Microsoft Links DJI: Drone Technology Opens to Nearly 700 Million Win 10 Users -part 1

On May 7, 2018, during the annual Build Conference (Microsoft Global Developers Conference), Microsoft and global leader in civilian drones and imaging technology DJI, announced a strategic cooperation, which is equivalent to the opening of drone technology for nearly 700 million Windows 10 users worldwide.

Based on the strategic cooperation between the two parties, DJI released a software development kit (SDK) for Windows to expand commercial remote control drone technology into the world's largest corporate developer community. Applications written for Windows 10 computers can be used to customize the flight and control of UAV drones for various application scenarios in different industries, including complete flight control functions and real-time data transfer. It can be said that this is equivalent to opening drone technology to nearly 700 million Windows 10 users worldwide.

DJI also announced the selection of Microsoft Azure Intelligent Cloud Platform as its preferred cloud computing partner. It leveraged Azure's industry-leading artificial intelligence and machine learning services to help thousands of enterprise users worldwide from large amounts of aerial imagery and video data, and get business insights that help guide business decisions.

Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of cloud computing and enterprise division at Microsoft, said: "Calculation is becoming ubiquitous, and intelligent edge computing will be the next key technology frontier. DJI is a commercial drone technology giant, a leader in the field, and Microsoft Azure is a global intelligent cloud service platform favored by enterprise users. The strategic cooperation between the two parties will bring unmatched intelligence cloud and Azure IoT innovations to devices on smart edge computing, and will also give agriculture, business models for public safety, construction and more industries to create opportunities for change."

Demonstration of Drones in Microsoft Global Developer Conference Build 2018

DJI's SDK for Windows will allow developers to create native Windows applications to remotely control UAV drones and achieve autonomous flight, real-time data streaming and other functions. The SDK also allows Windows developers to integrate and control loads and mechanical components from third parties, such as multispectral sensors and custom motion devices. This will greatly expand the space and value of UAVs for companies.

YI Pixie, the first Xiaoyi drone product to be launched

On April 4th, in the field of drones, the most famous is DJI. Although many brands such as GoPro and Xiaomi have launched drone products one after another, they still cannot shake up the status of DJI. Recently, YI Pixie, the first unmanned drone product of Xiaomi's ecological chain enterprise Xiaoyi, was exposed on the Internet. From the appearance point of view, YI Pixie is not a professional-grade drone, but an entry-level consumer product.

Appearance

The appearance of YI Pixie is similar to that of DJI's drone Spark, which is small and exquisite. The overall size is about 25cm*18cm and the weight is about 300g. Appearance uses a black and white design, four wings should be non-foldable design.

Performance

From the performance, according to the exposure information, YI Pixie has a 15 megapixels 4K camera that supports 4K resolution video capture. Support three axis shake system, time-lapse photography mode, continuous shooting mode and other functions. YI Pixie uses a brushless motor + replaceable propeller configuration, replaceable battery, support 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz Wifi picture transfer to mobile phone, built-in GPS, can be operated through the APP. Other features include supporting face tracking, flight missions, one-click take-off and landing, and more.

In terms of configuration, YI Pixie can be said that it is advanced enough, from the appearance point of view is also very simple just like the dji spark, it seems that small Xiaoyis are aware of the needs of entry-level users. At present, the Xiaoyi's products include panoramic cameras, micro-single, sports cameras, driving recorders, etc., which are highly cost-effective.

It is well-known that the quality of Xiaomi Technology's products has always been trustworthy. If there is no accident,'s price will also bring surprises for everyone. YI Pixie overall performance is fairly good, we predict that the price of YI Pixie will be relatively cheaper compared to other brands, in line with the needs of entry-level drone users.

Zipline Tests Second Generation UAV - part 2

U.S. startup Zipline, which focuses on developing drones and using drones to deliver life-saving medical supplies, has demonstrated its second-generation delivery drone Zip 2, and plans to expand its business to the United States and other global markets this year. The Zip 2 drone has a maximum flying speed of 79 mph and a load of 3.85 pounds.

Zipline drones may look like airplanes, but they don't need a runway. The company's system involves three types of hardware: a set of drones, a track that uses motor winding cables to launch their tracks, and a tower with ropes to capture the drone on return. The company had previously demonstrated drones and launchers, but now it also shows the catcher.

Zipline's old system can launch about 50 drones per day, but it will simplify airplanes and electronic equipment and increase it to about 500 a day, Wyrobek said. The second-generation drones are now used in Rwanda and their cruising range is about 100 miles. In addition, the drone's electronic “brains”, communications, rc battery cables, and batteries are now integrated into one module. When Zipline gets an order via SMS, it takes about one to two minutes to send the destination to the electronic device instead of using the 10 minutes that were set earlier.

In addition, the second-generation drones now do not have to be assembled with multiple components, but only a single electronic module, which is lighter in weight - mounted on top of the drone. After that, an employee placed a payload on the drone, then scanned the device with a smartphone and digitally associated the payload with the drone. There is also a smartphone scanning several QR codes on the plane, triggering a quick test. Each flight can last up to 45 minutes per flight. In addition, drone air sensors measure wind speed and direction.

Zipline will only focus on medical supplies at this stage - it will begin with the delivery of blood and then begin to deliver vaccination and prescription drugs. Blood can only flow to the hospital, but other products will also expand Zipline's clinic services.

Zipline Tests Second Generation UAV - part 1

According to CNET, drone startup Zipline recently tested its drone at the foothills of the western part of the Central Valley in California. The company had previously shown some technologies but now reveals its faster new drone model - from 68 miles per hour increased to 80 miles per hour. In addition, it has an upgraded transportation system that can handle 500 flights a day.

Zipline was founded in 2011 by a group of engineers from SpaceX, Boeing, Google and Willow Garage and launched a drone-based logistics service as early as 2016. As of now, Zipline has raised approximately $43 million in funds. Zipline's investors include Visionnaire Ventures, which led the Round B financing, and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, founders of Yahoo Yang Zhiyuan, Sequoia Capital, and Anderson Horowitz and so on.

Amazon, Google, Wal-Mart, and other companies are also testing drones, but Zipline is now able to use drones to deliver blood from bases to Rwandan hospitals. The company’s second launch site in Rwanda is nearing completion to expand the delivery of vaccines and drugs and plans to start operations in Tanzania.

When the road was flooded or the clinic was on the island, delivery drones could quickly reach medical supplies 50 miles away. So Keenan Wyrobek, founder and director of engineering at Zipline, believes drones will also come to the United States. Wyrobek said that Zipline’s drone will be able to integrate with existing air traffic control systems in the future. At present, drones are operated by humans remotely. If there is a problem, they can change course, but in Rwanda, there are 7,000 flights that do not require any action based on the requirements of the air traffic controller.

The Federal Aviation Administration of the United States is wary of approving drone operations, but Zipline hopes to find a place to operate in the United States. This is part of the eight proposals made by states and local governments to launch drone delivery plans.

How does an FPV drone beginner start? - part 2

Small drones

They are bigger than the micro-drones, but still quite small. They do not exceed 2 meters in length and usually have fixed wings. Small in size and powerful, they can be thrown into the air by hand, from where they continue to slide easily in the air.

Medium drones

These are smaller planes than light planes, but still quite big. They usually have to be carried by two people and can weigh up to 200 kg.

Great drones

These types of drones are as big as a small plane. The military frequently uses these drones and sends them to high-risk areas instead of fighter jets containing officers. Surveillance functions can also be exercised by these drones through extremely powerful cameras attached to their bodies that can study an area of several hundred feet in the air.

The scope refers to the distance of the user from which a drone is able to fly. You can choose from several options for the amount of range you want your drone to have, including:

Very close range

Toy drone usually falls into this category. These drones have a range of about 5 km. They can stay in the air for 20 minutes or more, up to an hour.

Short range

These can be controlled up to 50 km from the user. A powerful battery allows them to stay in the air for up to 6 hours. The army often uses these drones.

Middle range

Drones that can be controlled at 150 km are known as short-range drones. They can stay in the air for up to 12 hours and are another breed of drones that are popular for the purpose of spying and surveillance.

Long range

You can control these drones from as far as 650km! While surveillance is a natural use of these drones, they are also a popular choice for collecting scientific data relating to the weather and geology of a particular region.

How does an FPV drone beginner start? - part 1

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a drone including aircraft, multirotor, quadcopter, passenger drone, delivery drone, agricultural drones, sail-drone, which is a self-propelled type of unmanned surface vehicle.

The guide will provide you with the skills and state of mind you need to learn how to pilot a drone for the first time. Flying a multi-rotor has become a great part-time activity for many enthusiasts in this field. However, if you are a beginner, it can be difficult to get into everything from scratch. There are many aspects involved when you start to control this kind of device, especially from the point of view of the beginner.

Although drones have been around for a few years, there is a notion that they are reserved only for those who have excessive budgets. Of course, professional models are not cheap, but there are many alternatives for beginners that can help you get there without spending too much money.

The marketing of multirotors makes them accessible to a wide variety of users. So, if you are a beginner, we advise you to try it first with less expensive models of less than $200 drone and learn how to fly a toy-quality drone at the beginning. Also, if you know someone who already has a quadcopter, you could spend time watching it and seeing how it works. They might even let you try it for yourself. This is a great way to see if you are really interested in this kind of activity.

After perfecting your skills by piloting a toy drone, you can switch to FPV systems, and that's where the fun really begins. Check out our guides on racing drones and micro FPV quads to learn more if you want to enter the funny fpv drone world.

Very small drones

These can be as small as the size of an insect, all the way up to 50cm in length. These are known as nano or micro-drones and are generally used to conduct biological warfare or to spy on people. Their wings or rotors are specially adapted to make them more maneuverable in smaller or closed spaces.

Digital Domain to invest 240 million yuan in Shenzhen VR headset brand 3Glasses

On March 22, 2018, Digital Domain Group Co., Ltd. announced that it will acquire 60% of the beneficial interest in Shenzhen 3Glasses Virtual Reality Technology Co., Ltd. Through this strategic move, Digital Domain's virtual reality business will be extended to the hardware technology field, laying a solid foundation for building a complete ecosystem that focuses on VR content production and distribution, and to engage in a huge potential virtual reality headset device market.

It is reported that 3Glasses has introduced 3Glasses D1 VR headset device, 3Glasses Lanpan S1 Microsoft development machine for mixed-reality (MR) headset equipment, and developed the VR player 3Box. Relying on more than 15 years of technology precipitation, 3Glasses has grown into an innovative technology company covering VR software and hardware and development tools, content platforms, and industry solutions.

In 2016, 3Glasses became a Windows Mixed Reality global partner with Samsung, HP, Dell, Lenovo, Acer, Fujitsu, and Asustek. 3Glasses made a profit guarantee for the acquisition and promised that the profits it reached in 2018 and 2019 will be no less than RMB 30 million and RMB 50 million respectively, which will provide more favorable benefits for the long-term development of the Digital Domain business.

Digital Domain official stated that since its entry into the virtual reality industry in 2014, Digital Domain has actively promoted the VR consumer experience. In the past four years, the company has achieved a lot of achievements, successfully established a business model for VR content production, and implemented extensive distribution of related content on online application platforms and offline experience stores (Digital Domain VR Cinema). The Digital Domain's premier content creation and production capabilities, as well as exclusive VR cinema distribution channels, combined with 3Glasses' vr headset hardware technology advantages, will promote the rapid development of the company's virtual reality content and application distribution business, helping the company to create a richer consumer market Virtual reality experience.

In addition, Digital Domain is actively exploring development opportunities in multiple areas in order to further expand visual effects, virtual reality, computer graphics, and immersive entertainment businesses in the market.