On the lookout for an NDAA-compliant good controller? ACSL, which has been proving itself as an more and more distinguished different to DJI, simply gave us another reason to show our heads to its course. The corporate right this moment launched a brand new product known as TENSO. TENSO is an NDAA-compliant drone controller, providing a product that has been extremely sought-after.
Actually, right here at Drone Lady, we’ve had oodles of readers asking for suggestions of the finest drone controller not made in China. Up till now, the choices had been few and much between. However with TENSO, which comes from Japanese drone maker ACSL, we lastly have one.
Right here’s your information to TENSO, in addition to a little bit of different colour round what ACSL has been as much as as of late:
TENSO: good controller with NDAA compliance
TENSO: key specs
The TENSO good controller is designed for operations with the SOTEN drone, which ACSL launched in January 2023. When SOTEN first debuted, it got here with the usual controller, which had extra simplified specs. TENSO turns the usual controller up a notch — or many.
Listed below are some key TENSO specs:
- AES256 encryption communication protocol between SOTEN drone and controller (identical as the usual controller)
- Advisable working temperature vary from 14°F to 104°F
- IP43-rating (mud and splash resistant)
- 2.3 lb weight
- 3 hours of battery life
- 5″ show
- 1080p decision
- As much as 1000 nits of brightness (together with direct daylight)
- 2.5 mile most operation vary
- 2.4 GHz working frequency
- Wi-Fi and LTE suitable
In brief, you’re a transportable and highly effective drone. However in addition to its sturdiness, the important thing energy of this drone controller is that communication protocol. As the identical protocol utilized by the U.S. authorities for categorised info, TENSO is finest utilized in delicate drone operations.
You’re not restricted to only one controller both. Actually, the SOTEN drone permits any mixture of as much as three normal and good controllers to hyperlink to it concurrently in flight.
That mentioned, it’s not low cost — and you may’t purchase one but even if you happen to needed to. It’ll be out there for buy come September. Current SOTEN drone pilots should purchase it as a standalone piece for $2,800. Or, if you happen to’re new to the SOTEN system, ACSL will even promote operation-ready bundles with the choice to choose one with this controller.
And no, you possibly can’t simply purchase this drone controller from Amazon or another electronics retailer. ACSL works with approved sellers. Discover an ACSL approved vendor close to you, right here.
How TENSO matches into the broader ACSL ecosystem
Japanese drone firm ACSL began making waves throughout the U.S. in early 2023, when information broke that it might launch a U.S. subsidiary in California’s Silicon Valley. For what it’s price, ACSL itself is hardly new. Based in 2013, ACSL is Japan’s largest drone maker. That’s, except you rely different Japanese corporations like Sony. Primarily identified for handheld cameras , Sony did semi-recently get into drones itself).
By launching within the U.S., ACSL may deal with promoting NDAA-compliant drones — a characteristic more and more important for a lot of pilots flying drones within the U.S.
Being NDAA-compliant means adhering to particular provisions of the Nationwide Protection Authorization Act, notably these associated to using expertise and gear. If a product is NDAA-compliant, it means they’re licensed to not include elements manufactured by blacklisted entities. With that comes a promise that they meet sure cybersecurity requirements and might defend delicate authorities knowledge. NDAA compliance is appear amongst prospects as important for safeguarding delicate authorities info and defending important infrastructure from potential vulnerabilities.
ACSL’s SOTEN drone
ACSL’s first product to launch within the U.S., the SOTEN drone, was hardly low cost. Clocking in at many 1000’s of {dollars}, it’s for individuals who worth safety over something. In any case, its strict safety requirements embody the choice to encrypt collected picture and video knowledge earlier than it’s recorded to the on-board reminiscence card. As well as, communication between the drone and the controller is encrypted.
It launched with its personal proprietary controller, although the controller’s options have been way more fundamental than the TENSO that we’re studying about right this moment. Right here’s a take a look at the usual SOTEN drone controller (and never that clunky separate display):
With no built-in display, customers should connected their very own separate gadget. And sure, that might imply one other Chinese language made digital, resembling an iPhone. Each, that controller and drone are additionally NDAA-compliant.
How has ACSL weathered its entrance into the U.S. market
SOTEN introduced its U.S. launch over a 12 months in the past. The drone items themselves arrived within the U.S. towards the start of this 12 months.
Ths far, ACSL has landed shoppers together with utility suppliers Ameren and New York Energy Authority. It has additionally landed some drones as a service corporations resembling Firmatek.
ACSL has entered the U.S. at a important time. Particularly these days, an uptick in American laws has sought to ban or restrict drones made in China — notably DJI drones. That features the Countering CCP Drones Act, which already handed within the Home. Although, it nonetheless must cross the Senate. Different, extra average proposals would severely restrict DJI drones. That features the Drones First Responders Act, which might create a 30% tariff on drones made in China.
Although meant to spice up American drone corporations, such laws additionally paves the best way for corporations like ACSL to thrive.
Different ACSL upgrades forward
Alongside the TENSO launch, ACSL introduced a couple of different smaller upgrades to its SOTEN drone, addressing complaints from early-adopters. These embody:
- Lowering real-time video latency by 25%
- Including customized gimbal management (gimbal pace now adjusts based mostly on zoom stage)
- Providing direct publicity management (pilots can now shortly alter picture publicity to disclose object particulars)
- Upgraded compatibility by supporting extra Android units
And now, SOTEN drone’s firmware is totally compliant with U.S. distant ID laws, as accepted by the FAA.
Thaht’s not all. ACSL CTO Dr. Chris Raabe additionally mentioned the corporate has some enhancements deliberate in its pipeline, which embody:
- Increasing line up of swappable payloads
- Extra countermeasures towards digital camera vibration
- A dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz) radio hyperlink for improved robustness in noisy
- environments.
- Automated continuation of mapping missions following a battery swap.
- Functionality to observe and management the plane through LTE mobile community.
- RTK module add-on for centimeter-level positional accuracy
- Additional real-time video latency discount