What you need to know to choose a drone.
Even though more than 70% drones are used for aerial photography, the expression of needs from clients tends towards specificity.
For example, while aerial surveillance requires covering large linear distances with a rather low level of resolution, structural inspection will require geostationary flights with a very fine level of resolution.
As we can see… The exponential increase in drone use will force the service provider of the future to differentiate themselves through a service offering that combines: (i) Specific technical expertise of the remote pilot; (ii) High-tech imaging equipment (thermal camera, 8K camera, ultra-spectral camera, etc.); and (iii) Aircraft adapted to a particular type of mission. This post briefly outlines the criteria to consider when selecting the most suitable aircraft for your offering and enabling you to best meet the needs of your clients.
Towards increasingly specialized, specific missions
More and more large groups have converted to the use of drones to accomplish certain missions: pruning control, inspection of structures for preventive maintenance purposes, surveillance, delivery of packages, etc.
These missions increasingly require (for organizational optimization) beyond visual line of sight navigation at altitudes exceeding 1,000 meters. These missions can be divided into two categories:
- Those regularly following the same flight plan (We are noticing more and more of them)
From an operational point of view, the drone operator can here submit a safety file to the DGAC requesting the implementation of specific scenarios.
By freeing itself from the 2 kg weight constraint, it can adapt the vector to the exact type of mission in terms of: (i) Flight autonomy, (ii) Weight of camera equipment; (iii) Flight altitude; etc.
- Those systematically subject to a specific flight plan
From an operational point of view, these missions currently necessarily fall under S2 and/or S4 type scenarios. The choice of delivery vehicle then becomes much more limited, the latter generally having to weigh less than 2 kg.
Increasingly sophisticated aerial photography and/or video equipment is being used on drones.
The equipment (drone, camera peripherals) used by a drone operator is very expensive. In order to recoup these investments, the operator often acquires a multi-mission drone that can use several types of cameras interchangeably via its gimbal.
However, these cameras, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated, are also becoming increasingly heavy. For comparison, we have estimated the weight of some types of cameras below: standard camera (40 g); thermal camera (100 g); 8K camera (200 g); ultra-spectral camera (at least 400 g); etc.
In the context of scenario S2 / S4, the operator must then accept a decrease in the flight autonomy of the vehicle, which forces it to increase the number of flights and de facto reduces its profitability.
So what criteria should be taken into account when choosing a drone?
Before choosing its platform, the drone operator must first precisely define the type of missions it will be required to perform. This statement of needs will allow it to validate:
- The maximum total weight allowed (vector, gimbal, camera peripheral);
- Types of drones: tethered aircraft, fixed wing, rotary wing, etc.
- The drone's available payload;
- The drone's power (which can be measured by its flight autonomy)
