Analog Drone Lands On 14th Street, And They’re Ready For Liftoff
On a cloudless, and brutally hot day, the team at Analog Drone assembled on the rooftop of their new drone/accessories showroom and test flight area located at 250 14th Street (near 5th Avenue). The tar beach has been transformed into a “drone-pad” of sorts.
Employee Ariel Shammah was at the controls, and the drone soon lifted off. The white, propellered machine temporarily flew out of my sight, but Shammah could tell me exactly where it was at any given moment. “Think of that machine up there as a little computer,” said owner Joe Dweck, who was giving us a detailed explanation of all the elements involved in the test flight.
The owner provided a breakdown of the “return to home” function which is an option to allow a pilot to fly the drone right back to the place it landed. In addition, Dweck speaks about geofencing — a feature which uses a global positioning system (GPS) or radio frequency identification (RFID) in order to create geographical boundaries for the drone.
A sample flight near 5th Avenue. (Filmed and edited by Donny Levit / Park Slope Stoop)
Dweck showed us his smart phone, which sports a series of apps to let you pinpoint the drone’s area at any moment. The B4UFLY app, for example, links to FAA information, including airspace restrictions.
We also received a crash course in AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) licensing, drone registration — a bevy of steps which need to be taken in order to fly.
It’s a lot of information — because you’re essentially piloting a miniature aircraft.
Analog Drone, which opened in Spring 2016, serves many purposes. Dweck welcomes newbies and experts alike — and wants the new business to serve as more than just a showroom. “We’re not just selling a product in a box. We want to try and teach,” he says.
Drones have become surprisingly available in retail outlets. While stores such as B&H Photo sell a variety of drones, Dweck believes that his business will provide more detail, customization, and education for those interested in flying. “We’ve come a long way from those balsa wood airplanes,” he says. “These are computers as well as an opportunity to enhance the discipline of film and photography.”
And photographers have been making their way into the new place — armed with a lot of questions. “We even had a food photographer come in to ask about how these cameras can help them out,” says Dweck.
The team clearly knows their way around these machines. In addition to the high tech devices, the parts and accessories section is significant. “It bugs me that hobby shops have disappeared. This is a maker movement — a DIY movement,” says Dweck. Analog also has an indoor test flight area.
The owner is quick to point out the practical ways in which drones function. “A 7-11 in Nevada just made its first drone delivery,” says Dweck. “Drone deliveries are starting to happen in China, where they can transport medicines to more rural areas.”
What are the next steps for Analog Drone? Dweck says that he hopes to offer classes for kids — perhaps even coordinating with local schools. He wants to help them build drones from scratch.
Interest in the world of drone flight competition is also growing. Beginning tomorrow, ESPN will be broadcasting the 2016 U.S. National Drone Racing Championships which will be taking place on Governors Island between August 5-7. Dweck tells us this is the first time the sport has had such major t.v. coverage.
And as a way to celebrate the local competition, Analog Drone is giving away a “Drone A Week” – you can visit here for the details.
Analog is the second drone business to open up in the area. Brooklyn Drone started flying the 4th Avenue skies at the beginning of March.
But with drones also comes controversy.
Well-publicized incidents have caused concern over safety and privacy. Last Fall, a drone crashed into the stands during the U.S. Open in Queens. Daniel Verley was flying a drone in the area when he lost control. There were no injuries in the incident.
Last August, a real estate architect was flying a drone that was taking photos in Brooklyn Heights, alarming residents and workers when it was caught aimed at the windows of high rise buildings in the area.
In a very local story, two red-tailed hawks attacked an illegally flying drone last November in Prospect Park. “They [the hawks] see a drone in the air, they take it as a competitive predator, like another hawk that’s coming into their territory,” says Rob Bate, President of the Brooklyn Bird Club. “And [the drone] doesn’t behave right and it doesn’t go away and they get more excited. And they were going after it.”
But Dweck and Brooklyn Drone owner Roger Kapsalis are taking the craft and business seriously.
“This is about bringing the love for having a hobby, technology, and photography all together,” says Dweck. “And it involves discipline.”
Analog Drone is located at 250 14th Street near the corner of 5th Avenue. Store hours are Mondays-Thursdays, 10am-6pm, and they are closed Fridays-Sundays. You can make purchases online and visit their products via their website or email them at info@analogdrone.com.