Drone technology has changed rapidly over the past decade and France's Lehmann Aviation is looking to help professional drone users future-proof their UAVs with what the company claims is the world's first modular design in its latest line of drones.
In the past, Lehmann has offered higher-end UAVs designed with photography and mapping applications in mind, even for users with little flying experience. But the company's new L-A series ups the ante with a line of drones designed for an array of field assignments, ranging from mapping to mining, construction and precision agriculture.
The new line of drones includes the base model LA500 and models outfitted specifically for use in agriculture and mapping. The autopilot, wing and camera holder on each model can be swapped out to upgrade as technology improves in the years to come, while detachable winglets are also designed to make the craft easier to transport.
At the core of the series is an aluminum, carbon fiber and EPP foam construction loaded with plenty of tech designed to get down to business. The drones boast a range of 25 km (15.5 miles) with up to 45 minutes of flight time and a long range data modem to stay connected. The LA500-RTK model intended for high precision mapping supports cameras like the Sony α6000 with its large APS-C, 24.3-megapixel sensor, while the LA500-AG agricultural model boasts Parrot's multispectral Sequoia sensor for crop monitoring.
Other key specs of the hand-launched, autonomous-landing UAV include a 116 cm (45.7 in) wingspan with detachable winglets attached. The drones weigh up to 1.25 kg (2.75 lb) and are propelled by a single electric pusher propeller with brushless motor. The series boasts a cruising speed of 20 to 80 km/h (12.5 to 50 mph) but can't handle rain or snow.
The L-A line also runs off a new version of the company's OperationCenter flight planning and control software designed to run on Windows 10 touchscreen devices.
Launch prices start at US$3,490 in the US and €3,490 in Europe for the base model, $5,890/€5,890 for the RTK model designed with surveying and mining in mind and $7,990/€7,990 for the agricultural model that comes with the Sequoia camera – a camera is not included with the base and RTK models. All models come with a one-year warranty and the company says deliveries will start in the last quarter of this year.
Get a tour of the L-A series in the promotional video below.
Source: Lehmann Aviation