With a Modular Design and Unmatched Battery Life, the Highdra Gives Price-Efficient Flexibility for Surveying, Filming, and Mapping Tasks
by DRONELIFE Employees Author Ian J. McNabb
German drone developer Starcopter not too long ago unveiled the Highdra, a 6-rotor commercial-focused UAV bought by way of an progressive flight-hours pricing mannequin that makes it some of the cost-effective, highly effective options accessible in the marketplace. DroneLife obtained up shut and private with the Starcopter at INTERGEO, the place the Braunschweig-based firm described the Highdra and gave DroneLife some insights into what makes them totally different from their opponents.
With a novel, automotive-inspired 6-battery array system and structure, Starcopter advertises its unequalled cost lifetime, conserving the Highdra airloft even after many opponents would flip their batteries into e-waste. Add in absolutely tool-less dis-and-re-assembly and a compact design that may match into the trunk of a automotive, and the Highdra appears completely designed for a variety of functions, particularly contemplating its versatile, mission-driven modular payload system.
Whereas they’re nonetheless just a little cagey on technical specs, together with weight and flight time, DroneLife was instructed the Highdra is able to a variety of surveying, filming, and mapping functions.
In response to their web site, “We don’t solely develop the most recent drone know-how, but additionally provide a collection of state-of-the-art sensors because the payload. Whether or not the most recent lidar from CHCNAV or a 150MP digicam from PhaseOne or an infrared digicam from Workswell – your software defines the sensor.”
As a substitute of constructing the German-made Highdra accessible as a standalone product, Starcopter has honed in on a drone-as-a-service mannequin, pricing per-project. With their very own pilots, drones, and sensor pods, as an alternative of buying an (extraordinarily) costly business drone for a corporation, Starcopter took inspiration from airplane engines, which aren’t priced per-unit, as an alternative being priced by flight hour. This makes the Highdra an awesome answer for firms that don’t all the time want a drone, however might use one for sure initiatives.
In response to the workers DroneLife talked to in Stuttgart, they put their minimal pricing right down to round €100 per flight hour (round $110), placing a strong UAV into the fingers of consumers at an unequalled value level. Extra particular mission pricing is out there upon request.
For extra info on Starcopter and the Highdra, click on right here.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, an expert drone companies market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone business and the regulatory surroundings for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles centered on the business drone house and is a world speaker and acknowledged determine within the business. Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising and marketing for brand new applied sciences.
For drone business consulting or writing, E mail Miriam.
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