Texas-based printed circuit board fabricator Dragon Circuits has unveiled Dragon Drones, the company's latest research and development and manufacturing unit.
Dragon Circuits says engineers will use two 3D printers and scanners to conduct the rapid prototyping needed to test theories and designs at a competitive pace. The company intends to produce unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in a variety of sizes, including micro (fits in the palm of a hand), standard and macro (for large loads and equipment).
According to Dragon Circuits, the UAS will be designed for search and rescue, monitoring pipelines, hobbyists, film and photography, surveillance, monitoring agriculture, and wind turbine blade inspections.
The company reports that it will build UAS that fly close to an hour or more. In addition, Dragon Circuits says engineers will conduct research with virtual reality goggles to create an immersive, interactive flying experience during UAS use.
The project is led by Dragon Drones Chief Technology Officer Wes Brown, who has 30 years of experience in designing and building a variety of autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles.
