AUSTIN, TEXAS—Amongst the music and films that make up the annual South by Southwest festival, New York-based startup Aerobo will launch its new Micro Unmanned Aerial System that it says it specifically designed for the broadcast TV industry. The drone will be unveiled Monday, March 14, at the Google Fiber Pavilion with FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and UAS Integration Senior Advisor Marke “Hoot” Gibson.
The UAS is called the Mini, and is made with frangible 3D printed plastic and carbon fiber. It was built to comply with the FAA’s new regulations in the Micro UAS category, including weighing under 4.4 pounds and featuring two auto-launching parachutes in the event of a loss of propulsion. In addition, Aerobo partnered with IMT on a customized COFDM HD transmitter, which provides a radio frequency back to the ground for an uninterrupted live TV picture.
The launch of the new UAS coincides with the FAA House reauthorization bill that calls for inclusion of Micro UAS. According to Aerobo, drones that conform to the rules laid out in the Micro UAS category are “inherently harmless.”
Aerobo Founder and CEO Brian Streem believes that the new Mini will be able to provide new “images of live breaking news and sports” for TV broadcasts.
Founded in 2013, Aerobo is a technology-enabled drone service company.
