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Let my gimbal go: NC court case argues drone mapping, surveying is free speech

drone surveying

The effects of drone technology have been sufficiently disruptive – or perhaps “threatening” is a better term – to legacy land surveying officials that a North Carolina aerial imaging and mapping service provider is now having to defend attacks on his activity with arguments it’s a form of free speech protected by the First Amendment.

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Alumnus of Oz’s SheMaps uses drone to preserve Aboriginal traditions

Aboriginal drones

Score another drones-for-good point for Australia’s UAV and geospatial education provider SheMaps, whose aerial tech introduction and training have led a young Queensland woman to take to the skies in an effort to safeguard the history of the Aboriginal Koko-Muluridji people’s Wallara clan.

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Drones locating fresh water sources on drought-prone Easter Island

drones water sources

Visitors to Easter Island have described an almost magical vibe emanating amid the mysterious, ocean-facing maoi statues erected by its original inhabitants. But located as it is about 2,000 miles from either Tahiti or Chile, it’s also a land of hardship – especially during recurring droughts. Now drones are seeking to alleviate that aridity by searching for fresh water sources.

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Nebraska to use drones for crash-scene investigation

Crash investigation drones

The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) is launching a new drone program that will help to get the roads cleared faster after an accident, while still allowing NSP investigators to conduct a thorough crash investigation. NSP has bought 18 Autel EVO drones and is deploying 19 certified drone pilots in troop areas throughout the state for drone-based accident reconstruction and mapping.

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Florida State U. drone experts continue condo disaster flights

drone experts condo disaster

Scores of search and rescue workers at Miami’s Champlain Towers site have been nothing short of heroic in their hunt for victims buried by the building’s June 24th collapse. Among those are a team of Florida State University (FSU) drone experts gathering evidence at the condo disaster that may explain why the structure crumbled – and provide information on how similar failures may been avoided in the future.

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DroneU offers multi-day drone mapping course in New York

DroneU offers multi-day drone mapping training course in New York

DroneU offers a multi-day drone mapping training course in New York for anyone interested in turning their hobby into a profession. If you have been thinking about making money with your DJI Phantom 4 Pro well this course will teach you how, and how to do it well. I had the pleasure of flying with drone mapping expert Paul Aitken and his team of DroneU instructors last year at the NTSB facility in Ashburn, VA and we had a blast. The DroneU instructors are thorough, knowledgeable, and share a wealth of hands-on experience with the students. It is a course I can highly recommend.


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Does the Phantom 4 RTK replace Ground Control Points for Drone Mapping?

Does the Phantom 4 RTK replace Ground Control Points for Drone Mapping?

As DJI and drone mapping further disrupt the civil engineering, surveying and GIS fields, there seems to be a common debate amongst most drone mappers about the practical application of the Phantom 4 RTK replacing ground control points (GCP’s) and checkpoints.  With the evolution of the Phantom 4 RTK is there still a need for ground control points or checkpoints? Many argue there is no need for GCP’s and others argue that drone mappers always need a control. These questions have come up numerous times and even caused outright yelling matches at some recent conferences.

The question is, will the Phantom 4 Pro RTK replace GCP’s and checkpoints and the necessity for traditional survey equipment?


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Drone mapping expert weighs in on DJI Phantom 4 RTK firmware update

Drone mapping expert weighs in on DJI Phantom 4 RTK firmware update

What does the new firmware update for the DJI Phantom 4 RTK mean for drone mapping experts and other commercial drone pilots who use this drone for their day to day business? We checked in with Paul Aitken, a drone mapping expert, and from DroneU to get his take on the latest firmware update for the DJI Phantom 4 RTK.


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