Durante la pasada edición de la feria FlySafe 2014 celebrada en Las Vegas, la compañía Atlanta Hobby presentó un avanzado hexacóptero: El Vortex. La noticia carecería de interés de no ser porque se trataba de un hexacóptero fabricado mediante fabricación digital directa en un sistema de producción 3D.
En esa ocasión, la compañía anunció que fabricaría un modelo especial para un cliente muy especial: Roswell Flight Test Crew. A petición del cliente, el UAV estaría impreso utilizando su combinación de colores favorita: Negro y amarillo. Pues bien: El pasado mes de enero Atlanta Hobby ha cumplido su promesa haciendo entrega pública del UAV, que incorpora un controlador de vuelo DJI NAZA2, un sistema de propulsión DJI E600, y una batería compuesta por seis células LiPo de 15.000 MAH, que le otorgan una autonomía de vuelo en torno a 15 minutos.
David del Fresno
Orientación y Asesoría en Impresión 3D y Manufactura Aditiva
Some of the UAVs being shown at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas include items that are for play, personal photography and other uses which could lead to a market for the products.
French-based technology firm Parrot unveiled its "mini drone" toy which can be controlled from a smartphone. "We have civilian drones and now we have toy drones," Parrot's Nicolas Haftermeyer told AFP, describing the Parrot drone as a device designed for teenagers who enjoy a challenge of using a tablet to drive the device. While one division of the French firm makes fixed-wing drones for mapping and other purposes, this devices, which can be held in one's hand, are purely designed for play, says Haftermeyer.
DJI's Michael Perry said the group has established "a platform for any user to create amazing videos from the skies."While most of the usage so far has been for personal photography and professional cinematographers, Perry said DJI devices were also used for search-and-rescue operations in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan. The company offered a test flight of its Phantom 2 Vision which it calls "the world's first consumer quadcopter with a built-in high-performance camera." The device can fly 25 minutes and send images and location back to a smartphone which directs navigation. It also is programmed to return home if the user loses the location. DJI says the device can revolutionize photography by getting to places normally inaccessible, like the middle of the Grand Canyon, or close to sporting events. But there could be other uses, such as for disaster relief. DJI has three other flying devices including one designed for professional cinematography and photography.
