A possible option for a Tethered DJI Aircraft??

[BigAl07]

This just came up in one of our other forums and I felt like some of the members of this group could also use this information:

We recently developed a new Tethered system for DJI Drones... LIFELINE Tethered UAV for DJI Drones . Singapore is a place full of no-fly zones.. many places are within 5km of an airport, considering that we are such a small country. The system works well if you need persistence power for live-broadcasting and first responders. We try to make it as affordable as we can for pilots who need to tether your DJI drones for important missions. Do check us out and we are here to help!

I have NO affiliation with this company or product other than I'd LOVE to have one LOL!

 

[PatR]

Tethered camera balloons (aerostats) were found to be extremely effective for persistent area surveillance in Afghanistan. There are also used at various locations for the same purpose in the U.S. I’ll dare say their payloads are usually vastly superior to those employed on multirotors. Operationally, they are much more cost effective.

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

This just came up in one of our other forums and I felt like some of the members of this group could also use this information:




I have NO affiliation with this company or product other than I'd LOVE to have one LOL!

Very cool. I was seriously looking at this until I saw is just another battery, good for 2.5 hours, rather than unlimited flight time with AC or a generator like other systems. Price is right, though...I've seen tethers for I1s, M210s and M600s in the 10K range, which places them out of most public safety agencies reach. Way overpriced in my opinion.

 

[BigAl07]

Very cool. I was seriously looking at this until I saw is just another battery, good for 2.5 hours, rather than unlimited flight time with AC or a generator like other systems. Price is right, though...I've seen tethers for I1s, M210s and M600s in the 10K range, which places them out of most public safety agencies reach. Way overpriced in my opinion.

Yea if they made an "allowance" for the use of AC/Generator it would make much more sense. But most of the events I've flown Over Watch for were in the 2-3hr range but for that kind of $$ I'd like more.

Our "hurdle" for these types of events is the Transmitter endurance.

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

Yea if they made an "allowance" for the use of AC/Generator it would make much more sense. But most of the events I've flown Over Watch for were in the 2-3hr range but for that kind of $$ I'd like more.

Our "hurdle" for these types of events is the Transmitter endurance.

Can you expand? Are there issues with DJI video in extended endurance flights?

 

[BigAl07]

Can you expand? Are there issues with DJI video in extended endurance flights?

Sorry about that.. I resorted back to my R/C aircraft days... Transmitter = Radio = Remote Control

My only problem with Duration Flying (even when only using multiple batteries) is needing to have multiple transmitter/Radio Control because the internal battery only last a few hours. With my Phantom3's we utilized 3 RCs because our inventory of batteries out lasted a single RC. This allowed us to stay on-scene for up to 10+/- hours flying. I can tell you from first hand experience... after about 4 straight hours of sUAS flying my mind, eyes, and back need a good long break. Even simply running Air Ops as the Air Boss for 4 Hours my poor mind needs a rest LOL.

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

Sorry about that.. I resorted back to my R/C aircraft days... Transmitter = Radio = Remote Control

My only problem with Duration Flying (even when only using multiple batteries) is needing to have multiple transmitter/Radio Control because the internal battery only last a few hours. With my Phantom3's we utilized 3 RCs because our inventory of batteries out lasted a single RC. This allowed us to stay on-scene for up to 10+/- hours flying. I can tell you from first hand experience... after about 4 straight hours of sUAS flying my mind, eyes, and back need a good long break. Even simply running Air Ops as the Air Boss for 4 Hours my poor mind needs a rest LOL.

Got it. Didn't consider the controller battery endurance. Good point. Yeah, know what you mean about long missions. I don't think I've ever had anything over 4 hours long; that would exhaust this old man.

 

[PatR]

Sorry about that.. I resorted back to my R/C aircraft days... Transmitter = Radio = Remote Control

I can tell you from first hand experience... after about 4 straight hours of sUAS flying my mind, eyes, and back need a good long break. Even simply running Air Ops as the Air Boss for 4 Hours my poor mind needs a rest LOL.

I “feel your pain” with the duration flying. When I was offered work in the utility sector my DJI experience had been limited to the Wookong OS. The utility prime required 30 hours of current DJI system time before operating in the field.

I won’t go into the specifics but my background provided cause for me to obtain a considerable portion of that time, but not all of it, flying in a “closed” environment and obtaining the rest in the field. So I was provided a constant supply of assorted DJI aircraft and batteries to fly “non stop” to obtain that portion of qualifying flight and system time.

In all my years of flying I don’t believe any other flying was more fatiguing. Hour after hour of multirotor flying wears you out.

 

[PatR]

Speaking of tethered drone systems, the linked article came out in sUAS News today. The company website is worth a quick look.

Planck Aerosystems awarded DOD contract for unmanned aircraft systems - sUAS News - The Business of Drones

https://www.planckaero.com/

 

[GadgetGuy]

This just came up in one of our other forums and I felt like some of the members of this group could also use this information:




I have NO affiliation with this company or product other than I'd LOVE to have one LOL!

At $6,000 it would be cheaper to buy multiple aircraft and fly them in series with overlap, to allow the replacement aircraft to be in place before the original aircraft was landed. Then, RC power also wouldn't be an issue, as each aircraft would have it's own RC, which could be charging during the flight of the other aircraft. Since their system is limited to 3 hours max, 7 or 8 M2 batteries and two M2P's would still save several thousand dollars, and not be limited to the length of the tether, nor even 3 hours, as with more batteries, you could fly as long as necessary. If they are giving them away for free, however, I'll take one!