| DRONE HISTORY AND GROWTH |
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The earliest attempt at flight by a powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) occurred in 1916, with the first scale remotely operated vehicle flight taking place almost 20 years later. Technology improved considerably during World War II with Germany, in particular, producing and using various types of drones mainly for training purposes. The decades after the war witnessed the dramatic and exponential growth in the international development, production, and use of technology for military combat and aerial surveillance purposes. For example, in 2012, it was reported the United States Air Force (USAF) employed almost 7500 drones. Although the commercial drone industry is still young, the technology for non-military UAVs has improved considerably over the last decade, with major advances being developed within North America, Switzerland, France, Sweden, China, and South Korea. According to one recent market research report, the global UAV market is expected to reach almost US$5.6 billion by 2020, at an estimated compounded annual growth rate of more than 32 per cent between 2015 and 2020.* In 2014, the global market for rotary-blade drones was reportedly valued at more than US$600 million, making it the most widely used type of drone for non-military purposes. In a March 2015 article, The Globe and Mail reported Transport Canada issued 1672 permits for commercial drone applications in 2014, up from only 66 in 2010. |
Commercial liability insurance
Transport Canada also requires flights to be covered by a minimum of $100,000 commercial liability insurance. However, the president of a Guelph, Ont.-based insurance company, Jeff Sutherland, recently noted there are limited offerings to insure drones on an incidental basis only, and that any business which generates revenue exclusively from drones is not currently written.
Apparently, there are two types of coverage offered:
- first-party—or coverage on the drone itself for ‘natural perils’ or ‘all risk’ protection; and
- third-party liability for bodily injury or property damage to others up to $1 million.
Currently, business liability insurance policies exclude drone operations. (For more information from Jeff Sutherland, the president of Sutherland Insurance, see the article, “Thinking of using drones in business, what kind of insurance is required?” published in VentureGuelph.Ca. The February/March 2016 edition is available online at issuu.com/ventureguelph/docs/vtr-aande-febmar2016). However, practices are evolving and some insurance companies will amend policies or offer specific ones to provide for the use of drones. Transport Canada requires proof of insurance be available for inspection during each flight operation.
Importance of obtaining a special flight operations certificate
For processing an SFOC application, the notice required by Transport Canada is currently stated as 20 working days. However, the application process can be difficult to negotiate and those wishing to obtain an SFOC are cautioned the entire process can take several weeks, if not months.
Potential drone users wishing to make a number of flight operations over an extended period are also cautioned that they should apply for a ‘standing’ or ‘blanket’ SFOC, which is typically valid for one year. However, this will require more detailed information to assure Transport Canada the operator has a sufficient track record. Application requirements can be obtained from its website.
Drone technology improvements
Although technical features can vary between manufacturer’s specific models, most modern drones are gyro stabilized and use GPS-aided navigation. Recent design improvements to the rotary blades provide the ability to remain in a fixed position for extended periods. The most common drones are fitted with four rotary blades and are known as quadcopters. However, some are fitted with six or eight rotary blades, providing more power for attached payloads and improved stability during windy conditions.
Typically, drones are also fitted with a compass and flashing light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to provide visual verification of their flight mode, as well as a failsafe activation function for ‘returning home’ in the event of an unfavourable change in safe flight conditions. The use of prop guards is optional but recommended, especially for building inspections. Some of the latest improvements in technology have included ‘vision positioning systems’ that use ultrasound and image data to assist in maintaining position, especially in the event of satellite connection loss for GPS-aided navigation.
Some important improvements have been made over the last decade or so with the introduction of rechargeable lithium batteries that can provide extended flying times. However, these can still restrict some lower-priced models to less than 30-minute flights, depending on temperature and wind conditions. In some cases, batteries may need changing about every 15 minutes, especially at low temperatures. Operators will therefore typically invest in a number of batteries and sophisticated chargers to ensure sufficient power is available to keep drones flying for extended periods.
Great article. I’m working with a contractor who sent me videos of the construction progress while I was travelling and could not visit the site. The imagery was a fantastic supplement to my own on site General Review.
Gerry Conway OAA, FRAIC
Ottawa, ON
Some of our customers use drones to photograph fields or land for drainage or ground works, take a reference measurement on site and when they get back to the office, calculate the measurements and dimensions from the photos saved as a pdf.