An environment group is about to become the first in Australia to deploy surveillance drones to hunt for evidence of animal abuse on private property.

Animal Liberation will operate a drone, equipped with a powerful camera, above free-range egg farms, sheep farms and cattle yards to gather evidence of abuse.

And there appears to be little farmers can do to avoid coming under drone surveillance - flying drones above tree height is legal.

''Our legal advice is that if you're no nearer than 10 metres above ground, and you're not filming in anyone's houses, you can go ahead,'' said Mark Pearson, head of the animal welfare group.

''For example, if an egg producer says that they are free range, it would be helpful to check their claims by filming from above the property. You can gather the evidence, and there's no need to trespass. Or let's say we find a sheep dying from fly strike, we can record the location on a GPS and notify the authorities,'' he said.

The group bought the six-bladed, helicopter-type drone for $14,000 from a commercial supplier, using public donations, and has just completed a training program. Deployment will begin next week, with several farms and businesses earmarked for surveillance.

Farmers were dubious about being watched by drones.

''Many people in rural communities would see this as another attack on their peace of mind and an invasion of their privacy,'' said president of the NSW Farmers Association Fiona Simson.

She said farmers recognised that safe food meant healthy and happy animals. ''NSW Farmers does not condone any acts of animal cruelty and farmers are committed to high animal welfare standards,'' Ms Simson said.

Mr Pearson said the drone would not just be used to gather evidence of illegal cruelty, but would also film some routine, legal farm practices that might upset non-farmers. ''We're not interested in what farmers may be doing in their daily activities, and I completely respect people's privacy,'' he said.

''But there are lots of cases where farming activities cause horrible distress to animals - mulesing being a common example. People are entitled to know and see what's going on. So, even if it is lawful, if we think the public is going to be outraged or if we think they need to be informed, we will show it.''

This month Animal Liberation exposed horrific acts of cruelty at an Ingham turkey farm in Sydney, after anonymous footage was handed to the group showing turkeys being bashed and trodden on.

Australian Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim has said ''the potentially intrusive nature of the technology'' meant there should be a public debate about existing regulations.

Environment groups overseas are also starting to use drones, and the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd was rebuked by the Australian Antarctic Division last year for flying drones in a region covered by the Antarctic Treaty without having done an environmental impact assessment.

Read More: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/i-spy-with-my-little-fly--animal-cruelty-20130401-2h2mo.html

We have been overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response to our new GoFour Quadrocopter Frame and can't wait to share it with you all! 

We are now taking pre-orders for both the GoFour Frame and RTF. 

See our website for details, specs and pricing.

Don't Forget! GoFour Competition

 If you havent yet entered our competition to win our GoFour Quadrocopter Frame, entries close on the 14th of January. So don't be shy! Let us know what you think of our Crash Test Video and this frame can be yours :-)

Enter Here

Well, we've had our GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition camera for about 3 weeks now and are still very impressed with the quality of footage, light compensation and of course slow motion capability!

It is a vast improvement from the last model, and it looks like they're just going to keep getting better!

The Wifi remote is really handy as well. No more GoPro mug shots!  

The GoPro Hero 3 Black weighs only 76g without its case making it a fantastic little camera for obtaining high quality footage with a small quadrocopter, or flying for in excess of 40 mins with a larger machine like the CineStar Octocopter.

GoPro - Still the number one choice for awesome aerial video :-)

This morning on ABC Radio National was a story about the use of a DroidWorx AD8HL Octocopter in the Mollymook area, NSW back in March/April.

A concerned resident captured the octocopter flying around without a camera attached. Although this is not a breach of privacy as there is no camera, this can still make other people uncomfortable. 

We urge operators to please keep in mind the privacy rights of those around them. We always recommend training in open fields away from spectators and far enough away from private dwellings so as not to make residents uncomfortable.

This is a new industry still in the tender stages of formation, and it needs to be protected. 

If you would like to learn more about training areas, please contact CASA directly This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

We thank you for your cooperation, and if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to voice them This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

We have updated our Firmware updates page to include Flight Control 88m, Navi Control 28n and MK Tool 76d.

To our customers with RTF machines, please DO NOT update your firmware without calling us first.

Check out our new design; The Aerobot Ring. 

This design is efficient, strong and stable! There is nothing like it available on the market. 
We have been working on this design for the last year now and are very excited to show you how it flies. 
Click the link below to see it in action

Never ending Circle from Simon Jardine on Vimeo.

 Join Aerobot at The Digital Show in Melbourne 26-27 May at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre (Stand 31). We will be exhibiting the latest and greatest in professional Aerial Photography and Film. We will also have a prototype platform on display which we are very excited about.

Click the image to register for free and save yourself $20 entry fee.

We look forward to meeting you there!

Aerobot's new style 13x6.5 propellers have arrived!!

***Introductory price of only $45 per set exclusive to our friends on FaceBook, valid for a limited time only ***

Redesigned and manufactured using different techniques. We love these propeller and so will you.

This new style propeller looks the same as the old propeller, but don't let that fool you :-)
These propellers only weigh 14grams each (half the weight of the older style prop) and they are perfectly BALANCED!

The difference is quite dramatic, because of the sheer lightness of this propeller.

The motors and speed controllers are not working so hard as the response time is reduced and because of the large 6.5 pitch, these propellers produce excellent thrust.

The results; A very smooth flight and a more efficient flying machine.

These propellers are best suited to MK 3538, MK 3638, QC 3328 and AXI 2814/20 motors or similar.

See these propellers in our shop

We have been beta testing the new firmware 87e. See our test flight below :-D

Over the past few months it has been interesting to watch these once small, yet ample machines become flying monsters of the sky!

Not only can we carry our small cameras, but we are now wanting more. Canon 5D, Red Epic, basically the size of a small child.

With systems like the DroidWorx SkyJib, Quadrocopter LLC's CineStar, AeroDron's Aerodrive and Hercules 2, it would appear we are on the right track to the most efficient multi-rotor heavy lifter.

Or are we?

The answer isn't larger speed controllers that consume more Amps, but powering the copter more efficiently. 

 Using larger batteries with more volts = less amps. Coupled with 16" hollow Carbon fibre paddle props and 5cm diameter, slow turning KV brushless motors, we believe we developed something brilliant :-)

Aerobot are working away to provide commercial product, adaptable to the SkyJib and CineStar. Release date coming soon ;-)

For your shopping convenience, we now accept Visa and MasterCard payments, as well as PayPal and Wire Transfer. To use this payment method, please confirm your order, and email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your request.