Introduction
Drones are getting popular every year, with applications ranging from photography to delivery services. One of the latest editions to this technology is Drone soccer which is a form of sports entertainment. We will cover briefly about drone soccer in thig post.
What Exactly is a Drone?
The word “Drone” has been originated from male bees. Any unmanned aerial vehicle that can be flowed and controlled remotely are called drones. The common terms are:
Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)
Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS)
In the US, drones are typically called UAS, but the International Civil Aviation Organization uses RPAS.
Legally, drones fall under the category of “ultra-light aircraft” in many countries. In South Korea specifically, drones weighing 150kg or less (excluding fuel) are classified as unmanned aerial equipment.
Types of Civilian Drones
While military drones still dominate, civilian drone use is growing rapidly. Some major players in the civilian drone market include:
United States:
– 3D Robotics – Pioneered open-source drone platform
– Amazon – Developing Prime Air drone delivery service
– Google – Working on Project Wing delivery drones
France:
– Parrot – Second largest consumer drone company globally
– Airbus – Developing autonomous flying vehicle (Vahana project)
China:
– DJI – Dominant market leader, especially for camera drones
– EHang – Unveiled world’s first passenger drone
Japan:
– Yamaha – Developed agricultural spraying drones
South Korea:
They also has a growing drone industry, with companies like:
– CAMTIC – Industrial drones and drone soccer balls
– Byrobot – Educational and toy drones
– Robolink – Coding education drones
How Drones Fly
Drones achieve lift and directional control through their rotors/propellers. Key principles include:
– Hovering – Maintaining a stationary position in the air while flying.
– Ground effect – It increases lifting efficiency when close to the ground level.
– Torque – Rotational force must be archived.
Multicopter drones use its various rotors spinning around the opposite direction. As a result it cancel outs the torque and obtain a stable flight. By changing the rotation speed of individual rotors, it can tilt or move into any directions. This is quite different from helicopters which uses a tail rotor to move forward supporting the upper rotor.
Drone Soccer Explained
Drone soccer is an exciting form of sport. Here are few things that you need to know:
– Played with class 20/class 40 drone balls weighs less than a kilogram
– Played into 3v3 matches in a netted arena
– Goal is to make the drone balls enter through the opponent goal post.
– It combines Piloting Skills, Strategic Thinking, Team Work and of course equipment quality.
Drone soccer balls that are used or played are classified as ultra-light unmanned aerial vehicles under Korean Law. Since it is mostly played in indoor arenas, inside netted buffer, Drone soccer is not subjected to most of the flight regulations.
Key Drone Regulations to Be Aware Of
Indoor Drone soccer has minimal restriction. But if you want to play in outdoor or arrange tournaments, you need to go through local laws and regulations. Below are the common laws as per USA and Korea. It may vary for other countries or localities.
Flight Approval:
– it is not required for drones under 25kg.
– Required for no-fly zones, restricted areas, and controlled airspace areas.
– Indoor flight does not require approval
Pilot Requirements:
– He must obtain Pilot license if playing professionally or major international tournaments.
– Cannot fly under influence of substances like alcohol or drugs.
– Pilot must maintain a continuous line of slight with the flying drones.
Restricted Areas:
– No-fly zones around key government/military sites
– Restricted areas near airports, nuclear facilities, etc.
– Approval required from relevant authorities to fly in these areas
Radio Regulations:
– Drones must use approved radio frequencies
– 2.4GHz band recommended for control
– 5.8GHz band recommended for video transmission
– Requires radio certification in many countries
Conclusion
For those interested getting involved with drone soccer. They must check with the headquarter of Drone soccer that is FIDA Korea website. Right now, 17+ countries are officially authorized partners with FIDA. And it is expanding very fast.
