FLYY’s Kate Klassen on the importance of drone training

FLYY’s Kate Klassen on the importance of drone training

May 26, 2023 | Drones, Education, Industry News

By Scott Simmie

 

Here’s a quick quiz for you: How many drones are registered with Transport Canada?

Take your best guess.

The answer? According to the latest Transport Canada RPAS Team Newsletter, the number is 86,131. That’s a lot of drones. Many of these – we’re confident the majority – are recreational/hobbyist machines. But the growing service provider sector is also a big contributor.

Quiz Number Two: How many Special Flight Operations Certificates were issued by Transport Canada in 2022? The answer here is 814, with the following breakdown:

  • Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations: 62
  • Flying higher than 400 feet AGL: 48
  • Flying in or near Department of National Defence airspace: 56
  • Special Aviation or Advertised Events: 172
  • RPAS weighing over 25 kilograms: 41

The math-inclined might notice those numbers don’t add up to 814. The final category – with 435 SFOCs issued in 2022 – is for Foreign Operators.

“It’s pretty obvious, but there’s been an incredible growth in the use of drones across all sectors,” says Kate Klassen, a licensed traditional aircraft pilot and flight instructor. She’s also InDro’s Strategy and Implementation Specialist.

“And based on what I’ve seen – including my work with the Canada Drone Advisory Committee (CanaDAC), these numbers will continue to grow for many years to come.”

Below: A professional drone operation

 

LICENSED PILOTS

 

Along with the growth in registered drones, there’s been a commensurate growth in the number of licensed RPAS pilots in Canada. Transport Canada has issued 86,709 Basic Pilot Certificates, and 10,060 Advanced Pilot Certificates. Advanced RPAS Certificates allow a pilot to fly in controlled airspace, closer than 30 metres to bystanders, and nearer than 3 NM (5.6 km) to airports and 1 NM (1.9 km) to heliports.

And of that number? Roughly one in eight received their training from InDro’s Kate Klassen.

Klassen was a pioneer in the training world, developing an online course that was both educational and entertaining. She did that prior to joining InDro, and some 10,000 people took her online course. That’s a phenomenal number.

And she’s at it again, with a series of online courses at FLYY.

We’ll get into FLYY – and the importance of training – in a moment. But first, let us more fully introduce you to Klassen.

She’s a commercial pilot and a flight instructor for both airplanes and RPAS. She’s been involved with aviation for the past 16 years and holds a Management of Technology MBA from Simon Fraser University. Klassen serves as a Director with the Aerial Evolution Society of Canada (formerly Unmanned Systems Canada/Systèmes Télécommandé Canada) and was a Director for BC/YK with COPA (Canadian Owners and Pilots Association). She was also Co-Chair of Canada’s Drone Advisory Committee (CanaDAC), working closely with Transport Canada. She’s an expert in regulations and training.

Plus, she’s an amazing educator.

Below: A screen grab of Klassen from one of the FLYY instructional videos

Kate Klassen Drone Training

WHY BOTHER WITH A COURSE?

 

That’s a good question. Especially when there are options like YouTube, where you can find plenty of videos of people in their basements offering what they say are the knowledge requirements to obtain your Basic or Advanced RPAS Certificate.

We put that question to Kate.

“YouTube can be a great resource, but the challenge is knowing the accuracy and validity of the information,” she says.

“You want to trust the training provider, know their credentials and that they have the experience and expertise to be the one providing the training. In addition to video modules, FLYY also provides downloadable resources, interactive lessons and the ability to download for offline viewing.”

 

MORE THAN THE BASICS

 

What differentiates FLYY from some of the other online offerings?

For starters, Kate has deep expertise as both a commercial and RPAS pilot, as well as being an instructor. So you can have confidence you’re getting the Transport Canada knowledge requirements that ensure you’ve getting the fundamentals you need.

But FLYY offers more than just the tools to earn your Basic or Advanced RPAS Certificate.  The website has a module (and templates) to help you create your own Standard Operating Procedures, including a comprehensive pre-flight checklist. Another popular offering is the Flight Review preparation package. That package, which includes typical questions an Advanced RPAS Certificate candidate would receive at their in-person Flight Review, is designed to help ensure you pass that final step your first time. (And, given that most in-person Flight Reviews cost $200-$300, you really do want to pass your first time around.

 FLYY also offers Flight Reviews, regardless of your location in the country. Plus, once you’re registered with the site and taking a course, you’ll have access to an internal social hub where you can ask questions, post photos, and interact with other students and graduates of the FLYY program.

“I’m always happy to answer questions from students – and we get some good ones,” says Klassen. “This is something else you won’t get if you rely on a free online course. The courses have been carefully designed to ensure student success, and that’s also something I’m personally very much invested in. In fact, I like being a phone-a-friend lifeline for operators. It keeps me on my toes and problem solving at the pace of the industry.”

 

SPECIALIZED SKILLS

 

Drones have come a long way in the past decade. Like, a *really* long way. Think about it: DJI released its first Phantom in 2013 – a machine that required a separate GoPro in order to capture images. Now you can purchase a sub-250 gram drone with amazing range, connectivity and video/still qualities for less than $1,000.

But – particularly for those planning to become service providers or seeking professional employment – the knowledge base required has become more demanding. Gone are the days when having 50 hours of recreational drone flights might open the door to a job. Increasingly, employers are looking for people with highly specialised skills. They want candidates with experience flying thermal missions, capable of creating a LiDAR 3D digital twin – and much more.

Below: An Aerometrix methane-sniffing drone. Increasingly complex drones and drone operations require highly skilled pilots

 

Aerometrix

MICRO-CREDENTIALS

 

The future of training, at least from Klassen’s perspective, will involve obtaining credentials for operations requiring specific skillsets. These would be short, focussed courses – online or in-person – that would provide pilots with the skills they’ll need to carry out more complex flights (and with more complex sensors). Upon successful completion, a pilot would receive a certification that will become recognized as the standard for that industry.

Geospatial Information Systems (GIS), photogrammetry, mapping, volumetric calculations, BVLOS flights are just a few examples where Klassen envisions Micro-Credential courses would be the most effective route to obtaining skills.

“These are definitely skills that are pre-requisites for many drone jobs and require specialized training,” says Klassen. “Upon successful completion, a pilot would receive a certification or badge that’s recognized by the industry.”

Klassen is currently planning Micro-Credential courses for FLYY.

“Micro-Credentials will one day be just as important in this field as obtaining your Advanced RPAS Certificate,” says Klassen. “And with the new facility that’s coming in Ottawa at Area X.O, we’ll have a location where training, testing and evaluation for highly complex operations can take place in a controlled environment.”

(FYI, we took a deeper dive into the case for Micro-Credentials here.)

 

ADVANCED TESTING

 

That new site, which we’ve written about here, is designed for both drones and ground robots. Drone pilots will face a demanding NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) course, built to the exacting specifications created by ASTM (the American Society for Testing and Materials). It will also feature a large enclosed, netted area where specialised drone training and testing can be carried out. Complex testing or failsafe evaluation – missions that might normally require a Special Flight Operations Certificate – can be safely carried out within that netted enclosure without the need for special permissions.

The facility, which will open in June, has been funded by Invest Ottawa as a strategic investment in Area X.O. The facility will be operated by InDro Robotics. It is the first of its kind in Canada.

“For the first time we’re seeing a ground and air robot (drone) training and testing space and I think we’ll see those technologies work more closely together in the future, too,” says Klassen. “As an educator, I’m excited for the course offerings we’ll be able to put together. So much thought has gone into the details and facilities in this space and I can’t wait to see how it’s received.”

Below: A look at the new facility during construction in late May.

 

INDRO’S TAKE

 

InDro Robotics was one of the first companies in Canada to offer specialized drone training – working with law enforcement and First Responders onsite and at Salt Spring Island. InDro takes training very seriously, which is why we partnered with Kate Klassen to create FLYY.

“We share Kate’s belief that demand for complex drone training and testing will only increase. We also agree that Micro-Credential courses and badges will be an important offering for those wishing to take their skills to the next level,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece.

“Between Kate’s excellent FLYY program and the forthcoming Area X.O facility, we’ll be creating and delivering cutting-edge training customized to meet growing industry demands.”

Want to get started with training now? Head on over to FLYY, then use the code “springisintheair” at checkout for 10 per cent off.

Public perception of drones mixed depending on use-cases

Public perception of drones mixed depending on use-cases

Apr 24, 2023 | Drones for good, Education, Industry News, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

What does the public think about drones?

That’s a very good question. And the answer has implications for the industry at large.

Is the public ready to embrace drones becoming a more ubiquitous part of everyday life? Are people ready for drones to be flying overhead in urban settings – whether they’re gathering data, delivering critical supplies, or simply dropping off a bagel and latte for the sake of convenience?

As the industry moves ahead to more routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight Flights utilising pre-programmed and autonomous technologies, the answer – or answers – could have a significant impact on the speed of adoption.

Do people want drones buzzing in their neighbourhoods? WING certainly had some pushback when it began trials of convenience deliveries in Australia. And what about concerns over privacy?

There are plenty of questions. And some intriguing answers.

Below: InDro delivers prescriptions to remote Gulf Island communities in a trial using drones for critical deliveries of medications

Public Perception of Drones

CANADIAN RESEARCH

 

Before we dive into the nuts and bolts, some context: We’ll be referring to two scientific papers just published by Canadian-led research teams based out or Carleton University in Ottawa. One of these papers reviews existing research and draws conclusions, while the other involves original data on public perceptions gathered in Canada. Though we’ll dip into both, we’ll focus primarily on the paper called “Public perception of remotely piloted aircraft systems in Canada” – which appears in the May 2023 issue of Technology In society.

That study was authored by Dr. Nick Tepylo, Leilah Debelle, and Jeremy Laliberté. Dr. Tepylo is both a pilot and an aircraft systems engineer who holds a PhD; Professor Jeremy Laliberté leads a 22-person Carleton research group that focusses on the advanced use of drones and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). Leilah Debelle is a research assistant (Co-op) in the Department of Psychology.

Together, this group carried out the first original research on this topic in Canada since 2014. Back then, there was considerable opposition to drones. As the paper’s abstract points out:

“The last major survey performed in Canada was done in 2014 and found the public was rather opposed to the use of drones and preferred traditionally piloted aircraft in all 38 applications polled. Much has changed over the past eight years as the findings presented herein show the public is supportive of the technology in most applications… Applications of drones that were perceived to further the public interest such as search and rescue, firefighting, and climate research were also viewed more positively. Most drone user groups were viewed favorably except for journalists and corporations.”

Below: A Draganfly drone designed for medical deliveries

 

Canada Drones

WHAT DO CANADIANS THINK?

 

Well, in large part, it depends on what use-cases are involved.

The respondents in the survey (there were 1,022), showed a clear preference for use-cases such as Search and Rescue, disaster response and scientific research. At the bottom of the list? Drone delivery.

We spoke with Jeremy Laliberté about the results; he agreed that people surveyed were more inclined to support what could be termed “positive” use-case scenarios.

“In general, the public is accepting of these technologies, but it varies strongly,” says Laliberté.

“If you look at the Canadian context, who is using the RPAS influences heavily the level of acceptance. So for example, public safety applications, Search and Rescue, things that are for the public good…have very high levels of acceptance. And we found in our literature review, that’s also the case in other countries.”

Intuitively, that makes sense. But what are the applications where the public is less likely to embrace drone use?

“Where the acceptance falls off, interestingly enough, is around delivery – delivery of just regular goods and services…packages, parcels, things like that. As well as journalism – using drones to monitor the public in any way or for news gathering – those get lower levels of acceptance,” he says.

You can see the varying levels of acceptance, pending use-cases, in the graphic below from the research paper. About 87 per cent of respondents strongly or somewhat support use-cases like Search and Rescue, firefighting and disaster response. Only 1.6 per cent of respondents oppose the use of drones in these scenarios.

“At the other end of the spectrum, package delivery had the lowest level of support with 44.9% in favor, 25.7% opposed, and 29.4% neither supporting nor opposing this mission type,” states the paper.

“Newsgathering and surveillance missions received just shy of 60 per cent support, while all other missions received at least 75% support. Additionally, only three missions (newsgathering, surveillance, and package delivery) received more than 10% opposition.”

 

Canada Drones

CONCERNS OVER MISUSE

 

The research also asked about the potential misuse or drones. Three different scenarios were presented to respondents: The use of drones for smuggling, flights over public spaces and flights over residential properties.

“Participants were most concerned about the potential misuse of RPAS by smugglers with 34.1% expressing a high level of concern and an additional 44.2% indicating a moderate level of concern,” states the report.

Reported cases of smuggling usually involve criminals dropping contraband into prison facilities. So while there is concern about such activities, these use-cases are generally rare and don’t directly impact members of the public or legitimate drone service providers. Arguably more relevant to the industry is concerns about flights over public spaces and homes, with the latter something that could become routine if and when urban drone deliveries take place.

Canada Drones

PRIVACY

 

Respondents were given the opportunity to get a little more specific about their concerns, with the option of entering their thoughts in a text box. Of the 1022 people surveyed, 611 (nearly 60 per cent) took the opportunity to offer additional information. And it’s clear: People are concerned about privacy.

“Responses relating to privacy concerns were the most common with 58.3% of responses highlighting some sort of privacy concern. Privacy was the most common word used, followed by variations of the words spy and surveillance,” states the report.

“Other words such as filming, video, pictures, etc. were entered and included under the privacy category. Government users were the most mentioned user of concern, followed by law enforcement, and hobbyists. Other issues raised related to the risk of collisions or drones falling out of the sky, hacking and cybersecurity, misuse by criminals, and the potential for weaponizing drones to target civilians.”

And there’s a lesson here, says Laliberté, for service providers. The public wants to know what these devices are doing when in public spaces or over residences, and what data is being collected.

“Things like package delivery…those are the ones (use-cases) where there will definitely need to be clear and transparent sharing of information: What are you doing? Who’s operating the aircraft? What kind of data is being collected? How’s the data being protected?” he says.

“I think the operators will have to be proactive about that sort of thing and really sort of get out there and explain their operations and be clear and transparent, and explain what they’re doing, how they’re doing it and how they’ve ensured that it’s safe.”

Laliberté suggests it could also be useful for drone operators in such use-cases to clearly mark their drones with company names and/or colors so that the devices can be identified from the ground. That way they’re not seen as an anonymous device with an unknown operator – which could contribute to concern/suspicion.

Below: First Responders operate a drone while trying to locate a missing person

Canada Drones

NOT JUST CANADA

 

It’s not just Canadians who have concerns about privacy. The paper cited three other research papers – two from the United States and one from Switzerland – that showed similar concerns.

“Similar to other democratic countries, the Canadians surveyed in this study expressed privacy concerns regarding the use of RPAS. Most of these concerns were related to surveillance by individuals, news organizations, or the government,” states the paper.

“The major concern with government users and law enforcement is surveillance, while with corporate entities, data collection for marketing is the largest concern, whereas with hobbyists, people are concerned about potential spying and recording of one’s actions. Future policy should be written to address each of these unique scenarios to improve the social acceptance of drones.”

The research also found there are differences in public acceptance based on perceived use of drones. If the drones can be obviously seen as a tool, their deployment is likely to be seen more favorably when compared with other forms of sensor-based data acquisition.

“The Dutch team of Bart Engberts and Edo Gillissen make the designation between the use of drones for sensory applications and their use as a tool,” explains Dr. Tepylo.

“Applications falling under the tool category such as using drones for firefighting or disaster monitoring typically have higher levels of support; however, the public is more weary when drones are used for sensory applications. These could include crime scene surveillance and even using drones to issue speeding tickets. People are used to a certain level of privacy and when drones are added to the mix, even without knowing how the drones are being used, they feel that their privacy is being taken from them.”

 

THE GOOD NEWS

 

It’s worth noting that the Carleton research indicates a shift in public opinion since the last major Canadian survey on the topic in 2014. People are more supportive of drones across all use-cases, with very strong support for First Responder use, disaster response and scientific research.

Also worth noting is that younger people and those with a background in RPAS tend to be more supportive than older Canadians and those who are less familiar with the technology. It also appears that words matter: The study used the word “drone” in half of its surveys and “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle” in the other half. Those surveyed were significantly more likely to support use-cases when the word “drone” was used rather than “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.”

In fact, users were asked to identify their feelings on spotting a “drone” vs. an “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle” in the sky. People were more excited at the prospect of seeing something identified as a drone than an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Women expressed less enthusiasm than men regardless of the word used, and far greater concern than men at seeing an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.

And why is that? The research revealed that more people are familiar with the term “drone” and could easily identify a quadcopter and associate it with the word. There was more confusion around “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle” – with respondents more likely to associate that term with a military device such as a Global Hawk.

Public Perception of Drones

AND THAT OTHER STUDY?

 

At the outset, we mentioned that there was a second paper which reviewed existing literature around public perceptions. Entitled “Public perception of advanced aviation technologies: A review and roadmap to acceptance,” the paper was published in April of 2023. In addition to Dr. Nick Tepylo and Professor Jeremy Laliberté (who authored the Canadian study), they were joined by Dr. Anna Straubinger from the Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research. In addition to drones, the review paper covers public perceptions of Urban Air Mobility and such technologies as air taxis (where Anna Straubinger has extensive expertise).

Because this is a long-ish post already, we’ll briefly hit some of the takeaways. The following highlights are taken directly from the review paper:

  • Interest in public perception of drones has been increasing since 2015
  • Awareness of drones is between 93 and 97% in North American and European countries
  • Support for drones increases with the level of awareness among the population
  • Support for air taxis has steadily increased and sits around 40–60%
  • Improving public perception is the key to widespread adoption of the technology

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

 

Interestingly, the data shows that public perception can be influenced by where you live. In Switzerland, for example, support for package deliveries was 18 per cent. In Singapore, meanwhile, support was in the low 80s. High rates of public acceptance, says Professor Laliberté, will likely lead to earlier adoption in those countries – including technology such as air taxis.

“Especially with Urban Air Mobility (UAM) some of the initial trials were being done and proposed in countries where definitely the level of acceptance is higher,” he says. And as for Singapore and package deliveries?

“Singapore is relatively small, high density, and fairly urban. So it actually makes sense to try these (use-cases) out in some of these areas.”

Even a single drone service provider, doing work that’s perceived as good, can influence overall acceptance rates – which ultimately impact speed of adoption.

“Despite the lack of research data, Africa is a very promising location for the adoption of drone technology due to the work of Zipline,” says Dr. Tepylo.

“The company operates two medical supply distribution centres in Rwanda which can provide coverage for most of the country. When they see a drone in the sky, many Rwandans think of the potential life-saving mission that vehicle is completing so reactions are very positive. If the Zipline model is able to be replicated in other parts of Africa and rural areas around the world, it has the potential to accelerate the adoption of drones globally.”

Below: Graphic showing public acceptance of various use-cases by country. Locations with higher rates of public acceptance could well adopt these technologies at scale sooner than those with lower acceptance rates

Canada Drones

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We’re pleased to see these new papers – and particularly pleased to see researchers from Carleton University taking a lead in this field. These findings are tremendously useful to operators – and offer some useful takeaways when it comes to being transparent about operations due to the level of concerns around privacy. It’s also clear that public perceptions can play a role in influencing regulators when it comes to the pace of change.

At InDro, we’ve long emphasised what we would term ‘positive’ use-case scenarios. These include specialized products and training for First Responders, trials of prescription medication and COVID test supplies via drone – even the delivery of Automated External Defibrillators. It’s nice to see that these use-cases strongly align with high levels of public acceptance/support.

“It may well be inevitable that packages are delivered in urban settings down the road,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece. “But that’s still several years away. We see greater importance in delivering critical supplies like medications to cut-off and isolated communities and in developing specialised drones for First Responders and scientific data acquisition. We also believe these are the kinds of use-cases that – at least for the moment – are more likely to be viewed as both useful and safer when it comes to Transport Canada and BVLOS permissions.”

We recommend taking a deeper dive into this excellent research. You’ll find the paper on Canadian perceptions here, and the review paper on broader global data here.

The case for micro-credentials in the RPAS world

The case for micro-credentials in the RPAS world

Apr 18, 2023 | Area X.O, Education, InDro News, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

The world of drones, as you likely know, changes rapidly.

In less than a decade, we’ve gone from the first DJI Phantom (which required an optional GoPro if you wanted images) – to highly sophisticated machines capable of BVLOS flights over 4G and 5G networks. Drones today have sophisticated obstacle avoidance, multiple sensors, and can be programmed to carry out missions autonomously. They routinely create digital twins, carry out volumetric calculations, and use specialised software for anomaly and change detection.

There are even devices designed for highly specific use-case scenarios, such as the innovative Voliro – built for non-destructive testing. Drones like this require highly specific training to operate.

In other words, drones are doing a lot more than capturing RGB images these days. Newer operations often involve complex planning, operations and data analysis. And that can mean pilot training above and beyond what’s currently required for a Transport Canada Advanced RPAS Certificate.

And so we pose the question: Has the time come for micro-credentials in the world of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS)?

Below: A drone operated by Aerometrix. Its specialised sensor sniffs the air for methane and other gases. It requires specialised piloting and software skills.

Aerometrix

The status quo

 

At the moment, there are two nationally-recognised certifications for drone pilots in Canada. They are the Basic and Advanced RPAS Certificates, issued by Transport Canada.

“Right now the only government certification that’s offered in the drone space is for certification – and there are about 7,000 other pilots out there with that same certificate,” says Kate Klassen, a traditional aircraft pilot and instructor, as well as InDro’s Chief Flight Instructor.

In other words, there’s not much out there to differentiate a pilot’s skills; an RPAS Certificate, though useful, only tells us so much.

“It doesn’t cover the more specialized use-cases and skill sets that are needed to be hired for those really complex jobs. Until there are other recognised drone-specific knowledge certifications that you could point back to to beef up your resume, it will be challenging for those doing the hiring – and those wanting to be hired – to know what they’re getting and what’s needed.”

As a result, some pilots seeking more advanced skills (and jobs), can find themselves in what Klassen calls a “Catch-22.” How can you land jobs where you might learn some of those critical new skills if the employer won’t hire you because you don’t currently have them?

“The solution there,” says Klassen, “is additional training and credentials.”

 

The case for micro-credentials

 

The kind of training and credentials referred to above can be taught with brief but highly focussed courses – leading to “micro-credentials.” These badges of approval would be recognised by others in the industry.

And in fact, this is organically taking place already. At the British Columbia Institute for Technology, RPAS Operations Head Dr. Eric Saczuk has created and instructed two different micro-credential courses. Right now, he’s teaching “Drone Applications for an Environmental Risk Assessment.” Knowledge includes how to conduct a site survey and plan a mission, along with how to process colour, multi-spectral, and thermal drone images into data sets.

“Micro-credentials are focused, relatively short courses designed to give students access to specific, job-ready skills related to a particular industry,” says Dr. Saczuk, who has a PhD in Remote Sensing. He also sees a growing need for these courses as use-cases, technology and software become ever more specialised.

Obtaining a micro-credential (MC), says Dr. Saczuk, is beneficial both to drone operators and those doing the hiring for complex jobs.

“Having a micro-credential on your resume has the advantage of indicating to your potential employer that you are serious about continuing to upgrade and update your skills, learn new techniques, and invest in your professional development,” he says.

“It shows that you’re actively staying on top of the latest advances in your field and not just resting on your previous credentials. Speaking of which, one of the best advantages of MCs is that they are designed to ladder to other credentials such as Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees.”

Below: Dr. Eric Saczuk, who is also the Flight Operations Lead at InDro Robotics, carries out a complex drone operation for a client in Saudi Arabia. Specialised jobs require specialised skills.

 

 

Wayfinder Drone

EARNING MICRO-CREDENTIALS CAN BE FAST

 

Here’s the thing. Many drone operators who would like to up their skills are already working and it would be difficult – if not impossible – to attend a full-time or time-consuming course. In the case of BCIT, the course is designed specifically for those kind of people. The bulk of the instruction is online, with three 90-minute sessions during the work week and in-person skills instruction on Saturdays. One Micro-credential badge is earned every week for specific skills; the entire course is completed in four weeks.

“Generally, students LOVE the micro credential course!” says Dr. Saczuk.

“It doesn’t take up much of their busy day – remember, these students are usually working full- or part-time or have many other things on the go, so they don’t want you to waste their time – and we get right into the thick of it.”

Having already created two full courses, Dr. Saczuk is already looking ahead to developing more.

“I can envision developing future courses delving into high-precision photogrammetry using real-time kinematic positioning and ground control points,” he says.

“Another one could be tailored to First-Responders, disaster monitoring and/or search-and-rescue. We could put one together focusing solely on the use of thermal imagery to building envelope inspection or how to use multi-spectral imagery to map invasive species…as you can tell, there’s no limit to where this technology can be useful!”

 

NOT JUST DRONES

 

 

Drones aren’t the only arena where MCs would be useful. A similar technological evolution has been taking place in the world of Uncrewed Ground Vehicles (UGVs), or ground robots. Remote teleoperations, thermal sensing, digital twins and more are now routine tasks for UGVs. In fact, construction is underway for a high-end training and testing facility at Area X.O. It’s designed to current NIST standards for evaluation and training and will be operated by InDro Robotics. (You can read more about the forthcoming facility in this post.)

Below: A CGI video of the new drone and robot advanced testing and training facility. Construction is underway, with a planned opening date of June, 2023

 

 

WHAT’S NEXT?

 

Well, hopefully more micro-credential courses – and a growing number of higher education facilities offering them. But how to ensure that these MC courses produce pilots (and robot operators) with more or less equal skills?

Dr. Saczuk says currently, it’s up to the creator of the course to build the curriculum. He believes this system is working well, and that core skills will be similar from institution to institution.

“I have seen other courses taught by other institutions and organization about the same topic – say thermal image analysis) and they cover very much the same topics I do in that badge,” he says.

“I feel like if the authors and instructors are fully knowledgeable in the subject, the chances of the courses being standardized is pretty high without any external framework. Perhaps this is not the best approach, but it’s just what I’ve observed from my experience.”

InDro’s Kate Klassen, one of Canada’s most experienced online drone trainers and the creator of the online drone training portal FLYY, believes there’s room for some form of standardisation. This would ensure that those earning MC badges all learn a uniform skill set.

“I see it as a set of standards, much like how the pilot certification standards are set out in TP 15263 from Transport Canada, that professionals and academics in that industry niche establish,” she says.

“There could be flexibility in what those standards require. Some might be able to be taught online or in a classroom where others will need to be an in-person skill demonstration or working with a dataset to produce specific results. At the end, graduates would receive a traceable, validated and recognized credential they can use to set themselves apart.”

 

Below: Those operating robots, like drones, could benefit from specialised training

 

InDro Robotics

InDro’s TAKE

 

InDro Robotics was one of the earliest Canadian companies to enter the RPAS space. In addition to our Research and Development, we’ve long been involved with training. Some of that training has been tailored for First Responders and other specialized drone operations. We take training – both internally and externally – *very* seriously.

And we believe the case for more widespread micro-credentials, along with standardisation, is the way forward.

“Drones are much more than flying cameras these days,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece. “And ground robots have become equally sophisticated. Micro-credentials can ensure that operators are not only competent, but able to fully exploit the capabilities of these devices.

“With the new facility at Area X.O coming online soon, InDro will be exploring the possibility of offering micro-credentials as part of our specialised training.”

Oh. And if you’re looking to obtain your Transport Canada Basic or Advanced RPAS Certificate, look no farther than Kate Klassen’s excellent FLYY.

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InDro Robotics, Area X.O team up to provide high-level drone, robot training

InDro Robotics, Area X.O team up to provide high-level drone, robot training

Feb 1, 2023 | Area X.O, Education, InDro News, RPAS/Drone Instruction, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

InDro Robotics and Area X.O – the R&D complex for next-gen smart mobility, autonomy and connectivity founded and operated by Invest Ottawa with an emphasis on real-world robotics and IoT device testing – have joined forces to build and operate a new test centre at Area X.O’s private facility.

It will be dedicated to drone and robot testing, demonstration and training, with the physical site and training modules intended to reflect National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, criteria.

This type of drone training requires very precise drone piloting skills and produces a score. It’s used for high-level drone professionals, particularly law enforcement and other First Responders, extensively in the United States.

Leveraging critical new funding from the Government of Canada’s support through FedDev Ontario, the new facility at Area X.O will be the first of its kind in Canada. With instruction provided InDro Robotics, it will harness the capabilities and infrastructure of Area X.O, and create an entirely new resource for Canadian innovators and companies in a year-round setting.

Below: A rendering of the planned site. Note the caged area at rear for the safe evaluation of drones.

 

DARTT Zone

Extensive drone training…

 

The facility will offer multiple options for drone training, in addition to the new high-level course. These will include obtaining Basic and Advanced RPAS certificates, along with on-site flight reviews.

InDro already has an extensive background with training First Responders, as well as advanced commercial pilots. We’ve done this at InDro facilities and on-site for clients. And the online portal FLYY is a collaboration with Kate Klassen, one of Canada’s most respected drone instructors.

“Online instruction is a tremendous tool,” says Klassen. “But there’s something to be said for in-person, hands-on training once you’re talking about highly specialised skills.”

The facility will combine aerial and ground robotic training and testing – all in a single location.

NIST

Robots

 

It’s not just about the drones. InDro Robotics and Area X.O strive to offer training, skills development and evaluation of the capabilities of robots.

Want to learn how to teleoperate a robot? You’ll do it here.

You’ll also be able to put your robot (or one of InDro’s) through its paces. You’ll be operating on several different surfaces, feeling the difference as an operator when moving over concrete, various grades of gravel – even through sand and water. You’ll also be piloting your robot over varying types of obstacles, along with testing the ability to climb at various degrees of inclination (if you’re so inclined).

Want to pilot using a thermal camera? Or try testing autonomous detect-and-avoid and SLAM capabilities? We’ve got you covered.

“There really isn’t any other facility of this type in Canada,” says Reece. “InDro is proud to be partnering with Area X.O to bring this unique innovation to those in the aerial and ground robotics space.”

The criteria for ground robots will also follow standards that are accepted for the testing of robots themselves – as well as operators. 

Quadrupeds

The InDro connection

 

InDro Robotics has a long and respected tradition of offering training to drone professionals. We have trained police, firefighters and other First Responders on how to effectively use drones within the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARS part IX) regulations. We’re also fortunate to have former RCMP member Brian Fentiman – who was responsible for RCMP RPAS operations in British Columbia, on staff.

In fact, Brian created the layout for the course, and believes there are two types of clients who will want to use the test facility.

“I think there are going to be manufacturers that want their product tested, as well as police departments, fire departments, First Responders, as well as any professional agency that’s using drones,” he says.

“Part of the facility will also help other companies test ground robots – navigating curbs, driveways, inclines, sand, gravel, water and more. There’s also a netted enclosure that will allow drone manufacturers to test scenarios like GPS or compass failures and flyaways. This is a safe enclosure – technically, they are flying indoors and don’t have to seek special regulatory permissions or take on additional risk.”

Brian also points out that the facility has been designed to potentially grow over time, perhaps one day including a section for training in such areas as HUSAR – Heavy Urban Search and Rescue.

For a better idea of what the initial site will look like, check out the video below.

 

Area X.O: A competitive advantage

 

Area X.O is already a one-of-a-kind facility. On any given day you’ll see robots taking advantage of the private roads and traffic lights used for Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) testing – or drones being flown to evaluate new capabilities.

The new test centre will enhance Area X.O’s capacity for testing, training, evaluation and development, in conjunction with InDro’s expertise.

“InDro Robotics is a world leader in advanced robotic and drone R&D, and one of the very first companies in Canada to be certified by Transport Canada to fly Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS),” said Kelly Daize, Strategic Market Director of Area X.O. “We are delighted that InDro is building an R&D team onsite with us at Area X.O with 20 engineers and counting.” 

“Having this world leader co-located at our private R&D facility creates an immense competitive advantage for the innovators and companies we serve,” said Rebecca Thompson, Senior Manager of Operations, Area X.O. “We are excited to build on our collaboration and put InDro’s industry leadership, technology and certified capabilities to work to accelerate the commercialization of new robotic solutions and build the pipeline of related expertise.”

Below: InDro CEO Philip Reece at Area X.O during the TCXPO event

InDro Robotics

InDro’s take

 

We’re pleased to be involved with this project – which, to the best of our knowledge – is the first of its kind in Canada.

With InDro’s background in both drone training and robotics R&D, we’re confident this will be a perfect match for our skillset.

“Flying drones professionally, and operating robots, is a skill,” says InDro CEO Philip Reece.

“We look forward to offering our services at this facility to First Responders and professional operators from across Canada on a year-round basis. Whether it’s drones or robots, we anticipate this will become the go-to site for elevating skills and testing product capabilities in a controlled environment. We’re also pleased to again be collaborating with the excellent Area X.O and Invest Ottawa teams.”

Construction on the new facility will begin shortly, with operations expected to commence by summer, 2023.

 

Long winter? Pre-flight checklist for drone pilots

Long winter? Pre-flight checklist for drone pilots

Apr 18, 2022 | Education, FLYY, InDro News, Kate Klassen

By Scott Simmie

Depending on where you live in North America, it’s that time of year when many of us are dusting off our drones for the first time since we put them away last fall.

Some pilots are meticulous about this process. But we suspect – given the large number of recreational pilots who fly only occasionally – they’re in the minority. So we thought it would be useful to pull together a quick guide for those preparing to return to flight.

For that, we contacted our resident expert, Kate Klassen. Kate is widely known in the both the traditional aviation and drone worlds. She’s a mult-rated commercial pilot, a pilot instructor – and a drone expert. (In addition to flying and creating one of Canada’s most popular online drone courses, Kate is also a member of Transport Canada’s Drone Advisory Committee, or CanaDAC.)

Kate has also created and fronts the excellent new FLYY online drone learning resource portal, which is fully up-to-date for those seeking drone skills (including those who want to obtain their Basic or Advanced RPAS Certificate) in 2022. Here she is:

FLYY
Because of her wide-ranging expertise, Kate is one of the best people we could think of to help us safely return to flight.

“The fact your drone hasn’t been flown, and you haven’t been flying, increases the risk of your first flight. So I think it’s good to have a plan,” she says. “You want to make sure that you’re setting yourself up for success by taking the time to prepare for that first flight and the ones that follow.”

Makes sense to us. And while it’s tempting to simply charge up and hit the sub-400′ skies, Kate says a more methodical approach will save you from unnecessary problems.

 

What do pilots of real aircraft do?

 

Well, whether they’re flying a Cessna or an Airbus, they have a rigorous protocol to ensure everything is looking good prior to takeoff. And the same systematic approach applies to flying drones (which, of course, are also aircraft).

We’ll have a full checklist in a moment, but Kate recommends that you think of this overall process in terms of systems. Those systems include software (ie firmware), power (batteries), propulsion (props and motors), fuselage – and even regulatory (Transport Canada or FAA authorization, where required).

“Regardless of whether you’re using commercial off-the-shelf systems or standalone flight packs, you’ll want to do as much as you can to confirm the battery’s health before you trust it in flight,” she says. “So that would be not just charging, but balancing the cells and using any resources like the battery health tools within a flight app to confirm their reliability before you get airborne.”

Kate also recommends a physical inspection of the batteries themselves. This is great advice. A couple of years ago, we pulled our own Mavic Pro from the basement, updated the firmware and pulled out the charger. But something about one battery caught our eye: There was a hairline crack in the plastic shell itself. The battery had never been dropped, so we had to assume there had been some swelling. Better to safely dispose of such batteries than risk charging them.

Mavic Pro
This also happened to us with a different drone.

We had loaned out a Phantom 4 Professional to a trusted and experienced friend. When it was returned, we simply put it away without checking it. Come spring, we noticed one battery was sticking when inserted. A close inspection revealed, again, a hairline crack. (There was also a really fine sand stuck to the lens protector.)

Phantom Drone
Had we not been looking carefully, we could have easily tried to charge – or even put the drone in the air – with a damaged battery. If there’s any physical damage like this, particularly in conjunction with apparent swelling, safely dispose of the battery at a municipal electronics waste facility. Don’t simply throw them in the garbage, unless the possibility of putting out a rogue garbage-can fire appeals to you.

Firmware and cards

We don’t want to rain on Kate’s checklist parade. But we do feel it’s worth emphasizing the importance of ensuring your drone and app are fully updated before you get to the field. It’s a real drag if you get out there and are faced with a 356 megabyte download by phone before you can fly. FPV pilots might also want to do a firmware version check for their goggles and look for any updates for their flight controller etc. via Betaflight Configurator. Ensure you have the NAV Drone app and manuals on your mobile device and that they haven’t been sent to the cloud due to their disuse.

Also – and we’ve been bitten by this one – be sure to have your MicroSD cards with you. If you’re anything like us you may have borrowed a cable or card from your drone kit while it sat and you’ll want to make sure you’re stocked up before you head out.

That’s not all. Just because you’ve passed your Transport Canada exam and have your Basic or Advanced RPAS certificate – that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re legal to fly.

“If it’s been 24 months or more since your last recency exercise, like getting your certificate in the first place, you’ll need to complete a recency exercise before you’re legal to fly,” says Kate.

Drone Delivery

On with the show!

Okay. You should have the basics by now. Kate has been kind enough to put together a full checklist that you can print out for your pre-flight checks. Here’s a screen grab, and you can download the file here.

 

Drone Checklist

And come Fall?

We hate to think that far in advance, but the reality is that winter will again come. But that doesn’t mean you need to shelve your flying skills. Kate recommends you consider practicing indoors or use a simulator during the off-season.

“A non-GPS cheapie micro-drone that you can fly around inside will keep your thumb and stick skills fresh. Some drones even have a simulator that can be used to practice your skills as well, and there are also wireless dongles available for practicing FPV skills on your laptop or desktop.

 

InDro’s Take

 

We fly professional missions on a regular basis. Most of these flights involve large, expensive heavy-lift drones. Whether Kate is at the sticks or someone else, we always go through a thorough pre-flight checklist. We do a preliminary check before heading out to the field, and a more thorough examination prior to arming the drone. We’ve caught a few things while doing this that saved us from having issues in the air.

We hope you make this a regular part of your own safe piloting pratice, if it isn’t already. Once again, you can download Kate’s pre-flight checklist here. And, if you’re interesting in upping your skills (or obtaining your RPAS certificate), check out Kate’s outstanding FLYY program.

There’s a new robot in town: Meet LIMO

There’s a new robot in town: Meet LIMO

Mar 29, 2022 | AgileX, Education, InDro News, Scott Simmie

Even in the world of robotics, good things often come in small packages. And this is especially true when it comes to Limo, a new AgileX platform perfect for students and those carrying out R&D work. Limo is small but mighty, with the same kind of technology you’ll find in much larger devices (it weighs but 4.2 kg). The robot runs on the open source Robot Operating System (ROS) software, and comes with both the original ROS1 and ROS2 software libraries. This allows users to customize the robot for different tasks.

It ships with an impressive display of hardware and capabilities right out of the box, including:

  • An NVIDIA Jetson Nano, capable of remote teleoperation over 4G
  • An EAI X2L LiDAR unit
  • Stereo camera

This affordable machine is capable of autonomous missions, including mapping new surroundings via Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM). It also comes with multiple modes for locomotion. You’ll see details of this in the left-hand graphic below. It’s also scalable. Want to add other sensors? There are four USB Serial Ports onboard.

This kind of flexibility in a small package is pretty amazing.

LIMO

How Limo came about

 

We were curious to learn more about Limo, so we contacted AgileX’s Brandy Xue. Until recently, Brandy was leading the company’s Global Sales and Marketing department. In March of 2022, she switched to the new AgileX subsidiary, Mammotion Tech – which focuses on consumer outdoor robots like autonomous lawnmowers.

We started with a simple question. Who would be interested in buying Limo? Would it be primarily students? Researchers? Developers?

Her answer was simple: “Limo is for everybody,” she said. She then went on to explain why.

Many students, particularly in Southeast Asia, are now delving into coding, robotics – and even AI – while in high school. It’s been a trend in South Korea, and is being seen more and more in China. In fact, says Xue, the Chinese government has been encouraging hands-on high-tech training in high school to prepare people for the workforce.

“The policies in China supporting robotics education are growing,” she says. “And in South Korea, students are working on AI and Machine Learning in high school.”

 

Not just students

 

So AgileX knew there was an educational market for a product like this. But it also felt that researchers in the R&D world could also benefit from a robot with full-scale capabilities in an affordable, smaller-scale package. Having everything integrated out of the box saves a lot of groundwork. Plus, many smaller companies don’t have the need (or the budget) for a larger machine.

“If they want to build a robot, they have to buy a robot here, a sensor there, then write the code to make it move. It’s too complicated,” she says.

“And most people don’t know what to buy, or don’t know how to write the code at the beginning. So why don’t we do this to make it easier for the developer to build a robot? It’s a really cost-effective solution.”And so they did. It also didn’t hurt that the company’s CEO, JD Wei, ran the impressive Robomaster division at DJI. Annual Robomaster competitions pit robots built by the best and brightest teams of engineers against one another. DJI has also hired a significant number of engineers through the program, which has grown since its inception to become more global in nature.

If you’re unfamiliar with Robomaster, check out the video below. It’s worth watching, as it also gives you a pretty good idea of the background JD Wei came from:

 

Simulation table

 

Because Limo is capable of autonomous movement, it can be purchased with an optional simulation table. That platform approximates a mini-city, complete with buildings, roads, stop signs, traffic lights – even a liftable gate arm, like you’d see at railroad crossings or when exiting a parking lot.

Limo can detect and act on its surroundings and can be programmed to take different actions depending on the environment. It can even use its onboard LiDAR to create a 3D, Virtual SLAM map of what it “sees” around it.

The complete package is covered in this AgileX video, which also highlights its multi-modal locomotion capabilities.

 

Powerful processor and more…

 

Limo comes equipped with enviable brains. It features the NVIDIA Jetson Nano processor for EDGE computing. The Jetson is a powerful tool for AI development, and NVIDIA’s JetPack SDK offers even more options for deep learning, computer vision and more. It’s also 4G-compatible for remote tele-operation.

InDro’s Head of Robotic solutions, Peter King, is impressed with the package – saying it offers students and developers an affordable solution for R&D and prototyping.

“Limo really fills a void in the marketplace, allowing schools, researchers, and even R&D companies with limited budgets access to a truly powerful and expandable platform,” says King.

Limo is also rugged. The body is metal, and the 4.2 kg device is capable of tackling inclines of 25°. You’ll see the rest of the specs here:

AgileX LIMO

Economical

 

Limo, as you can see, can do a lot on its own. And it’s capable of doing much more in the hands of a skilled developer or a motivated student. Given that this SLAM-capable device comes with a LiDAR unit, stereo camera, the NVIDIA Jetson Nano, and an onboard 7″ touchscreen module, you’d rightly expect it to cost a significant amount.

It doesn’t. The Limo is $2900 US in its base, multi-modal form. The simulation table, which offers a head-start for those interested in autonomous operation in a city-like environment, is available for an additional $1,000 US. If you’re interested in seeing Limo, we’re happy to arrange for a remote demonstration. You can reach us here.

 

 

InDro’s Take

 

We’ve always been impressed with the AgileX products. They’re smartly engineered and very well-constructed. Our Sentinel teleoperated inspection robot is built on the AgileX Bunker platform, capable of operating in even the most unforgiving of environments. In a word: AgileX builds great stuff. And the flexible design of its products means many are destined for even greater things.

That doesn’t surprise us, given CEO JD Wei’s background running DJI’s Robomaster program.

“After he left DJI, he founded AgileX Robotics – and he’s always joking to himself,” laughs Xue. “He used to work in a company whose robots fly in the sky. Now he runs a company whose robots run on the road.”

And, with the Limo, in classrooms and R&D labs as well.