An company called Aussley Associates caused quite the buzz at the 2015 Citrus Expo in Florida last month. Business Management Developer Henry Kotula was showing attendees the company’s new drone prototype.
The drone’s fixed wing style and single propeller make it unique, along with its top speed of 80 miles per hour. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) will be able to carry twice the weight of other fixed wing drones and house up to five cameras. Kotula says the drone has multiple uses in the field and will bring data to growers that they haven’t seen before.
Kotula said the company plans to be able to launch the drone with a sling-shot mechanism from the back of a half-ton, pick-up truck, and it will land using a parachute device. The UAV is said to be hitting the market in the next three to six months, but Kotula said the company is unsure yet whether the UAV will be available for sale or for hire only.