President Tommy Remengesau of the Pacific island nation of Palau to use its UAS technology to identify boats illegally fishing in the country’s waters. Flying a UAV at 15,000 feet where it’s virtually undetectable, the sensors could zoom in on a vessel’s registration number and transmit the information to an operations center in real time. A patrol boat would then be directed to intercept boats operating illegally.&nbsp;Off the coast of Australia, Phillips says Textron Systems flew an environmental monitoring mission for Chevron.&nbsp;“We had to show that their offshore drilling operations weren’t impacting the migratory and reproductive activities of sea turtles,” he says. “So we flew for a couple of months, tracking the before and after of turtle tracks. We’d take pictures of the same routes, the same beach lines every day and then apply a software overlay to show that the before and after was the same.”A potential mission for Textron UAS is creating a “cell bubble” to provide communications over an area in which Internet or cellular connectivity aren’t normally available.&nbsp;“We can fly an Aerosonde that creates a communications link, increasing the range of handheld radios or cell phones by bouncing the signal off the aircraft in the sky as a link extender. In mining and surveying, there are remote operational areas where a UAV in the sky acting as a communications link is of benefit, Phillips says.A major advantage of the Aerosonde is its 14-hour endurance, which not only improves on the three- to four-hour flight time of a manned aircraft, but also makes it ideal for missions over linear infrastructure such as pipelines and power lines.&nbsp;Phillips stresses that Textron is not wedded to using its own UAVs if better options exist.&nbsp;“Because we do our control systems, if the model says that we don’t need a system of Aerosonde’s capability, then we can bring in somebody else’s smaller, perhaps battery-operated, less-expensive unmanned aircraft system with the same control function,” he explains. “Our customers don’t need to invest in another control system. We just modify the aircraft’s autopilot to interface with our control regime.”As Phillips notes, many of Textron’s customers are interested in obtaining data at the lowest cost rather than buying and owning a UAS.&nbsp;“Most of our operations right now are being done on a fee-for-service business model,” he says. “If we’re providing the service, we’re going to provide the most efficient service, even if it’s somebody else’s aircraft that we integrate into our system.”&nbsp;Textron Systems Unmanned Systems isn’t flying missions only to demonstrate its commercial UAS capabilities, but it’s also forming partnerships and making investments in products, reliability and payload integration which Phillips says will ultimately get the company to its commercialization goal.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Author: Patrick C. Miller&nbsp; BBI International

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Textron Systems Aims At Commercialization

When the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration gave six aerial photo and video production companies exemption for the commercial use of unmanned aerial systems, was it a significant step forward or a case of too little too late?The debate started in late September when the FAA announced the granting of exemptions to the six businesses (a seventh was later issued to Flying-Cam) to operate UAS for moviemaking and television production.&nbsp;U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx hailed the occasion as “a significant milestone in broadening commercial UAS use while ensuring we maintain our world-class safety record in all forms of flight.”Chris Dodd, the former U.S. senator who heads the Motion Picture Association of America—the organization that petitioned the FAA for the exemption—called it “a victory for audiences everywhere” that gave “filmmakers yet another way to push creative boundaries and create the kinds of scenes and shots we could only imagine just a few years ago.”But Michael Drobac, executive director of the Small UAV Coalition, reflected the view of other pundits when he groused, “We’re hopeful that future petitions that are approved will not necessarily have to be a cookie-cutter model of what was approved for the production companies in the closed-set filmmaking.”&nbsp;Brendan Schulman, an attorney specializing in UAS law, opined, “I’m worried that it’s too small a step forward and it’s too narrowly limited.”&nbsp;Some of the FAA restrictions include: no night operations; keeping the UAV within line of sight; operating UAVs on closed sets only; providing advanced notice of UAS flights; providing a plan of activities to an FAA Flight Service District; prohibiting UAV operations from a moving device or vehicle; and requiring a privately licensed pilot with a current third-class medical certificate and an observer.&nbsp;So, what do the six companies that received the exemption think of it? How will it affect their ability to shoot movie and TV scenes from unmanned aerial vehicles, engage in aerial photography and record commercials? And, how do they view the process they went through, and will it open the way for other commercial UAS applications?Eric Austin, owner of HeliVideo Productions in Austin, Texas, reflected Schulman’s view, saying, “There’s not much freedom about it. The limits they put on our use are quite severe.”However, representatives of the other five companies were more charitable in their assessments of the FAA exemption. They all agreed that while they might not have gotten everything they wanted, they got what they needed.&nbsp;“The FAA was very cognizant of creating fair limitations,” says Tom Hallman, president, Pictorvision, Van Nuys, California. “We addressed all the safety issues, yet are still able to use these things commercially.”Preston Ryon, owner of SnapRoll Media, Franklin, Tennessee, expressed satisfaction with the way the FAA regulated the companies. “It does it in a safe way, and that’s the best part of it. It’s just restrictive enough to keep things safe and organized,” he says.&nbsp;For Chris Schuster, owner of Vortex Aerial, Riverside, California, the exemption provides an opportunity to return to the U.S. for filming on closed sets. “Up until the last two years, we’ve had to operate outside the United States,” he says.&nbsp;Hal Winer, director of operations for Astraeus Aerial, Encino, California, cites another reason the FAA’s exemption is important to the companies, which is to separate the professionals in the field from the amateurs.&nbsp;“There’s a ton of hobbyists out there who are throwing cameras on a UAS and marketing themselves as aerial cinematographers,” he notes. “Everyone on our team has extensive experience in the film, television and advertising industries. We know where to put the camera. We know how to use the camera. We know how to get the shots. We also have experience with the FAA in safety and flight operations.“We’re not just trying to capitalize on an industry that has the need,” Winer continues. “We are professionals in the industry. We recognize the need and we’re filling it based on our expertise.”Ryon echoes Winer’s view: “Just because anybody can buy a UAV doesn’t make it safe for them to be out there flying. We’re all for other people going through the same process we went through so that they can be licensed and safe. There’s a need for more than just six operators.”Although the process actually started months before the MPAA officially filed for the exemptions in early June, it took nearly four months to finalize them. All six companies were mostly satisfied with the process and the manner in which the FAA conducted it.&nbsp;“Given the tough task that the FAA is facing in terms of integrating commercial use of UAV’s into the national airspace, I think it was a reasonable process,” says Tony Carmean, founder of Aerial MOB, Carlsbad, California. “With that said, it took a huge amount of time, effort, and finances to develop all of the proper documentation that the FAA required. It was not easy by any means.”Austin agrees that the process was lengthy and expensive, requiring “powerful consultants and lawyers.” However, he adds, “Considering how slow the FAA moves, I was actually surprised when they moved quickly toward the end. I know they’ve been under tremendous pressure for years on this subject.”There is no disagreement among the six companies that the ability to use UAVs for their work improves safety and lowers costs while opening new avenues for creativity.&nbsp;As Hallman explains, in contrast to using an expensive full-sized manned helicopter, “Just because of the size, weight and noise, we can get much lower, much closer to actors. You don’t have a giant combustion engine making tons of noise. You don’t have giant prop wash blowing stuff all over the set. We can fly indoors.”&nbsp;And, he adds, “Because the wing span of the class of multi-rotors we’re going to be using is three to four feet versus 36 feet, it opens up tons of locations and really interesting places we can now put a camera that you couldn’t even dream of before.”Aerial MOB’s Carmean says, “This technology has the ability to get perspectives not possible with any other traditional film production tools like dollies, jibs, cranes, cable cameras, Russian arm cars and full-size aircraft. The use of UAS allows for combining all of these types of shots into one continuous shot, and we can do them much more efficiently in terms of time and budget.”&nbsp;Schuster references another instance in which UAS will help in capturing aerial shots.“We can operate on city streets with the caveat that a set perimeter is secured and excludes any non-production personnel,” he says. “It keeps the general public out of the eye of the camera so it preserves their privacy, and it also preserves their safety as well.”In granting the exemption, the FAA recognized the obvious safety benefits that UAS offer over conventional manned aircraft.&nbsp;“The fact that the aircraft are so much smaller, the blades are so much smaller and we’re using electric power instead of liquid fuel, there’s a lot less that can go wrong if there’s an accident,” Hallman says. “Just not having hundreds of gallons of fuel that can spill if there’s an accident really changes the safety issues.”Among the six companies, there’s broad agreement that the FAA will use the experience gained from the regulatory process and the commercial UAS operations to eventually open the door to integrating other applications into the national airspace.&nbsp;“The entertainment industry sector of drone use is probably the best place for them to start with the integration process,” Schuster says.&nbsp;Austin concurs, saying: “I know the FAA is using us as the first test case, and it makes sense because we operate in the tightly controlled movie and TV arena. They are moving on to other areas such as agriculture, pipe and transmission line inspection, and flare stack inspection. These will take more time to approve, but I expect we’ll see some news on this front soon.”As Hallman notes, now that the aerial cinematographers can legally operate UAS, it should provide the FAA with guidance to develop regulations for other industries. &nbsp;&nbsp;“We’re going to generate a whole bunch of data that the FAA can use and figure out for the rulemaking process,” he says. “What is a reasonable amount of regulation? It’s a learning process for everybody. We can create standards that just haven’t been happening so far. This visibility should give the FAA and the public at large the information they need to come up with reasonable, permanent rulemaking.”There’s also an expectation that as the companies demonstrate they can operate under the FAA’s regulations, some of the restrictions could be relaxed.&nbsp;“In this initial approval, we are not going to be allowed to perform nighttime operations due to insufficient data for such operations,” says Carmean. “The FAA has said that they are open to approving nighttime operations in the near future if or when we are able to establish safe operational procedures.”Winer says Astraeus Arial has a proprietary system that enables its UAV to fly blind. However they can’t use it under the FAA regulations. “We anticipate that rule changing down the road, but for right now, we’re fine with it. We’ll take what we can get,” he says.&nbsp;Schuster says that going through the process has changed his perspective on the FAA and the regulatory process.&nbsp;“Honestly, I have a newfound respect for that branch of our government. Being that we’ve been working hand in hand with these people, we’ve learned that the time commitments and the perceived delays were actually very well justified by the Federal Aviation Administration,” he says.&nbsp;“They rose to the occasion,” Schuster adds. “They got the job done in due course and actually in record time. Considering how complex the problem was, they really did an excellent job. They realize that if things don’t work out right, they’re going to be the ones that answer for it.”Ryon also expressed admiration for the manner in which the FAA conducted the process.&nbsp;“The FAA was super-professional and moved as fast as they possibly could while keeping safety in mind,” he says. “They wanted this type of technology to be used, but they wanted to do it in a way that when it’s introduced for commercial use, it’s done safely.”Ultimately, Carmean believes the public will notice the difference in what aerial cinematographers can accomplish with UAS.&nbsp;“The true beauty of what this technology offers film production is low-altitude aerial cinematography, not necessarily just the high altitude, wide-angle shots,” he explains. &nbsp;“The big winner here is the consumer. This technology will enhance the film-viewing experience.”Author: Patrick C. Miller&nbsp; Staff Writer, UAS Magazine&nbsp; pmiller@bbiinternational.com&nbsp; 701-738-4923

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How exemptions for UAS cinematographers will positively impact the consumer and the industry.

Enhanging The View

It began in the early 1920s. Founded by Edsel Ford, William Stout, and other industry leaders, Detroit Aircraft Corp. was, at one time, the world’s largest aviation holding company. In 1929, adding to the companies under its umbrella, Detroit Aircraft purchased 87 percent of the assets of (what became) Lockheed Corp., just months before the stock market crashed, ruining the aircraft market and plunging Detroit Aircraft into bankruptcy, receivership and dissolution. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Five days after Detroit Aircraft closed its doors, in 1932, Lockheed Aircraft Corp. Division was bought out of receivership by a group of investors and, in 1934, became Lockheed Corp. The company merged with Martin Marietta, in 1995, and has since become known for its global aerospace, defense, security and advanced technology services.&nbsp;In 2007, Jon Rimanelli, an avid pilot, began working to revive the Detroit Aircraft name. He had learned of the Red Bull Air Races that are held in various locations around the world and began researching air racing. Rimanelli says he thought the banks of the Detroit River would be a perfect location and proposed it as the site for the 2010 Red Bull North America’s Air Races. In the process of making his successful pitch for the event, Rimanelli discovered the rich aviation history of Detroit.“One of my biggest arguments [to host the races] was all the history in Detroit. From Charles Lindbergh being born here to Boeing being from here. All the aviation history here is incredible,” says Rimanelli. “It was the perfect opportunity to restore aircraft manufacturing in the city of Detroit.”With the 2010 races accomplished, and armed with knowledge of the city's history, Rimanelli believed the time was right to revive the defunct Detroit Aircraft. He contacted Bruce Holmes, former NASA Langley chief strategist, who led NASA’s small aircraft transportation systems, to see what NASA had been studying in the area of mass producing small aircraft systems, and here he found his next business idea.&nbsp;On July 11, 2011, Rimanelli founded Detroit Aircraft, a new company, under the same moniker, designed to “leverage Detroit and Michigan’s skilled labor and industrial base to mass produce highly automated freight and passenger transportation systems to network to the United States’s 20,000 airports.”“The rule of thumb, if you ever want to start in business, is to think big, start small,” says Rimanelli. “So I decided to focus on small UAS for first response and public safety because Detroit has a very large area to manage and I saw that as a force multiplier. We spent a lot of time doing homework, researching and building multi-rotor helicopters to get some experience.”In 2013, Rimanelli began visiting with Lockheed Martin. During those conversations, Lockheed Martin mentioned it had spent several years designing and developing the Indago unmanned aircraft platform and that there was potential for Detroit Aircraft to be a distributer of that platform.&nbsp;“We had several meetings. They came to Detroit a couple of times—one for a meet and greet with city officials and another to demonstrate and present the Indago to various agencies in the region,” says Rimanelli. “They decided that we would make an excellent distributor, we signed a distributor agreement, and during that process we told them we were also interested in manufacturing for them.”The company has not only become an Indago platform distributor in Detroit, it has also branched out to other cities. Detroit Aircraft recently sold a vehicle to a Louisiana police department and is currently finalizing certificate of authorization (COA) applications with Detroit fire department.“He has also bought the right to do top-level manufacturing and top-level assembling from me,” says Dave Pringle, site general manager at Lockheed Martin for Procerus Technologies.“It’s kind of interesting how we went from a phone call a year ago to becoming a distributor to becoming a supplier,” says Rimanelli. “It’s a very unique relationship.”The Vehicle&nbsp; The Indago is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) quadcopter with a weight of just under 5 pounds.&nbsp;“It has multiple capabilities and uses that we are looking to market,” says Pringle. “Public safety is one of those, and Jon is attacking that market very heavily.”The unmanned aircraft folds into two small cases—one that actually carries the VTOL itself and the other one houses the hand controller—all of which fits into a backpack.&nbsp;“It’s nice for public safety—law enforcement, search and rescue—because of its quick set up,” says Pringle. “It can be set up in less than two minutes and be up in the air. It has a leading endurance within the industry ranging between 45 minutes to an hour of endurance depending on the situational use of the vehicle.”The Indago can fly between 25 and 35 miles per hour and has a ceiling height of more than 18,000 feet.Lifesaving Partnership&nbsp; Todd Sedlak is the lead trainer at Detroit Aircraft with more than 3,500 flight hours. He is also a firefighter, and helped facilitate when Detroit Aircraft and Lockheed Martin developed a partnership with the City of Detroit and the Detroit Fire Department.&nbsp;“When I was able to take these two skill sets that I have as an unmanned systems operator and a firefighter, the utility was obvious to me,” says Sedlak. “We set up meetings with the Detroit Fire Department and I explained the utility to them and they were immediately on board.”Detroit Aircraft has applied for a COA and is expected to receive it within the next month, at which point, it will conduct training for the Detroit Fire Department.Detroit Aircraft has been looking into dilapidated areas of the city to perform mock search and rescue missions or hazmat scenarios and to train other Fire Departments how to improve their efficiencies in fighting fires using unmanned systems, says Rimanelli.“We have more fire issues than anywhere else in the country, which would make an ideal training location for other agencies in the United States to learn how to use these vehicles in first response and fire application,” says Rimanelli. “That’s our strategy. To create an academy to train other fire agencies and first responders on how to use them here in the city of Detroit.”Rimanelli says he and his company have seen an interest from other fire departments across the country.&nbsp;“Our goal is to make sure that these technologies are affordable and accessible for every law enforcement team, every first response team and every fire department in the nation,” says Rimanelli. “It’s a tool that mitigates risks, increases efficiencies and can help save lives.” &nbsp;UAS Vision&nbsp; The unmanned aircraft vehicle industry within Lockheed Martin is spread across several business units, the Indago is the only platform Pringle has at Procerus Technologies, but Lockheed Martin offers a wide range of systems including fixed-wing platforms.&nbsp;As for Procerus Technologies, Pringle says he and his team are focusing on the U.S. Department of Defense market as well as the international and public safety markets.&nbsp;“My team is a relatively small, commercial entity of Lockheed Martin,” says Pringle. “We just received our first program of record with our preceptor gimbal with the U.S. Army. We will continue to focus on the U.S. Army. Opportunities within the Department of Defense is one of my big focus areas, but we’re also taking our products internationally and forming alliances with agents in other countries.”In the U.S., Lockheed Martin and Detroit Aircraft are no different than any other U.S. firm waiting to hear on the Federal Aviation Association regulations.“The last I heard [on the FAA ruling] is that there’s going to be a release by the end of the year where they [the FAA] will lay out an 18-month plan describing the process allowing people to qualify vehicles and operators as well as lay out the parameters upon which they’ll allow the aircraft to fly,” says Pringle.&nbsp;“I’m hoping and looking forward to the FAA streamlining the process because it’s my belief that getting this technology to the people who need it the most is a big priority, not only as a company, but as a nation,” says Rimanelli. “It’s a moral responsibility, in my opinion.”&nbsp;“The reemergence of Detroit Aircraft, the reemergence of the city, and creating jobs here in the industry, is for me, the bigger story,” says Rimanelli. “It’s been fun because it’s an opportunity to give kids who don’t see much of a future in Detroit an idea, an opportunity to have a different type of job in aviation. I’d say the broader mission of the company is that at the end of the day, we’re successful in delivering this technology to the masses and first response. I would say long-term, I think unmanned systems are the foundation for a highly automated air transportation system in the future.” Author: Emily Aasand&nbsp; Staff Writer, UAS Magazine&nbsp; 701-738-4976&nbsp; eaasand@bbiinternational.com

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Detroit Aircraft and Lockheed Martin have partnered to revive Detroit and provide first responders with emerging UAV technology.

UAVs Made In Detroit

Central Michigan University researchers are using UAS to monitor Great Lakes ecosystems while the Northern Michigan Unmanned Aerial Systems Consortium has formed a partnership with one of six FAA-designated test sites in the U.S.CMU researchers are using UAS to monitor and assess wetland ecosystems around the Great Lakes region. The Griffiss International Airport UAS test site at Rome, New York, and the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR Alliance) have formed a partnership with NMUASC.&nbsp;NUAIR is a New York-based nonprofit coalition of more than 50 private industry, academic institutions and military assets and operations, managing UAS test sites in New York and Massachusetts.Based in Alpena, Michigan, NMUASC is a flight test center grouping of UAS manufacturers, military, academia, research centers, government agencies and private partners. The largest airspace complex east of the Mississippi, it offers four test sites and a turnkey solution for UAS operations including flight testing, aerial operations, research and development, training and education, and manufacturing.The partnership with NMUASC enables the organizations to cooperate in development and operations of UAS in the Northeast. Adding the Michigan-based consortium to NUAIR’s current partnership with New York and Massachusetts expands key service offerings, adds new test sites capabilities, expands international connections and creates joint opportunities that benefit all three states.At CMU, Benjamin Heumann, director for the Center for Geographic Information Science and lead investigator, is working with two master students using a UAV to integrate data collection into assessment and monitoring protocols for ecosystems in the Great Lakes region. They’re operating a single-rotor Avenger helicopter built by Leptron Industrial Robotic Helicopters.“The Environmental Protection Agency has a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a several million dollar initiative, that they have to monitor and restore the Great Lakes, so we would like to have this technology integrated into part of that program,” says Heumann.The self-funded pilot project is still getting off the ground and making sure all the technology works, according to Heumann. “Eventually, we’d like to work with federal, state and government agencies and nonprofit organizations to help support us in monitoring efforts and to help support them by providing aerial data they could use to help improve their efforts and activities.”The university is one of two in the state that have active flying programs related to environmental science, which according to Heumann, brings a unique aspect to the program.

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UAS NEWS | Michigan launches UAS project, forms new partnership

Germany-based Skysense Inc. is offering a line of charging pads for unmanned aerial vehicles that enables them to operate autonomously.&nbsp;Andrea Puiatti, Skysense CEO, says that not only is the technology attracting the attention of UAV manufacturers looking to integrate it into their products, but it’s also available to end users who can retrofit it to their UAVs.The Charging Pad—covered with gold-plated power tiles—solves the problem of recharging UAVs remotely, allowing operators to fly fully autonomous missions.&nbsp;“There are spring-loaded contacts that touch the surface of the charging pad,” Puiatti says. “Once this happens, we create a shortcut between the power supply and the battery.”Puiatti says the Skysense Charging Pads are already in commercial use in Europe, and the company is now taking orders for 17-, 34- and 68-inch pads. The pad kits are being manufactured in Germany and will be available for delivery in January.&nbsp;Skysense is also developing a remote-controlled Drone Port, a dome-shaped hanger that encloses the UAV and Charging Pad to protect them from the elements. Puiatti expects the Drone Port to be available by March.Skysense has attracted the attention of DroneDeploy, Infinium Robotics and AiDrones, all of which have formed partnerships with the company to integrate its technology into their hardware, according to Puiatti.&nbsp;"Skysense's autonomous charging pads are an important technology, enabling fully autonomous drone operations,” says Mike Winn, CEO of DroneDeploy.Winn expects the Charging Pads to have wide application in future services such as Amazon’s Prime Air package delivery and for near-term applications such as DroneDeploy customers using UAS in agriculture, construction and mine surveying.Developing a practical remote-charging technology available at a reasonable price wasn’t easy. Skysense began working on the problem about a year ago.“We recognized that one of the biggest problems was recharging,” Puiatti says. “You fly from A to B to C and back to A again. After 20 minutes, the battery is dead and you must recharge.”&nbsp;After designing some prototypes, Puiatti and his colleagues at Skysense developed a wireless, easy-to-use technology.&nbsp;“You just have to land on it to recharge—that’s it,” he explains. “It’s really easy to say, but there was a lot of work involved. It wasn’t easy to create a technology where you could land anywhere on a surface and recharge.”&nbsp; &nbsp;

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UAS NEWS | UAS charging system provides fully autonomous operations

The United Services Automobile Association and State Farm Insurance are seeking exemptions from the Federal Aviation Administration that would allow the testing of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to be used in catastrophic events.&nbsp;“State Farm will be evaluating how to utilize unmanned aircraft systems to capture images and to determine the nature and extent of damage to policyholders’ property,” the company said in its filing. “State Farm is specifically interested in studying how unmanned aircraft systems can be deployed to obtain up-close images of a policyholder’s roof and how State Farm can deploy unmanned resources to areas hit by catastrophes.”State Farm proposed using the Aerialtronics Altura Zenith ATX8 with Airware’s flight control system. Safety features employed could include geofencing, which ensures that UAVs stay within predefined areas, and full suite of contingency management functions, user and flight plan management, and approval functionality.&nbsp;“State Farm’s use of UAS for roof inspections does not create a hazard to users of the national airspace or the public or pose a threat to national security,” the application says. The company added that UAS operations will be limited to the customer’s property and that property owners will be notified before inspections.&nbsp;In the filing, State Farm says using the unmanned vehicles would improve safety for State Farms’ claim representatives who must now climb on roofs with ladders to conduct inspections, and would provide faster, more accurate roof damage assessments.&nbsp;Like State Farm, USAA plans to use unmanned aircraft to remove human life dangers, when surveying disaster areas.“We’re constantly seeking ways to better serve our members, especially during catastrophes when getting into neighborhoods immediately after can be dangerous to human life, and applying new technologies is one way we can do that,” said Alan Krapf, president of USAA property and casualty insurance group. “USAA already leads a best-in-class claims experience in the insurance industry, and the application of this technology can make us even better.”USAA has partnered with Robin Murphy at Texas A&amp;M University in College Station, which is a branch of the FAA UAS Texas test site.“We’ve partnered with Dr. Robin Murphy and her organization called Robotocists Without Boarders,” said Kathleen Swain, USAA property and casualty group staff underwriter and FAA-rated commercial pilot and flight instructor. “We have done research into disaster operations and some search and rescue operations research with her as well.”&nbsp;USAA is teaming up with PrecisionHawk to use its fixed-wing UAS for research.&nbsp;The UAS has a 4-foot wingspan and ranges in weight from 3 to 5 pounds depending on the payload. According to PrecisionHawk, the flight time of the UAS is 45 minutes, but because of the vehicle’s design, the battery interchange process can be completed in less than five minutes.&nbsp;“Right now we can fly about 45 minutes at a time and the battery is completely disconnected so you’re able to swap it in and out,” said Lia Reich, director of public relations for PrecisionHawk. “It’s easy and when the plane comes down, it’s about a five minute turnaround to get that plane back in the air. That was the one thing that we really focused on in this last iteration, was getting that turnaround time as efficient as possible.”

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UAS NEWS | Insurance companies file for FAA exemptions to assist in disaster relief

A milestone was reached in November when Logos Technologies conducted an experimental test flight of its unmanned aerial vehicle at Griffiss International Airport in New York while the airport was in operation. Partnering with the facility for the test was the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance.&nbsp;“The significance of the test—aside from testing the device itself—was that we didn’t close the airspace,” says Larry Brinker, NUAIR Alliance executive director. “We were operating the UAV at the same time the tower was operating and controlling not only the UAV, but also regular manned traffic in and out.”The UAV was a powered parafoil system, which combines a fabric wing—essentially a parachute—with an aircraft fuselage. In addition to the parafoil system’s ability to carry significant loads for its weight class, it also provides increased safety over traditional UAVs. The UAV is a test bed designed to further develop Logos’ flight control approach for inexpensively delivering supplies to dispersed units.The Griffiss International Airport near Rome, New York, is one of six Federal Aviation Administration designated test sites. The test flight occurred in Class D airspace around the airport.&nbsp;“This whole program is about airspace integration, and we were real proud that we were able to do that,” Brinker says.A unique aspect of the Griffiss airport is that it was once a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber base and can therefore provide a large space for UAS test flights.&nbsp;“We’ve set aside an area where we can test UAS, which is just off the main runway, and we stay inside that box for the UAS testing,” Brinker explains. “We’re in radio contact with the tower and the tower controls the UAS and the manned traffic the same as it would any other aircraft.”During the test with the Logos UAV, incoming and outgoing commercial and civil traffic was occurring.&nbsp;“If we’re flying a UAS task and the manned traffic comes in, that’s going to be conflicting, we get a radio call saying to put the UAV in a holding pattern, which we’ve already pre-designated, that is out of the path of the manned aircraft,” Brinker says. “When the manned aircraft is cleared, just like you would approaching a regular airport, you’re cleared to proceed.”&nbsp;Wade Pulliam, director of advanced concepts at Logos Technologies, says the successful flight tests enabled Logos to collect valuable data that will be critical in the development of parafoil systems for military and commercial applications.&nbsp; &nbsp;

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UAS NEWS | Logos Technologies conducts first UAV test flight at New York airport

DroneDeploy, an unmanned aerial systems (UAS) software and technology developer, raised $2 million from multiple investors, including SoftTech VC, Data Collective, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Red Point Ventures. The San Francisco-based company, offers a unique software known as the CoPilot that can connect an unmanned vehicle to an Internet feed, eliminating the need for ground-based operational control.What started out as a hobby for Jono Millin, Nicholas Pilkington and Michael Winn, co-founders of DroneDeploy, quickly turned into a potential business opportunity for the long-time friends. The idea to use drones for practical uses such as in insurance, real estate, and animal monitoring was conceptualized in 2010, but came to full flourish in 2013.&nbsp;“We realized there was a lot of potential in this trade, but it was difficult to try to get anything done,” said Millin. “We hypothesized a couple scenarios where these could be useful for things like real estate photography for legal disputes and we experimented by duct taping cameras to remote control helicopters before quadcopters became a viable option.”The trio soon realized the idea wasn’t feasible yet and the industry needed more technological advancement. The group put the idea on hold while Jono and Nick pursued doctorate degrees in machine learning and Mike worked at Google.&nbsp;“In 2012, we realized that a lot had suddenly changed in quadcopters and life of batteries and autopilots and all of those things suddenly became a lot more capable,” said Jono. “We realized we were getting very close to the stepping off point where we could use drones for the vision that we had a couple years ago. We knew we could use our software expertise to make drones easy to use and try to make them as safe and reliable as possible.”The trio’s software expertise led to the creation of the CoPilot. The drone software is connected to the Internet removing the middlemen who once had to be on the ground communicating with the drone throughout the flight, according to the company.“The CoPilot talks to the autopilot [in the drone] and is able to give it high-level instructions,” said Jono Millin, co-founder of DroneDeploy. “We can tell the CoPilot to map a certain area, the CoPilot will then instruct the autopilot and it will also trigger the sensors in the cameras to get high-quality images.”He added, “Instead of going out to the field and having a big table full of antennas and big tracking panels, you’re out there with a cell phone and the drones that you want to use to capture the data with.”Following DroneDeploy’s U.S. inception in 2013, its biggest customers have come from the agriculture surveying and construction fields, due to the easy use of the technology and data retrieval.&nbsp;“I think what’s unique about our platform is the way it was built to connect with the cloud,” said Millin. “We really simplified all of the steps required to actually get data out from the other end.”&nbsp;The data is accessible in real time to anyone through DroneDeploy’s website and application available on smartphones. According to the company, the application allows the client to navigate through the images similar to what Google Maps and Google Earth allows. DroneDeploy also has the option of exporting the data to a client’s preferred software.DroneDeploy provides customer training through a remote Internet feed.“When somebody switches on their drone, we have a support staff online that will walk them through the set up process and will walk them through how the whole software solution works,” said Millin. “We can actually view their drone and help clients set parameters remotely and we can even give them support while they’re out flying.”&nbsp;Millin hopes DroneDeploy can be an enabler by making it as easy as possible for the people on the ground to get results in a safe and reliable fashion.&nbsp;“I think that’s one of the big pieces we’re trying to bring to the puzzle,” said Millin. “We’re trying to simplify the entire process from not just planning a flight but actually getting that data out on the other side.”&nbsp;

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UAS NEWS | DroneDeploy launches smartphone tech

This month’s cover shoot took place in a Detroit airplane hangar. We wanted to capture the culture of Detroit Aircraft Corp., an unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturer and distributor that has partnered with Lockheed Martin to build and distribute Lockheed-designed small UAVs to first responders and firefighters in the city. Detroit Aircraft was once a major aviation player in Michigan prior to the Great Depression. Thanks to CEO Jon Rimanelli’s foresight and financial commitment to UAVs, the company name is back on the aviation map. Emily Aasand’s feature, “UAVs Built In Detroit,” reveals the unique history of the company, Detroit and Lockheed, the role of UAVs in the revitalization of the Detroit Aircraft name and what a successful manufacturing and distribution model of UAVs can look like.&nbsp;Patrick Miller’s story, “Enhancing The View,” also provides a glimpse into what the UAS industry will someday be. When the announcement dropped that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration had granted an exemption to six aerial photo and video production companies for the use of unmanned aircraft vehicles, reactions were mixed. Many worried the exemptions were too narrow to benefit sUAV operators not in the video and photo firm business. Others focused on the positive, calling the exemptions a major stepping stone for those working toward full commercialization. Our team spoke with all six companies for Miller’s story on the historic—depending on how you look at it—FAA exemptions. The sentiment shared by many of the exempt firms may surprise you. The majority is pleased with the FAA’s process and interaction during the process. And, although the exemptions do come with strict parameters, most were also content with the rules they will now have the opportunity to operate under.&nbsp;Textron Systems, a global manufacturer of military equipment from power tools to unmanned minesweepers, is now experiencing a world of new rules. With a new focus on the commercial UAS market, the company is working to tweak its operating and business models to the fast-paced, demanding climate of the civilian market. Earlier this year, David Phillips, vice president for small- and medium-endurance UAS in Textron Systems Unmanned Systems, spoke at a London event themed with the commercialization of UAS, marking Textron’s official entrance into the civilian market. We asked him why this is the right time for Textron to make that move. “It’s an eye toward the commercial market and the much larger volume potential that the commercial market provides that’s really the end-game for unmanned systems,” he told us. “It’s not much different, quite frankly, than a lot of other technologies that started in the military and transitioned to commercial.”&nbsp;It’s clear from our stories on Detroit Aircraft and Textron Systems that the emerging UAS industry is a market capable of housing firms of all sizes and that they can and will find that the UAS market is a good place to be.Author: Luke Geiver&nbsp; Editor, UAS Magazine&nbsp; lgeiver@bbiinternational.com

December 2014 UAS Magazine

Columns

Entering The UAS Market

Featured

UAS law firms take different approaches

Textron Systems Aims At Commercialization

Enhanging The View

UAVs Made In Detroit

Departments

UAS NEWS | Michigan launches UAS project, forms new partnership

UAS NEWS | UAS charging system provides fully autonomous operations

UAS NEWS | Insurance companies file for FAA exemptions to assist in disaster relief

UAS NEWS | Logos Technologies conducts first UAV test flight at New York airport

UAS NEWS | DroneDeploy launches smartphone tech

December 2014 UAS Magazine.css-7jxktu{position:absolute;bottom:0px;left:0px;right:0px;height:3px;border-radius:3px;background-color:var(--chakra-colors-brandBlack);}

Columns

Entering The UAS Market

Featured

UAS law firms take different approaches

Textron Systems Aims At Commercialization

Enhanging The View

UAVs Made In Detroit

Departments

UAS NEWS | Michigan launches UAS project, forms new partnership

UAS NEWS | UAS charging system provides fully autonomous operations

UAS NEWS | Insurance companies file for FAA exemptions to assist in disaster relief

UAS NEWS | Logos Technologies conducts first UAV test flight at New York airport

UAS NEWS | DroneDeploy launches smartphone tech

December 2014 UAS Magazine