L.A. Drones brought together the all star team one more time for the W Drone Dash, featuring every aerial cinematography skill set and production service LAD provides. FPV Racing, meets aerial cinematography, robotic driven drink orders, incredible hosting from What’s Trending, Expert Drones, and of course, all live streamed by our in house production team. Check out some content here.
About us:
With L.A. Drones, you will find the very best in aerial videographers and masters of photography. We have the best pilots to ensure that you will have the absolute most amazing video on the west coast.
Whether you need a film project with an overhead shot or you need a promo video for real estate, contact us today and we will raise you to new heights.
Do you like fast cars? We do too. So much so that we were invited out by Vehicle Virgins founder Parker Nirenstein to grab some incredible aerial footage from the air while he test drove and examined the 2018 Dodge Demon, and even drag raced against his very own Lamborgini.
The consensus? "This car is so fast it should be illegal!"
Check out the video and enjoy our beautiful scenic footage from the skies...
FAA Part 107 Exam TIPS AND TRICKS from people who have actually taken and passed it;)
It’s finally here. The much anticipated 107 exam for Commercial UAS pilots in the US is available for purchase (150 USD for most testing centers) and the entire L.A. Drones crew took it. The first day. And take it from us, it was NOT easy. I think I speak for myself and my crew when I say the general mentality from all of us was this was something to the tune of “this is going to be a piece of cake, we’ve been flying commercially and legally for years”. I especially had this attitude, being the Co-Founder of L.A. Drones and all…….until the I got to about the 10th question (out of 60:) on the exam. Then it was more like “FUCK”. I should have studied harder. Below are a few things about the test I wish I was told before I took it. I hope you guys find it helpful. Good luck fellow pilots.
Here’s what the drone pilot test looks like:
It’s an objective, multiple-choice type test.
There are 60 questions, with three single responses (A, B, and C) per question.
Each test question is independent of other questions; therefore, a correct response to one does depend upon, or influence, the correct response to another.
Some questions may require visual references, like airspace maps or charts.
The minimum passing score is 70% (meaning, you’ll need to get at least 42 questions right).
You’re allowed two hours to complete the test.
Below is a breakdown of the questions, by knowledge topic:
Final Thoughts/Tips.
1) Know you aeronautical charts (latitude/longitude/radio frequencies)
2) Know your different weather/cloud conditions and the effects on atmosphere
3 )Study the difference’s in all classes of airspace
4) Know how to read a METAR and TAF (VERY IMPORTANT)
Drones give cinematographers a unique advantage over traditional film-making methods. They have more reach and range than a crane. Not every filmmaker can afford a helicopter to take those aerial shots of cityscapes and landscapes that big-budget filmmakers use, so why not a flying drone camera? They're often more nimble than a helicopter, so yes, they are being used by directors to pull off risky, real-world acrobatic shots that would otherwise have to be created on the computer, but that’s not it, we’ve seen Drones in movies as well, right? So it won’t be wrong to say that drones and Hollywood have a real connection and drones are working in and for Hollywood. If that’s not enough to prove their connection, then have a look at these images and videos .
Remember this scene from "Skyfall" where James Bond is chasing a bad guy across the rooftops of Istanbul?
You might not realize it — in fact, that's part of the point — but a not-insignificant chunk of the footage shot for the movie was filmed using a drone.
Yes, The Wolf of Wall Street – Martin Scorsese’s opus of opulence used a drone to shoot some of the footage from the party scene at the house in the Hamptons.
Superspy Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has had his fair share of adventures over the course of four films. Some have been more exciting than others, but it’s hard to deny that the drone attack scene from the third film is one of the best action sequences in the entire franchise. After capturing a high profile target, Ethan, his team, and a full military escort get attacked by an unknown drone while on a bridge. It’s action entertainment at its best.
How about this scene from the Oblivion? but that’s not it, 'Good Kill' from this year is another Drone war drama . In fact, a growing share of blockbuster films involve the use of drones, either for the unmanned aerial footage or for the action scene in the movie. "Man of Steel," "Star Trek: Into Darkness," "The Hunger Games," "The Dark Knight Rises," and "Iron Man 3," are also on the list.
L.A. Drones was front and center as the Oregon International Air Show kicked off three days of aerial acrobatics on July 17. Starting off with some physics-defying flying from Bremont Horsemen and stunt pilot Dan Buchanan piloting the U.S. Marine Corps C-130, affectionately nicknamed, Fat Albert.
Erected in the middle of the airfield was a 20ft squared cage netted off with Intel flags flying at all 4 corners. This would be the site for future drone pilots to try their skills at our custom built obstacle course for prizes and bragging rights. People came by the 1000’s to try their luck at what was supposed to be quite a challenging course (until the 2nd participant made it through and took home a brand new i7 compliments of intel). Guess you never know who’s going to show up! The 3 day event gave us a chance to interact with so many great people and we are already planning a bigger and badder “Drone Zone” next year.
The Navy's Blue Angels were the featured attraction for the Hillsboro crowd at this year's air Show. While the crowd was large, there was still plenty of room for more people. The general admissions crowd brought blankets and chairs and settled in for a hot evening on the dry yellow grass. A kinda funny but common and welcome sight was small children with large ear-protecting headphones. The reserved seating was about half full, but that's expected to
change July 18 and 19 when the Blue Angels take to the air. A capacity crowd was anticipated. The Blue Angels took flight Friday night. Tearing through the skies above Hillsboro at unimaginable speeds and heights. They wowed everyone as usual, from the youngest aspiring pilots to the oldest military veterans. They have not been to this air show since 2007 (mostly due to the economic downfall), so they received a very warm welcome upon safe arrival.
“Here comes Fat Albert!” I herd a little kid say as the massive C-130 “Fat Albert” charmed the crowd. It was truly unbelievable some of the stunts it can do. It began with six F/A-18 Hornets buzzing toward infinity overhead. Almost everyone in sight unsheathed his/her cell phone to capture what loved-ones at home could simply not understand. Following this demo, the six Boeing FA-18 Hornets took to the air. Four of their Hornets performed their famous "Diamond Formation" (planes numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 on their tails). The other two Hornets (5 and 6) are soloists, although they occasionally joined the other four. The planes flew by in super-close formation, at times with hardly enough room to pass a folding chair between them. The precision required for these synchronized stunts would be impressive if done with cars, even bicycles. But airplanes? Nothing short of terrifying and awe inspiring. It was a site to see.
The first of its kind U.S. National Drone Racing competition drew 120 quadcopter pilots to Bonney Field on Thursday vying for a $25,000 prize. 120 pilots from the U.S. and several other countries came to the championship to compete using the most cutting edge drones, sometimes called “remotely piloted aircraft” and “unmanned aerial vehicles”. The event was run pretty much like any other sporting event. Pilots paid an entry fee, had to be licensed through the Academy of Model Aeronautics and follow the events very strict rules and procedures.
The event organizers stated on their website “This first-of-its-kind competition is
officially sanctioned by the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), the congressionally mandated agency that oversees radio controlled and unmanned model aviation activities. With a rich heritage in agriculture, education, technology and entertainment, the California State Fair is the perfect venue to host this innovative competition.” Besides having the blessings of the California State Fair and the Academy of Model Aeronautics, there were additional support from more than 50 corporate sponsors and drone related organizations. The total purse prize, as mentioned earlier, was $25,000 with a Grand Prize of $10,000.
There were several check stations built into the event to make sure everything was done properly and safely. The field was also netted in order to prevent any injuries to spectators. The special racing drones carry a small camera that sends a video image back to the pilot’s video goggles, allowing the pilot to maneuver the drone through the race course. The drones are extremely fast and nimble and can reach speeds of 70 to 80 miles per hour and are also very small measuring between 9 and 12 inches across from motor to motor.
After two days of fierce racing competition in the old soccer stadium at the California State Fair, championships came to a successful conclusion. Chad Nowak of Brisbane, won all three events at the competition. He won the individual time trial, was on the winning team time trial squad, and won the freestyle trick event. Nowak put his win down to the fact that he had a reliable video feed throughout the competition. He told Quartz he hadn’t gone into the competition expecting to win—his goal had been “just stay airborne.”
Scott Refsland, competition organizer, said that despite hitches, he was happy with how the inaugural event transpired. “Safety was perfect,” he said. Refsland said the nationals will be back next year, although not necessarily at the California State Fair, which has right of first refusal on next year’s event. Nowak said if he could find a way to get back—and the organizers let a non-American back in next year—he would return to defend his title.
DJI’s (Da-Jiang Innovations) latest consumer-facing aerial photography quadcopter, the Phantom 3 is finally here. At first glance you may think the Phantom 3 is just the Phantom 2 Vision+ with some new stickers on the shell. But let us tell you. Its far from it. Granted it has the same tried and true body as the previous Phantom drones and it doesn’t go any faster than the last version but It’s way more accessible for beginners, and takes WAY better video. It’s got a wonderfully sharp, three-axis gimbal which stabilizes it’s 4K UHD camera. Vastly improved controls and a really slick new pilot app (very similar to the one used for the inspire1) Now take a look underneath it, you’ll see a trio of new sensors on the tail, which lets the drone see the ground, so it can remain stable, even if it doesn’t have GPS lock.
Speaking of which the GPS has also been improved. In addition to standard GPS satellites it now works with GLONASS satellites . More satellites means faster signal acquisition, which means more reliability and a better chance of staying locked during flight.
The radio control is much improved as well. It has built in Wi-Fi, an internal
rechargeable battery, and you can attach your phone or tablet directly to the remote via USB. Possibly the best part is that, the remote now has a bunch of dedicated buttons, that can now control the camera’s functionality, there are dedicated buttons for start/stop recording, a shutter button for stills, and a pair of “wheels” to adjust the camera’s angle and even the exposure; and then we have Return to Home button which will bring the drone back to the location it flew from, in case you lose sight of the drone. There are also two easily accessible trigger-style buttons that advanced users can customize to do
things like reset the gimbal angle, switch between map view and camera view on your screen, display battery info, etc.
Of course all this needs power. DJI’s new charger allows you to charge the drone’s battery and the remote at the same time, and it’s been upgraded to charge the batteries faster, 10 percent to full in just over an hour.
The new Phantom comes in two different versions : an Advanced edition priced at $999, and a Professional version priced at $1,259. The difference between the two is the camera; the Phantom 3 Professional will feature a 4K video camera while the Advanced will shoot at 1080p. The lens is f/2.8 and has a 94 degree field of view, with very little lens distortion. It also uses the same three-axis gimbal as the previous camera. This all adds up to gorgeous video. In addition to video, the camera is capable shooting up to 12MP still photos using JPEG or non-proprietary DNG RAW format. The three-axis of the gimbal give you pan and tilt control, and keep the horizon line level even as the aircraft banks. Other gimbal settings now allow the camera to lock onto a fixed subject,
or be moved manually using transmitter rotaries or the app. Both models of the drone include DJI’s Lightbridge technology ($1,399 if purchased separately), which allows the operator to see what the drone sees live and in HD, within a mile range.
It’s what every FPV racer has been waiting for. A chance to test their skills on this still very “beta” version of what is now simply called, “Drone Racing”.
The 2015 United States National Drone Racing Championship will be held at the California State Fair on Bonney Field, July 16 & 17th 2015. With a rich heritage in agriculture, education, technology and entertainment, the California State Fair is the perfect venue to host this innovative competition. This first-of-its-kind competition is officially sanctioned by the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), the congressionally mandated agency that oversees radio controlled and unmanned model aviation activities.
Rick Pickering, CEO of the California State Fair said “I’ve been exploring having drones involved at the California State Fair for the last two years, so we’ve been involved in doing research, seeking out potential partners and sponsorships and continuing to have public dialogue regarding drones. So this will be the culmination, or the next step, in roughly a two-year process to bring this event together.”
The initial stage or pre-qualifying round (July 13-15) will be comprised of 200 pilots, and they must pay a $99 registration fee, and will have to go through pre-qualifying grounds before entering the timed heats and the final rounds. Time trials will begin on July 16 with the qualified pilots competing head to head in the finals on July 17. The total purse is $25,000, with $10,000 going toward the grand prize. Big money for a sport just starting to “spread its wings”. :)
The large number of pilots is unprecedented in the sport, which usually includes only 20-30 for an event. The heats will have six to eight pilots racing at the same time in 7- to 10-minute intervals. A drone recovery team will be stationed on the sidelines, and as soon as all the aircraft are down, the team will go out and grab everything so that the next heat can roll out. The course itself will include a number of different obstacles, such as slaloms, hairpin turns, over and under obstacles, gates and pylons. Each obstacle will have a camera mounted on it and a full field marshal system will be instated for judging. Pickering said some drones will have mounted cameras on them with a feed being displayed on Bonney Field’s video screen, giving spectators a first-person view of the action from the sky. He also said drones can be equipped with LED lights, and an after-dark drone dance could be part of the event.
The 250 class, multi-rotor airframes that will be used for racing are approximately the size of two shoe boxes and weigh about one pound.
Pilots can register at dronenationals.com. The registration fee is $99 (students $79) with a July 1, 2015 deadline for registration.
Lenovo TechWorld: Dual-Screen Smart Watches, Mobile Laser Projectors, and Drone Deliveries
Lenovo Group Ltd, a Chinese multinational computer technology company founded in 1984 with headquarters in Beijing, China, and Morrisville, North Carolina, United States, held on May 28, 2015 its first exclusive global event, “The Lenovo TechWorld”, in which they demonstrated their vision of computing and emerging technology. The Lenovo Tech World 2015 also features some big names in the industry such as Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich and Baidu CEO Robin Li as special guests joining Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing on stage for discussions.
Announcing and introducing their global event they said: "Lenovo Tech World will share Lenovo's perspective on the entire device and connected ecosystem with emphasis on human-centric design, from wearables and smartphones to tablets, PCs, servers and software and cloud services. Many of the concept products and technology demonstrations will show how the potential of future technologies will change the way people live, work and play".
Among the novelties presented at the event under the field of Laptops & Tablets we find the THINKPAD 10 TABLET.
They also introduced Concepts: from the consumer devices to the concept and cool devices that showcase exactly what Lenovo can do: peculiarly the LENOVO MAGIC VIEW DUAL-SCREEN SMARTWATCH. Lenovo wasn’t done with the concepts, there though, as the company decided to show what the future for its smartphones could hold presenting the LENOVO SMART CAST SMARTPHONE.
The Smart Cast smartphone is a truly unique device as it features the world’s first laser projector on a smartphone as well as the world’s smallest Pico projector. In use, the smartphone allows its owners to project one’s content onto a large wall or project a keyboard or other controls onto any surface.
Other highlights presented at the Lenovo WorldTech Event were the Lenovo Cast, Lenovo’s answer to the Google Chromecast. Lenovo Cast supports DLNA and Miracast which essentially means it can convert any HDMI-enabled display into a full-fledged multimedia device. It supports also dual-band Wi-Fi.
The highlight of the show came however when Intel's CEO Brian Krzanich appeared on stage to discuss the Intel RealSense technologies. Intel CEO Brian Krzanich demonstrated some of Intel’s latest strides with their RealSense technology, one of which included 3D capture, laser etching and printing. A tablet was used to capture a 3D model and scanned Lenovo's Chairman and CEO, Yang Yuanqing (also known as YY). That scan was then delivered via cloud to Intel's 3D crystal printer. Once the 3D crystal image of Yang was created, it needed to be delivered onstage.
In typical BK and Intel style, the delivery of this crystal had to be extraordinary. Unbeknownst to the crowd, Intel had invited leading global aerial company L.A. Drones to Techworld in Beijing. L.A. Drones created their own 3D, LED lit box for the Crystal, in which they attached to a DJI Inspire 1 (DJI Studios in Beijing were kind enough to provide the drones).
B.K. invited YY back onto stage, and at that point L.A. Drones flew the drone through their rig through the doors of the venue and onstage to present to the CEO of Lenovo a flight and a gift that stunned the crowd. You can check out a video of the “crystal drone delivery” below.
“Drones” are no longer limited to futuristic cinema they are now an ever growing reality in our world. Originally they gained popularity on the news when these “aircrafts without pilots” (this is in reality what they are) were employed by the American Army to carry out military activities. Drones today have become much more than that. There’s even a so-called movement, named “Drones for Good”.
The use of Drones to help our daily lives has become a booming business as well. In 2013 a report from the market stated that the Drone Economy had exceeded $11 Billion dollars. It is estimated that by year 2020 the Drones Economy will have have undergone unprecedented explosive Growth, reaching up to $140 Billions of Sales volume.
Which Industries are using Drones Today? We can number at least 10 main fields of activity where Drones are prominently used today:
1) Photography and Movies: Photographers, Artists, Filmmakers and Directors use Drones to add that aerial footage to their visual works. They capture new images from different angles, reaching perspectives never seen before or take the place of a very expensive helicopter and camera rig.
2) Agriculture: Strange but true, Drones are quite effective in the agricultural world, where they are used to monitor for disease and collect real-time data on crop health and yields.
3) Energy: Energy companies use Autonomous Drones to monitor hundreds of kilometers of pipeline and oil rigs.
4) Hobby/Entertainment: More and more people acquire drones just for fun. Making/taking videos and Photographs or collecting or as Model Building;
5) Law Enforcement/Police: Drones are quite useful during search and rescue operations, bomb threats, hostage situations, pursuit of armed criminals and to monitor drug trafficking areas. Take notice that Drones can be as small as 5 cms and as large as 50 meters.
6) Real Estate and Construction: Drones can photograph, prospect and advertise real estate . From golf courses to skyscrapers; they are also employed in monitoring construction progress.
7) Scientific Research and Conservation: Drones assist scientists and researchers in everything from counting protected animal species in inaccessible corners of the planet to conducting weather and environmental research.
8) Package/Supply Delivery: Commercial Drones can transport up to 2.5kg so they are being used to deliver food and medical supplies to remote villages around the world.
9) News: News providers and other agencies use drone footage in their reports that covers breaking news/disaster, war affected areas etc. This has proved to be safer and more cost-effective than deploying entire news crews.
10)Rapid Response & Emergency Services: Drones aid in search and rescue operations ranging from forest fire fighting to searching for people buried in rubble or snow using infrared sensor technology.
Drones are going to be used more and more each year. It is estimated that over the next 10 years civil drones could make up 10% of the aviation market. Just be mindful of the possibility you may cross paths with one of these jewels of engineering, once thought to only be a part of the science fiction movies.
L.A. Drones
Intel’s RealSense technology brings together cutting-edge computer and human interactions. These possibilities are enabled by its real-time RealSense processing engine, which helps a device do everything from assess its position in space to read the emotions on a person standing in front of it. This was all crowd pleasing but the presentation took an entirely different turn when the drones began to fly.
Intel states RealSense technology “makes drones smarter” and after seeing what they had to offer would have to agree with the tech giant. Intel showed off drones equipped with technology that makes them automatically avoid objects and people. Using the RealSense technology, these drones can build 3D maps of their surroundings and then automatically adjust themselves to avoid hazards and other objects. The result is a drone that pushes itself away when people approach it or when it “sees”any kind of potential obstruction in its flight path.
Fast forward a few months and now comes the fun part. Intel partnered with L.A. Drones to do a live demo of this magnificent machine in San Fransisco, CA. A day we also paid tribute to one of the most brilliant minds to ever come out of Intel Mr. Gordon Moore. To learn more about Gordon Moore click here. Then it was off to a Best Buy in Torrance, CA where L.A. Drones and Intel again showcased how intelligent these things really are. To do this Brian Krzanich and some of our crew played this “drone ping-pong game.” We all circled round a RealSense drone, as it continued buzzing restlessly in the middle, one person would walk up to the drone and it would immediately swerve in order to avoid him/her. Awesome! We kept lunging and waving at it, even kicking at it, but the drone never came near us. Then in another demonstration they sent one drone through an obstacle course, in which it flew without a controller through a series of left, right, up, and down obstacles.
This is what Intel thinks its RealSense technology can enable. We’ve got a video for your entertainment, don’t forget to check it out.
Silicon Valley Fashion Week Swaps Models For Drones
Fashion and Silicon Valley aren’t necessarily synonymous, as proved by Mark Zuckerburg’s signature hoodies and the cast wardrobe of a certain HBO show. However, the land of start-up bros and Apple-compatible accessories just got a whole lot more stylish with the launch of its first ever, non-Merecedes Benz affiliated, Fashion Week yesterday. The three-day event is sponsored by Betabrand, who, as we previously reported, is known for using drones and satellite imagery to inspire its textiles.
They have also recently collaborated with artist Trevor Paglen on a series of black-ops inspired puff jackets. Silicon Valley Fashion Week? —yes that question mark is intentional—seeks to replace stick-thin models with drones and robots flying (or hovering) clothes down the runway. Each night is divided into different tech categories, including electric motion, wearable tech, and crowdfunding. Brands taking part include 3M, Misfit Wearables, and Pebble, as well as local San Franciscan designers and creators.
The festivities, so far, have received less-than-celebratory feedback from the fashion community, with GQ piping in, “Seriously, tech bros. Stay in your lane, we’ll stay in ours. Silicon Valley Fashion Week? Please, don’t ask.” This doesn’t deter Betabrand CEO Chris Lindland, however, who takes his inspiration more from Burning Man than Betsey Johnson. “The opinion is that this is not a fashionable place because the dress code is jeans and hoodies,” Lindland told Business Insider. “However, a lot of those jeans and hoodie wearers are sitting there pouring over how to make iWatches beautiful,” Lindland said. “iWatches and iPhones literally affect a person’s identity and style. Like it or not, this part of the world is contributing to fashion.”
At this time, the show is almost sold out and Lindland thinks this is partially due to the real hunger in Silicon Valley for innovation and collaboration, as well as some fun. “If you look at what people do creatively in the Bay Area, it’s gargantuan. It’s just that no one has said ‘Let’s use a runway to demonstrate that,'” Lindland said. “Normally it’s a stage. It’s TED. It’s a demo. The difference was to say, ‘What if you strut it, not just talk about it?'”
