The Immersive Flight Control System
The AKdrones Immersive Flight Control System is a wearable drone control station.
It was specifically designed to support a drone aerial photography business and functions as one of two components of the AKdrones UAV Ground Control Station.
The iFCS includes the motherboard, a neck strap, a battery belt and pouch, a FAA Licensed Commercial Drone pilot safety vest, and a collapsible stool.
The iFCS motherboard is populated with an Apple iPad 10.2, a display adapter, a sunblock tunnel canopy for the iPad, a Stylus, a DJI Mini 2 remote controller, and a Digital Voice Recorder. The iFCS takes two minutes to assemble and is ready to fly; the iFCS weighs only 4.0 pounds.
The iFCS accommodates small, medium, and large format remote controllers and features an interchangeable display adapter that supports an iPhone, iPad Mini, or iPad 10.2.
The iFCS is a 3-point harness flight control system, designed for use while sitting, featuring a neck strap and two ”D” rings connected to the iFCS motherboard and battery belt. Standing or walking, the iFCS upgrades to a 5-point harness flight control system with a bungee cord wrapped around the pilot's back and attached to each end of the iFCS motherboard handrest.
I sit on a collapsible stool, wearing the iFCS. I also use a 1080P wearable body camera while flying. For cold-weather flight operations, two additional components are added.
1 - Heated System Glove (HSG)
A customized hard-shell, fleece-lined, heated system glove with a built-in 12-volt space heater. This heated system glove keeps my hands warm while flying the drone, with the added benefit of keeping the drone's remote controller warm.
2 - Heated Battery Pouch (HBP)
The HBP is attached to the battery belt. The HBP contains two 11.1-volt Li-Po batteries, which power the HSG space heater and the customized RockBros USB heated glove. The HBP keeps the Drone batteries warm during transport.
All iFCS components are packed and transported in a padded, shock-resistant backpack that weighs only 13 pounds.
The iFCS is truly immersive.
The iFCS is a Drone Flight Control System you wear.
Flying drones with the iFCS feels like I'm strapped into a chair, sitting in a dark room, and flying the drone in FPV mode.
AKdrones Have Drones. Will Travel. ™
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AKdrones cold-weather flight operations:
Flying in cold weather makes it very difficult to manipulate the drone's remote control joysticks. Cold weather also reduces the useful battery life of the drone and the Flight Control Equipment.
I received a [Charge or warm up battery] warning message on my iPad while flying in 30-degree weather. I had to replace the battery with another one from my inventory of three batteries.
When the outside temperature is below 30 degrees, depending on road conditions, I may decline all cold-weather flight operations.
The primary modes of transportation for AKdrones are Bus, e-bike, and on foot.
AKdrones Cold-Weather Flight Equipment
Thermal-insulated, heated drone battery pouch (HBP).
A customized ROCKBRS USB Heated Glove, paired with a 4000 mAh power bank, keeps three DJI Mini 2 batteries warm during transport.
A customized hard-shell, fleece-lined Heated System Glove with a built-in 12V 150 W space heater. Powered by an 11.1-Volt Li-Po battery. This Heated System Glove keeps my hands warm while flying the drone, with the added benefit of keeping the drone's remote controller warm.
Jet Pilot-style flight gloves and wool fingerless Gloves.
Shoes with Traction Ice Cleats.
Insulated Polaris Winter Jacket.
Insulated Trapper Hat with Ear Flaps.
Insulated Winter Gloves with Wool inserts.
Thermal Underwear.