We passed another milestone today.  The two Johns took the Hawk to the North Shore Model Aero Club flying site and conducted two flights.  This is the first time we have flown the Hawk unsupervised.

We decided to conduct simple flights - takeoff, fly to two or three turnpoints programmed during the flight and return to the field for an automated landing.  The Hawk carried the Mintron video camera.

In preparation for our research on New Zealand plant species diversity, we flew along the edge of an area of bush before recalling the aircraft to the launchpoint.

I have to admit to some relief when the parachute deployed properly and the Hawk floated down for a safe landing close to the GCS and within the boundary of the airfield.

Our next sortie will carry the Sony NEX5-N NIR camera and we will collect images along a transect of the bush.