billvon 3,090 #1 December 14, 2016 My company (Qualcomm) makes cellphone IC's. About six years ago that moved us into the high performance processor market, as phones became smarter and people wanted more performance to play videos, browse the web etc. Since then we've made a few specialized chipsets for specific applications - media players, ereaders and the like. About two years ago we started making IC's for the UAV market. The chipset is called Snapdragon Flight, and it comes with a development kit, software, eval boards etc. Recently several drone manufacturers came out with drones based on our chipset. I just got my hands on the latest - the Hover Camera. It's a foldable, enclosed-rotor drone that is intended for photography; it has a medium-quality camera on a one-axis gimbal. It will do 13mp stills and 4K video. One of its coolest features is a capable visual odometry system that uses a downward-facing camera to hover in one location. Rather than rely on GPS, it looks for relative motion to keep itself in one place. It has follow-face and follow-body modes that work OK. (They seemed to work better in the lab, but I haven't really wrung it out yet.) See attached for some pics. I'll post some flight pictures once I take some. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #2 December 14, 2016 It looks like the fan tray from the bottom of an ancient Sun server I maintained about 20 years ago."There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 35 #3 December 14, 2016 You'd think they could come up with a fancier look or something too... "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,451 #4 December 14, 2016 Hi BV, Quotea fancier look It might be that it is built for utility not looks. And on the subject of drones: http://www.king5.com/tech/amazon-delivered-its-first-customer-package-by-drone/369760761 The world, she is a-changin'. Jerry Baumchen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stumpy 284 #5 December 14, 2016 JerryBaumchenHi BV, Quotea fancier look It might be that it is built for utility not looks. And on the subject of drones: http://www.king5.com/tech/amazon-delivered-its-first-customer-package-by-drone/369760761 The world, she is a-changin'. Jerry Baumchen That's very cool. I bet the test customers will be ordering all sorts of rubbish just to try it out!Never try to eat more than you can lift Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erroll 80 #6 December 15, 2016 billvon One of its coolest features is a capable visual odometry system that uses a downward-facing camera to hover in one location. Rather than rely on GPS, it looks for relative motion to keep itself in one place. DJI has had that feature in their Phantoms and Inspires for a few years now. It is called the Virtual Positioning System and also incorporates sonar to help with maintaining height. The cameras don't work so well over water or any other uniform surface such as a carpet or evenly cemented floors because they can't detect a change when drifting. It is good to know that the technology is becoming more widespread. Down here the top-end quads are very, very expensive to import. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanG 1 #7 December 15, 2016 What amazes me is that a 13mp still camera that takes 4k video is considered "medium-quality". 15 years ago when I bought my first digital SLR it was 8mp with no video capability and I thought I was the hot shit. - Dan G Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 35 #8 December 15, 2016 JerryBaumchen Hi BV, Quote a fancier look It might be that it is built for utility not looks. And on the subject of drones: http://www.king5.com/tech/amazon-delivered-its-first-customer-package-by-drone/369760761 The world, she is a-changin'. Jerry Baumchen It does look streamlined and sleek, so there's that. There's something for everyone. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stumpy 284 #9 December 15, 2016 DanG15 years ago when I bought my first digital SLR it was 8mp with no video capability and I thought I was the hot shit. 8MP? Luxury!Never try to eat more than you can lift Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gowlerk 2,260 #10 December 15, 2016 Stumpy***15 years ago when I bought my first digital SLR it was 8mp with no video capability and I thought I was the hot shit. 8MP? Luxury! Nikon D1 came out in '99. 2.7 MB sensor in the size now called DX by Nikon. It marked to beginning of the end for Kodak.Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #11 December 16, 2016 Stumpy ***15 years ago when I bought my first digital SLR it was 8mp with no video capability and I thought I was the hot shit. 8MP? Luxury! But you try and tell the young people today that... and they won't believe ya'. "There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stumpy 284 #12 December 16, 2016 ryoder ******15 years ago when I bought my first digital SLR it was 8mp with no video capability and I thought I was the hot shit. 8MP? Luxury! But you try and tell the young people today that... and they won't believe ya'. BingoNever try to eat more than you can lift Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davenuk 8 #13 December 16, 2016 billvonMy company (Qualcomm) makes cellphone IC's. About six years ago that moved us into the high performance processor market, as phones became smarter and people wanted more performance to play videos, browse the web etc. Since then we've made a few specialized chipsets for specific applications - media players, ereaders and the like. About two years ago we started making IC's for the UAV market. The chipset is called Snapdragon Flight, and it comes with a development kit, software, eval boards etc. Recently several drone manufacturers came out with drones based on our chipset. I just got my hands on the latest - the Hover Camera. It's a foldable, enclosed-rotor drone that is intended for photography; it has a medium-quality camera on a one-axis gimbal. It will do 13mp stills and 4K video. One of its coolest features is a capable visual odometry system that uses a downward-facing camera to hover in one location. Rather than rely on GPS, it looks for relative motion to keep itself in one place. It has follow-face and follow-body modes that work OK. (They seemed to work better in the lab, but I haven't really wrung it out yet.) See attached for some pics. I'll post some flight pictures once I take some. i saw those before, i think they look quite cool, particularly the mesh to protect the props. we're looking at buying a camera drone for the boy so i'll look forward to the review! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,121 #14 December 17, 2016 Made out of milk crates?... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,121 #15 December 17, 2016 JerryBaumchenHi BV, Quotea fancier look It might be that it is built for utility not looks. And on the subject of drones: http://www.king5.com/tech/amazon-delivered-its-first-customer-package-by-drone/369760761 The world, she is a-changin'. Jerry Baumchen Cambridge - the city of Newton, Darwin, Cavendish, Maxwell, Kelvin, J.J. Thomson, Rutherford, Chadwick, Parsons, Whittle, Crick, Turing, Hawking, and now another first!... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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