Nicole Oman Knit The NASA Langley ADAMA Team To Celebrate Their ‘100 Drone Drop’!

I spotted Nicole’s awesome project online and asked her if I could share it and she agreed, sending this note:

I knit the NASA Langley ADAMA (Autonomous Distributed Atmospheric Measurement Acquisition) Team after they had a successful “100 Drone Drop”. The team had 20 people and I matched the color of the shirts to the color of the CICADA the were working with. I made the popup tent they worked under out of felt and popsicle sticks.

We had 4 teams that each controlled a hive drone what held 25 smaller drones called CICADAs (Close-in Convert Autonomous Disposable Aircraft). The CICADAs were dropped from the hive and glide down to a set waypoint collecting meteorological data.

The goal is for meteorologists to use the system to get more accurate readings by dropping them into clouds or storm systems.

There are no doubts about it, drones have come a long way in recent years.

Currently, drone usage is protected under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations pertaining to recreational and hobby uses as long as the drone is under 55lbs.

However, many private individuals, companies, farmers, small businesses, and so on have started using drone models such as the DJI Drone to help them get work done faster, smarter, and at a lower risk of liabilities.

For instance, drones can carry sensing equipment to assist with geological surveying, agriculture, and archeology. Furthermore, several other industries can benefit greatly from the myriad of sensors that can be packed into a drone. Commercial aerial surveillance, for example, can be enhanced via the use of drones.

Drones are also being used by filmmakers to gather footage because of their ability to maneuver into locations that cable-suspended cameras cannot reach.

Ultimately, if you are interested in all things drone related, hobby groups and flying clubs exist all around the world. Joining a drone group is a great way to meet other people passionate about flying so that you can learn how to fly, learn new techniques, and discover how to service and maintain your aircraft.

Learn more about the project, “Drones swarm over Beaver Dam” via NASA. Thanks for sharing, Nicole!