Tag Archives: AUVSI

423 Ameriflight Cargo Drones

Ameriflight plans to purchase cargo drones from Natilus and Saberwing, a plan for autonomous wind turbine inspections and repair, the American Security Drone Act, an arrest made for flying a drone at Dublin airport, a new hydrogen-powered octocopter drone, and Green and Blue UAS.

UAV News

Ameriflight adds 35 heavy-duty cargo drones to wish list

Ameriflight is a regional cargo airline (Part 135) that operates 156 turboprop twins for customers such as FedEx, UPS, and DHL. They recently signed a tentative agreement with Natilus for pilotless cargo planes. Now Ameriflight has signed a Letter of Intent to purchase 35 VTOL cargo drones from Sabrewing Aircraft Co.

Saberwing Rhaegal VTOL UAV on the ground.
Saberwing Rhaegal

Ameriflight has 15 bases across the Western Hemisphere with 200 service destinations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as the Caribbean and South America. They typically experience over 1,500 weekly departures.

The Natilus agreement to purchase is for the Kona aircraft, a 3.8-ton payload, short-haul feeder uncrewed aerial vehicle. Nautilus says the Kona planes will be operated by remote control and have the ability to be fully autonomous at some point in the future. 

Project Using Automated Drones for Offshore Wind O&M Aims for Reducing Downtime and CO2 Emissions

The Flexible Offshore Drone for Wind (FOD4Wind) project envisions a system that can conduct autonomous wind turbine inspections and repair as well as package deliveries from service operation vessels to offshore turbines.

FOD4Wind illustration, courtesy University of Southern Denmark.
FOD4Wind illustration, courtesy University of Southern Denmark.

Drones would take off from service operation vessels and carry gear and tools to the nacelles of Siemens offshore wind turbines. The Upteko partner says “If we can replace sailing with drone flights from larger ships, then many of the trips around the wind farm will be saved. There is great potential in that – both in terms of time and CO2 emissions.”

The project, which runs until the end of 2024, is first working with payloads of 12 kilograms, with a long-term goal for the drones to be able to carry a cargo of up to 100 kilograms.

The FOD4Wind project is being undertaken by Siemens Gamesa (produces wind turbines), ESVAGT (operates the service operation vessels), Upteko (developer of the automated UAS), and the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) with Energy Cluster Denmark managing FOD4Wind.

Warner, Scott Introduce Legislation to Ban Purchase of Drones Manufactured in Countries Identified as National Security Threats

The American Security Drone Act of 2023 was introduced by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Rick Scott (R-FL)

Senator Warner: “…the purchase of drones from foreign countries, especially those that have been deemed a national security threat, is dangerous. I am glad to introduce legislation that takes logical steps to protect our data from foreign adversaries and meanwhile supports American manufacturers.”

Senator Scott: “I’ve been clear for years: the United States should never spend taxpayer dollars on anything made in Communist China, especially drones which pose a significant threat to our national security. Xi and the Communist Party of China are on a quest for global domination and whether it’s with spy balloons, TikTok or drones, they will stop at nothing to infiltrate our society and steal our data.”

The American Security Drone Act:

  • Prohibits federal departments and agencies from procuring certain foreign commercial off-the-shelf drones or covered unmanned aircraft systems manufactured or assembled in countries identified as national security threats, and provides a timeline to end the current use of these drones.
  • Prohibits the use of federal funds awarded… to state or local governments from being used to purchase [these drones].
  • Requires the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report to Congress detailing the amount of foreign commercial off-the-shelf drones and covered unmanned aircraft systems procured by federal departments and agencies from countries identified as national security threats.

The legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Josh Hawley (R-MO).

Man accused of flying drone at critical area of Dublin Airport

They charged the man under section 43 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act, 1988. He is accused of knowingly flying a drone into the critical area of Dublin Airport which interfered with the operation of an aerodrome on July 2nd, 2022. The 41-year-old was remanded on bail to appear again on March 21, 2023. Meantime, he’s banned from flying drones and going within two kilometers of the airport.

Commercial and military hydrogen drone unveiled by Heven Drones

Israel-based Heven Drones unveiled its H2D55 hydrogen octocopter drone. It can fly for over 90 minutes with a 15-pound payload. This is the first in a series of hydrogen-fueled drones to be released. The others will have longer flight times and greater payload. The drones are built to spec and take two-three months to complete. The price is not announced

The drones are built in-house, in a 20,000 sq. ft. production facility adjacent to R&D and administrative offices in the North of Israel. Up to 200 fully customizable drones per month can be built at the current capacity.

AUVSI Green UAS: Expanding the Pool of Trusted Drone Options

Green UAS is part of AUVSI’s Trusted Cyber Program, which seeks to verify a greater number of commercial UAS in line with the highest levels of cybersecurity and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) supply chain requirements.

AUVSI launched the Trusted Cyber Program in August 2022 in collaboration with cybersecurity firm Fortress Information Security.

Green UAS is an industry-standard assessment process that mirrors the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)’s Blue UAS certification program. It is administered by AUVSI to vet drones that are seeking Green UAS certification. Green-compliant drones that have a DoD customer/sponsor willing to sponsor and fund a DoD Authority to Operate (ATO) will have the opportunity to transition from the Green UAS cleared list to Blue UAS cleared list. 

Green UAS builds on the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)’s Blue UAS certification program, an approach to rapidly prototyping and scaling commercial UAS technology for the DoD. Green UAS is meant for customers without an immediate need for Department of Defense (DoD) authority to operate and provides a​ more straightforward ​pathway to the Blue UAS 2.0 cleared list.

384 Airport UAS Threats

A guidebook for airport UAS threats, watching your neighbors, AUVSI XCELLENCE awards, legal issues for the construction industry, drone projects that impact healthcare, the KARGO and Hammerhead cargo drones, a drone mystery, and the Boeing Loyal Wingman production site.

Airport UAS threats guidebook.
Airport Response to Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Threats

UAV News

Guidebook on Airport Response to UAS Threats, Developed by Woolpert, Published by National Safe Skies Alliance

The National Safe Skies Alliance published a 44-page guidebook titled, Airport Response to Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Threats [PDF]. Funded by the FAA, the guidebook is designed to help airport operators plan for threats, assess them, respond to them, and recover from threats from UAS operating in unauthorized airspace. Woolpert was contracted to develop the document which includes examples and case studies.

Ohio City Considering Anti-Drone Voyeurism Law

A Hamilton, Ohio resident said a man was using a drone to look in windows, fly over children playing in their yards, and chase a woman down a street. He took video footage, but the police couldn’t do anything because no law was being broken. So he approached the City Council and they proposed a new local ordinance that would prohibit the use of drones to commit voyeurism.

African Drone and Data Academy wins international humanitarian award

Press release: Winners announced in 2021 AUVSI XCELLENCE Humanitarian and Public Safety Award

The Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International (AUVSI) announced the winners of the XCELLENCE Humanitarian and Public Safety Awards. 

In the Humanitarian Project/Program category:

  • UNICEF African Drone & Data Academy (ADDA).
  • ALTI UAS flying in Misool, Indonesia.
  • MissionGO for the Longest UAS Human Organ Delivery Flight.

In the Public Safety Project/Program category:

  • Department of Homeland Security FEMA (Region IV)
  • Easy Aerial, for their Smart Air Force Aerial Monitoring System.
  • The International Emergency Drone Organization for the Best Drone Practices Report for Fire & Rescue services

Drones in the Construction Industry

Drones have many applications in the construction industry, but drone usage raises a number of legal concerns: privacy, safety, proper insurance coverage, and the duty to maintain video and still photo records. Also, there are civil and criminal penalties associated with using drones.

3 ways drones are impacting healthcare

  1. Transporting blood samples. Wingcopter has been transporting blood 26 kilometers in Germany.
  2. Delivering COVID-19 vaccines. Skye Air is trialing vaccine delivery within a 12 km range in India with temperature-controlled containers.
  3. Disease control. In the Philippines and Malaysia, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is using drones equipped with thermal cameras to follow macaques and monitor the transmission of malaria from animals to humans. 

Kaman announces new KARGO UAV

Kaman Corporation has launched the KARGO medium-lift expeditionary logistics UAV. The KARGO UAV self-deploys beyond 500 nautical miles, carries up to 800 pounds of payload, has built-in autonomy with sense and avoid, and can deliver payloads with pinpoint accuracy. It’s designed for easy transport and deployment. Each KARGO UAV fits in a standard cargo container and can transition from full-stow to flight-ready in minutes with only two personnel.

Video: KARGO UAV | Transforming Expeditionary Logistics

New Cargo Drone “Hammerhead eV20” was presented at UAV Expo Americas 2021

The Airlogix Hammerhead eV20 is an autonomous eVTOL delivery drone. Empty weight: 132 pounds / 60 kg, maximum take-off weight: 176 pounds / 80 kg, payload: 44 pounds/ 20 kg, range: 62 miles. It flies in either quadcopter mode or fixed-wing mode. Airlogix says this “eVTOL aircraft [is] for middle-mile commercial and humanitarian delivery of urgent or regular supplies.”

Video: Hammerhead eV20. An autonomous eVTOL aircraft for middle-mile commercial and humanitarian delivery.

Tucson police-evading super-drone ‘quadcopter-like’ with ‘propellers reflecting light’

Last February, a drone outmaneuvered and outran police aircraft over Tucson. Through a Freedom of Information Act request, Drive’s War Zone reporter Brett Tingley uncovered new information. Eye-witness accounts suggest that it was “quadcopter like” and had “propellers reflecting the city light.” It was estimated to be 3 to 5ft wide.

UAV Video of the Week

Drone shows lava swallowing La Palma swimming pool

Drone footage showed lava from Spain’s La Palma volcano swallowing a swimming pool and houses on its way to the coast on Monday.

Feedback

Listener Stephen pointed out that a production site in Australia has been selected for the Loyal Wingman.

Boeing selects Australian production site for ATS loyal wingman

The Airpower Teaming System (ATS) will be produced at the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, in Queensland. The first flight of the ATS was last February. It was developed by Boeing Australia in partnership with the Royal Australian Air Force.

374 Drone Soccer

Get ready for drone soccer! Also, a heavy lift unmanned rotorcraft, David get’s to say “attritable” again, making a drone invisible, a drone ground station for the military, the sound of the Mars helicopter, drones and avigation easements, flinging drones off an aircraft carrier, and Chicago’s secret drone program.

UAV News

Colorado to host nation’s first ‘drone soccer’ tournaments

In this educational “e-sport” from United States Drone Soccer, participants learn to build, program, fly, and repair drones. The racing drones are surrounded by plastic exoskeletons and the game is played in a netted arena. Each team tries to fly their drones into the opponent’s hoop. They keep the other team from doing the same by blocking and bumping the drones. In March 2021, the Academy of Model Aeronautics recognized U.S. Drone Soccer as an authorized STE(A)M program.

Flight Testing Soon for Upgraded Marine Corps K-MAX UAS

First flight of the heavy-lift K-MAX Titan unmanned rotorcraft was conducted by Kaman Air Vehicles. Two Marine Corps K-MAX aircraft are being upgraded with the K-MAX Titan unmanned system and the sensor-based autonomy suite from Near Earth Autonomy

Skyborg autonomy ‘brain’ flies for first time aboard Kratos UTAP-22 UAV

In a 2h 10min test flight April 29, 2021, the US Air Force’s Skyborg autonomy core system flew aboard a Kratos UTAP-22 Mako tactical UAV at Tyndall AFB in Florida. This was the first time the autonomy core has flown Kratos Mako UAV. This represented “Milestone 1” of the ongoing “Autonomous Attritable Aircraft Experimentation” campaign.

Another 360-degree ‘invisible’ drone hits the market

Current 360-degree cameras use two lenses to capture the entire world view but put one on a drone and you get the drone in the video. Now NewBeeDrone uses the Insta360 ONE R camera in its Invisi360 drone. You provide the camera and mate it with the Invisi360 and you’ve got 360-degree video without the drone.

Video: Introducing Invisi360

Portable drone hangar gets military certification

The Easy Aerial Easy Guard ground station was certified to MIL-STD 810G. The station looks like the familiar Pelican case and allows a drone system to take off, land, and charge in the field. The system is mobile and easily deployable. The Easy Guard has an automated roof opening and closing system, can be deployed from a pickup truck traveling up to 25 miles per hour, and has sensors and external cameras for situational awareness.

NASA’s Perseverance Rover Captures First Video and Audio Clips Of Ingenuity Helicopter On Mars

NASA’s  Perseverance Rover recorded the sound of the Ingenuity helicopter as it flew on Mars.

Video: NASA’s Perseverance Rover Hears Ingenuity Mars Helicopter in Flight

No “Drone Toll Lanes”: AUVSI Speaks Out Over Avigation Easements

According to USLegal.com, an avigation easement is a right of overflight in the airspace above or in the vicinity of a particular property. It includes the right to create noise or other effects as may result from the lawful operation of aircraft as well as the right to remove any obstructions to such overflight. AUVSI worries that avigation easements could be used to create “toll lanes” for drones.

Behold The Turkish Navy’s Drone Aircraft Carrier

The Turkish navy is modifying a new assault ship to include a winch-and-pulley system and a bow ramp. This would allow fixed-wing drones to easily launch from the ship. The illustration of the carrier shows Baykar TB-2/3 drones on the deck.

CPD launched secret drone program with off-the-books cash

The Sun-Times reports that last summer, the Chicago Police Department started a drone program without telling the public. The Electronic & Technical Support Unit (Counter-terrorism) funded this with off-budget cash. Training was underway in June 2020 and at the time the director of police research and development, wrote in an email, “Some of the Drone uses will be for missing persons, crime scene photos, and terrorist-related issues.” This comes to light because a transparency nonprofit called Distributed Denial of Secrets leaked hacked city emails.

UAV Video of the Week

Epic Footage From Drone Getting Wrecked By A Tornado

The drone didn’t survive, but some video did.

Video: 05-02-2021 Yazoo City, MS – Damaging Tornado Close Range Drone

Mentioned

FAA Safety Briefing – Sharing the Skies Safely | May/June 2021 [PDF]

Feature articles include:

  • Sharing the Skies Safely: An Overview of Unmanned Traffic Management
  • Rolling Out the Rules: New Drone Rules Advance the Vision
  • Don’t Fear the Drone!: Let’s Reap the Benefits that Drones Have to Offer
  • Engaging with Academia: How the FAA is Helping Prepare Tomorrow’s UAS Workforce
  • You’re Not Alone with Your Drone: Building Safer Skies Through Education

357 Walmart Drone Delivery Hub

A Walmart drone delivery hub is coming to Arkansas, researchers create bio-composite drone parts, a UAV for cloud seeding, Alphabet’s Wing isn’t happy with the remote ID rule, the “Uber of Drones” receives funding, and a 19-year-old with a drone led rescuers to four lost fishermen.

UAV News

Walmart Drone Delivery Hub: Never Heard of Pea Ridge, AR? You Have Now

Pending approval of the Planning Commissioners, Pea Ridge, Arkansas will be the site of a Walmart drone delivery hub that will see drone delivery trials by Zipline International in partnership with Walmart.

Zipline will operate from a Walmart store and can service a 50-mile radius, which is about the size of the state of Connecticut. And, not only does their launch and release system allow for quick on-demand delivery in under an hour, but it also eliminates carbon emissions, which lines up perfectly with our sustainability goals. The operation will likely begin early next year [2021], and, if successful, we’ll look to expand.

Walmart SVP of Consumer Product, Tom Ward

Zipline says that they will open the facility for tours and STEM opportunities for local students.  

Malaysian team turns pineapple waste into disposable drone parts

Researchers at Malaysia’s Putra University have created drone parts (such as frames) using fiber from discarded pineapple leaves to make a bio-composite material. These have a greater strength-to-weight ratio than other composites and will biodegrade when discarded. The bio-composite components would create income for farmers.

China deploys large UAV for ecological protection in Gansu

China uses Wing Loong II variant for weather modification work

Western China is arid and some would like to see a little more precipitation. Now China’s official news agency Xinhua reports that the Ganlin-1 UAV is equipped to allow cloud seeding for weather modification. The Ganlin-1 (Chinese for “sweet rain”) is a variant of the AVIC Wing Loong II UAV.

Privacy nightmare? FAA’s drone tracking rules have big consequences

At the end of December, 2020, the FAA announced final rules for Unmanned Aircraft (UA), including rules for remote identification. But Alphabet’s Wing team has an issue.

At a basic level, the new rule would enable the real-time tracking of consumer’s drone delivery orders by the general public.

Wing public affairs spokesperson

And we see this:

Unfortunately, the final rule, unlike existing international standards, does not allow the use of equally effective network remote ID, and requires all UAS, no matter the use case, to use “broadcast” RID. This approach creates barriers to compliance and will have unintended negative privacy impacts for businesses and consumers. 

Unlike traditional aircraft flying between known airports, commercial drones fly closer to communities and between businesses and homes. While an observer tracking an airplane can’t infer much about the individuals or cargo on board, an observer tracking a drone can infer sensitive information about specific users, including where they visit, spend time, and live and where customers receive packages from and when. American communities would not accept this type of surveillance of their deliveries or taxi trips on the road. They should not accept it in the sky.

Wing blog post

Wing asks for network-based RID for some use cases, especially delivery.

Op-Ed: Brian Wynne and Kevin Burke on Remote Identification for Unmanned Systems

AUVSI President and CEO Brian Wynne, and Kevin Burke, President and CEO of Airports Council International, North America (ACI-NA) published a joint op-ed praising the FAA for the new rule.

‘Uber for drones’ scores fresh funds from Nightingale

Sydney-based Aerologix wants to connect drone pilots with people who need drone imaging. The company received a $1.5 million investment from Nightingale Partners and they say they’ve “been approached by Qantas, Jetstar, and even airlines in the Middle East. These pilots have all these skills and all they have to do is complete a half-day course to become a drone pilot.”

Armed with drone, 19-year-old rescues 4 drowning fishermen off Kerala coast

A fishing boat was missing off the coast of India and a 19-year-old engineering student approached rescue workers, but he was rebuffed. A local legislator intervened and the student was allowed to bring his drone on a rescue boat. After 20 minutes he found one man clinging to a log from the capsized boat. In the end, four fishermen were rescued.

UAV Video of the Week

Watch a wild lava ‘dome fountain’ gush at Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano started erupting in 2020. The United States Geological Survey has released a video of the lava dome fountain that formed.

347 Indoor Security Drone

An Amazon security drone will monitor the inside of your home, a Bell cargo drone flies through metropolitan airspace, a new underwater drone manufacturing facility, humanitarian award announcements, Covid tests delivered by drone, and the ATSB report on a pseudo-satellite break-up.

UAV News

Ring Always Home Cam indoor security drone: What you need to know

Amazon announced the “Ring Always Home Cam,” an indoor security drone that flies around inside your home. The drone can upload video to the cloud, or stream it. Some have security concerns about the system that goes on sale in 2021.

Bell flies APT 70 cargo drone through DFW airspace in successful NASA demo

The Bell Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) 70 eVTOL cargo drone flew autonomously through the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area at 500 feet AGL. A remote pilot monitored the flight from a ground station, but did not have to intervene. This was a simulation of a medical transport mission, and part of NASA’s Systems Integration and Operationalization (SIO) demonstration activity. Partner Xwing provided the detect-and-avoid system.

Huntington Ingalls to Manufacture Drones in VA

Military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries has been producing small to medium-sized underwater drones. Their new Hampton facility will be able to build larger drones – about 30 feet long. The facility will also manufacture and assemble parts for Boeing, which is producing the ORCA XLUUV unmanned submarines for the Navy.

Women and Drones Humanitarian Team Award Goes to Kenya Flying Labs

Women and Drones seeks to bring together women to help them connect and succeed in the drone industry. The Humanitarian Award recognizes co-ed teams, organizations, or companies with a primary focus of using drones for good. Women and Drones announced that this year’s Humanitarian Team Award Honoree goes to Kenya Flying Labs, a non-profit organization that uses drone technology for the benefit of people in local communities.

Winners Named in 2020 AUVSI XCELLENCE Humanitarian and Public Safety Award

Six organizations that pioneer new ways to use drones for good are winners of the XCELLENCE Humanitarian and Public Safety Awards from the Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International (AUVSI). The award is sponsored by DJI. The recipients of 2020 AUVSI XCELLENCE Humanitarian and Public Safety Awards are:

Humanitarian Project/Program:

Public Safety Project/Program:

Walmart is using drones to deliver Covid-19 tests

Walmart launched a pilot drone delivery program where Quest Diagnostics Covid-19 tests are delivered to homes within a one-mile radius of the North Las Vegas Walmart store. Customers receive a text from DroneUp when the test is on its way and test kits land on people’s driveways, front sidewalks or backyard.

In-flight break-up of high-altitude pseudo-satellite UAS

The ATSB report describes the Airbus Zephyr that had launched from Wyndham Airport on 28 September 2019 for a high altitude flight. After a series of uncommanded rolls in unstable atmospheric conditions, the Zephyr entered into an uncontrolled spiral descent. The maximum airspeed was exceeded, the roll angle increased beyond structural limitations, and both wings fractured at about mid-span.

Mentioned

Your FedEx Packages May Soon Arrive By Autonomous Cargo Plane

Reliable Robotics completed test flights for two of its remote-piloted aircraft models. FedEx now owns the Cessna 208 Caravan or C208.

Video: C208 Automated Landing

332 Last-Mile Drone Delivery Tested

A major test of last-mile drone delivery, direct-seeding rice with a drone, a drone-centric kiosk you can build yourself, and a webinar to learn the BVLOS regulatory landscape.

UAV News

Last Mile Drone Delivery: Testing the Limits of Commercial Operations

DroneUp partnered with Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) and UPS on a project to quickly evaluate the concept of last-mile drone delivery. They wanted to see how unmanned aerial systems could assist with critical delivery during times of crisis.

On the vacant campus of St. Paul’s College, in Lawrenceville, Virginia, a group of pilots flew over 200 flights under a scripted plan, operating under part 107 rules, with industry-standard drones. The flights simulated the delivery of 1.275-pound payloads of medical and other critical supplies in city-like conditions. Data was collected with respect to operational capacities, airspace deconfliction, operator safety, processes, policies, and training.

Tom Walker, DroneUp’s CEO, said, “DroneUp’s drone delivery exercise was aimed at learning what is possible to do safely and effectively today while gathering data to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles in the near future.” 

For more, see the 56-page report, DroneUp Resources Operation Last-Mile: Critical Drone Delivery Report.

XAG Introduces Rice Seeding Drone

XAG is a Chinese company focused on agricultural technology. In April 2020, they organized a rice direct-seeding demonstration where two workers spread 5kg of rice seeds through a muddy rice paddy. Following that, a XAG drone repeated the same task. The difference in planing time was significant.

Raspberry Pi-based Kiosk Display Shares Weather, FAA Advisories for Drones

A project from Sky Horse Tech uses a Raspberry Pi to power a custom drone-centric kiosk. The kiosk pulls in local weather data and FAA advisories through AirMap and MapBox. The data cycles every 30 seconds and is refreshed every 5 minutes. The kiosk uses a 32” display, a $35 Raspberry Pi 3 Model B or newer, some free software, and weather and FAA advisory APIs.

Navigating the Regulatory Landscape Towards BVLOS Operations

This free AUVSI webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10, 2020, 03:00 PM TO 04:00 PM (EDT). You’ll learn about the regulations affecting Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone flight and the factors involved in successfully navigating the regulatory environment to achieve a waiver. 

Iris Automation director of airspace integration Trever Linn will explain what operators should expect before applying for a waiver, and the key components such as risk mitigation measures and CONOPS documentation necessary for approvals. Attendees will learn about current regulatory challenges, readily available solutions, and the path forward for BVLOS drone operations.

328 Blockchain for Unmanned Aircraft

The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a report showing the benefits of blockchain for unmanned aircraft. Also, drone cinematographers and a labor agreement, a drone modeled after a dragonfly, VTOL reconnaissance, AI controllers, and AUVSI virtual sessions.

UAV News

US Transportation Dept. Says Blockchain Could Bring More Trust to Commercial Drones

In a report titled Blockchain for Unmanned Aircraft, the U.S. Department of Transportation says blockchain could help in areas with large numbers of drones operations, especially near high-risk areas like airports or in crowded areas. The report says “Blockchain technology is being looked on to deliver a framework that can be used by stakeholders in the commercial drone industry, as it can ensure security and provide for identity management as well as providing a supporting role in aircraft traffic management, UAS conflict management and flight authorization.”

Cinematographers Guild Celebrates Drone Victory Over Warner Bros. in Arbitration

The International Cinematographers Guild initiated arbitration over a dispute with Warner Bros. The Guild said drone operators filming for productions are covered under the labor agreement. Those who work in “all phases of motion and still picture photography,” including members of a drone crew, should be treated the same as aerial directors of photography, camera operators, and camera technicians. They say the drone crew should get the same health and pension benefits.

The stealthy little drones that fly like insects

Animal Dynamics is a technology start-up that takes lessons from wildlife and applies them to drone design. The Skeeter project uses flapping wings to power a small hand-launched drone, mimicking the dragonfly.

AeroVironment unveils fully-automated hybrid vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aircraft system

The AeroVironment Quantix™ Recon is a lightweight and rapidly deployable reconnaissance solution that is fully-automated. It produces high resolution, georeferenced terrain, vegetation, and infrastructure imagery. The VTOL transitions to a fixed-wing unmanned aircraft and can survey up to 0.6 square miles or 12.4 linear miles with a 45-minute flight time. The aerial imagery data is compatible with many geographic information systems (GIS)

Hybrid Drones: Coupling Disruptive Mechanisms to Reshape UAV Industry

The MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), Dartmouth, and the University of Washington have developed an AI-based system that uses “reinforcement learning” to train the model. This approach is being applied to VTOL designs that transition from vertical to horizontal flight. The AI works with the popular OnShape CAD software.

AUVSI Launches UAS Webinars

AUVSI postponed XPONENTIAL 2020 (tentatively scheduled for August 10-12, 2020). In the meantime, five webinars will be offered starting May 4, 2020:

  1. Digital Twins – the Future of Virtual and Mixed Reality Robotic Avatars
  2. Drone Delivery Supporting Public Health
  3. NASA’s Vision and Role to Enable Urban Air Mobility
  4. Advancing Autonomy Through DARPA Challenge to Benefit First Responders
  5. Aerial Connectivity Joint Activity – Bridging the Gap Between Cellular and Aviation

308 Droneresponders Working Group

Droneresponders forms a working group for public safety agencies, protestors and C-UAS, TSA and C-UAS, cannon-launched drones, the QF-16 target drone, names for different types of passenger drones, and drone light shows.

UAV News

Droneresponders Major Cities Working Group

Non-profit Droneresponders announced the formation of a Major Cities Working Group designed to “unite and assist public safety agencies operating UAS in urban and large metropolitan areas.” The group will establish communications with other public safety agencies and partner with other non-profit organizations like AIRT (Airborne International Response Team), AUVSI, and the NPPA (National Press Photographers Association).

Chilean Protestors Down Drone By Dazzling It With Dozens Of Laser Pointers

Protesters aimed high-powered handheld laser pointers at a drone observing them. The lasers blinded the optical sensors, causing the drone to crash.

‘Sorely lacking:’ Congress Members Blast Homeland Security Counter-drone Plan

The Department of Homeland Security planned to allow TSA air marshals to neutralize drones over airports. However, two House Republicans sent a letter to the DHS saying the plan overreaches the agency’s congressional authority. The lawmakers say the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 gives DHS narrow authority to deploy counter-drone technology, but that authorization doesn’t apply to airports. The other concern is that the TSA lacks the training and skills to operate C-UAS technology.

This transforming drone can be fired straight out of a cannon

Researchers from Caltech University and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have come up with a drone that can be launched with a cannon. It’s a quadcopter called SQUID, short for Streamlined Quick Unfolding Investigation Drone. The 27-centimeter long drone weighs 18 ounces and has four spring-loaded rotor arms that open after launch.

Video: Design of a Ballistically-Launched Foldable Multirotor

What It Takes to Turn a Vintage F-16 Into a Drone

The F-16 has computer systems that are easily modified to turn the fighters into drones. Boeing installs Drone Peculiar Equipment at a cost of $1.9 million on old aircraft from an Arizona boneyard. The automatic flight system enables takeoffs and landings at the press of a button.

Passenger Drones: Understanding Their Varieties and Specifications

Drone Industry Insights notes the confusing names being used for passenger drones: air taxis, flying cars, eVTOLs, etc. They present a graphic that defines these names based on the power source (gasoline/kerosene, battery, hydrogen) and takeoff and landing type (VTOL, STOL, CTOL).

Forget fireworks. SeaWorld wants to test 500 drones for a new nighttime light show in San Diego

SeaWorld in San Diego has been given permission to test a 15-night light show in February 2020 using up to 500 Intel “Shooting Star” drones. The show could eventually replace fireworks.

UAV Video of the Week

Incredible Video Shows Giant Plane Made Of 800 Drones Floating Through Sky. This demonstration was flown during this year’s Nanchang Flight Convention.

290 FAA UAS Symposium 2019

Highlights of the FAA UAS Symposium held June 3-5, 2019 at the Baltimore Convention Center. Presented by the Federal Aviation Administration and AUVSI.

FAA UAS Symposium 2019: Diana Cooper, PrecisionHawk SVP of Policy & Strategy, and Brendan Schulman, DJI VP of Policy and Legal Affairs.
Diana Cooper, PrecisionHawk SVP of Policy & Strategy, and Brendan Schulman, DJI VP of Policy and Legal Affairs.

FAA UAS Symposium 2019

Over 1000 attendees from industry, the government, and academia gathered for three days of keynotes, breakout sessions, and “how to” sessions.

We discuss some highlights of the Symposium, including industry/government collaboration, drone remote identification, education and outreach, urban air mobility, drone delivery, public agency use of drones, counter-UAV issues, UAS traffic management, and more.

Mentioned

Alliance for Drone Innovation

Blue Ribbon Task Force on UAS Mitigation at Airports

Flight Plan 2030 white paper on Urban Air Traffic Management from Embraer.

Innovations in Flight Family Day and Aviation Display at the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, Saturday, June 15, 2019, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.


287 Embry-Riddle UAS Program

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University offers an Unmanned Systems Science degree, delivery drones produce an annoying noise, Uber Eats is hiring UAS specialists, AUVSI announces humanitarian award winners, and autonomous BVLOS patrol drones are planned for the Australian coastline.

Embry_Riddle uses the Penguin C  UAS from UAV Factory.
The Penguin C UAS. Courtesy UAV Factory.

Interview

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University UAS Flight Standards and Training Manager Michael Zebehazy talks about the Embry-Riddle BS in Unmanned Systems Science, and the Penguin C aircraft from UAV Factory for extensive hands-on training. Recorded at the 2019 Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-in & Expo in Lakeland, Florida.

Embry-Riddle Penguin C showing open sensor bay.
Embry-Riddle Penguin C showing open sensor bay. Photo by Max Flight.

UAV News

Drones to deliver incessant buzzing noise, and packages

Multirotor UAVs create an annoying buzzing sound. If delivery drones proliferate, who will set and monitor sound levels?

Video: QUADCOPTER Sound FX from the HISSandaROAR sound library.

Here’s who Uber is hiring to build its drone delivery service for Uber Eats

Forty UAS positions have been posted on Uber’s jobs site since March 2018. Uber Eats is preparing to employ drones to deliver food on demand.

Here are the 5 Winners of the 2019 AUVSI XCELLENCE Humanitarian Award

The five winners of the second annual XCELLENCE Humanitarian Awards announced at AUVSI XPONENTIAL:

North Carolina Department of Transportation – Using drones in an innovative response to Hurricane Florence.

Swoop Aero – Vaccine and health supply delivery on the island nation of Vanuatu.

NASA/MIT Search and Rescue Under the Canopy (SARUC) – Locating people and other important targets lost in challenging and cluttered forest areas.

Project Lifesaver International – Search and rescue for ‘at risk’ individuals who are prone to the life-threatening behavior of wandering.

Zipline International – Medical drone delivery operations in Africa.

Surf lifesaving drone-maker plans long-haul, autonomous UAV

Currently, The Ripper Group operates 51 ‘Little Ripper’ drones in New South Wales and Queensland. They spot sharks and drop self-inflating floats for people in distress. Now The Ripper Group is working on a much larger, beyond line-of-sight fixed-winged drone called The Ripper Ranger.

Mentioned

Academy of Model Aeronautics Programs & Benefits