Drone-makers vie for slice of civilian airspace | CNN

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Drone-makers vie for slice of civilian airspace

Updated 8:20 AM EDT, Thu July 12, 2012
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The lightweight Sixton-A drone produced by Italian firm Alpi Aviation.
Sixton-A —
The lightweight Sixton-A drone produced by Italian firm Alpi Aviation.
Barry Neild/CNN
Are drones the civilian surveillance of the future? UAV constructors are hoping to create industry growth and open drones to civilian applications.
Penguin b drone —
Are drones the civilian surveillance of the future? UAV constructors are hoping to create industry growth and open drones to civilian applications.
Barry Neild/CNN
The Watchkeeper drone made by European defense contractor Thales.
The Watchkeeper —
The Watchkeeper drone made by European defense contractor Thales.
Barry Neild/CNN
A model of one of the Aerie series of drones, capable of taking off vertically, but flying like a plane.
Aerie —
A model of one of the Aerie series of drones, capable of taking off vertically, but flying like a plane.
Barry Neild/CNN
The ultra-lightweight iStart can be carried in a backpack and launched by hand.
iStart —
The ultra-lightweight iStart can be carried in a backpack and launched by hand.
Barry Neild/CNN
A video still shows a computer-generated image of a proprosed D-Dalus drone, powered by experimental "cyclo-gyro" engines capable of rotating the craft through 360 degrees.
D-Dalus —
A video still shows a computer-generated image of a proprosed D-Dalus drone, powered by experimental "cyclo-gyro" engines capable of rotating the craft through 360 degrees.
BARRY NEILD/CNN/IAT21

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