And by invasion, we mean drones took to the runway at the fashion house’s show in Milan on Sunday. Dolce & Gabbana used drones to show off their latest handbag collection. The Italian luxury fashion house had its audience members turn off Wi-Fi and personal hot spots during the show. There were around seven or so drones that carried leather and jewel-encrusted handbags that are part of the fashion house’s Fall/Winter 2018/19 collection. Is this the end of models? Well, the models did make a comeback to show off the clothes. So, that is a no for now.
The latest addition to DJI’s lineup of drones is one that picks the best features of the US$999 Mavic Pro and the $399 Spark and sits comfortably in the middle of these two price-wise. The $799 DJI Mavic Air borrows the Mavic Pro’s foldability and gets its smaller footprint from the Spark. It’s now 41 percent lighter than the Pro. If what’s preventing you from getting the Spark was its specs, the Air’s specifications are closer to the pro.
It has a 1/2.3-inch sensor that can shoot 4K video at 24 or 30 frames per second and 12-megapixel stills with its 24mm wide-angle f/2.8 lens. In terms of its flight capabilities, it tops out at 42.5 miles per hour and can withstand winds of up to 22 miles per hour. With its new antenna, it has a 2.5-mile range, within visual line of sight, of course. It also has a new ventilation system to prevent it from overheating and a new 3-axis gimbal casing for better, smoother footage. You don’t have to worry about flying into objects too much with its seven-camera obstacle avoidance system, which can also help it avoid and move past these obstacles instead of just stopping in front of them. And yes, you get a new remote, too. On the software side, DJI promises new shooting modes, including a 32-megapixel panorama option or tiny planet mode, and better gesture controls. Flight time is at 21 minutes.
The possibility of planes and drones colliding have been present ever since these remote-controlled machines have taken to the air. Unfortunately, something did happen recently in London. The Metropolitan Police in London are investigating a possible midair collision between a British Airways plane that was on the approach to Heathrow Airport and a drone, marking the first time a drone and a major airline have collided. At 12:50 p.m. on Sunday, Flight 727 pilot reported to the police that he believed a drone struck his Airbus A320, which was en route to London from Geneva, Switzerland. The aircraft was hit in the front but sustained no damage and was able to land safely. It carried 132 passengers and five crew members at the time.
"It's totally unacceptable to fly drones close to airports and anyone flouting the rules can face severe penalities including imprisonment," said a UK Civil Authority spokesperson in a statement. "Anyone operating a drone must do so responsibly and observe all relevant rules and regulations. The rules for flying drones are designed to keep all airspace users safe." This incident brings to mind the necessity for creating new regulations around the world regarding flying drones in different areas and situations.
This latest news just might be the end of the pizza delivery boy. Domino's Pizza, together with Australian startup Marathon Robotics, has unveiled the DRU (Domino's Robotic Unit), the world's first autonomous pizza delivery vehicle. The four-wheeled robot sourced from the military and its own technology includes GPS tracking data. It has a sensory system that uses lasers to move around obstacles in its path. It travels with speeds of up to 20km/h and can cruise on footpaths, trails, and bike paths. When it reaches the customer, all he or she has to do is enter a security code in his or her phone to tell the robot to unlock the storage compartment and deliver the pizza.
Tuesday, February 27, 2018 at 5:52AM 
