Draganflyer X8

Draganflyer X8 8-Rotor UAV Helicopter Provides High Definition Wireless Video and High Resolution Photographs

 The latest in aerial photography and videography is this Draganfly X8, a unique machine powered by eight motors, each with its own rotor blade! This stable flyer can carry 1.7 pounds of equipment and features 11 onboard sensors and a sophisticated autopilot to self-stabilize during flight. Its foldable carbon-fiber frame makes transport easy. Police departments across the U.S. and Canada are already using the Draganflyer X6, a smaller UAV, in search and rescue operations, training, surveillance and even homicide investigation.

 Draganfly Innovations Inc. is announcing the release of the new Draganflyer X8 helicopter, a miniature UAV for commercial/industrial aerial video and photography. The unique design utilizes eight main horizontal rotor blades and allows the Draganflyer X8 helicopter to hover efficiently and maneuver rapidly using differential thrust. Eight industrial electric motors allow the Draganflyer X8 to carry heavier and more advanced payloads while providing more safety features than ever before. The Draganflyer X8 will also be compatible with our latest technologies, including the handheld Ground Control Station (GCS) and IP video camera systems.

The increased payload capability of the Draganflyer X8 has allowed it to carry a select variety of digital SLR cameras and various 1080p video cameras. The Draganflyer X8’s industrial-strength electric motors provide increased thrust over the Draganflyer X6, which allows the Draganflyer X8 to carry an increased payload.

Innovative new camera systems will be offered as options for the Draganflyer X8 UAV, including the new IP video cameras. IP video cameras work by transmitting digital video over an 802.11n wifi connection. Digital video is less susceptible to random noise than analog video. Digital video is also more secure because IP cameras work over their own wireless network, which can be encrypted to protect the video stream from unauthorized viewing. Because the IP cameras are digital, they can record video to a buffer in internal memory before streaming it to the receiving station. This means that the cameras can be used to capture high resolution still pictures while video is being recorded. Video from the IP cameras can be streamed over the internet easily, allowing you to transmit your video live to almost anywhere in the world.

The Draganflyer X8 UAV will be our first UAV helicopter to offer the new handheld Ground Control Station (GCS) as an option. The GCS is currently in development; when complete, it will effectively contain all the features of both the handheld controller and the video base station in one handheld package. Running a Linux operating system on an Intel Atom™ processor allows the GCS to run our existing DraganView software and provide helicopter control at the same time.

Safety and durability have been incorporated into the design of each Draganflyer helicopter and the Draganflyer X8 is no exception. It offers more safety features than ever before. Even if an in-flight collision causes one of the motors to stop working, the Draganflyer X8 helicopter, with dual motors on each of the four arms, will still be able to fly using the remaining seven motors. Other safety features include high intensity LED navigation lights for distance or low-light flying and auto-landing if the radio link between the helicopter and its controller is lost. An onboard flight recorder stores telemetry and flight data in a removable memory card. This information can be used for post-flight analysis with our DraganView software.

The Draganflyer X8 UAV helicopter has been designed with a unique folding carbon fiber frame. This allows the Draganflyer X8 to become conveniently compact for storage and transportation. Once the Draganflyer X8 carbon fiber frame is folded, it fits securely in its back-packable case.

The Draganflyer X8 is a fully functional, miniature, unmanned, electric powered helicopter. Aimed at industrial and commercial use, it provides reconnaissance and inspection information using onboard wireless video (equipped with digital video recorders) and still images. The Draganflyer X8 helicopter achieves its stability by using an onboard processor running custom-designed Draganfly software and receiving data from eleven onboard sensors (three gyros, three accelerometers, three magnetometers, one barometric pressure sensor, and one GPS receiver). It is easily piloted by users with minimal training. The Draganflyer X8 helicopter determines its own orientation and motion, moving where the operator instructs it, automatically handling the complex attitude and altitude adjustments that would normally require an experienced pilot.

The Draganflyer X8 helicopter can be put into GPS hold mode where it will maintain its position without any user input. This means that once the GPS hold is activated, the pilot can concentrate on framing the shot using one of the various cameras that the Draganflyer X8 can carry.

The Draganflyer X8 helicopter is flown using a custom-designed handheld controller with a 2.8” color OLED touchscreen that displays telemetry and flight data. The Draganflyer X8 handheld controller receives streaming video sent by the helicopter and in turn, sends this video to a pair of video goggles. The video goggles enable the operator to view what the helicopter is seeing in real-time while also keeping an eye on the helicopter itself.

 The increased payload capability of the Draganflyer X8 has allowed it to carry a select variety of digital SLR cameras and various 1080p video cameras.