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VOLUME 3, NUMBER 2 / MARCH/APRIL 2016

ON THE COVER: Are you ready make your drone

investment pay off? Don’t miss our expert tips this
issue. (Photo by John Reid)

ON THIS PAGE: Researchers from the University of

Alaska Fairbanks fly a hexacopter above the Arctic
Circle to help monitor sea ice. (Photo by Eyal Saiet)

RotorDrone (ISSN 2374-8389) is published bimonthly by Air Age Media Inc., 88 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897 USA. Copyright 2016, all rights reserved. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is
Pending at Wilton, CT, and additional offices. Canadian Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40008153. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Go to RotorDroneMag.com. U.S., $19.95 (6 issues); Canada, $25.95, including GST
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Road, Wilton, CT 06897 USA. Email: RotorDrone@airage.com. We welcome all editorial submissions but assume no responsibility for the loss or damage of unsolicited material. To authors, photographers,
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features
34 | Make Money with Your Drone
Expert keys to a successful small business
By Matt Boyd

42 | FPV Racing: Gladiator Style!

The Xtreme Drone Circuit is one of the gnarliest
FPV races around
By John Reid

56 | Monitoring Arctic Sea Ice

Flying the Ptarmigan hexacopter in challenging
conditions
By diana CaMpBell

70 | Eight Great Chargers

Bench-tested and editor-approved
By John Reid

78 | Telemetry 101
Mastering the communication between you and
your multirotor
By John Reid

Air Support
48 | Traxxas Aton+
Fast, fun, and photography ready
By Mike Gantt

52 | RC Logger NovaX 350

A multirole quadcopter system
By JiM Ryan

62 | Hubsan X4 Pro
A multirotor for the aspiring cinematographer
By John Reid

66 | Blade/Horizon Hobby Mach 25 Racer

A great little speedster for the novice pilot
By John Reid

ExpErt tEch
84 | Legal View
Aircraft registration
By JeffRey antonelli

87 | Asked and Answered

By Gus CaldeRon

DEpArtmEntS
8 | Contributors
10 | Top View
12 | Return to Home
17 | Aerial Intel
90 | Over the Horizon
 CONTRIBUTORS

EDITORIAL
Executive Editor Debra Cleghorn | debrac@airage.com
Senior Technical Editor Gerry Yarrish | gerryy@airage.com
Senior Editor John Reid | johnr@airage.com
Associate Editor Matt Boyd | mattb@airage.com
William Diana Campbell Jeffrey Antonelli Copy Editor Suzanne Noel
Levasseur Monitoring Arctic Legal View/Aircraft
CONTRIBUTORS
Aerial Intel/ Sea Ice Registration Jeffrey Antonelli, Jason Benson, Tim Bresien, Gus Calderon,
America’s Complicated Working in the Public & A radio-control enthusiast, Diana Campbell, Andreas Forrer, Mike Gantt, John Kauk,
William Levasseur, Kyle Matthew, Kevin McCarthy,
Love/Hate Relationship Media Relations depart- Jeffrey is deeply
Gordon Meehl, Robert Rodriguez, Klaus Ronge, Jim Ryan,
with Drones ment of the Geophysical involved with the legal
Patrick Sherman
A freelance video producer Institute at the University ramifications of personal
who uses camera drones, of Alaska Fairbanks, Diana and commercial small UAV ART
is privy to interesting use. His law firm, Antonelli Creative Director Betty K. Nero
William is concerned about
Art Director Kevin Monahan
all the “near misses” research projects that Law, also created the
between drones and use small drones. In this website Drone Democracy DIGITAL MEDIA
human-carrying aircraft feature, she writes about (dronedemocracy.com) Web Producer Holly Hansen
that he hears about in the researchers who are flying to help drone users apply
VIDEO/PHOTOGRAPHY
media. His article takes a Ptarmigan drone above for their 333 exemptions
Photographer Peter Hall
a closer look at these the Arctic Circle. so that they can use Videographer Adam Lebenstein
incidents and the public their drones for business
purposes. ADVERTISING
perception of drones.
Advertising Director Mitch Brian | 203.529.4609
Senior Account Executive Ben Halladay | 203.529.4628
Account Executive Diane de Spirlet | 203.529.4664

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Marketing Assistant Erica Driver
Event Manager Emil DeFrancesco
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Robert Rodriguez (Society of Aerial Cinematography) PUBLISHING
Group Publishers Louis V. DeFrancesco Jr.,
Randy Scott Slavin (New York City Drone Film Festival)
Yvonne M. DeFrancesco

COMMERCIAL/AGRICULTURAL
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FOLLOW US
FPV RACING On Facebook: rotordrone
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8 RotorDroneMag.com
 top view

On the FPV Racing Circuit

Photos by Jeff Crawford

irst-person-view (FPV) racing

F is one of the hottest multirotor

segments out there right
now. In the beginning, it was
truly a grassroots-type effort. Groups
of people gathered together with
scratch-built quads comparing notes
and figuring out designs until they Las Vegas, Nevada, which is one
came up with something that worked. of the largest electronic shows in
Before long, they were racing through the world. Coinciding with that show
trees and forests, competing for local was the second race of the Xtreme
titles and bragging rights. Within Drone Circuit (XDC), also in Las
a few years, organizations started Vegas. This race was a feast for the
appearing and stepped up to create eyes and an extreme challenge for
national competitions. These races all pilots who attended. I’m sure that
were so big that they started attracting you will enjoy the visual treatment
attention outside of the drone world that awaits you in the pages ahead.
by mainstream media. Today, we Unfortunately, because of other
have many competitions that are commitments, I was not able to attend
qualifiers for national championships and enjoy it in person. But two weeks
and world championships. This is quite later, I did attend the Drone Racers
a remarkable achievement in such a Acceler-8-tion team race, once again
short time. in Las Vegas, which brought together
I was fortunate enough to attend some of the best FPV teams to
the Consumer Electronics Show in compete for the title of number one
in sponsored teams. A few weeks
later, I found myself in Burbank,
California, watching a qualifier for the
World Drone Prix. This racecourse also
featured the FPVLighTrax setup that
was used in the XDC_2 event. While
the latter course wasn’t as extreme,
it was still a visual treat for both the
pilots and spectators. It was a fun
month for me.
In addition to all the latest racing
news, this issue also features tips on
picking out your next battery charger,
answers to some common questions,
and information on how to use
telemetry in your multirotor. There
is also an interesting story on how
scientists are measuring Arctic Sea ice
using multirotors. If you are interested
in drones, then you picked up the right
issue, an enjoyable treat for the eyes
and the mind.

John Reid
Senior Editor
johnr@airage.com

10 RotorDroneMag.com
 唀一䰀䔀䄀匀䠀 夀伀唀刀 䌀刀䔀䄀吀䤀嘀䤀吀夀

䐀䤀䜀䤀吀䄀䰀 嘀䤀䐀䔀伀 
䐀伀圀一䰀䤀一䬀 䤀一 
䠀䐀 㜀㈀　倀
唀倀 吀伀 ㄀⸀㘀䬀䴀⼀
㄀ 䴀䤀䰀䔀⨀

⨀爀攀焀甀椀爀攀猀 匀吀㄀㘀 琀爀愀渀猀洀椀琀琀攀爀 

䴀攀攀琀 琀栀攀 渀攀眀攀猀琀 洀攀洀戀攀爀 漀昀 琀栀攀 吀礀瀀栀漀漀渀 昀愀洀椀氀礀⸀ 吀栀攀 吀礀瀀栀漀漀渀 䠀 昀攀愀琀甀爀攀猀 愀 ㌀㘀　ⴀ搀攀最爀攀攀 㐀䬀ⴀ爀攀猀漀氀甀琀椀漀渀 
最椀洀戀愀氀 挀愀洀攀爀愀Ⰰ 爀攀琀爀愀挀琀愀戀氀攀 氀愀渀搀椀渀最 最攀愀爀 愀渀搀 渀攀眀 ˻椀最栀琀 洀漀搀攀猀 琀漀 琀愀欀攀 礀漀甀爀 挀爀攀愀琀椀瘀椀琀礀 琀漀 琀栀攀 渀攀砀琀 氀攀瘀攀氀⸀ 
䘀攀愀琀甀爀攀猀  猀甀挀栀  愀猀  匀漀渀愀爀  挀漀氀氀椀猀椀漀渀  愀瘀漀椀搀愀渀挀攀Ⰰ  䐀礀渀愀洀椀挀  刀攀琀甀爀渀  琀漀  䠀漀洀攀  愀渀搀  猀椀砀  爀漀琀漀爀猀  昀漀爀  猀愀昀攀琀礀  愀爀攀 
椀渀挀氀甀搀攀搀 琀漀 洀愀椀渀琀愀椀渀 夀甀渀攀攀挀ᤠ猀 猀琀愀渀搀愀爀搀 漀昀 戀攀椀渀最 爀攀愀搀礀Ⰰ 攀愀猀礀 愀渀搀 猀愀昀攀 琀漀 ˻礀⸀

吀栀攀 挀漀瀀琀攀爀 椀猀 挀漀洀瀀愀琀椀戀氀攀 眀椀琀栀 琀眀漀 琀爀愀渀猀洀椀琀琀攀爀 漀瀀琀椀漀渀猀 ⴀ 琀栀攀 匀吀㄀㘀 䜀爀漀甀渀搀 匀琀愀琀椀漀渀 愀渀搀 琀栀攀 匀吀㄀㈀ 䜀爀漀甀渀搀 
匀琀愀琀椀漀渀⸀ 䈀漀琀栀 琀爀愀渀猀洀椀琀琀攀爀猀 昀攀愀琀甀爀攀 愀 戀甀椀氀琀ⴀ椀渀 琀漀甀挀栀 猀挀爀攀攀渀 琀栀愀琀 搀椀猀瀀氀愀礀猀 爀攀愀氀ⴀ琀椀洀攀 昀漀漀琀愀最攀 漀昀 礀漀甀爀 ˻椀最栀琀  
椀渀 愀搀搀椀琀椀漀渀 琀漀 洀愀渀甀愀氀 愀挀挀攀猀猀 琀漀 戀漀琀栀 挀愀洀攀爀愀 愀渀搀 ˻椀最栀琀 挀漀渀琀爀漀氀猀⸀ 
夀唀一　㈀㄀㜀㄀㘀䄀䄀

䘀䰀䤀䜀䠀 吀

眀眀眀⸀礀甀渀攀攀挀⸀挀漀洀
 RETURN TO HOME

We love hearing from readers: Your emails, tweets, Facebook › Drone Legislation
and comments let us know what you’d like to see more (or A Southern California lawmaker is pushing
less!) of in print and online. Here’s what some of you are legislation to require drone owners to
purchase insurance policies. We asked if
saying about RotorDrone magazine. you would support drone legislation like
this, and here’s what you had to say:

Jeffrey Campbell: What is the

government attempting to accomplish
with all this regulation? Control, that’s it!
License plates for personally owned UAVs under
the 55-pound requirement is ludicrous.
Danny LaMalfa: I live in NYC. My
Phantom is all but grounded due to
regulations, no-fly zones, etc. So if
getting a license and insurance would allow me
to fly it wherever I wanted, so be it.

RotorDroneMag.com › World-Class Drone Racing

Drone racing is now the hottest thing in the world of FPV quadcopter flying. After
many street-level matchups, the sport has matured and the new Drone Racing
League is taking the excitement to the next level. But this is not your local brew of RC
bashers. The sport has grown up, and the top FPV drone racers from around the world
are competing at epic racecourses across the country. Instagram
SC: That’s simply SP: What an BM: Beware of the
amazing! Would love incredible way to drone bookies.
to see it in person. hold an air race.

Facebook › Collision Avoidance

This Yuneec Typhoon H drone powered by Intel’s
RealSense technology avoids obstacles on its
own. Here are some of your comments:

Garry Swinburn: Will it Robert Adams:

be available in the UK Outstanding,
when released from baby.
UAV commercial restrictions?

RotorDroneMag.com
› Nikon 360-Degree
Video Camera
JT: It would be the
ultimate airborne
camera for getting
panoramic views. I want one!

facebook.com/ twitter.com/ pinterest.com/ instagram.com/ youtube.com/ rotordrone@ RotorDrone

rotordrone rotordrone rotordronemag rotordronemag airagemedia airage.com 88 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897

12 RotorDroneMag.com
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AERIAL INTEL REVIEWS | ACCESSORIES | GEAR | TECHNOLOGY | NEWS

UAVSA Insider

Integrating drones into

UAVSA.ORG

national airspace

WELCOME ALL TO THE NEW YEAR, and thank you command must at minimum have a sport or equivalent
for making 2015 incredible for the drone community pilot’s license, and your aircraft needs to have N-number
and the UAVSA! 2016 is going to be monumental for the registration to operate legally within full compliance with
drone community, with the integration process picking the current FAA regulations.
up speed. To date, the UAVSA has provided not-for-profit
The general aviation community finally ushers in the assistance to its members with hundreds of FAA-granted
first phase of integration, and we in the know are hopeful 333 Exemptions. It has also provided assistance for the
that this year the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) legal, safe, and ethical professional operation of small
will release the requirements for the UAV operator’s unmanned aerial systems in the national airspace through
license under part 107 of the Notice of Proposed the cache of services and information available to UAVSA
Rulemaking released last year. It is important to note that members. The organization is committed to the successful
this is not going to replace the Section 333 Exemption, integration of drones into national airspace, and if you
as this grant to operate drones commercially is for the have any questions or concerns, you are welcome to
aircraft, not the operator. contact us.
Everyone has an opinion on the FAA’s drone registration Please be aware that almost every city, county,
requirements—some neutral, most not. The one thing and state in our union is active with debates by our
that is evident is that the FAA is acknowledging drones lawmakers and legislators about your future and the
as “aircraft.” This is epic! This is the integration process future of aviation. It is your civic duty and responsibility to
in progress and moves the needle forward in a big contribute, comment, and shape the conversation that will
way. Just as all regulated and legislated vehicles in our create the laws that we all must follow. Be a leader in your
transportation system require registration and operators community, for the good of drone integration, for there
with training and licensing, we now have drones accepted will soon be more drones doing work in our skies than
into the category. This is unequivocally tremendous manned aircraft.
progress. We would also like to thank everyone who supported
It is important to state (and many of our members and contributed to the International Drone Expo (IDE), held
have called asking about this) that you must register in Los Angeles, California, in December. IDE is created for
your drone to be legally compliant with the FAA. If you you and is a success because of you. The planning for the
are operating your drone as an enthusiast, the basic 2016 expo is already underway and space is filling up fast,
registration is all you need. If you are a commercial so please reach out to us if you need any assistance or
operator or company that owns and operates drones, information.
you must have a 333 Exemption grant, the pilot in Until next time, keep flying safe!—Keith Kaplan

March/April 2016 17
 aerial intel

America’s complicated love/hate

relationship with drones
AS I wrIte tHIS, New Zealand’s Civil are scarce next to headlines that include
Aviation Authority is investigating an words like “threat of terrorism” and
incident involving an Air New Zealand “danger in the sky.”
A320 aircraft. Meanwhile, the British Yet, at the same time, those little
government is reacting to four recent machines have become the hot new
“near-miss” incidents and looking into tech product, invading the Consumer
tighter regulation, possibly including Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada,
mandatory registration of recreational and other such venues. You can now buy
UAVs and mandatory transponders. your own camera-mounted multirotor
It seems as if we can't go more for less than $100 and fly it using a
than a week without a reported “near smartphone.
miss” between an airplane and a UAV Simultaneously, commercial UAV
(unmanned aerial vehicle) somewhere applications are also expanding their
around the world. I use quotation marks horizons. They are now being used
because “near miss” isn’t well defined. for land surveying, law enforcement,
The media use the phrase all the time, infrastructure inspection, and movie-
but they might be exaggerating the making. But while surveys show that
actual seriousness of an incident. The public opinion approves of using UAVs
Federal Aviation Administration uses the for emergency response, that is the
terms “near midair collision” for serious exception rather than the norm. Serious
incidences and “loss of separation” for concerns about excessive surveillance
less serious ones. A near midair collision and information gathering have made
occurs when two aircraft come within people cautious about most kinds of
100 feet vertically and 500 feet hori- civilian UAVs.
zontally of each other.
Not every news article has drones
playing the bad guy, however. But
titles like “firefighters adding drone to Mat L. Matthews of
life-saving arsenal” and “eco-drones BlackHawk Aeronauti-
cal Solutions Inc. had
revolutionizing environmental research” a confrontation with a
passerby while piloting
his DJI Inspire 1.

18 RotorDroneMag.com
 aerial intel

Public opinion who promptly arrested the assailant and called the police.
The shifting “mood” of public opinion should concern He decided not to press charges.
every pilot. It can influence public policy, affect the ability Matthews is a licensed airplane pilot, but he says that
of commercial UAV operators to carry out their work, and this was, by far, the scariest flight experience of his life.
hinder leisure flying. In the worst cases, public uneasiness “I’m hoping the public opinion will shift to the positive.
regarding drones has even turned into downright hostility Unfortunately, when you hear about drones in the media,
toward pilots. more often than not, it’s a negative connotation.”
Most of the time, people who encounter Mat L. From a public relations’ point of view, civilian UAVs
Matthews in the field are curious of his aircraft and started off on the wrong foot. Most people became
amazed. They want to know how much it cost, how aware of the existence and use of “drones” during air
far it can fly, and for how long. Matthews’s company, strikes in Pakistan starting in 2004. Even though 50 to
75 percent of Americans (depending on the survey)
have shown support in favor of drone warfare overseas,
The recreational UAV, which has generated so much negative press, there’s a definite “not in my backyard” bias at work. Even
is likely to make someone more receptive on an individual basis. By though the similarities are superficial, having their aircraft
compared to tools of destruction certainly isn’t helpful
making the unmanned aerial vehicle something everybody can own, marketing for the civilian UAV industry.
it creates a safe, small-scale experience that can be domesticated. Yet individuals are far more nuanced in their opinion of
UAVs than most industry stakeholders give them credit
for. The “Drone Awareness and Perceptions” three-
BlackHawk Aeronautical Solutions Inc., was hired this country study, conducted in 2014, showed that public
summer to record bison at Elk Island National Park near acceptance of UAVs depends very much on who is using
Edmonton, Alberta. He was about done for the day, flying the aircraft and in what context. UAV use by border and
back his Inspire 1 after grabbing one last shot of the coastal services, for instance, gets the approval of almost
sunset, when he was assaulted without any warning. “The half of respondents. On the other hand, a strong majority
gentleman came flying out of the trees and jumped at (90 percent) opposes UAV use by journalists and private
Mat’s work includes working
with tourism, real estate, me and grabbed my remote, and we both tumbled to the investigators.
production and film companies, ground.” Matthews had barely enough time to toggle GPS Similarly, in the case of law enforcement, seven out
construction and develop- mode, which is probably what prevented a crash. of 10 Americans endorse UAV use in disaster response.
ment firms, and oil and gas. He
Matthews had all the legal paperwork allowing him to But when it is suggested that the same aircraft could be
has photographed, filmed, and
produced many videos over carry out commercial UAV activities over that location. used for identifying protesters at political demonstrations,
the years and is considered an Thankfully, he was also accompanied by a park warden, support falls to 25 percent.
industry pioneer in Alberta.
Unfounded worries
Americans are, unfortunately,
often misinformed as
to what kinds of jobs UAVs can
do for us and actually worry
about the wrong things. When
given a list of various actual
UAV applications, such as
law enforcement, geological
surveying, and mapping, half
of respondents, on average,
were not aware that UAVs are
currently being used in those
fields. Ciara Bracken-Roche,
of the Surveillance Studies
Centre at Queen’s University in
Kingston, Ontario, has combed
through this data while working
on a report for the Office of
the Privacy Commissioner
of Canada. “Our research has
shown that there is a disconnect
between what the general public
thinks about UAVs, especially
in regards to privacy, and the
actual privacy issues that arise
with the use of UAVs.”
For her research, she
interviewed stakeholders and
found that most commercial
and professional users are
respectful of the boundaries.

20 RotorDroneMag.com
“Many industry and police users are aware of privacy highlighted in the Queen’s University report for promoting
concerns, and they respect individual privacy,” she says. “possible applications that could be quite intrusive with
Yet respondents remain shy in their support of legitimate respect to privacy and civil liberties.” The Aeryon website
UAV activities, such as patrolling mining sites (34 percent) suggests using its UAV for crowd surveillance and control—
and inspection of power lines (47 percent). an application, as mentioned before, that surveyed
So why the disconnect? Most people, unsurprisingly, Americans do not approve of.
get their knowledge of UAVs from the news and David Proulx, vice president of product and marketing
entertainment media (television, movies, etc.), which at Aeryon Labs, assumes that regulators will take public
emphasize sensational and often negative events that opinion into account when creating UAV regulation
leave a long-lasting sentiment. There are landmark and guidelines. Yet he downplays the impact that his
incidents, such as one recently, where a commercial drone company’s advertising material might have on public
crashed into a street in Pasadena, California, projecting opinion, and would rather emphasize other positive
debris that injured a baby girl in a stroller; the child suffered aspects of the industry. “What’s incumbent on us as a
a quarter-inch cut to her head. provider of these solutions is to focus on [...] things like
safety,” he says. “The second thing we can do is to raise
Headline headaches public consciousness about all those great commercial,
But there are also many small moments of self-reinforcing value-added things [...] like the 3D mapping of the Christ
paranoia, like the story of an American couple from the Redeemer statue—something that was not possible
Washington State who filed papers against a neighbor for with existing technology.”
allegedly spying on them with a recreational multirotor.
Not to mention the headlines about UAVs crashing Changing perception
during public events, such as the one recently in Italy Although creating positive stories helps, it might not be
where Austrian skier Marcel Hirscher was nearly hit by a enough to offset the bad press the industry has received.
multirotor during an international ski competition. Paul Slovic, a professor of psychology at the University of
In Canada, UAVs made the news this summer when Oregon, knows how inconsistent the general public can
one reckless pilot grounded air tankers fighting wildfires be when it comes to evaluating risk. He literally wrote the
in British Columbia. It doesn’t matter that it’s happening book about it. “This is also very relevant to trust. [...] When
in another country. It’s still going to affect public opinion something good happens with a technology, there is very
domestically. little boost to trust. If something bad happens, trust takes
At the same time, industry stakeholders are doing
very little to engage in a dialog with the public. According Recently, North Dakota legalized police drones outfitted with
to the Surveillance Studies Centre’s report, “most “non-lethal” weapons, such as tasers and pepper spray. There is
marketing occurs between industry and government,
with both realms overlapping in the world of research and a difference between legalizing and actually implementing such a
development. However, for UAVs to expand successfully drone, but the mere mention of this sort of application is enough
within the civil realm, the public must be convinced of
their uses and their safety and privacy standards.” to fuel concerns.
The recreational UAV sector does advertise to the
public but only as far as it helps sell its products. It might a big hit. [...] This technology [UAV] is hostage to what
actually be contributing to the problem by recruiting happens in the world, relevant or not.”
delinquent amateur pilots, who fly their aircraft in a On average, people rate “nuclear power” and “airplane
dangerous or inappropriate fashion. “Even flying a travel” as more dangerous than “portable gas generators”
recreational UAV over your neighbor’s backyard, where and “cars,” even though the latter are far more likely to cause
they have an expectation of privacy [...] if it’s a concern for injuries or fatalities. “Most of us couldn’t manage without
those individuals, then that would need to be addressed,” our cars. So we directly benefit and therefore the risk gets
says Bracken-Roche. “There needs to be more awareness downplayed,” Slovic explains. Consequently, people who
about recreational use, and the public needs to be told are not benefiting from UAV technology are going to be more
what’s allowed and what’s not allowed.” hostile toward it. Lack of control, fear of the unknown, and
Then there are industry innovators who come out potential harm are also contributing factors.
with products (sometimes it’s just a prototype or a Paradoxically, the recreational UAV, which has
design concept) that are cause for concern. Consider, generated so much negative press, is likely to make
for example, the Skunk Riot Control UAV developed by someone more receptive on an individual basis. By making
Desert Wolf, a South African company based in Pretoria. It the unmanned aerial vehicle something everybody can
can be used to deploy pepper spray and shoot paintballs own, it creates a safe, small-scale experience that can be
at protesters. domesticated. Given time, the people who play with the
Recently, North Dakota legalized police drones out- technology might think of UAVs more like cars and less
fitted with “non-lethal” weapons, such as tasers and like airplanes.
pepper spray. There is a difference between legalizing and Slovic, however, isn’t optimistic. “Privacy is a very
actually implementing such a drone, but the mere mention important factor for people,” he says. “I would be worried.
of this sort of application is enough to fuel concerns and I’m thinking that it’s going more in the direction of nuclear
have people altogether reject UAVs on the basis of the power than toward the automobile, at this point.”—William
“slippery slope” argument. Levasseur
Advertising coming from companies might similarly be
contributing to public uneasiness, though inadvertently.
For instance, Aeryon Labs, based in Waterloo, Ontario, is

March/April 2016 21
 aerial intel

The Road
to Dubai
PerhaPs one of the most talked the pilot will be submitted to World
about uPcoming races in the FPV Drone Prix organizers, who will invite
world is the one that will be put on by the pilots with the best interview and
the World Drone Prix in Dubai on flight performance to come to Dubai.
March 11, 2016, with a $1 million top prize. The qualifying event in Burbank
But how does one with a race of this was well organized with 50 to 60 pilots
magnitude determine who are best pilots in attendance. After each pilot got
around the world? his or her set amount of time on the
This is where the International Drone course, open flying was available for
Racing Association (IDRA) comes in. everybody. The great-looking course
In early February, IDRA set up an open was the handiwork of FPVLighTrax, a
qualifying event in Burbank, California. company based in Phoenix, Arizona.
Each pilot was allotted time on a lighted Eventually, you may be able to
racecourse to complete as many laps as purchase one of these cool tracks, but
possible within a set time. The FPV view for now, FPVLighTrax is setting them
of the race and a pretaped interview with up only for events like this. —John Reid

top: bapu madhu’s Xhover mXP 200b racer cuts through the course on the first of many laps within the time
period. left: bapu madhu, one of the top racers in the united states, takes his turn at the course. below: The pit
area was extremely busy and crowded as pilots prepared their quads for their one chance at a qualification run.

22 RotorDroneMag.com
 AERIAL INTEL

New releases

FLIGHTPOWER
DR SERIES
LIPOS
This aftermarket line
can easily fit the bill for
all your drone-battery
needs. Manufactured
specifically for
multirotor applications,
these LiPos are
available in 3S to
6S packs and
have from 1000 to
16000mAh capacities. MIGHTYSKINS DRONE SKINS
They have discharge
rates of 10C, 30C, and Want to stand out from the crowd? Here’s a
70C continuous, and convenient, affordable way to customize your drone.
all except the modular MightySkins offers skins for the DJI Phantom 3,
SPEKTRUM DX20 pack come with a Yuneec Typhoon Q500, Blade Chroma, and Parrot
JST-XH balancing plug Bebop. Each skin is precision-printed for a nearly
Why trust your expensive drone to anything but a perfect fit and has a clearcoat on the outside that
and XT60 charge/
top-of-the-line radio? From its premium construction prolongs the life of the skin. MightySkins has a huge
discharge plug. They
to its powerful programming, the DX20 has multirotor selection, with nearly 300 options for the Typhoon
cost from $34.99 to
specific checklists, warnings, voice alerts, simplified Q500 alone, and the skins are easy to remove
$299.99. flightpower
multirotor flight-mode setup and switch assignment, with no residue. Each costs $24.99 plus shipping.
batteries.com
250-model memory, and much more. It costs mightyskins.com
$1,299.99. spektrumrc.com

SHOTOVER U1
Intended for broadcast, motion-picture, law-
enforcement, and industrial-survey use, this
professional-grade UAV isn’t just a pretty face; it
can also carry cinema-quality cameras and lenses,
and features redundant flight control and battery
systems. A customized downlink with two HD video
feeds helps you get the exact shot you need. Its
included gimbal can also be detached and used as a
stand-alone, gyro-stabilized platform and mounted
on a motorcycle, car, boat, or cable. Contact
Shotover for pricing. shotover.com

24 RotorDroneMag.com
 SPEKTRUM DX8 GEN 2
The DX8 8-channel radio has long been a standby in
YUNEEC TYPHOON H transmitters, and this Gen 2 version adds program-
The new must-have drone on the block, this hexacopter comes with CGO3+ gimbal mable voice alerts, 250-model memory, and a wireless
camera and retractable landing gear, so it can capture 360-degree panorama in trainer link. Built-in telemetry provides pilots with real-
breathtaking 4K videos and 12 megapixel stills. It has all the bells and whistles time information on things like battery status, signal
of the original Typhoon, plus Point of Interest, Orbit, Curved Cable, and Journey quality, airspeed, altitude, and more. It costs $299.99.
programming options. It comes with the Android-based ST16 controller, which has spektrumrc.com
a large 7-inch integrated display and HD 720p video downlink for real-time video
reception. The Typhoon H costs $1,799.00. yuneec.com

SPEKTRUM FOCAL FPV HEADSET

Developed in cooperation with Fat Shark, this 5.8GHz
wireless headset uses Spektrum technology for
wireless head tracking and channel selection. We also
hear that it’s one of the most comfortable goggles
around! It costs $399.99. spektrumrc.com

SPEKTRUM HEAVY DUTY FPV

CAMERA AND TRANSMITTER
AMIMON CONNEX MINI
The included VA2510 FPV camera makes this ideal for
Good things come in small packages! This new zero- quad racers and other vehicles where extra protection
latency, wireless HD video-transmission system from shock and the elements is needed. Its built-in 25mW
is designed for aerial video production with drones transmitter offers plenty of range and is compatible
that have a limited payload. Despite its small size with all 5.8GHz Fat Shark headsets. It costs $114.99.
(1.5 x 1.75 x 0.5 inches), it delivers performance spektrumrc.com
that includes full 1080p HD video at 60 frames per
second, with zero latency at up a range of 1,600 feet.
It costs $1,299.00. connex.amimon.com

March/April 2016 25
 AERIAL INTEL

FLYTREX SKY
For the ultimate in programmability, this quad has a web-
based application programming interface, so you can
create online tools and apps to control it from any device
that’s connected to the Internet.
You can also use the Sky Pilot app for manual and
autopilot features, auto takeoff and landing, return to
home, and more. The Sky costs $649.00. flytrex.com

P-Squared Group P3 QuadCharger PRO

Once you get involved in rotor drones, it doesn’t take long before you realize that
you need more flight sessions during your quadcopter outings. Getting spare
battery packs is the answer, but using a single charger can drag out the “fill up” part
of the flight-prep work. If you operate a DJI Phantom 3, however, your multibattery
charging tasks have just gotten a whole lot more efficient.
The new P3 QuadCharger PRO allows you to charge up to four individual
Phantom 3 batteries at the same time. The P3 PRO charger uses its included
high-quality, external 20A AC/DC Thunder Power DC power supply to provide
consistent flow of power. Also, the strong, lightweight battery container has a
built-in Intelligent Charging Management system and a cooling fan so that you
can fast-charge up to four Phantom 3 battery packs in the same amount of time
that it would take to charge just one. Molded out of durable plastic to precisely fit
the Phantom 3 packs, the P3 PRO is great for travel and can be used to store your
NIKON KEYMISSION 360 packs safely until you are ready to use them. The charger can also be used at the
A 4K, 360-degree, waterproof, Wi-Fi–equipped field as it includes a DC charging cable. Priced at $429.00, the P3 QuadCharger
sport camera? Where do we sign up? This action PRO, with its included TP1527PS Thunder Power dual-output power supply, is the
cam looks ideal for multirotor use and has electronic perfect addition to your workbench and for keeping your Phantom 3 quadcopter
image stabilization to help smooth out aerial video. It’s flight-ready.—Gerry Yarrish
shockproof, too, but only to 6.6 feet, so don’t count p-squaredgroup.com
on it to survive a serious crash. Pricing not available at
press time. nikonusa.com The P3 PRO is designed to house
and charge up to four Phantom 3
battery packs.

BLADE ZEYROK
Looking for a beginner quad? This durable drone comes
in yellow or green with LED status lights and features
SAFE technology, so learning to fly is a piece of cake.
The Bind-N-Fly version is $89.99; the Ready-to-Fly
is $119.99; and the Ready-to-Fly with a removable HD
camera is $159.99. bladehelis.com

26 RotorDroneMag.com
 It’s what
we do.

Accessories for your

Shadow 240 available
separately:
Wi-fi Camera Option
The Ares Shadow 240 is a feature-packed mini quadcopter that's perfect for the absolute
beginner but plenty of fun for the experienced pilot too. The advanced 6-axis stabilization
system allows you both agile flight and maximum stability out of the box. The perfect balance
of controls to give you that ‘dialed-in’ feeling.

High and low control rates ensure that the Shadow is always under control, yet maneuverable
enough to keep the expert entertained. Powerful LEDs and an innovative, color-coded lighting
system with specially designed light bars make the futuristic design of the Shadow 240 visible
at any angle, and flying is just as easy in the dark.
AZSQ1826
High performance WiFi FPV
Fancy trying aerial photography? Just attach the optional high-resolution digital camera (sold
camera with a resolution of
separately). It‘s capable of taking both video and still photos with just the push of a button on 1280x720px at 30fps. The video is
the transmitter during flight. The camera includes a micro memory card with 2GB of memory transmitted straight to your smart
thats enough to hold up to 90 minutes phone that can be attached to your
of video or hundreds of still photos. transmitter using the supplied
When you’re ready for a whole new mount.
perspective, just clip on the optional Digital Camera Option
modular WiFi FPV camera (also sold
separately) and be in the pilot’s seat
as you fly around the house or
outside in light winds. The image is
streamed real time to your mobile
device, which can be conveniently High power
attached to your transmitter. LEDs as standard.

AZSH1322
This high resolution digital camera
is capable of taking video and still
images at a press of a button on the
transmitter during the flight. The
camera includes a 2GB micro
menory card.

Shadow 240 Specification

Wingspan: 38.6 in (980 mm)
Available in a choice Length: 30.6 in (775 mm)
of green and orange. Weight with Battery: 16 oz (455g)

Sold exclusively in the U.S.A. by www.hobbytown.com

 AERIAL INTEL

Tactic FPV-RM1 Monitor

This new Tactic monitor is perfect for the FPV (first-person-view) pilots who want a
nice large video screen to see the action. It would also work for aerial photographers/
videographers who would like to see, in real time, the view through their camera so that
they can frame up the shot. The monitor has a 7-inch 1024x600 HD LCD color screen,
which I found very easy to see in bright sunlight. The included snap-on sun shield did a
good job of blocking out any overhead light, and it folds up into a flat compact screen
protector for traveling. The two 5.8 GHz receivers that are built into the unit each have
their own antenna, and the 22-channel frequencies that are available cover most of the
popular racing bands.
There are nine different menu options: brightness, contrast, color, volume, RF selec-
tion, screen mode, rotation, language, and reset. In addition, you can scroll through all
22 frequencies manually using the up and down arrow keys or you can press auto scan,
which scrolls through and stops on any active frequencies. This is a great portable
monitor for watching different racers at an FPV racing event because of the ease of
switching through the channels. There is a threaded 1/4x20 tripod mount on the
bottom of the monitor, which allows it to be mounted on a number of stands.
There are also many inputs/outputs that easily allow connection and transfers
of video to different peripheral equipment. There is an HDMI 1.3 for connecting to
an external high-definition video source for playback and an RF1 and RF2 AV Out
and a 3.5mm jack for sending audio/video signals from receivers 1 and 2. There is
a DC In power jack for connecting an external 12V DC power source to charge the
battery or power the monitor. Finally, there is a 3.5mm jack for connecting external
headphones and a DIV AV Out for sending audio/video signals from both receivers
simultaneously.
The Tactic FPV-RM1 is a great monitor for any multirotor pilot who flies FPV
or does any type of photography/videography. I found the picture and reception
quality to be very good and the unit easy to work with. I used it for my quad racer and for
a GoPro that is mounted on a larger quad for some videography (with the Tactic FPV-T6
transmitter). It is a good value at $229.98 and well worth the investment.—John Reid
tacticrc.com

Wing Tote Ultimate Drone Tote

Wing Tote is one of those companies that focus on a very hard-shell case, and at just 8 pounds, it’s easy to carry.
specific type of product—they pretty much do one thing, It comes with a removable shoulder strap as well as
but they do it better than almost anyone out there. Wing grab handles. The foam insert comfortably houses most
Tote makes semisoft padded nylon bags and cases in common drone designs (e.g., DJI Phantom series, Blade
myriad configurations to house and protect RC gear. The 350 Series, Hubsan X4, and Ehang Ghost) and can easily
company has taken its basic heli tote design, expanded it, be cut to fit custom applications. About the only things I’d
and added features to suit the drone market. The result like to see added are beefier shoulder-strap swivels and
is what you see here: the Ultimate Drone Tote. This one is flaps over the zippers to provide some extra protection
actually designated “medium,” but it is currently the only against water (like you’d see on a rain jacket). The tote
drone product in the lineup. Measuring 27 x 14 x 12 inches, costs $149.95.—Matt Boyd
it has ample room for any 300- to 380-class drone, plus wingtote.com
extra space for radio, batteries, cameras, and any other
support gear. It has two cavernous zippered end
pockets, a generous side “document” pocket,
and an interior pouch with a Velcro closure.
One feature I particularly like is the
reinforced structure panels. This is
nominally a soft-sided nylon bag, but
zippered into all four sides are foam-
padded panels (think armor panels
in a soldier’s flak vest) made out of
0.20-inch-thick hard plastic. This
provides significant impact protection
and lends stand-alone structure to the
tote, allowing it to keep its shape whether
full or empty.
The Ultimate Drone Tote strikes
an excellent compromise between an
unreinforced soft-sided bag and a full

28 RotorDroneMag.com
ENERGIZE YOUR
MULTIROTOR
energy rotor programmable brushless esc SERIES

Delivering swift response and steadfast

ESC Continuous / Burst Dimensions Weight
Part # Battery / Cell
interaction with your multirotor, our Energy Model Current Rating (in) (oz)

Rotor brushless controllers lift your flying Energy Rotor

61071 12A / 20A 5-12N / 2-4Li 0.59 x 1.02 x 0.24 0.28
12 amp
experiences to Hitec heights! Outfitted with
Energy Rotor
the new generation MOSFETs, ONESHOT 18 amp
61082 18A / 30A 5-12N / 2-4Li 0.47 x 0.87 x 0.17 0.19

pre-set synchronization and pilot-favored Energy Rotor

61072 20A / 30A 5-18N / 2-6Li 0.79 x 1.85 x 0.31 0.81
20 amp
BLHeli firmware, these six ESCs deliver
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61073 30A / 40A 5-18N / 2-6Li 0.79 x 1.85 x 0.31 0.71
smooth and accurate throttle linearity. 30 amp

Their wide RPM motor range offers the Energy Rotor

61074 40A / 50A 5-18N / 2-6Li 0.79 x 1.85 x 0.39 1.09
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Hitec RCD USA, Inc. | 12115 Paine Street | Poway, CA 92064 | (858) 748-6948 | www.hitecrcd.com |
 aerial intel

ZEISS VR ONE
take flight.

Plasticase Nanuk 945

The Nanuk 945 case is made out of impact- prop guards, USB cable, and tablet. As an added
resistant NK-7 resin, which can survive precaution, I would be careful not to leave the
the worst abuse. This waterproof case is props on the Phantom 3 because the lid might
available with inserts to accommodate cause them to bend. If you prefer to leave
various drones, and the one I reviewed the props on, always make sure that they are
is specifically designed to carry the DJI properly rotated to clear contact with the
Phantom 3 and plenty of accessories. above layer of eggshell foam.
The outside of the case has four latches, The sidewalls are sturdy, but they do have
two on the top and one on each side. These some flex. The integrated slide-lock latches
extra latches keep your mind at ease that are primarily nylon and have steel hingepins.
everything inside the case is safely secured. Overall, the Nanuk is very sturdy, and it can
Two holes, one on each side of the top even make a great landing pad in a pinch! It
latches, allow you to insert two TSA locks. costs $249.99.—Gus Calderon
(The case comes with a “Search Alert” plasticase.com
TSA lock, which has a
feature that lets you
know if the case has been
opened.) An automatic
pressure-release valve
continuously equalizes
the pressure on the inside
of the case.
A neoprene air-cell
technology strap is
available with the Nanuk
945 for padded comfort,
better weight distribution,
and easier lifting. In other
words, your shoulders
will thank you, especially
given the case’s hefty 14
pounds empty weight.
(You can also get the 950
model that comes with
wheels.) The carrying
handle can be snapped
shut against the body of
the case when not in use.
The polyurethane
eggshell foam on the
more info: top layer is custom-
vrone.us/flyfpv cut to snugly fit the DJI
cloudlightFPV.com Phantom 3, six batteries,
the transmitter, props,
 圀愀渀琀 琀漀 爀愀挀攀 䘀倀嘀㼀

䴀愀砀䄀洀瀀猀 栀愀猀 愀 瀀愀挀欀 昀漀爀 琀栀愀琀⸀

䜀攀琀 琀栀攀 挀漀洀瀀氀攀琀攀 瀀愀挀欀愀最攀
愀琀 䴀愀砀䄀洀瀀猀⸀挀漀洀⸀

䄀眀愀爀搀 圀椀渀渀椀渀最 䈀愀琀琀攀爀椀攀猀 夀漀甀 䌀愀渀 䌀漀甀渀琀 伀渀 䌀愀氀氀 唀猀 吀漀搀愀礀℀ 㠀㠀㠀⸀㘀㔀㐀⸀㐀㐀㔀　

 aerial intel

Blade Chroma 4K Camera Drone

A great aerial photography quadcopter just got better!
If you’ve been waiting for a good opportunity to get into AP Mode for experienced pilots, Autonomous Follow Me
true high-def 4K aerial photography, the newest Blade and Tracking modes, or select the Return Home function.
Chroma camera drone with its CG03 camera is what All are guided with built-in GPS tracking.
you’ve been waiting for. Very similar to the Blade Chroma
I reviewed in the September 2015 issue, the big news Camera settings
here is that the older CG02 1080p/60 camera has been When it comes to setting up your shots, real-time video
upgraded to the CG03 4K/30fps ultra HD video camera, and telemetry info are displayed on the controller’s main
which can also record in 1080p/120fps slow-motion touch screen, and you can pick from several adjustable
video. Equipped with a no-distortion lens, the camera resolution and frame rates. The live streaming video to
the ST-10+ controller has a 600m range, and the Chroma
4K can also stream live video to multiple mobile devices
within a 90 to 120m range. Settings for different lighting
conditions are adjustable. When you want to switch from
video to still photos, you have to select the on-screen icon
before activating the camera.
Generally speaking, the higher frame-rate (frames per
second) settings are important based on broadcasting.
Many countries broadcast in a certain frame rate. If you’re
in the Americas or Saudi Arabia, use 30fps. If you’re in
Japan, use either 25fps or 30fps, depending on the region.
About anywhere else in the world, stick with 25fps. The
higher fps settings tend to look unnatural when played
at normal speed and are best used for slow-motion
shots. When it comes to resolution, this depends on the
quality you can edit, use, or want. If you are just uploading
a simple video to YouTube, 1080p is fine. The higher the
resolution, the more data is used on the SD card. For
The Chroma 4K includes all can shoot 12 megapixel still images. The CGO3 combines example, one minute of 4K footage is generally around
the features of the original a high-definition camera and a three-axis stabilization 1GB of data. The higher the resolution, the more you can
Chroma camera drone plus a gimbal into a single unit that makes all the difference for edit the footage or crop its size. It is a really huge image.
more advanced camera.
capturing steady aerial video and still photos in fine pro- Priced at $899.99, the Chroma 4K includes the
grade detail. All the camera controls are also incorporated stabilized CGO3 4K camera, ST-10+ controller, a long-
within the included ST-10+ controller/transmitter. lasting 6300mAh LiPo flight battery and charger, a spare
Like the older camera drone, the Chroma 4K comes set of blades, and a USB programmer cable, making it an
with everything you need in one box and provides about excellent value. I highly recommend it.—Gerry Yarrish
30 minutes of flight time. Advanced SAFE Plus technology horizonhobby.com K
makes the Chroma 4K
easy to fly and to hover,
and there are several flight
settings. You can set it for
Smart Mode for beginners,

Above: All the information you need to operate the Chroma 4K is avail-
able on the main screen. To use the camera and switch back and forth
from still to video, you simply press the two on-screen camera icons
on the right side of the main display. Left: The big plus for the Chroma
4K is the CGO3 gimbal-stabilized camera. It stores image files on an
included micro SD card.
34 RotorDroneMag.com
Sh u t t e rSto ck.com
MAKE MONEY
WITH YOUR DRONE
Expert keys to a successful small business
BY MATT BOYD

A
WE ASKED THE EXPERTS
s the demand for the unique capabilities of drones soars We put a variety of questions
ever higher, even as the advances in drone tech lower the related to small-business
barriers to meeting those demands, the chance for pilots to drone operations—and the
turn their skills and enthusiasm for unmanned aerial vehicles
FAA requirements for such—to
(UAVs) into business opportunities is exploding. But with
these three men. Each comes
those opportunities come their own set of challenges. We’ve
all heard about the Section 333 Exemption process from the Federal Aviation at the subject from a different
Administration (FAA) for commercial drone operation, and recently, the FAA angle, but all provided a wealth
has been making more ripples in the UAV community with mandatory drone of knowledge and valuable
registration for all pilots. And looming on the horizon is a proposed set of new perspective on the commercial-
FAA regulations known as “Part 107” which might (or might not) replace some drone market as well as the
(or all) of the 333 Exemption rules. To pilots looking to turn their hobby into logistical and legal aspects of
a way to make a little extra cash on the side or even start their own small stepping up from being a private
business, the maze of regulations can be utterly bewildering. You are probably UAV pilot to for-profit flying.
asking yourself important questions such as “Which rules apply to me?” or “Do
I need a Section 333 Exemption?” and “How do I apply for one?” We turned to John D. Deans
three experts to help us decode the mysteries of commercial UAV regulations, Owner/proprietor
to aid drone pilots like you in taking that next step toward earning some income of Central Texas
doing what you love! Here’s what they had to say. Drones, FAA-
certified private
pilot, drone pilot,
and author of the new book
Become a U.S. Commercial
Drone Pilot
The Market
RotorDrone: What types of industries/businesses hire individual pilots on a contract basis? Are Gus Calderon
certain ones more lucrative or have a higher demand? Founder of
John Deans: Real estate, construction, surveying, oil and gas, agriculture, law enforcement, fire AirSpace
and EMS [emergency medical services], and power companies. Real estate is the easiest and Consulting,
most lucrative right now, followed by construction. Agriculture along with oil/gas pipelines will FAA-certified
follow soon. commercial
Gus Calderon: Over 50 percent of my clients are doing aerial filming for production companies. I also pilot, commercial drone pilot
have clients using their exemptions for mapping, real estate, power-line inspections, surveying, and instructor, and professional
advertising, and land-use planning. consultant for filing FAA Section
333 Exemptions
RD: Are certain industries better suited to pilots of a certain experience level (i.e., novice versus
veteran)? Jeffrey Antonelli
JD: The current FAA 333 Exemption requirement of having at least a Sport Pilot’s license greatly Founder and
enhances the skill level and aeronautical awareness abilities of the UAV pilot. Simply purchasing a lead attorney at
drone and trying to be a commercial UAV pilot is a no-go. Antonelli Law, Ltd.
(member of the
RD: Do you have any specific recommendations in terms of specialized skills (beyond basic piloting DJI Professional
competence) that an aspiring pilot should have to be more successful/marketable? User Referral Program),
JD: Number one, you have to be a successful small-business person with good marketing skills. leader of the firm’s Drone/UAS
And you will need both the photography and videography skills along with the editing and post- Practice Group, member of
processing equipment, software, and talent. the Association for Unmanned
Vehicle Systems International
RD: Should beginners consider working for free to gain experience—and if they do, do they still (AUVSI), and FAA Section 333
need a commercial (333) exemption from the FAA? legal consultant
JD: I strongly recommend pilots perform pro-bono flights before you file for the 333 Exemption.

March/April 2016 35
Make Money with Your Drone

Only when the pilot is ready to charge for

flight ops do they need the exemption, have
a pilot’s license, and file NOTAMs [Notices to
Airmen] for each flight.

RD: Will opportunities expand for individual/

part-time pilots, or will the industry become
more “professionalized”?
JD: Initially, for the next couple of years, we
are the pioneers as independent commercial
UAV pilots. By 2020, the drone-service
insourcing will begin to bring costs down, risks
lowered, and corporate standards established.
Right now is the UAV Wild West—and I’m
loving it!

The Law
RD: Why is obtaining a 333 Exemption
important if pilots are looking to use
a drone to earn money? What are the
consequences/penalties if they don’t
have one?
Jeffrey Antonelli: There are generally
three types of negative consequences for
operating commercially without a Section
333 Exemption: FAA penalties, insurance
availability, and hindering the ability to
market oneself.
› FAA. While the FAA’s position that
model aircraft and drones are “aircraft” is
controversial, operating without a Section
333 Exemption raises the possibility of
being prosecuted by the FAA for violations
of the FARs (Federal Aviation Regulations).
The could mean anything from having an
educational encounter with no penalty up
to many penalties for violating the many
FARs (not having an airworthiness certificate
or minimum amounts of fuel onboard, for
example), which could mean fines of $1,000
to much more. The case against SkyPan
International made the news when the FAA
proposed a $1.9 million fine for unauthorized
operations, including alleged flights in New
York’s Class B airspace. As of the date of this
writing, the FAA has opened at least 24 cases
and has settled 12.
› Insurance. Many aviation carriers will not
issue insurance coverage for operations that
do not have a Section 333 Exemption.
isto ck p hoto.com

› Marketing. An increasing number of Energy industry operations, like

businesses will not hire a drone operator oil/gas pipeline inspections, are
without a 333 Exemption. We first saw among the opportunities on the
this in the cinematography field, but the rise for pilots looking to earn
money doing what they love.
requirement of having a 333 has now gone
much wider. In addition, having a Section 333
Exemption means the business can “come
out from the shadows” and put themselves
out in the public eye without worrying about possible FAA enforcement GC: The amount of paperwork required depends on whether the
action. Many operators flying without the Section 333 Exemption must petitioner is filing an exemption for aerial data collection or closed-
rely on word of mouth and repeat customers. set filming. The request to conduct closed-set filming operations is
much more complicated because, if granted, it will allow the petitioner
RD: People can file for an exemption themselves individually, or to conduct UAS [unmanned aircraft system] operations within close
there are many law firms and consultants out there who will assist proximity to people in a controlled environment. This type of operation
them. If pilots file individually, what is involved in terms of paperwork requires the submission of a Motion Picture and Television Operations
and fees? Manual (MPTOM), which is beyond the scope of most people to write.

36 RotorDroneMag.com
 The requesT To conducT
closed-seT filMing
operATions is Much
More coMplicATed
becAuse, if grAnTed,
iT will Allow The
peTiTioner To conducT
uAs operATions wiThin
close proxiMiTy To
people in A conTrolled
environMenT.

commercial operations. There are no FAA filing

fees currently.

RD: Are there things people should or should

not do that will impact their chances of being
approved?
JA: Be sure to address all the relevant FARs
you wish to be exempted from, and do
not forget to include a statement of public
interest; that is why the petition being granted
would benefit the public as a whole. See the
FAA’s website (aes.faa.gov/petition/index.
html). Finally, provide the reasons why the
exemption would not adversely affect safety
or how it would provide a level of safety at
least equal to that provided by the rule from
which you seek an exemption.
GC: It is imperative to monitor the public
docket once it is opened, because if an
incomplete petition was submitted, the
Flight operations in urban areas
or with people nearby will likely
FAA will send a “Request for More
involve municipal permits, liability Information” (RFMI) and that will require a
waivers, and various other local response within a specified deadline. If the
legal requirements beyond those FAA does not receive the missing information
isto ck p hoto.com

covered by an FAA Section 333

exemption. For this reason, it is
within that time, they will close the docket
often advisable to enlist a law firm and the petitioner will have to start from
and a technical consultant like our the beginning.
experts to make sure that you are
covering all the bases.
RD: If someone hires a consultant or law firm
to help them file, what are the advantages
and disadvantages?
JA: The advantages of hiring a law firm to file
Even with my experience as an FAA-certified air-charter operator, it took the Section 333 petition are (1) save time, (2) knowing the petition is done
me about 200 hours of research to write an MPTOM. correctly, and (3) establishing a relationship with a drone lawyer that can
JA: Paperwork includes the petition for exemption itself, an operations help you with your business needs, interpret the ever-changing FAA
manual, and possibly additional manuals such as training manuals and policies on drones, and, if necessary, defend against any FAA actions.
the MPTOM if requesting closed-set filming. Doing it oneself without When people hire my own law firm, we also include the required FAA
assistance can be done, but to do so correctly will take time to make the commercial UAS registration, which can be a frustrating task for many
petition and operations manual conform to the actual operations. Reports people. Finally, lawyers have fiduciary duties to their clients that other
vary from several hours to a number of months, particularly for larger service providers do not have.

March/April 2016 37
Make Money with Your Drone

Aerial cinematography—like
that used in the filming of this
PBS documentary shot at the
Gettysburg National Military
Park—can provide lucrative
and exciting opportunities for
UAV pilots. But these can be
among the most complex flight
operations to conduct, requiring
a Motion Picture and Television
Operations Manual (MPTOM)
outlining all safety procedures
undertaken.

isto ck p hoto.com
GC: The Section 333 exemption process requires an understanding of RD: What does a firm typically charge?
aviation language and regulations, which most people do not have. While JA: While it depends on the complexity, as part of the DJI Professional
there are people who do navigate the process successfully on their own, User Referral Program, our firm charges $1,250 for most Section
many others have problems that cause them costly delays. The first six 333s, which also includes up to two FAA commercial UAS registrations.
exempt companies had an attorney prepare the petition and a consultant Certain restrictions apply, including that you must use at least one
write the operating manuals, and this is clearly the most advisable route DJI airframe/RTF drone. Without a DJI airframe/RTF drone the price
to choose. I work with several aviation attorneys, and they not only for most 333s is $1,500, with some uses bringing the fee up to
provide legal advice but they often help the client form business entities $7,500 or more.
such as an LLC or Corporation. As a consultant, I prepare operating
manuals and educate the client about compliance and record-keeping RD: Does professional help substantially impact the approval rate?
requirements required under an exemption. JA: Professional help can certainly reduce the likelihood of delay from the

333 Exemption and Part 107 Differences

Proposed Part 107 Existing 333 Exemption
Drone pilot license (written test only) Manned pilot license (flight school)
500-foot AGL 200-foot AGL (blanket COA)
No operations over people Possible micro drone rule, allowing flights over people (aircraft less than 2.2 lb.)
Just Visual Line of Sight (VLOS); no Visual Observer (VO) Visual Observer (VO) required at all times to meet the “see and avoid” requirements

38 RotorDroneMag.com
MAKE MONEY WITH YOUR DRONE

ESSENTIAL READING
Pilots looking to make the transition from enthusiast to a side
business or even a full commercial enterprise would do well to pick up
the brand-new book Become a U.S. Commercial Drone Pilot by John Deans.
He not only explores in detail what types of businesses are seeking drone
pilots and what services they are willing to pay for but also gives you
valuable small-business marketing and management advice to give you the
best chance of being successful and profitable. And, of course, he walks
you through the FAA regulations as well as discussing how to stay abreast
of state and local rules that you must also adhere to. It’s a tremendous
resource for anyone looking to fly professionally at any level. Published by
Self-Counsel Press, it is available on its website (self-counsel.com) as well as
through Amazon.com.

FAA needing additional information. Even highly experienced pilots hire us

because the paperwork burden is too high.

RD: What sorts of things should people look for when selecting a firm to
help them with their application? JA: We expect those who have a Section 333 Exemption to get the
GC: When selecting a firm specializing in Section 333 exemptions, be sure benefit of its permissions to the extent that the actual Part 107 when it
they have an extensive aviation background. As a commercial pilot with comes out may be more restrictive. However, Part 107 when it comes out
over 20 years of aviation experience, it has taken me years to understand may be very different than the NPRM [Notice of Proposed Rulemaking]
the Federal Aviation Regulations. Also, the Section 333 exemption that came out in proposed form last February. Until it comes out, nobody
process is constantly evolving, so if you do seek assistance, I recommend can say for sure what it will look like.
using a company that has been in the business over one year. GC: I have been told by senior FAA officials in the UAS Integration Office
If you are considering hiring someone to help you, ask about that “The exemption process is never completely going away.” The
the requirements to actually operate after receiving an exemption. “summary grant” exemptions, which most have, will be superseded by
Unfortunately, many people are so focused on receiving an exemption, Part 107 regulations. The FAA issues a summary grant when it finds it has
they do not realize they do not meet the requirements to actually use it! already granted a previous exemption similar to the new request. Those
For example, many people still do not realize that the pilot in command operators who were granted privileges beyond the scope of a summary
of a commercial UAS must hold an FAA pilot’s certificate. Additionally, grant exemption (such as drones over 55 pounds, beyond visual line of
conducting UAS operations within close proximity to consenting sight, flight instruction, etc.) will continue to use the exemption process.
personnel involves increased liability risk. Anyone thinking about this type Most people outside of aviation don’t realize that the exemption process
of exemption should seek the advice of an attorney. has existed for decades. Operators and manufacturers have used the
exemption process when a certain regulation is burdensome and they can
RD: How long does it usually take for the FAA to approve a 333 Exemption? prove an equivalent level of safety exists.
GC: The FAA states on their website that the Section 333 exemption
process takes between 90 and 120 days. What most people do not RD: Do we have a sense when those rules will be announced?
understand is that the “clock does not begin ticking” until the FAA opens GC: I have heard from senior FAA officials in the UAS Integration Office
their public docket. At this time, it takes approximately 60 days until public that Part 107 will be in effect by August of this year. Keep in mind that
dockets are opened because of the overwhelming number of petitions exemptions are only valid for two years, and the first ones were granted
that are being submitted. To be realistic, one should anticipate receiving on September 25, 2014. Those operators would need to request and
an exemption in approximately six months from submitting their petition, receive an extension prior to that date in order for them to continue
assuming their request has been properly prepared. operating under their exemption if Part 107 is not in place.
JA: Nobody knows. Speculation from “insiders” has ranged from
RD: Do you know what the approval/rejection rate is? springtime to possibly several more years. If you are tired of waiting and
JA: The rejection rate has been around 10 percent. The latest figure from want to be legal now, do a Section 333. If you can continue to wait for an
FAA is 399 rejections out of 3,528 submissions (11 percent) as of uncertain length of time, I would say maybe wait to see if Part 107 gets
January 20, 2016. published by June of 2016 and see how long FAA says it will be until you
can actually go take the written test for the new drone pilot license.
RD: Is there anything a 333 Exemption does not cover that a small-
business operator might encounter? Bottom Line
JA: Yes. Flights above 200 feet AGL [above ground level] and flights within After grilling our experts on as many aspects of commercial-drone use
five miles of airports are not allowed. The “blanket” COA [Certificate as we could think of, we’ve confirmed that it is still a complex and ever-
of Authorization] everyone gets with their Section 333 approval only changing landscape. That presents exciting opportunities and significant
allows flights up to 200 feet AGL. If you need to go higher, such as for challenges for pilots aspiring to take their passion into the realm of for-
precision ag or tower inspections, you will need a special COA. Finally, no profit flying. Ambitious and organized pilots can go it alone—particularly
Section 333 Exemptions have allowed flights over people who were not if they have resources like John Deans’s book at their disposal—but after
participants and essential to the flight operation. speaking with our experts, we feel that professional help is a worthwhile
choice for most people aspiring to start a drone-related small business.
RD: Will 333 Exemptions be superseded or nullified by Part 107? And if The opportunities are out there, and they’re expanding every day. Be
so, should small operators consider waiting until those rules are official, smart, be organized, educate yourself about the rules, and go out there
or is it still worthwhile to obtain an exemption? and get paid to fly! K

40 RotorDroneMag.com
42 RotorDroneMag.com
 ( FPV RACING )
GLADIATOR
STYLE!
THE XTREME DRONE CIRCUIT
IS ONE OF THE GNARLIEST
FPV RACES AROUND
BY JOHN REID / PHOTOS BY JEFF CRAWFORD

This January, 75 pilots flew through an

adrenaline-boosting course in front of a sold-
out audience and 3000 Livestream viewers
at the Xtreme Drone Circuit 2 (XDC_2) FPV
(first-person-view) race in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The multicolored lighted course included a
circle of fire (how could you not like that?) and
attracted some of the top pilots in the world.
We got a chance to chat with Harrison Gale
(cofounder of the XDC) to see what goes into
making a course like this.

RotorDrone: What type of time and planning goes into setting

up a race like this?
Harrison Gale: Well, our first race took six weeks to set up and
get ready. Everyone had such a great time there that we knew
we needed to do another one, and we knew we could set
up and work fast if needed. In the back of our minds, we had
always wanted a race during the Consumer Electronics Show
in Las Vegas. The opportunity came, so we hit the throttle and
made it happen in a little under two months.

RD: Where did you come up with the design style for this very
visual and hazardous racecourse?
HG: Well, we started with the venue. Zappos.com sponsored
our first race, through the old Western Hotel and Casino,
and they loved it so much they invited us to do a race at their
headquarters. The three-story coliseum type of office was
phenomenal and an opportunity for us to showcase the talent
of these pilots. However, the fact that the entire area was
only 110 feet in diameter meant it would be one of the tightest
and most technical tracks anyone had ever flown. We knew
we wanted to be the first truly 3D track and came up with
a rough idea on the layout. From there, we worked with a
phenomenal lighting designer, Scott Phillips, and the amazingly
The old Las Vegas City Hall was
creative group of people over at FPVLighTrax. Then we threw
turned into the Zappos Arena for
Xtreme Drone Circuit 2 during the in a few extra elements, like the flaming gate from our good
Consumer Electronics Show. friends at Livespark to give it that extra XDC-Vegas flair.

March/April 2016 43
( THE XTREME DRONE CIRCUIT
)
RD: What was the hardest thing about putting together a race like this?
HG: Managing video issues for the pilot while still keeping the
spectators engaged is always a challenge. Filming dark, small, fast-
moving quadcopters is another one. But we’ve learned a ton from every
event we’ve thrown, and they will just keep getting better.

RD: What kind of feedback did you get from the racers/spectators?
HG: The response has been overwhelmingly positive. This event was the
first exposure to the sport for a lot of people, and we definitely made an
impression. I was told by a number of people that I made a video game
in real life.

RD: Are you planning on doing more races like this?

HG: Absolutely! The next major XDC is planned for Australia, in conjunction
with the City of Gold Coast at the end of August, but there will be a few
partner events (like the Phoenix Cup, end of February) or showcase races
in the meantime. Then, next January 9 is the Xtreme Drone Circuit day in
Las Vegas, so expect to come back for that.

RD: Is there anything you would like

Right: Sean “Stevie1DUR”
to add?
Stanford of Albuquerque,
HG: I’d just like to add that I New Mexico, is the founder
am immensely grateful to all of the of Darkside Quads. Besides
phenomenal people who made it being a decorated flier, Sean
designed all of the frames that
possible: Zappos.com for being amazing
he and the XDC Champion
hosts; my amazing team, Lisa Hendricks Shaun “Nytfury” Taylor use,
in particular; and all of the great pilots including the now iconic
who are helping turn Las Vegas into the Freighter 180, also known as
the Millennium Falcon.
world capital of drone racing!
Below, right: Cody “CodeRed”
Matson mentally prepares
himself to freestyle in one
of the most challenging
environments available.
Below, left: This intrepid quad
braves the XDC Ring of Fire,
powered by more than a dozen
LiveSpark flame emitters.

44 RotorDroneMag.com
Above: XDC organizers put the finishing
touches on their course before showtime.
Below: (From left) Brennan “The AV8R”
Lane faces off against Kalyn “RS2K” Doerr
and Bapu Madhu as Kalyn’s teammate,
Brian “BrainDrain” Morris, acts as spotter in
the background.
 (SHaun Taylor
)
THe MaN To BeaT
Shaun Taylor, who won both the XDC_1 and XDC_2,
gave us a little insight as to what it takes to be one of the top
contenders in the world. To begin with he is known as “Nytfury”
on the web and in the racing circuit. Believe it or not, he has
no background in RC racing or aerial RC of any kind. It’s hard
to believe that he picked up his first radio in December 2014,
so he has only been flying for little more than a year. His buddy
Sean Stanford sent him a link to a video of some pilots flying
FPV overseas in a forested area (most of you have probably seen
that video), and Shaun was hooked.

Left: Shaun “Nytfury” Taylor gives the

thumbs-up for good video, indicating that he
is ready to begin the championship race.
Above: Shaun Taylor’s quad, the freighter 180,
aka the Millennium Falcon, crosses the finish
line as Shaun becomes the back-to-back
XDC champion.

on precise turning and low flying daily. I

am not an aerobatic pilot by any means—
strictly a racer. As for my flying style,
I seem to have developed a different
method of flying from anything I see. I
seem to use little yaw and extreme rates
on the pitch and roll axis. I fly only our
Darkside Quads frames as they are proven
the lightest and fastest in the world.”
I asked Shaun to tell us a little about
his experience with the first two XDC
races. He says that during XDC_1, he
“flew the Darkside Quads’ Speeder and
set the fastest lap, race, and took home
first prize for the first time in my life.
XDC_1 was an absolutely amazing course
that was flown in an old casino. There
were lights, LEDs, fog, flying through
halls—you name it. It was out of this
world. I was so happy to come out on top
there as there were so many talented
Shaun says, “Sean pushed me, and I bought my first rig: a ZMR250. pilots at the race. I was lucky.
I took a month to put it together, and away we went. After two “Then came XDC_2. As my team and I walked into the stage at
months of crashing in stabilization mode, I was almost able to fly the Zappos headquarters, we just stood there in awe. It was like a
through a typical football goalpost, with the key word being ‘almost.’ gladiator arena! There were three divisions of obstacles and gates,
After learning just how bad I was, Sean begun to harass me, stating neon tubes, metal construction; this was something we could never
that I would never beat him.” Of course, we all know now that that have trained for. Well, day one practice comes. I launch, make it
statement would be proven wrong. halfway, and then into the net. Round 2 launch, and then on lap 2, net!
How did Shaun get that competitive edge? He says, “I raised Final round, and on lap 3, net again! Upon the completion of practice,
my camera angle from 20 degrees to 50 degrees. For a month, I I am looking all washed up. I cannot even finish a race.” But on day
crashed...crashed some more, and then...crashed again. I kept raising two, Shaun rocketed the Darkside Quads’ prototype Freighter to a
my camera angle and became comfortable flying with a camera rake win the 4-inch class.
of 70 degrees. I started to train and not fly anymore. Fast-forward to He adds, “While I may have been the best on that night, for that
a week before XDC_1. I continue to train now utilizing hula hoops for race, it was yesterday. Today is a new day, and all slates are clean. I
gates; flying with missing antennas; and in the worst windy, cold, and know my place and will be waiting to be leapfrogged, but I will always
dark conditions. I try to fly two bags of batteries every day. I focus be lurking.” K

46 RotorDroneMag.com
 air support

Traxxas Aton+
Fast, fun, and photography ready
By MIke GanTT Photos By JoHn ReId

T
his all-in-one aerial video/camera
package with three solid flight modes
is ideal for pilots of all levels. Because
everything you need is included, this
is an aircraft that you can buy and take right
to your flying site!

HIGHLIGHTS
I tested the Aton+ model, which comes with a two-axis
brushless gimbal and a large-capacity LiPo pack. Said gimbal is
made for a GoPro HERO or similar camera, and the fit is right on
when locked in place. Three flying modes programmed into the
controls give you a steady photography mode, a sport mode,
and an expert mode. The sport mode gives pilots more control,
more speed, and aerobatic performance. The expert mode
expands on the airframe’s agility with even higher speeds and
higher performance. A push-button airbrake feature actually
commands the craft to stop in its tracks and enter a stable hover,
which can be a lifesaver! The Flight-Link app allows you to use
your smartphone to check flight status, adjust the speed of the
Aton in film mode, and program the transmitter buttons and LED
light settings. Features like auto takeoff and landing, return to
home, and geo-fence provide a stress-free flight experience.
Add an optional SD card and you can even record your flights, and
use an app like Mission Planner to review your flight.

You’ll be an aerial
videography pro
with the Traxxas
Aton+. It’s incredibly
stable and easy to
fly in photography
mode, and in sport
and expert modes,
you can get an
adrenaline rush with
high-speed racing
and even aerobatics!

48 RotorDroneMag.com
SPECIFICATIONS
Name: Aton+
Manufacturer: Traxxas
Type: Multipurpose multirotor
Length: 370mm
Weight: 30.33 oz.
Motors: Sensorless brushless
outrunners (included)
Speed controls: Included
Flight controller: Included
Radio: Traxxas 2.4GHz (included)
Battery: Traxxas 3S 5000mAh 20C
(included)
Price: $500.00

WE LIKE
+ Easy to set up and fly
+ Multitasker with three flight modes
+ Speeds up to 50mph
+ Customizable
 aerial recap
Your Aton will arrive in film mode for smooth, stable
flight, so you can concentrate on getting the aerial
shot you want. When you exit a turn or stop abruptly
from lateral movement, the quad will slowly return to
a hover without jerking to ensure stabilized footage.
Engage sport mode and you can now fly faster,
perform higher banked turns, and do flips. You can
also use the higher speed to film faster-moving
subjects. In expert mode, the Aton will do almost
anything but fly inverted, and it’s impressive when
it rips by at full speed. When you fly upward a bit, hit
the trick button and see the rotations the Aton can
Above: Everything you need to
get the Aton in the air is in the
accomplish—you’ll giggle. Don’t worry about pushing
box. No extras to buy except for the aerobatic envelope too hard; the airbrakes do a
more batteries—and you’ll defi- great job at settling down the quad back to a hover
nitely want more air time with from your high-speed antics. The included “batwing”
this quad! Left: The landing gear
is easy to install and remove
2.4GHz transmitter has a small digital screen, which
with the included wrench and gives you info such as flight-mode status, throttle
four fasteners. You’ll need the level, transmitter-battery level, and flight-battery
gear to attach the included two- level. The included flight pack with the Aton+ model is
axis gimbal; take it off for expert
flight mode and wild aerobatics.
a 3-cell 5000mAh LiPo. The model is equipped with a
Bottom left: Status symbol: Traxxas High-Current Connector. Without a camera,
When all green lights are lit, you can expect up to 20-minute flights; with a GoPro
you know the Aton is ready HERO4 you can expect up to 15-minute flights.
for takeoff.

GoPro Gimbal
Attaching your GoPro or similar camera couldn’t be easier. The two-axis gimbal
included with the Aton+ provides vibration-free footage. To mount and use the
gimbal, add the landing gear and the mount simply clicks and locks into place.
Remove it easily with a small release. Simple damping balls in the corners
and brushless motors do their jobs well and make it easy to capture smooth,
clean photos and video footage. Traxxas notes that it’s working on a three-axis
gimbal with the same great features—stay tuned!

Bottom line Shoot photos or video or learn to fly with the film mode, explore more aggressive flight in sport mode, or fly it
like you stole it in expert mode. Whatever way you choose, the Traxxas Aton+ is going to be a ton of fun. K

50 RotorDroneMag.com
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 AIR SUPPORT

RC Logger
NovaX 350
A multirole quadcopter system
TEXT & PHOTOS BY JIM RYAN

T
he RC Logger NovaX is a GPS-guided
350-class quadcopter that can
capably fill a number of roles, ranging
from training to sport flying to aerial
photography. The durable preassembled airframe
makes extensive use of carbon-fiber components,
and the modular construction makes repairs
simple and inexpensive. The NovaX is suitable for
beginner and intermediate pilots.

HIGHLIGHTS
The NovaX 350 is notable for its highly modular design. Carbon
props, retractable landing gear, camera gimbals, and other options
can be mixed and matched to tailor the aircraft to your particular
needs. There’s a USB programming cable so that firmware updates
can be installed, and there are X- and Y-axis outputs for actively
controlling a camera gimbal.
The design is remarkably tough; the central pod has a
helmetlike canopy, and the main board, motor arms, and landing
gear are all carbon fiber. The assembly is completely modular, so in
the unlikely event of a crash, you need to replace only the broken
parts, with minimal disassembly required.
The GPS guidance system provides in-flight stabilization, and
the geo-fencing feature allows you to set altitude and distance
boundaries as an added security measure. The soon-to-be-
released Task Point Command System will allow you to program
task point navigation and to assign tasks at each waypoint.
Future updates to this system will add “follow me” and “point of
interest” capability.
While also available in an ARF version, my ready-to-fly kit
included RC Logger’s 8-channel 2.4GHz transmitter, which
displays real-time telemetry, including battery status, GPS signal,
altitude, and distance. The telemetry display is large and easy to
read, and can be accessed with a single button. SPECIFICATIONS
The kit includes an AC charger for the 3S 5200mAh LiPo
Name: NovaX 350
battery, and your first step should be starting the charge cycle.
Manufacturer: RC Logger (rclogger.com)
A 3S 5200 is an unusually large battery for a 350-class quad,
Type: Multirole 350-class quadcopter
allowing flights of 20 minutes or more in the “clean” configuration.
Overall diameter: 550mm
In addition to providing a well-organized instruction manual
Prop diameter: 8 in.
(available for download), the team at RC Logger have produced an
Weight: 42.9 oz. (w/ LED kit)
extensive range of videos that cover just about every aspect of
Motors: 28 x 26mm, 1400Kv outrunners (included)
setting up and flying the NovaX. These are available on its Vimeo
Power: 3S 5200mAh LiPo battery (included)
album (vimeo.com/album/3385825).
Speed controls: RC Logger 20 amp (included)
The minimal assembly consists of installing the landing gear,
Radio: RC Logger R8 8-channel radio (included)
and the gear legs illustrate the careful thought that went into
Price: $569.00
this design. Two sets of interchangeable legs are included: short
for normal flying and longer for carrying a camera. The legs are
locked in place with simple toggle latches, just like on an E-Z
WE LIKE
Up—very clever. The stock plastic propellers mount on regular
prop adapters. Because the adapters do not have clockwise and + Tough modular design
counterclockwise threads, it’s a good idea to secure them with a + Solid flight handling in all flight modes
small drop of blue Loctite 242 or similar nonpermanent thread- + Excellent product support, including videos
lock. In hardly more time than it takes to charge the battery, the + Real-time telemetry and smartphone control
quadcopter is ready to fly.

52 RotorDroneMag.com
 The NovaX 350 is a durable
and capable quadcopter,
suitable for a variety of
roles, including training,
sport flying, and aerial
photography. The optional
LED lighting kit offers loads
of fun for night flying.

AERIAL RECAP
The NovaX 350 features three primary flight modes: GPS, Altitude Hold, and Basic. The transmitter also allows three agility options:
Aerial Photography (AP), in which control response is smooth and gradual; Sport, in which handling is more responsive; and Intelligent
Relative Positioning Control, a programmable feature that allows you to get around control reversal when the aircraft is pointed toward
you. The transmitter also controls the Return to Home feature.
The R8 transmitter has a spring-centered throttle stick. If you want to climb, you push the stick above center, and to descend, you
can push it down. After powering on, you should allow the GPS receiver to get a solid lock, as indicated by a solid blue rear LED. You
can then arm the motors and advance throttle to lift off.
With GPS flight mode and AP agility mode selected, the NovaX has remarkably docile handling characteristics. Bank angle, rate
of climb, and top speed are all limited, and if you release the sticks, the quad will hover in space. What’s great about having flight and
agility modes as separate controls is that you can switch to Sport mode without losing the security of GPS.
Handling in the AP option is smooth, making the NovaX a capable camera platform with the optional X3 gimbal. If you switch from
GPS to Altitude Hold mode, you can establish forward speed, and the quad will cruise along straight and level. Handling feels solid.
Landing in GPS/AP modes is easy; just pull the throttle stick below center, and the quad will make a smooth vertical descent to
landing. Return to Home mode is activated by switch D. When selected, the status LEDs will start flashing white, and the aircraft will
emit a series of beeps as it transitions through each phase. Return to Home landing location is accurate—typically within three feet of
the takeoff point.
Overall flight performance of the NovaX 350 is smooth and solid. Even low-time pilots should be able to fly it in GPS/AP modes,
and responsiveness can be adjusted as your skills advance.
 EYEControl App
While the NovaX can be programmed manually,
RC Logger has developed an excellent smartphone
app (available in both Android and iPhone versions)
called EYEControl, which makes it a simple matter
to program and calibrate the quadcopter and to
operate features like the optional lighting system.
This app makes initial setup a snap. First, it will
help you establish a Bluetooth link, which is done
from inside the app, not from your phone’s normal
Bluetooth setup screen. Then you can proceed
with calibration. The only snag that I encountered
was in calibrating the transmitter controls. The
Above: The RTF setup includes absolutely everything needed to get into the air, including the quadcopter, app would not enter the transmitter utility, and
radio, LiPo battery, AC charger, and accessories. A tablet or laptop is helpful for accessing the manual and it turned out that my transmitter and receiver
watching the instructional videos. Setup can be completed in less time than it takes to charge the battery.
Below left: The RTF kit includes an easy-to-operate AC charger capable of charging packs up to 4S at up to
had lost their bind. I went through the normal
3 amps. The supplied 3S 5200mAh LiPo battery provides flight duration of 20 minutes or longer. Below right: bind procedure, and from there, it was smooth
The NovaX comes with interchangeable long and short landing-gear legs, which lock together with simple sailing to calibrate the transmitter, gyro, and
toggle latches. No tools are required. compass. Because your smartphone and the
NovaX are communicating in real time, you get
positive confirmation for successfully completing
each step.
Once setup and calibration are complete,
the app enables you to adjust the stabilization
features, set the geo-fencing boundaries, and
operate the optional LED lighting system, among
other useful features. EYEControl demonstrates
the careful thought that went into the NovaX.

Light Show!
I decided to dress up my NovaX with the
optional LED lighting kit. This package allows
you to install full-color RGB LEDs on the arm
supports, and they’re controllable via the
EYEControl smartphone app. Installation
requires almost no tools, but threading the
power leads up through the speed-control Above: The optional illumination kit
mounts is a little tricky. The LED strips includes strips of multicolor RGB LEDs
and a control module for operating them.
mount to the supports with peel-and-stick
Installation is relatively simple and
strips, and they’re then covered with clear requires no tools, other than some
plastic housings. tweezers for threading the leads through Left: The EYEControl app makes initial setup a snap. Because
After some fiddling around, I found that the frame. Below: The clear plastic covers your phone is communicating with the NovaX, it confirms when
there’s a trick to installing the plastic covers. protect the LED strips and lock them in each task is completed and moves on to the next step. Right:
You need to pry the motor end of the cover place. Installation is a little tricky, but if EYEControl also allows you to fine-tune the stabilization settings,
open to fit around the LED strip and support, you start them at the outer end and “zip” set boundaries for geo-fencing, and modify the performance in
but once it’s started, you can zip the cover into them on, you’ll have no problem. Note how Return to Home mode.
the receiver antenna is routed inside the
place, just like a really stiff ziplock-bag seal.
cover for protection.
The adhesive is really only needed to tack the
strips in place until the covers are installed.
The LED system is controlled via the
“illumination” menu in the smartphone app,
and a whole variety of lighting effects are
available, including Strobe, Pulse, and Running.
Within each effect, you can adjust the color and
speed, and you can change effects on the fly.
The effect of the lighting system is very cool,
and it makes it easy to see the quad even at
The optional LED illumination kit offers a whole range of lighting
a distance. It’s particularly fun to let a friend effects, making the NovaX a lot of fun for dusk and night flying.
toggle though the various lighting effects as Being a little heavier than some other 350-class machines, it’s
you fly the aircraft; it’s a real crowd-pleaser. remarkably steady in moderate winds.

Bottom line RC Logger’s NovaX 350 is a durable and well-designed quadcopter, adaptable to a variety of roles from
training to aerial photography. The high level of product support makes it quick to get in the air and easy
to maintain. K

54 RotorDroneMag.com
Meet Aton, Your Personal Video Assistant

Action camera shown not included.

- In stores for around $420

Aton™ is your personal video assistant that captures stunning aerial footage in a way that is
- Model #7908 with 3000mAh 3S LiPo battery
easy and fun, without the need for any specialized skill or experience. Aton is sporty and and fixed camera mount
smart, practically flying itself with auto take off and simple, intuitive directional control.
- -
You simply direct Aton towards your subject and Aton becomes the steady hand in the
sky that captures the moment from exciting new vantage points. Press a button, and In stores for around $525
- - Model #7909 with 5000mAh 3S LiPo battery
Aton quickly returns to home and lands automatically. Switch to Sport Mode and Aton
and 2-axis gimbal
opens up for fast and exciting aerobatic maneuvers. Press the Air Brake button
at any time to pause the action in a stable hover. There’s much more to learn
-
about Aton – see it online at:

Traxxas.com/Aton
2-Axis gimbal compatible with GoPro® HERO® 3 and 4 series cameras. © Copyright Traxxas 2015. 1P-ATON-151223
GoPro® and HERO® are registered trademarks of GoPro Inc.
 Monitoring
Arctic SeA ice Flying the Ptarmigan hexacopter
in challenging conditions
by Diana Campbell

A researcher gets ready to launch the

Ptarmigan to make a pass over sea
ice to see if the UAV can map it in a
meaningful way. (Photo by Eyal Saiet)

56 RotorDroneMag.com
Springtime in northern Alaska is the right time for a whale
hunt. Vast sheets of sea ice crumble together into huge masses
that grind into the ocean floor, anchoring it for a time. To get
to open water to hunt whales, Inupiat whaling crews will break
miles of trails over the rough ice. Once to the ice shore, they will
make camp, launch boats, and catch whales that will feed their
communities for the year. It’s a millennia-old tradition.

Sea-ice challenges in Alaska

The mounds of sea ice are like hills, and pieces of ice can be bigger than a car.
Villagers use pickaxes to smooth out the way. These trails can take more than a
month to build. The landfast sea ice around the Chukchi and Beaufort seas has
experienced a large-scale thinning and retreat over the past few decades, making
the ice conditions more difficult for trail building and, at times, more hazardous.
This has caught the attention of scientists at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
(UAF) who depend on indigenous people to help them understand the local sea-ice
environment. The local people and researchers have worked together for more than
a decade.
It can be difficult to evaluate the roughness of the ice from shore and to pick
the most effective and safest route to the water. In the past, hunters have used a
helicopter to take people up to look at the sea ice, but the time is right to look to an
unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and imaging equipment for the job, according to Hajo
Eicken, a sea-ice scientist at UAF.
“Unmanned aircraft are something you can deploy in challenging conditions,”
Eicken says. “It’s quiet, causes less disturbance, and you get better images.”
Eicken has been working with local hunters in northern Alaska for about 10 years
with the Seasonal Ice Zone Observing Network (SIZONet), an interdisciplinary
project for observing seasonal ice in the context of the environment. Under
SIZONet, the sea-ice group from UAF’s Geophysical Institute has monitored sea ice
and mapped trails using local observations, radar, webcam, and satellite images. The
work has revealed sea-ice changes due to warming temperatures and changing
weather patterns, which have been affecting Barrow and other communities in
the Arctic.
MONITORING ARCTIC SEA ICE

“WE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT HOW WELL THE AIRCRAFT WILL

PERFORM IN SUCH HIGH LATITUDE. AT HIGH LATITUDES, A
COMPASS’S DEVIATION FROM TRUE NORTH COULD CAUSE
PROBLEMS FOR THE AIRCRAFT’S AUTOPILOT.”

Whaling crews take a break from

constructing trails through pressure
ridges made up of huge piles of sea
ice to watch the Ptarmigan survey
the ice around them. The spot is
several miles into the Chukchi Sea.
(Photo by Dyre Dammann)

58 RotorDroneMag.com
Mission to map sea ice in Barrow
In April 2015, Eicken worked with UAF’s Alaska Center
for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration (ACUASI)
to conduct a “proof of concept” mission in Barrow. The
plan was to see if a UAV could help to map the sea ice
near Barrow.
The UAV used for this mission is called the Ptarmigan, a
small hexacopter designed and built by UAF student Ben
Neubauer. It was fitted with a DSLR camera and a small,
high-precision GPS unit donated by NovAtel.
Eicken and his team picked a place away from hunting
activities on the ice near Barrow to do the first flight. The
area featured a pressure ridge: a place where ice floes are
crushed under pressure from surrounding ice. The result
is a large pile that can reach more than 10 feet tall. The
largest ridges reach so deep that they grind themselves
into the sea floor, further stabilizing the ice.
Eyal Saiet, a systems and technology integration
specialist with ACUASI, was in charge of making sure that
the Ptarmigan had the right equipment, battery power,
data storage, and download capabilities for the mission.
He also had to determine what type of data to collect in
the most efficient and usable manner. Too many images
can be bulky data hogs and nearly impossible to process.
Not enough images means poor-quality maps. Saiet had
to find a balance, which took months of planning. “It’s very
easy to make data,” Saiet says. “It’s better to have less
data of high quality than lots of it.”
The focus of ACUASI is to find out if an unmanned
aircraft system (UAS) is right for the job and what data
needs to be captured, said Cathy Cahill, ACUASI’s director.
The center has been conducting “proof of concept”
missions in firefighting, pipeline monitoring, wildlife
monitoring, and public safety for almost 15 years. “Alaska
is the perfect place to use unmanned aircraft in this type of
research,” Cahill says.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has
recognized this, naming ACUASI host of the Pan-Pacific
UAS Test Range Complex and part of the FAA’s Center of
Excellence in UAS. ACUASI has partners in Hawaii, Oregon,
Montana, Mississippi, Kansas, and Iceland.
“We’ve been around a long time,” Cahill says. “We’ve
had to prove we’re not going to do anything stupid.” The
center has expertise in working with the FAA and using
UAS in the national airspace and within five miles of an
airfield. FAA officials have used data collected over the
years in policy-making decisions regarding the use of
unmanned aircraft in the United States.
That expertise plays out in the high Arctic. Saiet has
flown many missions at below-zero temperatures and,
for this mission, knew enough to bring coolers with an
electric heating blanket and some hand warmers to
keep the Ptarmigan’s recharged batteries warm. “As an
organization, we had concerns about how well the aircraft
will perform in such high latitude,” says Saiet. At high
latitudes, a compass’s deviation from true north could
cause problems for the aircraft’s autopilot, but the first
flight proved that for the location near Barrow the aircraft
did just fine. The temperature was about 5°F with a wind of
10 knots, making it hard for pilot John Roberts to keep his
fingers warm.
One surprise was that the Ptarmigan landing gear froze
to the ice between flights. “It would warm up while flying,”
Saiet says, “then cool down after landing. That caught us
off guard.”
After the first flight, the group joined the whaling crews
who were working on the ice trail. The test flight showed

March/April 2016 59
MONITORING ARCTIC SEA ICE

THE BARROW MISSION SURVEYED ABOUT

HALF A MILE, BUT NEXT SPRING, EICKEN
WANTS TO DO A 10-MILE SURVEY, POSSIBLY
USING A FIXED-WING UNMANNED AIRCRAFT.

The Ptarmigan takes off on its mission to

map sea ice. Researchers and their snow
machines are in front of the massive
sea ice held fast onto land every spring.
(Photo by Dyre Dammann)

that maps with topography in extraordinary detail could be made. The the roughness of the sea ice. We came up with a product.”
whalers had expressed interest in such a map, says Dyre Dammann, a The team conducted two more flights, catching the attention of those
doctoral student at UAF who worked on the mission. “A key priority is that workers on the ice. Afterward, Saiet used a technique pioneered at UAF’s
you have to provide something back that is beneficial to the community,” Geophysical Institute, called “structure from motion,” to create a three-
Dammann says. “Hunters have expressed an interest in a map showing dimensional map of the ice surface to share with the whaling crews.

The future of using UAVs in the Arctic

The Barrow mission surveyed about half a
mile, but next spring, Eicken wants to do a
A Barrow street during April 10-mile survey, possibly using a fixed-wing
2015. Community members unmanned aircraft. A large-scale survey
know sea ice well, having lived would provide useful information for hunters,
with it for thousands of years.
but Eicken believes that it would also give
(Photo by Eyal Saiet)
scientists a better understanding of the ice
volume locked up in pressure ridges. Knowing
how thinning ice from warmer temperatures
piles up will give scientists a clearer look
at how the ice will behave under these
conditions.
“By measuring the thickness of the ice
from the boat launch to Barrow and large
parts of the ocean, we could reduce unsafe
situations on the ice,” Eicken says.
The Inupiat have developed an intimate
relationship with sea-ice cover, and their
understanding is different from Eicken’s
university training in many ways. Sharing
information with the local indigenous people
and hearing their interpretation of it are crucial
to understanding sea ice. K

60 RotorDroneMag.com
 air support

Hubsan X4 Pro
A multirotor for the aspiring cinematographer
By JoHn Reid PhoTos By BoB Sutton

H
ubsan is a leader in drone technology, and when it comes
out with a pro version of a quad, I’m excited to take a look.
The X4 Pro is a solidly constructed aircraft that comes
completely assembled. It is designed for the intermediate-
to-expert pilot looking to venture into aerial cinematography.
HIGHLIGHTS
The package includes everything you need to get
this bird in the air. The body is completely assembled,
including having the camera and gimbal attached. A
3-cell 7000mAh LiPo battery is included, along with
a charger that works on the battery and transceiver.
The touchscreen transceiver from Hubsan is well
laid out and easy to use. Manuals for both the
transceiver “ground station” and quad give pilots all
the preflight information they need. All I had to do
was attach the props and charge all the batteries.
The transceiver is an Android operating system
with a 7-inch touchscreen that has 1280x800
resolution. A video jack allows for FPV (first-person-
view) goggles (not included) if you choose to use
them. The dual redundancy telemetry is displayed
on an OLED screen that is easy to navigate and
use. Some of the functions available include GPS
coordinates, power and transmitter battery voltage,
speed, distance (from ground station), altitude, and
receiver and video-feed signal strengths.
GPS functions include waypoints, return to
home (which works fantastically well), and position
hold functions. All the programming is compatible
with Google maps, and you can save up to
32 separate waypoints that are each adjustable
for altitude, the amount of time at the waypoint,
and in which direction the X4 Pro is facing. This bird
will automatically return to home and land if the
transmitter signal is lost or the voltage drops too low
(which shouldn’t happen too often, considering it has
a 7000mAh battery for plenty of flight time).

SPECIFICATIONS
Name: X4 Pro
Manufacturer: Hubsan (hubsanx4pro.com)
Distributor: Hobbico (hobbico.com)
Type: Camera rig
Size: 370mm
Weight: 2.3 lb.
Motors: Brushless (included)
Battery: 3S 7000mAh (included)
Speed controls: 4–10A (included)
Flight controller: Included and preset
Radio: Touchscreen transceiver (included)
Price: $1,499.99

WE LIKE
+ Easy to fly
+ Touchscreen transceiver (ground station)
+ 1080p HD camera included and mounted
+ Long flight times
 X4 Pro Ground Station
aerial
The latest Hubsan smart FPV transmitter is loaded recap
with software that has an Android operating system. The X4 Pro is an easy
The software, by default, automatically comes on
quad to fly, and it had
when starting up the ground station (transmitter),
and it also has a separate on/off switch for no problem carrying the
programming before flying. The first interface that installed camera gear.
opens is the master-control interface; this displays I averaged 13-minute
a map of your location, showing the position of the flights with 42 percent
X4 along with some telemetry information that battery remaining.
includes the number of GPS satellites, the X4 battery Although I did not push
status, flight yaw, pitch and roll, along with altitude it, you could easily get
and speed. At the bottom are some app buttons that close to 25-minute
allow you to find the X4 Pro on the map, which will
flights. The quad was
center the X4 Pro in the middle of the screen.
The video button will open a floating window, really easy to fly and
displaying live video from the camera. This window navigate, and it makes a
can be moved, expanded, reduced down, or closed, very good platform for
and it allows the user to change camera modes, aerial camera work. The touchscreen transceiver helps make flying fun and easy. The
shoot video, or take photos and play back videos or screen is easy to see in the bright sunshine with the included leather sunshade hood.
photos. I found that you couldn’t press the buttons The camera functions are controlled on the touchscreen as is the waypoint plotting.
rapidly, though, because the system needs at least Gimbal movement (up/down, side-to-side) is easy to adjust with the rotary switch
two seconds to react. on the top corners of the transceiver. You can have a picture-in-a-picture or make
The next button is the waypoint interface, which
the camera feed take up the full screen on the transceiver.
allows the pilot to set the flight course for the X4
Pro. The first button is the focus-point set tools; this In GPS mode, the X4 Pro will lock in to any set waypoint or when I let go of the
sets the camera focus point(s) on the map. I then sticks. Even in the wind, it holds a three-dimensional position very well. The headless
turned to the waypoint set tool, using my finger on function switch makes it so that the quad uses the home starting position as its
the screen map to set up a flight course consisting of center, and all of the stick movements respond to that regardless of which direction
several key waypoints. It is important to make sure the quad is facing. It is very responsive but, at the same time, travels smoothly
that the distance between any two waypoints is more across the sky.
than 16.5 feet; otherwise, the aircraft might focus
only on the nearest waypoint and fly in a circle. When
all done, use the data-transmit button to transfer
all of the waypoints to the X4 Pro. Be sure to let this
information finish downloading before flying the X4
Pro because, once in
flight, it cannot receive
any data.
I have to say that
this controller makes
flying the X4 Pro easy,
and using the waypoint
feature gives you precise
control over the flight
and photo/video.

All of the switches and dials Above: The camera and gimbal come already mounted and ready to
are within easy reach at go, but you have to turn it on before it will record and transmit to the
both upper corners of this transceiver. Right: All of the relay information comes down to the
ground station. transceiver from this single antenna. This is the position that seems
to work the best. Below left: The sun shield for the transceiver does
a good job of blocking all the light, so it is easy to see all the informa-
tion on the screen while you’re flying. Below and below right: The
7000mAh battery is a tight fit in the battery compartment on the X4
Pro, and you have to move the wires around a little to get it to fit. The
long flight time makes this well worth the effort.

Bottom line The X4 Pro is a good value when you consider all the functions that come with this ready-to-fly quad. This
is an easy-to-fly camera platform that comes with an intuitive and easy-to-use ground station. I would
absolutely recommend this product to any up-and-coming cinematographer. K

64 RotorDroneMag.com
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 AIR SUPPORT

Blade/Horizon Hobby
Mach 25 Racer
A great little speedster for the novice pilot
TEXT & PHOTOS BY JOHN REID

T
he Mach 25 Racer is Blade’s first venture into the
world of first-person-view (FPV) racing, and from the
looks of it, you can tell someone there has a passion
to make FPV racing easy and enjoyable for everyone.
This multirotor comes out of the box completely assembled,
ready to bind with your Spektrum radio.

SPECIFICATIONS WE LIKE
Model: Mach 25 FPV Racer + Cool-looking body
Manufacturer: Blade (bladehelis.com) + Solid construction that can
Distributor: Horizon Hobby take a hit
(horizonhobby.com)
+ Easy to program
Type: Racing class 250
Size: 250mm + Motor-specific props
Weight: 17.81 oz.
Radio req’d: 6-channel
Power incl’d: 2300Kv brushless
outrunners
Price: $429.99
HIGHLIGHTS
The Mach Racer does not come with the charger,
so you have to provide your own. I connected
the battery to my chargers and began working
the setup for the Mach Racer. I had to bind the
A3174 flight controller to my Spektrum DX18.
There is just enough room to get the bind plug into
the controller to perform the binding operation
without having to remove anything. Once the unit
was bound, I set up my transmitter to function
with the Mach Racer. I then set up the throttle cut
switch, which I changed from the recommended
one in the manual because I have already
conditioned my fingers to a different switch for
that purpose.
The battery is mounted on the recess located
on the underside of the body using hook-and-
loop fastener and an O-ring. Although the props
are not on, the prop nuts are, and you should take
them off before starting up the motors to prevent
them from self-tightening on the motors. I can
now run up the motors to make sure that they are
turning in the correct directions and see if they
speed up correctly when I move the sticks.
The small 25mW micro FPV camera system
includes a video transmitter in it, and it works
rather well when flying alone. But in a group of
racers, you will see some interference in your
headset while flying, so just be prepared for
that. The Lexan frame does move around when
flying and will cause a little interference with the
view. But overall, the setup works quite well, and
because of the canted motor mounts, landing is
a bit easier.

aerial recap
I started in stability mode with a low-bank angle
and quickly turned on stability with a high-
bank angle. You will want to get at least two to
three feet in the air right away to test it out. The
stabilization is very good, and if you are coming
from the fixed-wing sector, it is easy to quickly
adapt to flying this bird. The Mach Racer wants
to get up to speed right away, and it can quickly
get moving on you if you are not careful. I kind
of like that, so the speed was enjoyable for me.
The control is really good in the high-bank-angle
mode, and you could easily race in that mode.
But if you’re looking for some really quick and
snappy flying, then agility mode would be your
cup of tea. Landing was easier because the
motor did not have to be canted at an angle, so
that is a real plus. Once the throttle cut switch
is activated, there is a beeping from the quad,
making it easy to find if, for some reason, you
don’t make it all the way back to the landing
pad. Once you adapt to the Mach 25 Racer flying
style, you will have a blast scooting around the
field. Throw in some obstacles and another racer
and you will be totally hooked in the world of FPV
racing.

March/April 2016 67
 GoGGles Basics
The Mach 25 Racer comes FPV-ready, but
you will have to purchase your own set
Above: The installed
Spektrum ultra micro, of goggles. The type that you decide on
25mW airborne FPV is really a personal choice, but there are
camera system is already two basic options. The typical goggles
set up. It is compatible are ones that have a lens positioned
with any Fat Shark over each eye like the Fat Shark brand
goggles. Left: The A3174
of goggles. You wear these much like
Spektrum receiver is
installed and all hooked glasses, and they have an elastic strap
up. All I needed to do that wraps around your head and forms a
was to bind it to my light, tight seal around each eye. Another
transmitter and go fly. option is the large-screen type of
Below left: The threaded goggles. These have a monitor located in
inserts will only fit into
the appropriate props,
front of your face with a light seal around
and they will only thread your eyes so that you can see the screen
onto the correct motor. in bright daylight. I would recommend
Below right: Mount the borrowing a set of each and trying them
battery in the recess on out to see which one you like.
the bottom of the quad
The video transmission has four
using hook-and-loop fas-
tener where it attaches. different bands/modes, which each has
For additional security, a 8 channels that you can select from.
rubber O-ring is attached Depending on the brand of goggles, you
across the top. will most likely be able to receive on just
one band/mode, so you will have a choice
of 8 channels. When flying with other
racers, you will need to be on a different
channel than they are on; otherwise, you
will have crossover interference. This
could lead to you seeing their camera
view or complete blackout. You should
always announce your channel to other
pilots before turning on your quad to
make sure that that channel is clear. A
good rule of thumb is to have all pilots
at least two channels apart to prevent
crossover. Video interference/crossover
can come, of course, from other things,
such as transmitter power, but you can
get that information from your fellow
flying buddies.

Bottom line The Lexan body does make the Mach Racer look cool, but it is not all that durable, so don’t get too attached
to it. Flight Mode 0 (stability low-bank angle) is good when first learning, but to truly get the feel for FPV
racing, Flight Mode 2 (agility) is where you want to be. K

68 RotorDroneMag.com
8
GREAT
CHARGERS
Bench-tested and editor-approved TEXT AND PHOTOS BY JOHN REID

A charger is an essential investment that will pay dividends in the performance of

your battery packs. Ease of use, safety features, and adaptability are important
considerations when you’re in the market for a new charger, and here we bench-
test the latest units available so that you can pick the one that’s right for you.

AMain Hobbies Ease of use

FEATURES
› Dual-channel charger
Prodigy 612 DUO AC/DC ÝÝÝÝÝ › Maximum 12A charge current per channel (up to 100W)
Safety features
› Precharge function to help restore lithium packs with low cells
This is a well-built, midsize charger with dual
ÝÝÝÝo
› Many safety features
charging ports, and can charge two different QUICK SPECS
battery types and sizes at the same time. Adaptability Charges: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe, Ni-Cd, NiMH, Pb
The two-line LCD backlit screen makes it ÝÝÝÝÝ Output: 0.1-12A
very easy to navigate to the correct menu Discharge: 0.1-5A
for any type of charge settings. This unit can Cells: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe 1-6S, Ni-Cd, NiMH 1-16S, Pb 1-10S
charge a 6-cell LiPo battery up to 12A/100W for each charging port. The Charging modes: Balance, Charge, Discharge, Cycling, Storage
20-model memory (10 on each side) lets you store your most common Balance board: XH type LiPo
battery types. Precharge function helps you save lithium batteries, with Price: $119.99
a short charging time to bring up the voltage on batteries that have been
discharged too low. The separate port buttons and LED light nicely display WHAT’S IN THE BOX Prodigy 612 DUO AC Charger, DC Power Input
which charging station is in use. You can also check on individual cell Cable w/ XT60 Connector, AC Power Input Cable, Tamiya Charge
status during and at the end of the charging cycle. amain.com Lead, T-Plug Charge Leads (2), Alligator Clip Charge Lead, Battery
Clamps (2), XH Type LiPo Balance Board (2), manual

70 RotorDroneMag.com
Hitec X2 AC Pro Multi-Charger EASE OF USE
Rating System
This charger looks a bit different than others; it also performs differently and offers EASE OF USE
up some unique features. The menu system is easy to navigate, and the manual is How easy the charger
SAFETY FEATURES
set up well and explains everything in concise detail. The X2 can handle all battery was to set up and start


types, including high-voltage LiPo batteries. The cool thing about this charger is charging, how easy the
that it offers up a total of 200 watts of power in AC (300 watts in DC) that can be ADAPTABILITY menu system was to
distributed in any ratio between the two charging ports. Other advanced functions navigate, and how easy
include a battery meter and battery internal resistance meter mode. You can it was to switch between
even configure your settings so that you can see your charge progress on your different battery types
smartphone or PC (requires extra USB cable or Wi-Fi module). This charger can handle any-size battery that and sizes
you might have, offers up all kinds of data about that battery, and also includes a built-in heavy-duty 60W So easy that you
soldering iron with adjustable temperatures. hitecrcd.com don’t even have to read
the manual (but we still
FEATURES WHAT’S IN THE BOX recommend that you do for
› Ultimate power distribution of 200W total output to either channel X2 AC Pro Charger, XH important information)
› Includes 60W soldering iron adapters (2), power cord, Requires some
› USB support for PC and Wi-Fi smartphone interface charging cables (2), XT60 reading of the manual
QUICK SPECS connector charging cables to move from feature to
Charges: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe, Ni-Cd, NiMH, Pb (2), soldering iron handle, feature
Output: 0.1-10.0A soldering tip (pencil),
Even after reading the
Discharge: 0.1-5.0A soldering tip (chisel),
manual, you still have to try
Cells: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe, LiHV 1-6S, Ni-Cd, NiMH 1-15S, Pb 1-10S soldering iron stand,
to figure it out
Charging modes: Fast, Balance, Charge, Discharge, Cycling, Storage, cleaning sponge
Re-Peak, Auto Charge
SAFETY FEATURES
Balance board: XH
What features are in
Price: $199.99
place to prevent incorrect
charging settings (including
battery size and type), over-
charging (such as time-out
and optional temperature
module), and whether
the user has to confirm
settings before charging
All of the safety
features, including optional
temperature module
Main safety
features, but not including
time-out and optional
temperature module
Lacks the minimum
safety feature to make it
safe for LiPo charging

ADAPTABILITY
Whether the charger can
be used on the bench or in
the field (110V, 12V, or both),
what battery types the
charger can accommodate
(LiPo, Li-ion, LiFe, Ni-Cd,
NiMH, Pb), and how many
cells it can handle
Can handle all
voltage input (110V, 12V)
and all types of battery
chemistries
Works with only one
voltage input (110V or 12V)
but can handle all types of
battery chemistries
Works with only one
voltage input (110V or 12V)
and handles one type of
battery chemistry

March/April 2016 71
8 GREAT
CHARGERS

Hobby People Ease of use

FEATURES
› 3-inch, easy-to-see backlit touch screen
Activator Ultra 100 ÝÝÝÝÝ › Allows for multichemistry charging
Safety features
› Easy-to-adjust alarms and audible indicators
I found this charger’s one-screen layout to
be very intuitive, and it allowed me to see all ÝÝÝÝo QUICK SPECS
Charges: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe, Ni-Cd, NiMH, Pb
the information needed to get the charging Adaptability
Output: .01-8A
process going. The touch-screen buttons are ÝÝÝÝo Discharge: .1-3A
straightforward, and the clear graphics make it
Cells: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe 1-6S, Ni-Cd, NiMH 1-16S, Pb 1-10S
easy to set up and use without having to refer
Charging modes: Fast, Balance, Charge, Discharge, Cycling, Storage,
to the manual. Presets are all on one screen, with buttons large enough
Battery Check, Manual
for even a fat finger to select. Easily adjustable cut-off parameters
Balance board: JST-XH balance ports
make this one of the safest chargers out there; the only thing that it
Price: $129.99
lacks is an optional temp probe. If you don’t want a complicated charger
but still need a lot of charging power and features, this is a good choice. WHAT’S IN THE BOX Activator Ultra 100, AC Power Input Cable, DC input
hobbypeople.net power cord w/ alligator clips, output power adapter cord with T-style
battery connector, manual

72 RotorDroneMag.com
Horizon Hobby Ease of use
FEATURES
› 50W per channel
Prophet Sport ÝÝÝÝÝ › Charge four different battery-pack sizes and types
› Four easy-to-see and easy-to-use menu screens
Quad 50W Safety features
ÝÝÝÝo
› An affordable and durable charger, perfect for many
charging needs
The first cool thing about this charger is that Adaptability
you can charge four different battery packs QUICK SPECS
ÝÝÝÝÝ Charges: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe, Ni-Cd, NiMH, Pb
at the same time, max 50 watts per channel.
The menu system makes this one of those Output: 0.1-6.0A
chargers that you don’t have to worry about Discharge: 0.1-9.0A
always having the manual with you. I like that each of the lithium choices Cells: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe 1-6S, Ni-Cd, NiMH 1-15 cells, Pb 1-12S
has its own menu as you cycle through the battery types. This is the Charging modes: Balance, Charge, Discharge, Cycling, Storage
perfect field charger for the pilot who has a lot of 2200mAh 4S or smaller Balance board: JST-XH and Thunder Power
packs that need to be charged quickly (quad FPV racing comes to mind). Price: $189.99
Individual cell charging performance can be seen with one click of a WHAT’S IN THE BOX Prophet Sport Quad; EC3 (2), T-Type (2),
button during and after charging. With two ports on each side, it is easy and Rx (1) charge leads; power cord; XH (2) and TP/FP (1)
to tell which packs are ready to come off the charger. Useful as both a balance boards
bench and field charger, this bad boy can make quick work of a backlog of
discharged battery packs. horizonhobby.com

March/April 2016 73
8 Great
CharGers Ease of use

Graupner Polaron EX 1400W Safety features

The Graupner brand is designed around form and function, and this charger takes up a small amount of real
estate on the bench. This powerful unit is capable of producing up to 700 watts per channel with 8-cell Adaptability
packs, but it does require a 24-volt power source. A stylus attached to the charger makes it easier to use the 
touch-screen menu system, but I had no problem using my fingers to move from screen to screen. The unit
also works with the new high-voltage LiPo batteries; you just
need to set the charging voltage at 4.35 volts per cell. On the
bench with a 24-volt power supply, this charger makes quick
work with even my largest packs, and offers up a number of
menus that show the health and well-being of each cell.
With a total of 40 profile memories (20 each side), this is
the charger that I will often go to. openhobby.com

Features
› Charges up to 700W from each channel
› USB port for updates and software
monitoring and logging
› Built-in functionality for servo testing,
ESC setting, and USB external charging
› Charges HV LiPo batteries
QuiCk speCs
Charges: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe,
Ni-Cd, NiMH, Pb
Output: 0.1–30A (max 700W)
Discharge: 0.1-10A (max 60W)
Cells: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe 1-8S,
Ni-Cd, NiMH 1-16S, Pb 1-12S
Charging modes: Fast, Balance,
Charge, Discharge, Cycling,
Storage
Balance board: XH 8S
boards (2)
Price: $349.00
What’s in the box
Polaron EX 1400 charger,
EH to XH 8S adapter board
with 8S cable, USB cable,
DC input cable, temp
censor (2), charge cable
(2), alligator clip (2),
charger stand, manual

74 RotorDroneMag.com
Great Planes Ease of use
FEATURES
› Touchpad controls for easy input
ElectriFly Triton EQ ÝÝÝÝo › Adjustable LCD screen for easy viewing
Safety features
› Both AC and DC power input
The Triton charger has been a staple on pilots’
ÝÝÝoo
› Easy-to-navigate menu system
benches and field boxes for quite some time,
QUICK SPECS
and continues to be a reliable go-to charger for Adaptability
Charges: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe, Ni-Cd, NiMH, Pb
many people. It is designed for the indoor pilot ÝÝÝÝo Output: 0.1–5A (max 63W)
who may not have the largest battery pack
Discharge: 0.1-1.0A (max 60W)
in need of charging. I found the menu system
Cells: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe 1-6S, Ni-Cd, NiMH 1-14S, Pb 1-6S
to be a little different to navigate than on other chargers, but it was still
Charging modes: Charge, Discharge, Cycling
very intuitive. The manual is excellent, with its full-page pull-out reference
Balance board: XH/TP
charts to guide you through the menu windows. This is an easy charger
Price: $99.98
to use, and will handle all of the different battery types up to 6-cell packs.
The two-line LCD screen can be viewed from a number of different WHAT’S IN THE BOX ElectriFly AC/DC TritonEQ, FlightPower/TP,
angles. Because of the option to use DC or AC power, this little charger is ElectriFly/XH adapters, AC power cord, DC power cord w/ alligator
a good all-around tool for many pilots. electrifly.com clips, instruction manual

How Many Watts Do You Need? 50 watts per port). Divide 100 watts by 22.2 volts (6 cells) and you
To determine if a charger is suitable for your application, you must have 4.5 amps. This means that the charger can supply a maximum
perform this calculation to determine the maximum amp rate the of 4.5 amps to a 22.2-volt 6S battery.
charger can supply. Start by dividing the watts of the charger by Of course, the charging amp rate would gradually reduce as the
the voltage of the battery pack. This will tell you the maximum amp battery voltage increases during the charge cycle. In this example,
rate the charger can deliver (watts / voltage = amps). you could only charge a 6S 4500mAh battery at 1C charging rate.
For an example, we have a 6S LiPo battery pack and a charger Any battery larger than that would be charged at less than the
that delivers 100 watts to the charging port (keep in mind that 1C rate, which means it may take a little longer depending on the
a 100-watt charger with two charging ports may only deliver discharge of your battery.

March/April 2016 75
8 Great
CharGers Important
safety
chargIng tIps
Dos

always balance-charge
the battery. This can
help the charger detect
any issue during the
charging process. It
is also the best way
to extend the battery
pack’s life.
always use a LiPo
charging bag for
storage and during
charging.
always charge at 1C,
when you have the
time. This puts less
stress on the battery
pack and will allow
more charges on
the pack.
always read and
understand the
instructions carefully
before operating any
battery; this is well
worth your time.

Don’ts

Do not overdischarge
the LiPo battery pack.
If your speed control
cuts off, land the plane
right away; continuing
to fly could ruin the
battery pack.
Do not leave the
battery in your model
when charging. The
battery pack should
HobbyKing Reaktor Ease of use
Features
› Data storage for up to 10 packs in
always be out of the
model when connected
300W 20A AC/DC  memory
› Individual cell balancing charge and
to the charger.
The newest charger in the extensive Safety features discharge Do not leave the
line of Reaktor chargers offers up the 
› 10-charge parameter memory battery unattended
same large power performance in a Adaptability › Can measure per-cell internal resistance when charging. This
is perhaps the most
versatile, lightweight model that works 
QuiCk speCs important rule: Never
off of AC and DC voltage. One of the
things I like best about this unit is the Charges: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe, Ni-Cd, NiMH, Pb leave it alone, and
ease of navigation through the menu system; I didn’t need to refer Output: 0.1–20A (max 300W) always be in the
back to the manual when working with this charger. The manual, Discharge: 0.5-20A (max 20W) same room.
however, is easy to follow and understand. You can log your Cells: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe 1-6S, Ni-Cd, NiMH
charging data (onto 16Mb internal flash storage) and load that into 1-17S, Pb 1-12S
log view and examine the data. Other nice features are the ability Charging modes: Balanced, Fast, Charge,
to see the internal resistance of each cell and being able to charge Discharge, Precharge, Storage, Cycling
or discharge batteries to storage levels. If you need a single battery Balance board: JST-XH
charger that is easy to transport and will work for both the field Price: $114.55
and bench, this is a good buy. hobbyking.com What’s in the box Turnigy Reaktor, Alligator Clip Charge Lead,
Charge Lead—no connector

76 RotorDroneMag.com
Thunder Power Ease of use
Features
› Up to 800W of power (400W per charging port)
TP820HVC  › 24 user-programmable memories
Safety features
› Adjustable charge capacity limit and per cell end and low
This charger has been the flagship model voltage cut-off
for Thunder Power from the beginning, a  › Balance board works on both TP and JST-XH connectors
solid charger that can be upgraded through Adaptability
Quick specs
firmware updates. Keeping pace with the  Charges: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe, NiCd, NiMH, Pb
industry, this updated version includes a
Output: 0.2-20A
setting for charging high-voltage LiPo packs. A
Discharge: 0.2-10A
simple four-button, intuitive navigation guides you through all the menus
Cells: LiPo, Li-Ion, LiFe 18S, HV Lipo 2-7S. NiCd, NiMH 1-24 cells,
for the correct selection of battery types and size for each charging port.
Pb 6-30V
The compact design and wide input voltage latitude make it great for
Charging modes: Balance, Charge, Discharge, Cycling, Storage
both bench and field charging. There is plenty of power to charge even the
Balance board: TP and JST-XH
largest battery I own, and storage function will take the battery down to
Price: $270.00
the correct voltage, making it easy for me to put away my packs for the
winter. If you’re going to have only one charger for all your battery needs, What’s in the box TP820HVC, charger leads (2), TP and JST-XH
you just can’t go wrong with the TP820HVC. thunderpowerrc.com balance board, instruction manual K

March/April 2016 77
Telemetry 101
Mastering the communication between
you and your multirotor TEXT & PHOTOS BY JOHN REID

One of the really nice features of modern-day remote-control radios is the fact that they can
send signals to an RC multirotor to control it. Plus, they can receive signals back from the same aircraft,
allowing us to monitor important information about that aircraft. This feature is what we refer to as
telemetry. We can use this to monitor information from a variety of sensors that we install on our aircraft.
This allows the pilot to keep track of the aircraft, monitor external things around the quad,
and have real-time information on key components of the multirotor, such as battery
levels. Let’s take a look at some of the functions that can use telemetry to help
adapt the multirotor to fit our needs.

Having complete telemetry

connection to the multirotor
and real-time readouts on the
transmitter/ground station give
pilots complete control over
the multirotor.
te·lem·e·try (te-lĕm´ĭ-trē)
The automatic measurement and
transmission of data from a distant
source to a receiving station

Telemetry features cutoff limit of the battery so that

First, you must have a radio the pilot will have enough time to
transmitter that can send and bring the multirotor back to land.
receive signals; most modern- Of course, the quality and age
day 2.4Ghz systems have that of your batteries will determine
capability. The multirotor now only how low you should set this
needs a receiver that can also number. Older batteries die out
transmit information gathered much quicker and will need a
from sensors onboard the aircraft shorter flight time, while newer,
back to the transmitter. Again, this high-powered batteries will last
is something most modern 2.4Ghz longer and give better flight
radios have as standard features. performance. Telemetry can also
Now that we have that, let’s look help you determine the health of
at some of the things we can use your battery. If it seems that the
this system for. battery is draining quicker than it
did when new, for example, this
Flight battery might be an early warning that one
Perhaps the most important of the cells is going bad and should
telemetry feature that you can be checked and fixed now, before it
have on your aircraft is a sensor becomes an issue.
that monitors the current status
of your flight batteries. Flight Other information needed
batteries are the key component Some telemetry features will
for ensuring that the quad stays require the use of sensors that
in the air, making this a vitally are designed to monitor certain
important telemetry item. The data and give feedback to the
current status of the battery lets transmitter. These sensors send
you know just how much time constant and current information
Pixhawk's flight controller has many telemetry plugs, which allow pilots to customize
your multirotor can spend in the air on things like battery voltage, the telemetry features that they want to receive from the multirotor.
and when you will need to land the temperature, rpm, G-force,
aircraft. Most pilots will have this altitude, and attitude. With the
function incorporated with some exception of rpm, which is not
type of alarm on the transmitter,
which will notify them when the
needed as much on multirotors
because the motors tend to spin
AFTERMARKET PRODUCTS, LIKE THOSE
battery power level gets too low. at different speeds while flying, CARRIED BY EAGLE TREE SYSTEMS, OFFER
It is a good idea to set alarm the pilot can monitor his aircraft TELEMETRY SYSTEMS THAT CAN BE ADAPTED
thresholds to a value above the using all of these telemetry items. TO ALMOST ALL BRANDS OF RADIOS.

Eagle Tree Systems makes a

number of sensors and units that
can be added onto any system to
allow pilots complete telemetry
feedback to the ground station.

March/April 2016 79
( TelemeTry 101
)

The Hitec Advance telemetry system allows for a

number of different add-on sensors that can monitor
just about every function on your multirotor/aircraft.

About the only DownfAll to GPS iS thAt it this information, such as distance,
height, speed, direction of travel,
once the multirotor reaches these
spots, it will automatically record
RequiReS A ceRtAin nuMbeR of SAtelliteS and exact location on a map or photograph from that location.
to cAlibRAte itS locAtion, without which overlay. Most of this information Because GPS is also used to assist
you cAnnot Go into GPS MoDe. AS Such, is based on using the transmitter/ the stabilization of the quad, it will
thiS feAtuRe iS PRActicAlly uSeleSS if the pilot as a reference point for all provide rock-steady video.
DRone iS flown inDooRS. the data. About the only downfall to GPS
GPS can also be incorporated is that it requires a certain number
into the stabilization system of of satellites to calibrate its location,
In addition, having the ability to log GPS the multirotor to keep the aircraft without which you cannot go into
this data onto a spreadsheet or Perhaps the number one level and at an exact point in GPS mode. As such, this feature is
something of that sort will provide telemetry feature on a majority three-dimensional space when practically useless if the drone is
a good maintenance record. In of multirotors sold today would the control sticks are released. It flown indoors.
most cases, there is no need to have to be a global positioning also allows the pilot to program At the start of the flight, GPS
purchase additional equipment system, or GPS. By using the waypoints, which, depending on takes a fix on its takeoff point and/
because there are a good number GPS satellites to locate the exact the system that you own, could or the location of the transmitter.
of radios/transmitters that already position of the multirotor, the make your multirotor completely From there, it can calculate the
incorporate this type of telemetry. onboard transmitter can relay autonomous. Waypoints allow the speed and distance from that
Aftermarket products, like those the exact positioning of the pilot to program certain positions point. When incorporated with
carried by Eagle Tree Systems, multirotor back to the ground in space to which the aircraft can voltage monitoring, a parameter
offer telemetry systems that can station/transmitter for the pilot to fly. GPS can also be used to lock can be set so that when the
be adapted to almost all brands observe. There are many different in such things as photography or battery hits a certain voltage level,
of radios. types of readouts available from videography waypoints so that, the GPS can take control of the

Eagle Tree’s Vector flight-control system utilizes GPS and has many telemetry features
that are easy to add on. It also has a fully configurable OSD (on-screen display) built in.

80 RotorDroneMag.com
( TelemeTry 101
)
multirotor and fly it back to the video feed can be
takeoff point. Return to home is used by the pilot
one of the most useful features to navigate the
on many multirotors. It allows the aircraft with the
pilot to flip a switch and have the feeling of sitting
aircraft return to its takeoff point. inside the cockpit. It
This is especially useful when can also be used by
the pilot becomes disoriented or a second person to
the multirotor is too far away to position the camera
ascertain its flying direction. onto a subject while
the pilot navigates the
FPV multirotor.
First-person view (FPV) is For FPV to work, it requires four
another form of telemetry that items. On the aircraft, you’ll need
allows a video transmission back to mount a camera (this can be
to a ground station, which can a separate camera or one that’s Graupner’s HoTT radio
systems are a plug-and-
be attached to either a monitor already onboard) and a video
play design, which allows
or a pair of goggles. This allows transmitter. On the ground, the you to easily add on a number
real-time video of the aircraft pilot will need a video receiver of telemetry features,
as it travels through the air. This to decode the transmission from including GPS.

the aircraft; this can be a separate

unit or one that is incorporated
Recent DevelopMents Using first-person view (FPV)
allows pilots to be completely
into the monitor or set of goggles.
And finally you’ll need goggles
in technology have immersed in the feedback
or a monitor, which will give you
alloweD viDeo signals coming from the multirotor,
the ability to watch the video to
to tRansMit in Real-
giving the feeling of actually
sitting in the cockpit. navigate the aircraft where you
tiMe with little to want it, or they can be used by the
no lag tiMe anD camera operator to position the
with high-quality camera to frame up the shot.
viDeo output, such Most FPV pilots/camera
operators work in real time, so
as hD 1080p. the video transmission must be
compressed to transmit quickly.
This can reduce the video quality
that is seen on the ground through
the monitor or goggles. Recent
developments in technology,
however, have allowed video
signals to transmit in real-time
with little to no lag time and with
high-quality video output, such
as HD 1080p. This type of video
telemetry allows for a real-time
heads-up display on the ground,
which enables the pilot to see a
wide variety of data being relayed
back instantaneously to the
ground from the multirotor.

Final words
In many ways, telemetry has
changed the way that pilots
operate their multirotors, giving
them the freedom and security
to travel some distance away
while still having all the key
factors needed for a safe flight.
The ability to monitor just about
every component on the aircraft
in real time from the ground
eliminates guesswork and makes
for a safe and enjoyable flight. This
technology has allowed pilots to
capture images and information
from locations that were just not
possible only a few years ago. K
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 LEGAL VIEW
BY JEFFREY ANTONELLI

Aircraft Registration
On December 21, 2015, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) opened the new registration
system for model aircraft to the public. The task force creating this system was announced
at a hearing on October 20 of that year, and the Interim Final Rule establishing the online
system was not announced until December 14, 2015. This article will discuss what the current
registration requirements are for model aircraft operated solely by hobbyists as well as some
backlash over the new registration program. I will also discuss the differences between what is
required for hobbyist registration and what is required for commercial registration.

New requirements whether putting a number on a drone won’t stop cowboys

The FAA is now requiring that all hobbyists must go from operating improperly and noting that registration
through an online system once to obtain a unique numbers won’t be visible from afar.
registration number, which they will place on model There are many who question whether the FAA even
aircraft currently in their possession as well as to all model has the authority to require model aircraft registration.
Jeffrey Antonelli, aircraft purchased in the future. After all, Section 336 of the FAA Modernization
Antonelli Law Hobbyists must create an online account at register and Reform Act of 2012 prohibited the FAA from
With a legal myuas.faa.gov, provide their home address and email “promulgat[ing] any rule or regulation regarding a
background in address, and pay a $5 fee for three years, with the renewal model aircraft … if [it] is flown strictly for hobby or
corporate outside fee to be determined. The FAA has stated that it will refund recreational use.”
counsel, civil litigation, to everyone who registered before January 19, 2016. There are also privacy considerations. Although
insurance defense, When registering, hobbyists must agree to abide by the FAA is not releasing information regarding hobby
and intellectual certain community standards, including operating no registrants to the public, there is no guarantee that
property and drone/ higher than 400 feet above ground level (AGL), keeping the secure database won’t be breached, leaving many
UAV law, Jeffrey began the aircraft within their visual line of sight, and not folks’ personal contact information—and credit card
flying radio-controlled interfering with manned aircraft, many—but not all (see information—vulnerable.
aircraft several below)—of which are regarded by many as commonsense One lawsuit, Taylor v. FAA, has already been filed over
years ago, which safety standards that have been in place for years. the new registration requirement, arguing that, in Section
lead him to research Registrants will then receive a unique identifier number 336, Congress prohibited the FAA from creating such a
new technologies, that they would place on each unmanned system they system. The judge in that case denied Mr. Taylor’s request
including first-
own that weighs between 0.55 pound (which, according to to prevent enforcement of the new hobbyist registration
person viewing (FPV)
FAA FAQs, is just heavier than “two sticks of butter”) and rule until the court decides the case on its merits.
and drones.
55 pounds. Hobbyists would only need to go through this
process once to obtain their unique identifying number, Safe operations
which is meant to be placed on the body of the model Since the inception of the idea of registering hobbyist
aircraft or in a battery pack as long as it can be accessed drones, the FAA has emphasized that the goal is to
easily and without the use of tools. However, if they want provide a nationwide program of safe operations. After
to operate their drone to make money or if it weighs more all, driving a car is a nearly universal experience, and
than 55 pounds, they will need to go through the pen- there are nationwide standards that everyone is aware
and-paper registration process described below. of from a very young age. For example, we stop at red
Although the online registration system is much lights, give way to emergency vehicles, and use turn
simpler than the paper registration process required signals when changing lanes. With drones, many people
for commercial users, it does require access to an email who are coming into the community do not have similar
account and may be confusing for the generation of experiences and need to learn the “rules of the sky.”
hobbyists that managed to live the majority of their lives There is now confusion, however, over what exactly
pre-Internet. the community rules are. Section 336 of the FAA
All hobbyists who wish to operate their RC airplanes Modernization and Reform Act lists the statutory
after February 19, 2016, will be required to register requirements for safely flying model aircraft. These include
themselves as hobbyists, labeling their model aircraft with operating in accordance with a community-based set of
their unique identifying number. Violations may lead to safety guidelines and within the program of a nationwide
civil fines of up to $27,500 and criminal penalties of fines community-based organization. Although the law does
up to $250,000 and/or up to three years imprisonment. not specifically list the Academy of Model Aeronautics
(AMA) as the nationwide community-based organization,
Community backlash it is widely held that operating within AMA guidelines
Not surprisingly, since the October 20 task force constitutes operating safely and legally.
announcement, there has been community backlash over The AMA guidelines are different from the safety
the FAA’s decision. Questions have been raised about standards listed for new drone registrants in two important

84 RotorDroneMag.com
 “Questions have been
raised about whether
putting a number
on a drone won’t
stop cowboys from
operating improperly
and noting that
registration numbers
won’t be visible
from afar.

areas. The FAA asks registrants to agree to keep their

drones (1) below 400 feet AGL and (2) within line of
sight of the operator. Neither of these requirements is
mentioned in Section 336, and the AMA permits these
types of operations. AMA members may operate above
400 feet AGL in appropriate circumstances and may also
conduct first-person-view operations, where the drone
may be flown beyond the operator’s line of sight. The drones. After all, a manned aircraft costs many thousands
FAA confounds this inconsistency when listing “Dos” and of dollars, more than some houses cost. The most popular
“Don’ts” on its website. The list of “Dos” includes abiding drone in the world, a DJI Phantom, on the other hand, costs
by “aeromodelling community-based safety guidelines,” less than $2,000—equivalent to a high-quality bicycle.
even though the guidelines are in direct contradiction with This current system requires, at minimum, a carbon-
AMA requirements. copy form and notarized affidavit detailing the chain of
custody of each unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). If it was
Commercial registration purchased from outside the United States, the FAA may
Despite the new online system for hobbyist operators, also require confirmation from the country of origin’s Civil
commercial drone operators are still required to register Aviation Authority that that UAV has not been registered
their drones through the traditional pen-and-paper in that country. Commercial registration is currently
method required for manned aircraft. different than the registration process for hobbyists, Disclaimer: None of this
At the October 20 hearing to announce the task force, which requires a one-time fee and a single number article constitutes legal
FAA Administrator Michael Huerta discussed how the that can be used for multiple airplanes. Each registered advice. Please consult an
pen-and-paper system was originally put into place commercial UAV requires a $5 fee and will receive a unique attorney if you have legal
because owning an aircraft is considered a property N-Number (tail number) that will be tied to that UAV’s questions. Antonelli Law’s
interest, similar to owning a home or a tract of land. Like unique serial number. It should be noted that the FAA associate attorney Amelia
many FAA regulations, the system works well for manned anticipates changing the current pen-and-paper system Niemi assisted Jeffrey
aircraft but falls short of being an effective system for to a more streamlined online version in March 2016. K Antonelli with this article.

March/April 2016 85
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 Asked Answered

d
an
Expert solutions to common questions ⁄ By Gus Calderon

I was flying my drone the other day when it possibly lose control of your drone as long as this object is in the way.
Diffraction. Signal loss happens from diffraction when an object (building,
started flying erratically. What could have tree, wall) appears between the transmitter and receiver. Rounded objects
caused that? tend to cause more diffraction loss than those with sharp edges.
Answer: Experiencing a sudden loss of control while flying your drone Multipath interference. Reflected radio signals can split and reach the
is not uncommon. Sometimes while navigating your drone, you might receiver from a number of different paths. Sometimes these paths
have seen it drift in the opposite direction and fly erratically. interfere with each other and interfere with the main signal.
If your drone refuses to respond to your inputs, there might have been Terrain. Topography has a significant effect on signal transmission. Hills
signal interference between your transmitter and the receiver. If a system can obstruct the path and considerably weaken the signal, often making
check shows that the flight controller is fine, signal interference is at play. reception impossible.
It is important to know the causes of signal interference and degradation Buildings and vegetation. Radio signals can be significantly affected
so that you can operate your drone safely. by buildings because they can reflect or absorb radio waves. Trees and
Most transmitters operate on the 2.4GHz band of the radio spectrum. foliage, especially when wet, can also weaken radio signals.
Wi-Fi routers and cellular network towers also use the 2.4GHz frequency
and can interfere with your signal. Microwave antennas and high-voltage How would pilot training help me fly my drone
lines create strong interference that can affect the radio transmissions
that control your drone. The following will cause degradation of the
more safely?
transmitter signal: Answer: Every day, we see new products and new technology that
promise to improve flight safety. Despite all these advancements, one
Free-space loss. Your signal travels through the atmosphere. The thing remains the same: the human factor. In the world of manned
farther your signal travels, the more it loses strength. That is why it is so aviation, the human factor leads to errors and accounts for 80 percent of
important to keep your drone within recommended operational range. accidents and incidents. Some areas of flight training focus on decision
Absorption loss. If your signal passes through an object that is not making, and this knowledge can help you fly your drone more safely.
transparent to radio signals, you will experience absorption loss and What causes humans to make decisions, and how can that

When flying your drone, you should always

have an observer help you identify any
unexpected hazards or conditions that
might affect the safety of your flight.

March/April 2016 87
Asked Answered

d
An
Always be aware of the location of airports
and helipads when flying your drone. It is
extremely important never to interfere with
the operation of manned aircraft.

decision-making process be improved? Research in this area prompted According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), hobbyists who
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to produce training directed want to fly drones within five miles of an airport must notify the airport
at improving the decision-making of pilots, which led to current FAA operator and the air-traffic-control tower (if there is one) prior to flying.
regulations that require that decision making be taught as part of the You’ll be surprised at how easy this is, especially once you have the
pilot-training curriculum. proper contact info. Talking to air-traffic-control personnel can be quite an
Aeronautical Decision Making is a systematic approach to risk enjoyable experience.
assessment. To fly safely, the pilot needs to assess the degree of risk Aeronautical charts offer the most traditional and reliable way of finding
and determine the best course of action. During each flight, the pilot airports. It is not necessary to purchase the paper version because the
makes many decisions under hazardous conditions. The successful pilot digital versions of all the charts are available at skyvector.com. You can
possesses the ability to concentrate, manage workloads, and monitor and explore airports near you and find the control tower’s contact information.
perform several tasks simultaneously. When calling the staff at the air-traffic-control tower at the airport
How do you apply proper decision making to your scenario? The next near you, be sure to have your exact location, planned maximum altitude,
time that you go out for a flight, take a look at the big picture: think drone, and flight time ready for them so that they can quickly process your
pilot, environment. Visualize your flight ahead of time—beginning to request. Always check your airport’s operating hours well ahead of your
end—and think about any risk factors that you might experience. Did you flight. Getting in touch with FAA representatives gets easier each time
conduct a preflight check? How’s the weather? Is it too windy? What’s you do it.
your physical environment like? How’s the terrain? How do you feel? Are The FAA recently released the B4UFLY app for Apple and Android
you up to the challenge if something goes wrong? operating systems. B4UFLY asks users for voluntary information about
Good decisions reduce risk. The more decisions that you make prior their planned flight. Providing this information does not meet the
to the flight, the more you will feel in control of that flight. It’s really statutory requirement to notify the airport and air-traffic-control facility,
that simple. The ability to make good decisions is based upon direct but the data help the FAA make informed policy decisions related to
experience, training, and education. notification.
Inside the app, users find out if it is safe to fly at their current location
How do I know if I am flying my drone too close by tapping twice. The app provides a status indicator that tells users one of
three messages: “Proceed with Caution,” “Warning—Action Required,” or
to an airport? “Flight Prohibited.” The app planner mode allows users to select different
Answer: In a perfect world, all of your flight planning should be done times and locations for upcoming flights. It also determines if there are any
well ahead of time. Finding out if you are near an airport environment flight restrictions that will be issued for that place and time, which might
should be your first priority. prove invaluable. K

88 RotorDroneMag.com
 over the horizon

Adventure Selfie
Location: Bridgewater, New Jersey
Pilot: Steve Mota
Equipment: DJI Phantom 2
Camera: GoPro HERO3

( send us your photos If you have an image that you’ve taken with a multirotor that you’d like to see showcased in
Over the Horizon, please send your high-resolution image and information to rotordrone@airage.com. If we use your
photo, we’ll give you a free one-year subscription to RotorDrone magazine.

90 RotorDroneMag.com
SeRIAL
ReCeIveR
SIMPLICITy
The AR7700 is the simple multi-rotor receiver solution for
users who want the industry-leading control only a Spektrum
transmitter can provide. It’s compatible with many of the
popular flight controllers and offers the simplicity of a serial
connector for all channels. The AR7700 also has conventional
PWM outputs for auxiliary functions like gimbal control,
retractable landing gear and others so you don’t need a
complex route through the flight controller.

Key Features
• Compatible with popular multi-rotor flight controllers
• Requires just one connector from receiver to controller
• 3 connection options: Serial (SRXL), PPM and Remote Receiver
• Up to 8 channels with PPM connection
• 8 or more channels with SRXL and Remote Receiver connections
• 2 Aux ports, 1 Gear port
• Compatible with DSM2® and DSMX® transmitters

Transmitter Multi-Rotor Update

New AirWare™ software is avail-
able for users with registered
Gen 2 transmitters. Once in-
stalled, you’ll enjoy the availability
of specially designed multi-rotor
programming that makes drone
setup simpler than ever.

Go to spektrumrc.com right now for complete details, to

download the multi-rotor AirWare software and to find a
retailer near you.

©2015 Horizon Hobby, LLC. DSM2, DSMX, the DSMX logo, AirWare, Serious Fun and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, LLC. The Spektrum trademark
is used with permission of Bachmann Industries, Inc. 50969