The Year of the Drone - CREPN #33

From Gulf wars to under the Christmas tree in 2015, retailers have declared “2016, The Year of the Drone!” The first time I recall hearing about drones on a regular basis was during the Gulf Wars  where drones were used for military surveillance over war zone. Now they are found under the Christmas tree. To learn more about Drones and their use in commercial applications, I contacted Paul Tice with ToPa3d, who uses drones in his 3d mapping business.   Drones have exploded onto the scene due to three noticeable improvements: Stability Able to remain steady in the windiest conditions.Capacity to lift is growingUp to 50 lbs = higher image resolution cameras.Cost Savings?High quality output in hours compared to weeks using traditional methods. Laws: FAA rules require there must be a licensed pilot on site with knowledge of air space.  Basic responsibility: DO NOT FLY OVER PEOPLE; give way to manned aircraft, and are supposed to stay under 400 ft and not to fly within 5 miles of an airport. Future: LIDAR used to create intelligent models: 3D City ModelingBIM: Building Information ModelsGIS: Geographic Information SystemsMaterials & Energy performance of buildings for a cityUtilitiesUrban planning Fully immersed to understand planning, usage, people Virtual Reality For more information: www.ToPa3D.com