With a Modular Design and Unmatched Battery Life, the Highdra Provides Value-Efficient Flexibility for Surveying, Filming, and Mapping Tasks
by DRONELIFE Employees Author Ian J. McNabb
German drone developer Starcopter lately unveiled the Highdra, a 6-rotor commercial-focused UAV bought by way of an modern flight-hours pricing mannequin that makes it one of the crucial cost-effective, highly effective options accessible in the marketplace. DroneLife acquired 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 rivals.
With a singular, automotive-inspired 6-battery array system and structure, Starcopter advertises its unmatched cost lifetime, maintaining the Highdra airloft even after many rivals would flip their batteries into e-waste. Add in totally 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 informed the Highdra is able to a variety of surveying, filming, and mapping functions.
Based on their web site, “We don’t solely develop the most recent drone expertise, but additionally supply a collection of state-of-the-art sensors because the payload. Whether or not the most recent lidar from CHCNAV or a 150MP digital camera from PhaseOne or an infrared digital camera from Workswell – your utility defines the sensor.”
As an alternative 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 an organization, 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 resolution for corporations that don’t all the time want a drone, however might use one for sure tasks.
Based on the workers DroneLife talked to in Stuttgart, they put their minimal pricing all the way down to round €100 per flight hour (round $110), placing a strong UAV into the palms of consumers at an unmatched worth level. Extra particular mission pricing is offered 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, knowledgeable drone companies market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone business and the regulatory atmosphere for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles centered on the business drone area and is a global 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 spanking new applied sciences.
For drone business consulting or writing, Electronic mail Miriam.
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