The French built DV Wing delta drone drew a lot of attention at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Agriculture equipment has long used the latest in research and technology, but recent tools are being viewed by a wider public as cutting edge.
“The design is very good. When you have air disturbance, the flight is very stable and very safe,” said Michael Gisselere, Drone Volt’s Canadian manager.
“The wing got a lot of attention from the visitors.”
It was the only DV Wing in North America at that time.
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Gisselere said his company has just set up shop on this side of the Atlantic, and he expects to have a good inventory of DV Wings and helicopter drones available for Canadian farmers by spring.
The basic flying wing design, which dates back to 1910, has no fuselage or tail. All equipment, power source and payload are incorporated into the large wing structure.
In recent decades, the design has mainly been used for military planes because of its high speed capability, good maneuverability and very low likelihood of stalling at lower speeds. High speed is not a criteria for agricultural drones, but maneuverability and stall tolerance are prized by drone engineers.
Gisselere said the DV Wing comes equipped with an 18.2 MP high resolution sensor. Algorithms are used to obtain aerial imagery and accurate data for photogrammetry, map analysis and measurements such as distance, area and volumes. The onboard sensor captures high resolution images and can generate highly accurate ortho-photos.
The drone has a wingspan of 90 centimetres, weighs 940 grams and can function a speeds up to 50 km-h. It’s capable of 85 minutes of autonomous flight time. Radio range is up to three km in good conditions. A stabilization system is standard.
Gisselere said prices and further details will be available this spring.
