i3 - September/October 2018 - 17

IDS FOR DRONE SAFETY

Left to Right: Courtesy of DJI, iStock/Getty Images, Studio RaR/Getty Images, iStock/Getty Images (3)

FUTURE PREDICTIONS
Adam Lisberg, spokesmen for DJI in North America, one of the biggest
makers of drones worldwide, says that the way drones are being used
now dictates how the technology will evolve. "The potential for drone
technology seems almost limitless," says Lisberg. "Every day entrepreneurs and innovators are exploring how drones can improve existing
processes. In many cases, the most interesting advances are occurring
in how systems can automatically process the aerial data collected by a
drone to extract actionable insights."
An important drone feature is GPS-based geo-fencing, a system that helps
users make smart decisions about where to fly. Another important feature,
DJI's ActiveTrack system, uses advanced processing to follow objects automatically, allowing even recreational pilots to create dramatic videos.
An important benefit of thermal imaging is easy access to aerial inspections through, for example, fire and smoke, which allows public safety
professionals to navigate through darkness to eliminate dangers and ultimately find victims in a fire. DJI has ADS-B receivers installed on its
newest drones to alert drone pilots when traditional aircraft are approaching to avoid any potential dangers.
"Using data [collected by drones] in new and productive ways is the next
exciting frontier," Lisberg predicts. "Drones are saving companies millions
of dollars, opening new possibilities for innovators, creating new jobs and
businesses and even saving lives. As drones become a standard business
tool, they will become a regular part of America's skies."
C TA . t e c h / i 3

To promote the safe operation and
identification of drones, CTA began initiating a new safety protocol
about two years ago. With support
and guidance from the FAA, the
goal was to identify each drone using a two-step ID system. It starts,
says Nathan Trail, CTA's senior manager of technology policy, with logging serial numbers for all small,
unmanned aerial systems with
the goal of creating an industrywide standard.
The standards were published in
April 2017 to provide manufacturers
with a blueprint on how to create
both physical serial numbers and
optional electronic serial numbers
to identify individual drones. The
report also outlines the necessary
maintenance and management of
the four-digit manufacturer code
used to identify each device.
"CTA's Unmanned Aerial Systems
Working Group is focusing on the
development of a standard on remote identification," says Trail.
"Remote identification will enable
the identification and tracking of
drones in flight. This proposed standard will likely address topics such
as data, authentication/verification,
transmission/communication and
security/encryption."
The working group that's pushing
this initiative forward has a diverse
membership, including drone manufacturers, service providers and
chipmakers who each contribute
to the discussion about how to best
regulate these flying devices. "New
members who are directly and materially affected by the work are always being sought," says Trail.
For more information, contact
standards@CTA.tech.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

http://www.CTA.tech

i3 - September/October 2018

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