Antarctic work

southerndoug · Dec 16, 2016

I recently returned from Antarctica, where I was using an Inspire 1 Pro with X3 and X5 cameras, providing short range ice reconnaissance capability for the Australian icebreaker RSV Aurora Australis. It was a very light ice year, so I wasn't really needed, but I did a couple of trial flights to demonstrate what was possible with the technology.
This was a follow-on from a similar trial that was done last year (by another operator), and showed that the RPA could be easily deployed (compared to a full-size helicopter: we had 3 AS350 B3s onboard), and the guys/gals driving the vessel could get immediate info for short range navigation via the live video feed we had from the RPA.
Of course we had issues with compass calibration, and all flights were done in ATTI mode. The greatest challenge was actually starting the Inspire, with the firmware stopping the RPA from starting when it detected strong interference or a compass calibration issue. There were also a number of IMU problems that were thrown up as well. The work-around for all of these was to block all GPS reception, and attempt a start in ATTI, then P-GPS, then ATTI, etc, until it would finally start, and away we went.
The only modifications I made were insulation for the battery compartment, and the addition of a strobe to aid in maintaining VLOS. Oh, and some day-glo orange paint. The coldest we had was -5 deg. C, so not too bad really, and the batteries were fine. Highest wind speed was 22 knots.

I had an area approval for operations up to 500m ASL, but only got to 315m on my second flight, which was still pretty good. You may wonder why bother with approvals down there anyway... but I was working for a government department, and all the boxes had to be ticked, including permissions for >400 feet ops from CASA.
Anyway, it was a great experience, and quite challenging too.

Happy to answer any questions anyone may have.

ash223 · Dec 16, 2016

WOW. Just WOW

lake_flyer · Dec 16, 2016

And another big WOW here. Man i would love to have been there.

Mancheman · Dec 16, 2016

Mmmmmm, OK..... so I guess I wont be posting any flight pics of my back garden for a while!

Fantastic experience, fantastic pictures ..... thank you for sharing them here.

PortCanaveralFlorida · Dec 16, 2016

Anything below 70* here I need to get a flannel on, like today!

Like the paint too!!! Is that a bicycle strobe attached? NICE SHOTS!

Leszek Kedziora · Dec 16, 2016

That's the best post of the year. Can't wait to see the vids.

Sent from my SM-G935F using InspirePilots mobile app

southerndoug · Dec 16, 2016

PortCanaveralFlorida said:
Anything below 70* here I need to get a flannel on, like today!
Like the paint too!!! Is that a bicycle strobe attached? NICE SHOTS!

Thanks! Strobe is a Lezyne Zecto Drive Pro... nice and bright!

southerndoug · Dec 16, 2016

Leszek Kedziora said:
That's the best post of the year. Can't wait to see the vids.

Sent from my SM-G935F using InspirePilots mobile app

Thanks Leszek... high praise indeed, not sure I deserve it! I'll get some video up soon.

maccampb · Dec 17, 2016

1. how did you handle batteries, per, during and post flight? Which batts did you use?
2. Can you elaborate on the battery insulation?

Thanks!

TAC257 · Dec 17, 2016

The battery insulation you have looks pretty good. Was that something you made or purchased?

Lost & Found · Dec 17, 2016

I feel tardy with my WOW! The second shot especially. Great stuff.

Alex D · Dec 17, 2016

Great experience!
Past summer I made similar trials near Greenland with Phantom 4.
Here is one of my video

I had same problems - magnetometer and IMU calibration. Sometimes I had to wait up to ten minutes before Phantom was ready to flight, sometimes I had to switch it off/on and repeat.
One more potential problem is a interference with ship radars. One year ago I saw as Phantom (not mine

) fallen to the water when pilot tried to fly around ship near radars.

Kestrel aerial Video NI · Dec 17, 2016

WOWOWOW!!! brilliant use of UAV technology..I take it strong interference was caused by the metal ship? My UAV (it was a phantom at the time) wouldn't boot up on top of my car and on a steel reinforced pier

2nd2non · Dec 17, 2016

Can we say "drone bucket list"?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

x5yo · Dec 17, 2016

That's my dream skit to do arctic work, would do it for nothing.
Just let me on the ship and take me away!

2nd2non · Dec 17, 2016

x5yo said:
That's my dream skit to do arctic work, would do it for nothing.
Just let me on the ship and take me away!

Ditto. So who do we need to talk to[emoji848]

southerndoug · Dec 17, 2016

maccampb said:
1. how did you handle batteries, per, during and post flight? Which batts did you use?
2. Can you elaborate on the battery insulation?

Thanks!

Hi. Batteries were TB48's, stored in the ship at ambient temperature (about 20 deg C), then prewarmed in DJI battery warmer, and stored in an "esky" (chilly-bin if you're a kiwi... you know, the things you put your beers in if you're heading out for a BBQ). Usually on deck at about 23-25 deg C, and I would have several minutes before they were below 15 deg C and the firmware would complain of cold batteries. The insulation kept the heat generated by the batteries from escaping, and I was back on deck with batteries well into the 30 deg C range. No loss of endurance due to cold. More on the insulation follows...

southerndoug · Dec 17, 2016

TAC257 said:
The battery insulation you have looks pretty good. Was that something you made or purchased?

I knew it was going to be cold, so after a bit of online research, just decided to bang together some insulation from materials I had around the house. I used some 4 mm foam core (3 pieces cut to size) with thin aluminium roofing insulation on the inside, and some high vis. hazard tape on the outside. Also some compressible foam (used to stop draughts around doors/windows etc) in strategic spots to stop heat escaping through any gaps. Finally, some velcro to keep it tight on the battery bay. Worked really well.

southerndoug · Dec 17, 2016

The other bit of gear we built was a heated Ground Control Station (for want of a better description). I was warned that temperatures could get down to -15 deg C, and having heard that iPads would probably shut down at or near 0, wanted to avoid losing my Go app if at all possible, and definitely didn't want my RC battery to go belly up in the cold. So this device kept all my electronic gear warm to the touch, and also allowed my camera operator to stand next to me, and give any directions needed while in touch with the bridge via radio. The third screen is a straight HDMI monitor with its own power, just as a back up if the iPads shut down. The HDMI out from the slave went to a HDMI-Coaxial converter, and via 100m co-ax cable to a large HDMI monitor on the bridge, where the officer on watch could see the show, and direct the camera if required.

Dxtrty · Dec 18, 2016

Nice thnx for the tech details.
i use these 3mm foam sheet with double sided tape, works till -6C˚ and use them ->+5C˚
Batt T˚ start at 20-25C˚ and 40-50C˚ at landing.
Next time i'll back-foam my iPad too