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A partnership for hydrogen drones and another partnership for maritime drone deliveries, Lithium-Air batteries, drones attacking U.S. troops, flying a drone over a school, UPS commitment to delivery drones, flying in the fog, and how to save a dog with a drone.

UAV News

SoCalGas to deploy Doosan hydrogen drones in pipeline inspections

At this year’s CES, Southern California Gas Co. announced a partnership with Doosan Mobility Innovation (DMI) and GTI to launch a hydrogen drone demonstration. DMI will be demonstrating their DS30 octocopter drone system that uses a DMI hydrogen fuel cell powerpack for up to 120 minutes of flight time. The DS30 can carry an 11-pound maximum payload and monitor a 1-mile-long pipeline in a single flight. SoCalGas plans to use the DS30 drone for natural gas pipeline inspections. 

Zero CO2 Emissions Drone Delivery with Sky-Drones Technologies

Sky-Drones Technologies and F-Drones are partnering to provide maritime deliveries. F-Drones Focuses on deliveries between shore, ships, and offshore platforms. They use electric autonomous VTOLs. Sky-Drones Technologies offers hardware and software for flight control, ground control, communication systems, and a cloud-based management platform. With Sky-Drones’ technology, F-Drones can relay, record, and replay live video footage from their VTOLs.

Video: SmartAP AIRLink – How it’s made

Scientists Design Lithium-air Batteries for Commercial Use in EVs, Drones

Lithium-ion batteries are nice but don’t have the energy density we’d like. On the other hand, Lithium-air batteries could have two to five times the energy density. The development of rechargeable Li-air batteries has progressed, but the study of their operation in real-world applications is lacking.

A shadowy drone force keeps attacking US troops

American troops in Iraq have been attacked with drones three times this year. All drones were shot down during attacks near Baghdad airport and near an airbase. Small drones have been used in other attacks, including in Syria, Iraq, Venezuela, and Saudi Arabia.

Policy addresses drones over school property

The Wilkes North Carolina school board has a new policy for flying drones over school property. It requires a written request for permission submitted to the superintendent or his designee at least three days in advance. Names and contact information for anyone connected with the flight are required, as well as proof of insurance coverage, proof of any required FAA permits, proof of any required N.C. Department of Transportation permit, and a detailed flight plan with a specific time and location.

UPS unlikely to revise use of drones in deliveries, despite CEO’s quasi ‘meh’ assessment

At an American Chamber of Commerce event, UPS CEO Carol Tomé said, “You can’t fly [drones] when it’s windy. You can’t fly them when it’s rainy. There are lots of issues with drones.”  So is UPS toning down expectations? The article suggests this is more a “matter of UPS recalibrating rather than repudiating its use of [drones].”

Wait, why is NASA flying drones in dense fog?

NASA is flying drones in the fog because AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) aircraft will need to fly in the fog. At a special New Mexico facility, a 180-foot long fog chamber is fitted with the same types of sensors to be used for AAM aircraft, like optical and infrared cameras, radar, and LiDAR. A drone test target is at the other end of the chamber. NASA says it will release the data to companies and researchers working on sensors for AAM vehicles.

Stranded dog saved from rising tide after rescuers attach sausage to drone

Little Millie likes to wander off and she found her way onto some mudflats. The tide was coming in and the authorities couldn’t coax her to safety. So they cooked up some sausage, dangled it from a drone, and got Millie to follow it off the flats. Then she ran off again, this time inland, but was eventually found again and reunited with her owner who said, “Millie really likes food and she’ll eat anything you give her … raw carrots, cucumber – but she much prefers sausages. Meat is her favourite food, so dangling a sausage was probably the best thing they could lure her with.”