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75 stressed areas of a crop that would otherwise go unseen. They are not the solution to every crop issue, but instead provide situational awareness so that experts can focus on a solution.” The 77 g payload, which contains an IMU and magnetometer for precise navigation during agricultural mapping operations, consumes up to 12 W of power (5 W at standard operation) and is installed via a USB interface. The eBee SQ can fly at up to 110 kph, and is powered by an electric motor. The data link nominally permits a 3 km range, but that can be extended to up to 8 km on request. As UAV numbers rise, so does the probability for malfunctions and accidents. This has prompted Israel- based ParaZero to develop a range of safety systems for unmanned and small manned air vehicles, with the aim of protecting expensive payloads, vehicles and – most important – people within dangerous proximity of a falling UAV. The system includes a smart emergency computer installed on the UAV, which contains an autonomous, independent triggering system. This uses an onboard IMU and barometric unit to detect when a UAV is falling outside its predefined flight parameters. “If it senses a breach of the flight envelope – that is, free-fall, any roll rate outside what’s supposed to be normal, loss of power, triggers by the ground station or by remote control, or any critical malfunction by the autopilot – it will send a triggering signal, and in the same instance it will also stop the motors,” explained the company’s Oren Aviram. The ParaZero systems are customised and integrated with the UAV. After the signal, the ParaZero-patented deployment process is initiated. A parachute with weighted beads around its edge is fired upwards, allowing the edges to be ‘shot’ fully open and enabling the parachute to start slowing the descent of a UAV within 0.2-0.5 s, when its initial downward velocity alone is not enough to open it. This enables recovery as low as 5 m for craft up to 25 kg, and slightly higher for heavier UAVs (such as the 5-10 m drop for a 320 kg UAV). The systems are not limited by UAV size or weight, and have already been fitted to craft ranging in weight from 2 to 320 kg. The company provides customised design and integration, as well as different parachute sizes, and sink rates are tailored to meet each customer’s needs and operational environment. Commercial UAV Show Asia | Report Unmanned Systems Technology | October/November 2016 The eBee SQ is intended to spot areas of crops that may be under stress ParaZero’s parachute system will slow the descent of a UAV within 0.2-0.5 s