All posts by Jeff Salmon
Adventures in Droning: Part Two
As you may recall from the last issue of Pangaea, this series is about my experiences using a prosumer-level UAS to explore the possibilities of starting an aerial photography business. Here’s what I learned. Panic over LAANC? As I described in the first article, my first launch of the Spark never left the ground due...
Adventures in Droning: Part One
So, here’s my idea: as I enter semi-retirement I’m looking for additional revenue streams, ironically to replace clients who are also entering the retirement phase. As long-time readers of Pangaea will note, I’m pretty excited about the possibilities of UAS, so it’s no surprise that I might consider expanding my side business in that area....
Edge Computing Supercharges UAS Workflows
A new computer networking approach called edge computing is promising to radically accelerate UAS workflows. Simply defined, edge computing distributes the task of computation to the edge of the network, generally very close to the sensor. In terms of UAS, edge computing accomplishes the post-processing of sensor data right on the UAS itself. Think about...
Rocketry Revolution #4: Air Breathing Rockets
In a Pangaea issue entitled Revolution #3, I laid out the latest three revolutions in rocketry. Reusable rockets like SpaceX and Blue Origin, Air-launched rockets like Stratolaunch and Virgin Orbit, and Drone-launched rockets as exemplified by the Aevum Raven. Each revolution is designed to make space more affordable and accessible. Reusable rockets are obviously more...
ULS and the Search for Yamashita’s Gold
In the waning days of World War II, the Japanese were faced with a dilemma: what to do with the billions in loot taken from Southeast Asia. According to some accounts, faced with US naval dominance in the Pacific, the Japanese could not return the gold, gems, and other valuables to the homeland. Instead the...
New (and Proposed) Rules for Drones
The FAA has imposed a significant new rule on drone identification and has proposed two new rules that could, when enacted, change the UAS operations landscape. New UAS Marking Rules While UAS identification rules have been the law of the land for some time, last month these rules have been revised. Drones weighing more than...
