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I have a DJI phantom
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I have the first generation version
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That's the one you can mount to GoPro 2
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and you can take HD videos
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it's got about 15 minutes of flight time
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fly around and have a good time with it
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These days drones seem to be every where
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They might seem fun at first
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But when you hear stories about drones
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crashing into the side of buildings
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You might be wondering,
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are they safe?
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I mean I think it really depends on the operator
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and... someone's experience
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As an avid UAV builder
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Kon customized his quadcopter
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and link it to a computer on wheels
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When you come around the side of the building
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you know this from walking on the street
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The wind direction can change very suddenly
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and it can be a big gust
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and the altitude is even more so
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I think there is a good balance
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that can be struck between
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safe use and being able to
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keep the hobby alive
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Most drones do have CT features build-in
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If an RC or GPS signal is lost
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causing the drone to go MIA
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or if the battery gets low
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the field safe mode kicks in and sends
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the drone home autonomously
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Buried inside
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electrical speak controllers link the motor
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to the power source
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this ensures that the model doesn't burn out
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and
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to improve the drone's durability
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DIY drone enthusiasts are
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even experimenting with 3D printed hybrid materials
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It's filament made of
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a mixture of PLA and
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carbon fibers
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so it is very stiff
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it's easy to work with
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With all of these design improvements
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may be Amazon delivery drones
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could be a real possibility
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In a densely populated area
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it's not all that feasible although
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...from a logistic stand point
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if you had a fulfillment center
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you know...
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two blocks away
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and you had a radius says
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you're going to deliver within
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it's actually very feasible
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This means that in the near future
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there might be more drones lurking in the mist
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For Scientific American
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I'm Theresa Chong