Updated drone flies longer, covers more area

The Kespry Drone 2.0 has a lighter-weight and customized Sony industrial camera that captures more geospatial data, the company says. Photo courtesy of Kespry.

Kespry, which designs automated drone systems for commercial use, unveiled the new Kespry Drone 2.0.

According to the company, the Kespry Drone 2.0 is a lighter-weight drone that flies twice as long, covers twice the ground area, and has twice the wind resilience, due to the new airframe, battery and flight system improvements.

The Kespry Drone 2.0 flies over 30 minutes per flight, covering up to 150 acres at a 400-ft. altitude, the company adds. The drone weighs under 4.4 pounds, and it can operate effectively in up to 25-mph sustained winds and 35-mph wind gusts.

“With the lighter and faster Kespry Drone 2.0, Lehigh Hanson sites will be able to map larger areas faster,” says Mike Moy, operations specialist at Lehigh Hanson. “The expanded ground coverage and obstacle avoidance will allow the plants to more effectively manage their inventories, safely assess mine pits and help control costs.”

Kespry delivers a fully automated drone system, which takes off, flies the designated flight path and lands, all without operator intervention or a joystick. In addition, Kespry says the new drone is the first automated drone system to include an on-board LiDAR sensor that automatically detects and avoids obstacles like trees, cranes and buildings.

Also, the Kespry Drone 2.0 has a lighter-weight and customized Sony industrial camera that captures more geospatial data for detailed 3-D models that assist companies in areas like mine planning, operations, inspection and safety.

“We’ve seen increased demand from technology partners like Kespry in the drone and robotics markets,” says John Monti, director of visual imaging solutions at Sony Electronics. “The new lightweight Sony UMC-R10C is designed specifically for industrial applications leveraging low weight while maintaining high-quality image capture.”