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World's First Auto-Follow Sports Drone set for Take-Off With Stratasys 3D Printing
MINNEAPOLIS and REHOVOT, Israel, June 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
Entirely 3D printed auto-follow device for GoPro cameras begins US tour
Stratasys Ltd. [http://www.stratasys.com ] (Nasdaq:SSYS), a leading global provider of
3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions, has announced that UAV start-up company,
Helico, has successfully introduced AirDog, the world's first automated drone designed to
track and video outdoor sports and activities, using Stratasys 3D printing technology.
(Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-a )
(Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-b )
(Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-c )
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcEnThx2440
Watch this video to see how, AirDog, the world's first auto-follow action sports
drone, produced with Stratasys 3D printing technology, grants end-users their own
affordable and personal aerial video crew
Aimed primarily at the consumer market, AirDog is an innovative, yet simple-to-use,
'quad-copter' that operates via a wrist-worn tracking device and accommodates a standard
GoPro sports camera. Users can automatically capture exciting live aerial video footage
and still photography of themselves, having set distance, speed and height levels for
AirDog to follow. Helico is specifically targeting the outdoor 'extreme' sports market and
expects AirDog to be of particular interest to recreational participants of freestyle BMX,
motocross and skateboarding, as well as water-sports such as surfing, kite-surfing and
wake-boarding.
"AirDog not only grants end-users their own affordable and personal aerial video crew,
but goes one step further in providing thrilling footage from distances and angles
previously inaccessible to such consumers," explains Edgars Rozentals, Co-founder and CEO
of the Latvia-based, Helico Aerospace Industries.
The Power of 3D printing
Prior to investigating the use of 3D printed parts, Rozentals was trying
silicon-molded designs through a supplier in China. However, not only did this entail a
two-week turnaround time, but the resulting models proved to be too heavy for take-off and
were ultimately scrapped.
"The benefits delivered by 3D printing compared to the method we trialled originally
are numerous", says Rozentals. "Above all, turnaround time is significantly reduced and if
we need to make last minute changes to a design, we can do so within a matter of hours,
easily and cost-effectively. This was simply unachievable before as it necessitated
time-consuming production of a costly new mold.
"In fact, I'm not sure how we would have arrived at the stage of having a functional
part, were it not for Stratasys 3D printing technology. I founded the company two years
ago and we're a staff of three, so for start-ups like Helico, this technology isn't just a
game-changer, but the ticket to the game itself," he explains.
Getting AirDog Off the Ground with 3D Printing
According to Rozentals, AirDog might literally have not got off the ground, had it not
been for the instrumental role 3D printing played during the prototyping phase. The
company sought the expertise of Stratasys' Latvian partner, Baltic3D, who also worked with
Polish reseller Bibus Menos to meet the requirements outlined by Helico's team. In order
to produce fully-functional parts that could perform in the real environment, both
Stratasys' FDM and PolyJet 3D printing technologies were employed for AirDog and its
AirLeash tracking device, respectively.
The final AirDog drone was fully 3D printed using Stratasys' FDM-based ULTEM material,
chosen thanks to its ability to provide parts of extreme strength and durability, with the
lightweight characteristics vital for take-off and in-flight manoeuvrability. "We were
particularly impressed by how far we could push the boundaries of the ULTEM material,"
adds Rozentals. "The material's functional stability enabled us to print very thin walls
that further reduced AirDog's overall weight."
Conversely, the accompanying AirLeash was developed using Stratasys' PolyJet
multi-material 3D printing technology. 3D printed in a single pass, the wrist-worn device
combines rigid and rubber-like materials to produce everything from the robust housing
case to the soft buttons on the keypad.
"Airdog is a perfect example of how 3D printing is an enabler for inventors looking to
turn their ideas into fully-operational parts quickly and effectively," says Andy
Middleton, Senior Vice President and General Manager EMEA at Stratasys. "In this case,
both our core 3D printing technologies have proved instrumental in producing a
fully-functional drone and wrist device. With the exception of the advanced sensor
technology, both parts have been created entirely using 3D printing."
A Stratasys 3D printed version of AirDog will preview this month, as Helico executives
begin a month-long promotional roadshow in the US to generate interest among end-users
within the extreme sports scene. If successful, and pending contractual agreements with
relevant manufacturers, Helico expects to commercially introduce AirDog to the market at
the end of October, 2014.
Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq:SSYS), headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Rehovot,
Israel, is a leading global provider of 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions.
The company's patented FDM(R), PolyJet(TM), and WDM(TM) 3D Printing technologies produce
prototypes and manufactured goods directly from 3D CAD files or other 3D content. Systems
include 3D printers for idea development, prototyping and direct digital manufacturing.
Stratasys subsidiaries include MakerBot and Solidscape, and the company operates the
RedEye digital-manufacturing service. Stratasys has more than 1900 employees, holds over
550 granted or pending additive manufacturing patents globally, and has received more than
25 awards for its technology and leadership. Online at: http://www.stratasys.com or
http://blog.stratasys.com
Stratasys and Objet are registered trademarks, and Objet500, Connex, Connex3, PolyJet,
Digital Materials, VeroCyan, VeroMagenta, VeroYellow, TangoBlack, and TangoBlackPlus are
trademarks of Stratasys Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries or affiliates.
Attention Editors, if you publish reader-contact information, please use:
- USA +1-877-489-9449
- Europe/Middle East/Africa +49-7229-7772-0
- Asia Pacific +852-39448888
USA
Aaron Masterson
Weber Shandwick
Tel. +1-952-346-6258
AMasterson@webershandwick.com
Europe
Jonathan Wake / Miguel Afonso
UK Bespoke
Tel: +44-1737-215200
stratasys@bespoke.co.uk
Stratasys
Arita Mattsoff / Joe Hiemenz
Stratasys
Tel. +972-(0)74-745-4000 (IL)
Tel. +1-952-906-2726 (US)
arita@stratasys.com
joe.hiemenz@stratasys.com
Asia Pacific
Stratasys AP
Janice Lai / Frances Chiu
Tel. +852-3944-8818
Janice.lai@stratasys.com
Frances.Chiu@stratasys.com
Japan
Stratasys Japan
Aya Yoshizawa
Tel. +81-90-6473-1812
Aya.yoshizawa@stratasys.com
Korea
Stratasys Korea
Jihyun Lee
Tel. +82-2-2046-2287
jihyun.lee@Stratasys.com
Brazil
Tatiana Fonseca
GAD Communications
Tel: +55-11-3846-9981
tatiana@gadcom.com.br
Mexico
Stratasys Mexico
Thibault Leroy
Tel. +52-1(55)4866-0800
thibault.leroy@stratasys.com
South Africa
Alison McDonald
PR Connections
Tel. +27-(0)11-468-1192
alison@pr.co.za
Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-a
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-b
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-c
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-a
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-b
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-c
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Stratasys Ltd.
World's First Auto-Follow Sports Drone set for Take-Off With Stratasys 3D Printing
MINNEAPOLIS and REHOVOT, Israel, June 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
Entirely 3D printed auto-follow device for GoPro cameras begins US tour
Stratasys Ltd. [http://www.stratasys.com ] (Nasdaq:SSYS), a leading global provider of
3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions, has announced that UAV start-up company,
Helico, has successfully introduced AirDog, the world's first automated drone designed to
track and video outdoor sports and activities, using Stratasys 3D printing technology.
(Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-a )
(Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-b )
(Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-c )
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcEnThx2440
Watch this video to see how, AirDog, the world's first auto-follow action sports
drone, produced with Stratasys 3D printing technology, grants end-users their own
affordable and personal aerial video crew
Aimed primarily at the consumer market, AirDog is an innovative, yet simple-to-use,
'quad-copter' that operates via a wrist-worn tracking device and accommodates a standard
GoPro sports camera. Users can automatically capture exciting live aerial video footage
and still photography of themselves, having set distance, speed and height levels for
AirDog to follow. Helico is specifically targeting the outdoor 'extreme' sports market and
expects AirDog to be of particular interest to recreational participants of freestyle BMX,
motocross and skateboarding, as well as water-sports such as surfing, kite-surfing and
wake-boarding.
"AirDog not only grants end-users their own affordable and personal aerial video crew,
but goes one step further in providing thrilling footage from distances and angles
previously inaccessible to such consumers," explains Edgars Rozentals, Co-founder and CEO
of the Latvia-based, Helico Aerospace Industries.
The Power of 3D printing
Prior to investigating the use of 3D printed parts, Rozentals was trying
silicon-molded designs through a supplier in China. However, not only did this entail a
two-week turnaround time, but the resulting models proved to be too heavy for take-off and
were ultimately scrapped.
"The benefits delivered by 3D printing compared to the method we trialled originally
are numerous", says Rozentals. "Above all, turnaround time is significantly reduced and if
we need to make last minute changes to a design, we can do so within a matter of hours,
easily and cost-effectively. This was simply unachievable before as it necessitated
time-consuming production of a costly new mold.
"In fact, I'm not sure how we would have arrived at the stage of having a functional
part, were it not for Stratasys 3D printing technology. I founded the company two years
ago and we're a staff of three, so for start-ups like Helico, this technology isn't just a
game-changer, but the ticket to the game itself," he explains.
Getting AirDog Off the Ground with 3D Printing
According to Rozentals, AirDog might literally have not got off the ground, had it not
been for the instrumental role 3D printing played during the prototyping phase. The
company sought the expertise of Stratasys' Latvian partner, Baltic3D, who also worked with
Polish reseller Bibus Menos to meet the requirements outlined by Helico's team. In order
to produce fully-functional parts that could perform in the real environment, both
Stratasys' FDM and PolyJet 3D printing technologies were employed for AirDog and its
AirLeash tracking device, respectively.
The final AirDog drone was fully 3D printed using Stratasys' FDM-based ULTEM material,
chosen thanks to its ability to provide parts of extreme strength and durability, with the
lightweight characteristics vital for take-off and in-flight manoeuvrability. "We were
particularly impressed by how far we could push the boundaries of the ULTEM material,"
adds Rozentals. "The material's functional stability enabled us to print very thin walls
that further reduced AirDog's overall weight."
Conversely, the accompanying AirLeash was developed using Stratasys' PolyJet
multi-material 3D printing technology. 3D printed in a single pass, the wrist-worn device
combines rigid and rubber-like materials to produce everything from the robust housing
case to the soft buttons on the keypad.
"Airdog is a perfect example of how 3D printing is an enabler for inventors looking to
turn their ideas into fully-operational parts quickly and effectively," says Andy
Middleton, Senior Vice President and General Manager EMEA at Stratasys. "In this case,
both our core 3D printing technologies have proved instrumental in producing a
fully-functional drone and wrist device. With the exception of the advanced sensor
technology, both parts have been created entirely using 3D printing."
A Stratasys 3D printed version of AirDog will preview this month, as Helico executives
begin a month-long promotional roadshow in the US to generate interest among end-users
within the extreme sports scene. If successful, and pending contractual agreements with
relevant manufacturers, Helico expects to commercially introduce AirDog to the market at
the end of October, 2014.
Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq:SSYS), headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Rehovot,
Israel, is a leading global provider of 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions.
The company's patented FDM(R), PolyJet(TM), and WDM(TM) 3D Printing technologies produce
prototypes and manufactured goods directly from 3D CAD files or other 3D content. Systems
include 3D printers for idea development, prototyping and direct digital manufacturing.
Stratasys subsidiaries include MakerBot and Solidscape, and the company operates the
RedEye digital-manufacturing service. Stratasys has more than 1900 employees, holds over
550 granted or pending additive manufacturing patents globally, and has received more than
25 awards for its technology and leadership. Online at: http://www.stratasys.com or
http://blog.stratasys.com
Stratasys and Objet are registered trademarks, and Objet500, Connex, Connex3, PolyJet,
Digital Materials, VeroCyan, VeroMagenta, VeroYellow, TangoBlack, and TangoBlackPlus are
trademarks of Stratasys Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries or affiliates.
Attention Editors, if you publish reader-contact information, please use:
- USA +1-877-489-9449
- Europe/Middle East/Africa +49-7229-7772-0
- Asia Pacific +852-39448888
USA
Aaron Masterson
Weber Shandwick
Tel. +1-952-346-6258
AMasterson@webershandwick.com
Europe
Jonathan Wake / Miguel Afonso
UK Bespoke
Tel: +44-1737-215200
stratasys@bespoke.co.uk
Stratasys
Arita Mattsoff / Joe Hiemenz
Stratasys
Tel. +972-(0)74-745-4000 (IL)
Tel. +1-952-906-2726 (US)
arita@stratasys.com
joe.hiemenz@stratasys.com
Asia Pacific
Stratasys AP
Janice Lai / Frances Chiu
Tel. +852-3944-8818
Janice.lai@stratasys.com
Frances.Chiu@stratasys.com
Japan
Stratasys Japan
Aya Yoshizawa
Tel. +81-90-6473-1812
Aya.yoshizawa@stratasys.com
Korea
Stratasys Korea
Jihyun Lee
Tel. +82-2-2046-2287
jihyun.lee@Stratasys.com
Brazil
Tatiana Fonseca
GAD Communications
Tel: +55-11-3846-9981
tatiana@gadcom.com.br
Mexico
Stratasys Mexico
Thibault Leroy
Tel. +52-1(55)4866-0800
thibault.leroy@stratasys.com
South Africa
Alison McDonald
PR Connections
Tel. +27-(0)11-468-1192
alison@pr.co.za
Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-a
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-b
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-c
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-a
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-b
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/693880-c
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Stratasys Ltd.