Scientific research has leapfrogged ever since the UGCS drone came into the picture. The research on earth sciences, geophysical exploration, and industrial gas leak detection have greatly advanced because of these drones.
Another area that has significantly benefited from drone use is the field of environmental research. Their impact on research and development has been revolutionary and the way they have enhanced our scientific knowledge is exemplary. However, a drone in itself is useless without autonomous flight planning software.
What is an autonomous flight planning software for drones?
It is common knowledge that drones are unmanned flying vehicles albeit smaller! There’s no pilot inside the UAV and it flies on its own. Now one may wonder – how does a UAV fly by itself? Well, there are two ways to get the drone to fly:
1. Remote-controlled flight:
It’s the most common sight around us. A user with a remote control operates the drone toy and makes it fly as per his will. It’s used by tourists interested in capturing the aerial view of a valley or monument. It’s also used during weddings and other events. But the drone’s range is limited to a few metres in this case.
2. Software-controlled flight:
Such a drone is linked to software for flight operation. The flight occurs after geospatial coordinate inputs are uploaded to the drone. This has a more specific use and is generally used in terrain mapping, surveying, and scientific exploration tasks. The range of such UAS is larger and covers several nautical miles.
The word ‘drone’ is often used interchangeably with UAV or UAS. The fundamental difference between the two is their size. A drone is smaller and weighs light. A UAV is bigger in size and resembles a mini-aircraft. It is embedded with advanced sensors and flight planning software like UGCS Pro for surveillance missions.
Why is UGCS Pro Considered the Best Drone Flight Planning Software?
It is not to say that only a sophisticated UAS uses flight control software. Even regular drones can be operated using the UGCS Pro. The results are much better when you use flight planning software.
They are used as waypoint missions in which several data points (including height changes) are pre-programmed into the software. The drone thus dodges obstacles and navigates all the twists and turns in the flight path automatically.
Here’s why UGCS Pro designed by SPH Engineering is considered the best drone flight planning software:
1. Manual control:
UGCS software has a dual flight-control mode. It means you can control the drone with a joystick when you don’t need to input waypoint data.
2.Telemetry data display:
The telemetry data dashboard has details like radio link, GPS coordinates, course, speed, elevation, remaining battery level etc. This data is used by the drone for autonomous flight.
3. Geotagging:
UGCS has an in-built geotagging tool. You can use the telemetry data images mentioned above and sync them with the geotagged coordinates. This allows you to create 3D map overlays.
4. 3-D mission planning interface:
There’s a 3D mission planning interface in UGCS similar to Google Earth. You get a clear view of the difficult angles and terrain obstacles with this feature.
5. Precise terrain elevation data:
You can download the 3D globe including the specific terrain elevation data with UGCS. Taking the height changes into account is critical for a safe flight.
6. 3D buildings:
You can import 3D building models with UGCS. This makes it easier to calculate the distance of the drone from such buildings and pre-set the waypoints accordingly.
7. Custom fly or no-fly zones:
UGCS comes with all the earmarked no-fly zones (NFZs) such as airports and military bases. You can also set your own fly and no-fly zones with the software.
8. Photo and Video:
UGCS allows you to record and display the video and camera feed of the drone in real-time. The telemetry player in UGCS Pro allows you to replay the video.
Role of UGCS drone in biodiversity conservation
While a UGCS drone has desirable applications in agriculture and industry, environmental research is the field where it has had the most impact. Its role in biodiversity conservation has been phenomenal. It has sped up environmental research and its impact cannot be overstated. It is being employed in areas beyond the scope of regular human access to get accurate survey data on species and their ecology.
One such research with the UGCS drone has been carried out in Antarctica. Multiple drones were used to survey the largest colony of Adélie penguins in the world in just 3 hours! Thousands of high-resolution images were produced to develop a conservation plan for the penguins. What would have taken several days or weeks to get identifiable results was achieved in a matter of hours.
Key Takeaway
New frontiers are being conquered every day with the help of the UGCS drone. The drone flight planning software is changing the parameters of research expeditions. The software-controlled drone flight makes it possible to survey and map hostile terrains within hours. This has far-reaching implications in various fields, especially biodiversity conservation. We are living in exciting times indeed.