3DR and Yuneec establish 3DR Government Services based on Dronecode platform

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Two founding members of the Dronecode software consortium, 3D Robotics (3DR) and Yuneec, have established a US-based joint venture known as 3DR Government Services to bring new products based on the Dronecode platform to market.

With a focus on serving the security and open platform needs of US government customers and their vendors in construction, engineering, and public safety, 3DR Government Services will combine Yuneec’s UAS expertise and manufacturing scale with the capabilities offered by 3DR’s software.

“This joint venture cements a strong relationship that goes back to the start of Dronecode and the shared belief that an open software platform would help the drone industry grow and mature faster, just as it has in so many other industries,” says 3DR CEO Chris Anderson.

“For US government customers who are increasingly looking for US-based trusted solutions, this combination of global leaders in hardware and software provides the best of both worlds.”

The first resulting product from the joint venture is the Yuneec 3DR H520-G, which consists of a custom version of the Dronecode-based Yuneec H520 small UAS equipped with the complete Site Scan platform.

Expected to be available in October, the Yuneec 3DR H520-G also includes a simplified and smaller controller designed for Apple’s iOS devices. Additionally, it works with both Autodesk and Esri platforms, which are top software ecosystems in the construction and geospatial industries respectively.

“Since our launch of the H520 last year, Yuneec has committed to provide public agencies and commercial enterprises with a sUAS that improves their workflow effectiveness,” says Michael Jiang, CEO of Yuneec International.

“This strategic partnership with 3DR is yet another powerful example of that ongoing commitment.”

3DR and Yuneec decided to form their joint venture in an effort to support the increased demand for vendor choice by government agencies and contractors at the federal, state and local level. The companies note that there has also been an increased need for open platforms that can be security certified and more easily approved for operations beyond the constraints of today’s FAA’s Part 107 waivers.

Additionally, use of the Dronecode PX4 software is becoming a public sector standard, as the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx) has specified the use of Dronecode PX4, partly because of its “open source core and commercial-friendly BSD license,” which allows for easy integration and validation by different vendors.