To address customer needs for a drone with more payload options, RDO Integrated Controls partnered with Vision Aerial in Bozeman to develop a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) primarily for construction and earthmoving companies. Effective immediately, the new RDR series drones are available on www.rdomarketplace.com and RDO Integrated Controls will support the drones through its Solutions Center and Fleet Shield Services program.
Initially developed with a mapping component, the RDR series UAVs are customizable for companies needing various configurations, including LiDAR, hyperspectral, multispectral, and thermal. Two models are offered: the RDROne drone is a tri-copter design, while the RDRTwo drone, designed for heavier payloads, is a hexacopter.
The drones are ideally suited for companies in the construction and aggregates industries, with custom options available for applications in agriculture, inspection, law enforcement and security, mining, oil and gas inspection, professional photography and cinematography, as well as survey.
Designed and built in the United States, a key feature of the Vision Aerial UAVs is non-Chinese component options. According to Adam Gilbertson, Vice President of RDO Integrated Controls and RDO Equipment Co.’s Midwest Construction – West region, “UAV use is widely accepted on jobsites, however, because of growing concerns regarding data management security, an increasing number of government jobs, military sites, and security projects do not allow use of drones that are manufactured in China or with Chinese components.” The new UAVs give companies assurance they are in full compliance with these rules and regulations on every jobsite.
The Vision Aerial drones provide fast and accurate volume and grade measurement, to a 10th-foot accuracy or better when used with ground control or the additional RTK systems now available. The drones are built to fly in winds up to 35 miles per hour and offer up to 35 minutes of continuous operation in a single flight.
The RDROne and RDRTwo are easy to use, even for first-timers, from set up and flight planning to easy automatic or manual flight. The drones are compatible with any photogrammetry data management software including RDO’s new online product, RDOai, a cloud-based 3D data management system and analytics platform.
Regardless of software choice, both the RDROne and RDRTwo are supported by the RDO Integrated Controls Solutions Center, based in Billings, and customers may choose various levels of support through the company’s Fleet Shield Services program.
About RDO Integrated Controls and RDO Equipment Co.
RDO Integrated Controls is the technology division of RDO Equipment Co. Founded in 1968, RDO Equipment Co. sells and supports agriculture, construction, environmental, irrigation, positioning, and surveying equipment from leading manufacturers including John Deere, Vermeer, and Topcon. With more than 75 locations across the United States, and partnerships in Africa, Australia, Mexico, Russia, and Ukraine, RDO Equipment Co. is a total solutions provider. Learn more at www.rdoequipment.com.