Tag Archives: DJI

379 T-Mobile 5G Drone

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:04 — 21.4MB)

Subscribe: Email | RSS

T-Mobile’s low latency 5G drone, high-speed UAVs that crash less often, a solar-powered UAV, first responder drone of choice, patrolling the beach with drones, and marketing real estate with drone videos.

UAV News

T-Mobile’s 5G off to the drone races

T-Mobile is partnering with the Drone Racing League (DRL) on a 5G drone with HD video. T-Mobile claims the drone is one of the world’s first racing drones to be equipped with an embedded 5G module that can live stream video straight to the internet. The module is made by Quectel.

Video from the Drone Racing League: Making of the Magenta 5G Drone

System trains drones to fly around obstacles at high speeds

Fast drones tend to crash because drone aerodynamics are difficult to predict at high speeds. Now MIT aerospace engineers are developing an algorithm that helps drones find the fastest route around obstacles without crashing. Drones trained with the new algorithm were found to fly through an obstacle course up to 20 percent faster than a drone trained on conventional planning algorithms. The results are published in the International Journal of Robotics Research as Multi-fidelity black-box optimization for time-optimal quadrotor maneuvers.

US Navy spends millions to develop a solar-powered UAV

The US Navy has awarded a $5 million contract to US-Spanish aerospace company Skydweller Aero to construct a solar energy-powered long-endurance UAV that could stay aloft for between 30 and 90 days. The aircraft flew in December 2020.

Video: Skydweller Aero Autonomous Software Flight Test – April 2021

As with consumer pilots, DJI drones dominate emergency responder fleets

A survey by the Airborne International Response Team (AIRT) and its Droneresponders affiliate found that DJI drones make up over 90% of the fleets flown by US first responder organizations. That compares with DJI’s 70-80% share of the commercial drone market. The AIRT + DRONERESPONDERS 2021 Public Safety UAS Survey was conducted in July 2021. Autel Robotics drones were the second most popular make, followed by Skydio, Parrot, and FLIR.

Brunswick County beaches have no lifeguards. Is technology the answer?

In March 2021, the Oak Island (North Carolina) Administrative department created the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Services division. The division provides aerial photography and video for Town departments. Current services provided include infrastructure inspections, project monitoring, pre and post-storm inspection, marketing materials, sand dune regulation enforcement, and beach safety observation.

Realtors shift to mini-drones to showcase properties to homebuyers in increasingly hot housing market

With contactless selling growing in importance during the COVID pandemic, companies that provide video services with drones are being created. Cain Costin and his wife Sarah formed Virtual Drone Tours that produce exterior and interior videos of properties using FPV drones. The videos on the Cain Costin YouTube channel show what’s possible.

Mentioned

The Volocopter at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Photo by Max Flight.

376 Open Source Drones

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 40:43 — 28.0MB)

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Open source drones offer many opportunities, using drones to make a quiet place, US Army trials ground-vehicle drone launches, a Canadian drone membership program, New York law enforcement drones, tern tracking with a Phantom, cleaning up dog poop, a flapping wing UAV, some DJI drones are now government approved, air-to-air refueling.

UAV News

DroneAnalyst: The Rise of Open Source Drones

DroneAnalyst David Benowitz says “There are two key elements driving the push for open-source drones…” particularly in America: “geopolitical tensions between the US and China and the search for a true DJI competitor.” According to DroneAnalyst estimates, drones built around open source technologies account for 16% of all commercial drones sold, but more than 60% of all non-DJI drones sold. See also, What Will DoD Do About Open Source Drones?

Here’s a Cool Idea: Sony Patents Drones for Noise Cancellation

Under this patent, networked drones with speakers could be used to cancel ambient noise in real-time, creating a “mobile quiet-zone.”

US Army Trials Launching Drones From Ultra-Light Vehicles

Ground vehicles such as the DAGOR ultra-light tactical vehicle could become a mobile base to launch drones, such as the ALTIUS-600. The Future Vertical Lift Cross-Functional Team’s Twitter account posted a photo stating, “#EDGE21 the ultimate soldier touch point.” Edge 21 is the Experimental Demonstration Gateway Exercise.

COPA Introduces Drone Membership Options – Bridging Gap between Traditional and Remote Aviation

COPA, the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association, has a membership option for the remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) community. Benefits include updates on regulations and issues, education and safety programs, insurance coverage for recreational and commercial RPAS pilots, training discounts, and an RPAS scholarship. AOPA also has a drone membership program.

Use of drones, robotic dog in NY police intervention spark debate

Federal agents flew a UAV into a Poughkeepsie, NY apartment while executing a search warrant. Video from the drone showed the suspect throwing a handgun out of a window. He was arrested and booked on illegal possession of a firearm. NYC lawyer Albert Fox Cahn said, “Flying drones in public air space is invasive enough, but using it inside of a person’s home is completely unconstitutional.”

We used drones to track the feeding habits of seabirds – new research

Foraging habits of seabirds were examined in a new study, A bird’s-eye view on turbulence: seabird foraging associations with evolving surface flow features. Feeding in turbulent water is difficult to study, but a DJI Phantom 3 quadcopter was able to track three species of surface-foraging terns and use particle image velocimetry to map the water vortices and upwellings.

The Dog Poodemic Is Here. Call in the Dung-Hunting Drones

The lockdown gave people an excuse to buy that puppy they always wanted, but owners are hanging the bags of poo in trees and on bushes. Using image recognition, drones might be useful for finding the bags and notifying authorities. (No, we didn’t make this up.)

Bird-like robots could assist in medical emergencies and hunt down drones

Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) can draw their inspiration from the biological world. The GRIFFIN project from the University of Seville is seeking to create prototypes of highly autonomous, ultra-lightweight robot birds. They would minimise energy in flight by soaring and flapping.

The government’s been worried about DJI drones — the Pentagon now says they’re safe

The Pentagon released a report that says two “Government Edition” DJI drones are “recommended for use by government entities.” In 2020, the Department of the Interior grounded all its drones. The government has examined some older model drones and didn’t find any malicious code.

Whoa, the US Navy is now using drones to refuel its jets mid-flight

A Boeing MQ-25 Stingray carrying 500 pounds of fuel transferred 325 pounds to an F/A-18 Super Hornet in midair, with as little as 20 feet of separation.

UAV Video of the Week

FPV racing drone chases kiteboarder in this adrenaline-pumping video from Spain

Video: Big Air Kitesurfing + FPV Racing Drone

372 Great Lakes Drone Company

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:13 — 28.3MB)

Subscribe: Email | RSS

An interview with Great Lakes Drone Company, producers of drone light shows. Also, first responders and augmented reality controlled UAVs, drones that locate trash, Wing drone delivery expansion plans, QR codes in the nighttime sky, and a drone that launches a drone.

Guests

We talk with Ashley Munson and Lindsay Nitz from Great Lakes Drone Company about producing drone light shows. Recorded at the 2021 Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo on April 17, 2021.

UAV News

New Headsets Let Police Control Drone Swarms ‘Hands Free’

Researchers want to support firefighters in Montréal during fire-related emergencies. Their solution is a swarm of drones and an augmented reality headset. They designed an AR interface using the Magic Leap 1 headset that can manage the UAVs in stressful situations.

Drones for the Environment: Battling Trash in San Francisco Estuaries

California researchers are using imagery from unmodified DJI Mavic 2 Pro drones and AI to find plastics and trash along the banks of creeks and streams. The idea is to collect the rubbish before it washes into the bay or the ocean.

Alphabet unit Wing seeks FAA OK to help expand U.S. drone operations

Wing wants to grow its drone delivery service beyond the Christiansburg, Virginia residents that are now supported. Wing is petitioning the FAA to consolidate remote pilot operations from local facilities “to regional operations facilities that are capable of safely controlling a larger number of aircraft simultaneously.” They also want to use a derivative version of the drones and change the operator line check requirement to every 12 months instead of every three months. The FAA says they’ll accept public comments on the petition before making a decision.

The future of advertising is here, and it’s a giant QR code formed by drones flying over Shanghai

Chinese video sharing and streaming site Bilibili created a large nighttime drone display that included a QR code in the sky using 1,500 drones. This was part of a light show celebrating a video game anniversary. Bilibili posted a video with the entire performance:

Video: Princess Connect! Re:Dive drone show

Valkyrie drone launches even smaller drone from inside payload bay

A Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie experimental “attritable” drone successfully released an ALTIUS-600 autonomous drone. The ALTIUS-600 is a small tube-launched drone made by Area-I and it was released from the Valkyrie internal weapons bay. The XQ-58A Valkyrie is designed and built by Kratos for the USAF Low-Cost Attritable Strike Demonstrator program. The ALTIUS-600 is part of the ALTIUS family of autonomous UAS that can be launched from the air, sea, and ground from systems like the Common Launch Tube (CLT), Pneumatically Integrated Launch System (PILS), and other launch systems.

365 Remote Identification Implications

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:46 — 22.5MB)

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Remote Identification from the eyes of different stakeholders, the Speed Racer is revealed, a buyer’s guide to drones for beginners, wet drones in Scotland, saving dolphins in New Zealand, Skyborg is coming this summer, and rogue drone detection and mitigation.

UAV News

How You Fly Determines Where You Stand: A RID Comparative

The final remote identification rule differed from the NPRM, and this article examines how the rule impacts different stakeholders, including service suppliers, drone service providers and operators, security agencies, hobby and recreational users, foreign-registered drones, designers, and producers.

Skunk Works Reveals Speed Racer Configuration

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works has provided some information about their secretive air-launched UAS. The Speed Racer has a hexagonal fuselage with folding and swept wings and two canted aft dorsal tails and one ventral tail. In a company video, the Speed Racer was launched by what looks like a Beechcraft 1900D.

7 Best Drones for Beginners: Your Buyer’s Guide

This article proposed some beginner drones ranging in price from $45 to $330.

Scottish police slammed over non-waterproof drone purchase

Scottish police chiefs purchased $83,000 worth of DJI Matrice 210 drones to help locate missing people and to lower response times. The problem is the Matrice 210 isn’t designed to fly in the rain and 16 of them have crashed flying in wet weather. DJI says the Matrice 210 is certified to an IP43 rating which is insufficient in the rain.

New Zealand Supporting Drone Project to Monitor Rare Dolphins

High hopes: drones join fight to save New Zealand’s rarest dolphin

The Māui Drone Project will use drones to monitor and protect the Maui dolphin, one of the world’s rarest marine mammals. It is estimated that there are only 63 adult members of the species left. The fixed-wing VTOL drones will find and track Maui dolphins, fly over them without disturbing them, and collect data on their habitat, population size and other behaviors. In testing, the drone can distinguish Māui dolphins from other species with over 90% accuracy, using AI technology. The one-year project is a collaboration between the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), the MAUI63 nonprofit wildlife organization, and the World Wildlife Fund-New Zealand.

Video from WWF New Zealand: MAUI63 Drone Launch

USAF to flight test Skyborg autonomous system at Orange Flag this summer

The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is developing the Skyborg autonomous aircraft. The program is in its early development phase but ultimately Skyborg technology will be incorporated into UAVs that are considered expendable in combat. The technology will be tested during Orange Flag exercises this summer. AFRL has contracted with Boeing, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions to develop the prototypes.

FAA Selects Five Host Airports to Test and Evaluate Unmanned Aircraft Detection and Mitigation Systems

The FAA has selected five host airports to evaluate technologies and systems that could detect and mitigate potential safety risks posed by unmanned aircraft. The effort is part of the FAA’s Airport Unmanned Aircraft Systems Detection and Mitigation Research Program. Researchers plan to test and evaluate at least 10 technologies or systems at these airports.

See the news release: FAA to Test and Evaluate Unmanned Aircraft Detection & Mitigation Equipment at Airports.

Testing will begin in 2021 and continue through 2023 to create standards for future unmanned aircraft detection and mitigation technologies at airports around the country. The FAA selected the following airports:

Atlantic City International Airport in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Syracuse Hancock International Airport in Syracuse, New York
Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus, Ohio
Huntsville International Airport in Huntsville, Alabama
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle, Washington

363 DJI FPV Drone

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:00 — 20.6MB)

Subscribe: Email | RSS

DJI’s new FPV drone, Super Bowl drone incursions, Major League Baseball drone incursions, drones at the Daytona 500, and UAS given to law enforcement.

UAV News

DJI’s breakthrough controller, other new FPV details emerge

There’s a new DJI FPV drone on the way. Based on DroneDJ sources, the drone will have some kind of joystick-style controller. Maybe included, maybe an accessory. The controller could provide intuitive control for pitch, roll, yaw, and thrust. The DJI FPV drone with a joystick controller should be easier to learn than standard FPV control with sticks.

Breaking: DJI FPV drone accidentally put up for pre-order on Amazon UK

DJI’s unannounced FPV drone is already the star of a complete unboxing video

Video: Unboxing the Unreleased DJI FPV Drone Combo

https://youtu.be/VOKTcMWom18

Florida Man Flies Drone Near Tampa Super Bowl Activities, Faces 1 Year In Prison

A 33-year old man has been charged with violating national defense airspace. FBI agents caught him flying near the Barrymore Hotel Tampa Riverwalk, inside the Super Bowl LV TFR. It seems he operated the drone BVLOS and he also flew his drone over people and moving vehicles. The man said he is an FAA-licensed remote pilot UAS operator and that he was aware of the TFR.

Second Florida Man Charged With Flying Drone Near Pre-Super Bowl Events

Another 33-year old man who busted the TFR also told agents that he is an FAA-licensed drone pilot and he was aware of the temporary flight restriction.

Sheriff’s office warns of more than 70 Super Bowl LV drone intrusions

Florida’s Hillsborough County sheriff said there been more than 70 drone intrusions from people wanting to capture an aerial view of the Super Bowl.

As Drones Take Off, MLB Has to Play Defense

Five Major League Baseball games were interrupted by rogue drones in 2020. Mike McCormick, legal counsel for the Stadium Managers Association said, “It’s become a significant factor in the whole security conversation with stadiums.” Demand is growing for drone detection systems.

Daytona 500: Fox Sports Extends Use of ‘Megalodon,’ Improves Drones for NASCAR Season

Fox Sports has been using drones for event coverage. Their FPV racing drone is capable of 85 mph, carries a Dream Chip camera, and is operated by production company Beverly Hills Aerials. A heavy-lift drone is equipped with a Sony HDC-P50 4K camera.

DJI and Draganfly Tried to Use the Pandemic to Get Law Enforcement to Use More Drones

Unknown to the Trader Joe’s in Westport, Connecticut, a police department captain used a drone to observe shoppers as they were lined up outside the store. The officer was observing social distancing, and looking for high temperature and increased heart rate. The shoppers were not told this was going to happen.

A week later, the “Flatten the Curve Pilot Program” was unveiled in collaboration with Draganfly, the Canadian drone company. The program was due to last through the summer but public outcry changed that plan and the program was canceled less than 48 hours later.

The Documenting COVID-19 project at Columbia University’s Brown Institute for Media Innovation reports that police departments in multiple states were given or loaned surveillance technology from Draganfly and DJI. The drones were fitted with thermal cameras and intercoms to disperse crowds and broadcast coronavirus information. In some cases, the drones were equipped with health vitals monitors

UAV Video of the Week:

Drone footage captures eagle rays near Woodgate

Justin Woodgate and his father were visiting Woodgate in Australia. When they stopped for a break, they saw fins breaking the surface.

Video: Marine Life in the Bundaberg/Woodgate Beach Region

361 Urban Airports for Drones

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:14 — 20.1MB)

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Urban airports for drones as a service, FAA UTM transparency, a new Transportation secretary, drones that self-monitor airworthiness, domestic actions against Chinese drones, and the Superbowl no-fly zone.

UAV News

Hyundai Passenger Drones Need Urban Infrastructure: Urban Air Port® Air-One® is the eVTOL Operational Hub

A UK company called urban-Air Port aims to develop “the world’s smallest airport,” aa a “one stop shop for drones and eVTOL.” The company says, “We provide innovative ground infrastructure as a service for Future Air Mobility. An ultra-compact, rapidly deployable, multi-functional operations hub for manned and unmanned vehicles providing aircraft command and control, charging/refuelling, cargo and passenger loading, and other mission specific facilities.” Video: Urban airports: the future of urban aviation

FAA Could Improve Communication on UTM Programme

A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report recommends that the FAA provide more UTM information to stakeholders. The GAO says stakeholders need a better understanding of the timeline for planning purposes. Also, stakeholders would benefit from knowing the goals and metrics of the FAA plans for UTM testing and implementation. The GAO is recommending that FAA provide stakeholders with additional information on the timing and substance of UTM testing and implementation efforts using FAA’s UTM website or other appropriate means, and develop performance goals and measures for its UTM implementation plan.

What Secretary Pete’s confirmation means for drone regulation

Pete Buttigieg is the new Department of Transportation secretary and some are speculating if policy will change with regard to unmanned aircraft. As a previous mayor, Buttigieg embraced autonomous vehicle technology and drove initiatives to position South Bend as a testbed for drones and wireless technology.

Fit2Fly Aims to Make Future Drones Safe and Reliable

If drones flights are to become commonplace, they need to self-detect problems inflight. The NASA Fit2Fly program seeks to develop technologies for drones that allow this and transmit the situation to other drone operators.

The Legal Aspects of Banning Chinese Drone Technology

Last year, DJI donated at least 100 drones to more than 40 U.S. law enforcement and public safety departments. Against the background of the government issued warnings and even prohibitions against Chinese drones, some people are calling for federal inquiries into DJI’s drone giveaway. This article examines the issues.

60-mile-wide ‘no drone zone’ planned for Super Bowl Sunday; violators could face $30,000 fine

Restrictions for the 2021 Superbowl include a 30-mile radius “no drone zone” around the event. See https://www.faa.gov/superbowl/ for more information that applies to manned and unmanned aircraft.

UAV Video of the Week:

Big Sur video shows what it’s like driving up to gaping hole in Hwy. 1 – and flying over it

Highway 1 in California was heavily damaged after recent rains. This aerial video from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office shows the extent of the destruction.

345 SeaClear Project to Clean the Ocean

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:01 — 22.7MB)

Subscribe: Email | RSS

SeaClear aims to clean ocean trash, the Loyal Wingman powers up its engine, a drone crashes into wind-turbine, drone makers see an opportunity in anti-China sentiment, marine animal rescue, photographing the orange landscapes caused by wildfire smoke, and why harassing a police officer with a drone is a bad idea.

UAV News

Autonomous Drones and Vehicles Collect Rubbish from Ocean Floor

There is a lot of trash in the oceans. One estimate puts it at around 26-66 million tons of waste with 94% of that is on the seafloor. The EU-funded SeaClear project wants to clean up the mess. Under this project An unmanned surface vessel acts as a “mothership.” Tethered to it are drones and remote-operated vehicles (ROVs) that will use AI-based algorithms to map, identify, and classify the rubbish. A combined suction-gripper manipulator will collect it.

Loyal Wingman combat drone powers up engine for the first time

The Boeing Australia Loyal Wingman aircraft that was rolled out in May 2020 had its first engine run. Also known as the Airpower Teaming System (ATS), the first test flight is expected later in 2020.

Drone crashes into wind turbine in ‘extremely rare’ incident

Earlier this year, a DJI Phantom 4 crashed into one of the four wind turbines at a sewage treatment facility. The drone was being used to survey the Bristol sewage treatment works in Avonmouth. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch report [PDF] says: “The pilot was using the NATS Drone Assist app1 as part of the flight planning and risk assessment of the flight; however, the app did not mention the wind turbines, so the pilot looked up “windturbine height” on the internet which returned a height of 328 ft.” Except the wind turbine actually has a height of 413 ft above the ground.

How drones can make inspections smart and automated for utilities

According to Power Engineering International, since the Covid-19 pandemic, power companies are turning to drones for inspections. The article describes the recently unveiled DJI Matrice 300 RTK commercial drone platform – a quadcopter with fold-up arms, up to 55 minutes of flight time, and transmission up to 15 km away.

Drone maker hurt by US China Rift opening door to US rivals

Rightly or wrongly, DJI has taken a hit to their image because of accusations about data transmission to China. Governments responded with bans on Chinese drones but some drone makers are taking advantage of the situation. Last month the Defense Department approved Skydio, Parrot, and three others to supply U.S.-manufactured drones to federal government agencies. DJI announced an internet “kill switch” on more drones that stops data transmission on sensitive flying missions.

Using drones to support marine animal research and conservation

Sometimes marine animals become distressed: tangled in a net, tangled in some of that plastic floating around the oceans, or they may be sick. Drones can be an asset because they can assess the situation so that marine biologists (and others) can bring the equipment they need to help the animal. Marine biologist Genni Brookshire (an FAA-certified drone pilot) and her team partnered with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to find the pitch and volume levels that stress marine life the least. They plan to publish their findings in a peer-reviewed journal and to make the information available for free on Ceto Marine Research’s website.

The sky is on fire in San Francisco, and we flew a drone through it

Verge video director Vjeran Pavic took photographs of San Francisco and Sutro Tower just after sunrise using a drone.

Man cited for repeatedly flying drones over private property

An Ontario man received 13 citations for flying a drone in a harassing manner over residential areas. The Class B violations were issued under ORS 837.370 for operating a drone over privately owned premises in a manner that “intentionally, knowingly or recklessly harass or annoy the owner or occupant” of those premises. The man is scheduled for an October 7 court appearance.

UAV Video of the Week

Video drone footage of abandoned dinosaur park in Arkansas

Video: Drone Flight Over Abandoned Dinosaur Theme Park

339 Planning for Drones at Airports

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:25 — 23.7MB)

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Airfield design guidelines for large UAS, a guidebook for UAS threats at airports, first free flight of Airbus naval UAS, studying sea turtles and saving baby deer, fully charging drone batteries in 5 minutes, and drones fly over a nuclear power plant.

UAV News

Woolpert hired to research and develop airfield design guidelines for large UAS

The guidelines are primarily intended for airport managers, planners, engineers, UAS operators, and other stakeholders. If manned and unmanned aircraft are going to operate in the same airspace, airports will want to know the impacts. That includes the facility needs of large UAS and if they would use the same infrastructure. The contract with Woolpert is under the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), which is managed by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine and sponsored by the FAA.

Woolpert Selected by National Safe Skies Alliance to Develop UAS Response Guidebook for Airports

The guidebook is intended to help airports plan for and respond to UAS threats. The National Safe Skies Alliance is a non-profit organization funded by the FAA. It works with airports, government, and industry to maintain a safe and effective aviation security system. Woolpert will develop strategies and consider detection systems. Guidebook production is already underway with completion planned for 2021.

Airbus UAV Helo Completes First Free Flight

The relatively compact and stealthy Airbus Helicopters VSR700 is a multi-mission naval UAS designed to operate alongside other shipborne naval assets. It seeks to provide commanders with a tactical picture. The VSR700 flew for 10 minutes within visual line of sight. It had previously flown tethered. Powered by a Continental CD-155 four-cylinder, FADEC-controlled turbodiesel running on Jet A, VSR sea trials are planned for late 2021.

Embry-Riddle and Northrop Grumman Survey Sea Turtles

The Turtle Tech project teams Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Northrop Grumman with the Brevard Zoo in Florida. It’s a drone-based surveillance effort to better understand the behavior of sea turtles. The computer visioning systems can identify individual sea turtles, as well as their species, gender, and unique markings. Funded with a Northrop Grumman Foundation grant, Embry-Riddle researchers plan to use the Applied Aeronautics fixed-wing Albatross VTOL and the DJI Matrice 210.

Thermal drone used to save 15 baby Deer in Norway

A wildlife and outfield manager in Norway has been saving injured baby deer using a thermal camera equipped drone. Flights are conducted every morning between 2 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. looking for injured baby deer in grasslands. The DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual is equipped with both a thermal camera and visual camera.

Storedot demonstrates worlds first 5 minute charge of a commercial drone

StoreDot is a battery developer that specializes in ultra-fast charging (UFC) technology. The company is applying UFC technology to the drone industry and they have demonstrated fully-charging a commercial drone in five minutes. StoreDot says their Li-ion batteries are “based on novel nanostructured materials combined with proprietary organic binders and enhanced electrolytes.”

The Night A Mysterious Drone Swarm Descended On Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant

On two successive evenings in September 2019, a swarm of drones flew over the Palo Verde Nuclear Generation Station in Arizona, America’s most powerful nuclear plant. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) called it a “drone-a-palooza.” Documents obtained from the NRC through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) show that four to six drones were involved. They were estimated to be over 2 feet in diameter with flashing lights.

321 DJI on Remote ID

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:27 — 21.0MB)

Subscribe: Email | RSS

DJI brings out the guns in its criticism of the Remote ID proposal, the Air Force has new medical standards for RPA pilots, a better communications antenna for UAVs, a draft executive order that would ban Chinese drones from the federal government, and using drones to speed 5G deployment.

UAV News

DJI urges FAA to reconsider Remote ID NPRM

The comment period for the FAA Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for the Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems is closed, but not before DJI submitted an 89-page formal comment. The FAA estimated its proposed Remote ID rules would cost about $582 million over the next 10 years. In the report prepared by NERA Economic Consulting, the cost was calculated at $5.6 billion over that period. DJI has demonstrated a direct “drone-to-phone” wi-fi based solution.

Medical standards changing for RPA pilots

Effective February 28, 2020, the Air Force changed the medical standards for remotely piloted aircraft pilots. Previously, graduating RPA students had to meet the medical standards designed for aircrew operating at altitude. Now, these Airmen will only need to meet the Ground-Based Operator medical standards.

New Antenna Will Boost UAV Communication with Satellites

Chinese researchers have developed a compact saber-shaped antenna for UAVs that can switch between two radiation patterns for better communication coverage. The new antenna incorporates a monopole perpendicular to the ground with an omnidirectional pattern and a dipole parallel to the ground with a broadside pattern. Published in a study in IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

US is preparing to ban foreign-made drones from government use

TechCrunch says the Trump administration is preparing to ban federal departments and agencies from buying or using foreign-made drones. This would be accomplished through an executive order that would effectively ban foreign-made drones or drones made with foreign components.

Afraid of heights? Drones, AI and digitalization to the rescue!

Deployment of 5G communications has some serious obstacles, including the need for many more antennas. Ericsson is using drones to speed the site survey process and build 3D site models that can be used for engineering decisions.

Announcement

The 14th annual UAS Summit & Expo is scheduled for September 1-2, 2020 at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks North Dakota. The event is produced and organized by UAS Magazine and BBI International.

318 Police Micro-Drones

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:02 — 20.0MB)

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Micro-drones for law enforcement, a laser C-UAS system, DJI and the Coronavirus, drone remote ID interaction with manned aircraft, airplane modelers and remote ID, and a new reality show featuring drones.

UAV News

Calif. PD deploys new indoor micro-drones

The Sacramento Police Department is testing micro-drones indoors during conflicts. Drones with video cameras can give officers a real-time view and they can also avoid direct physical confrontations with suspects. The Sacramento police have a fleet of 12 small FPV drones that cost only about $90.

This Is How a Laser Weapon Torches Drones Out of the Sky

In a just-released video, you can watch a C-UAS system from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems take down drones with a laser. The system is truck-mounted on a Land Rover Defender and a DJI Phantom plays the role of a hostile drone. The system detects the Phantom, tracks it, and fires a high-powered laser. The laser continues to melt the drone even as it tries to maneuver.

DJI drones join worldwide fight against Coronavirus

DJI explained how its drones have been helping fight the Coronavirus. The company has pledged almost $1.5 million in aid and developed best practices for spraying a chlorine or ethyl alcohol-based disinfectant from the air. DJI adapted its Agras series of agricultural spraying drones to spray disinfectant in potentially affected areas.

FAA Exploring How Manned Aviation Can Benefit from Drone Remote ID

The FAA’s roadmap for integrating unmanned aircraft into the NAS relies on remote ID, but how will the remote ID signals from drones interact with manned aviation? The FAA plans to ask industry that question and is Internally discussing a request for information on how manned aviation could take advantage of remote identification signals.

Oklahoma model aircraft hobbyists fight back against drone proposal

The Academy of Model Aeronautics and Oklahoma model aircraft fliers have some problems with the FAA’s proposal for remote ID. The 400-foot requirement is not far enough for an RC glider. The FAA needs to have a compliance path for competitions outside the fixed sites. Adding a transmitter to a low-risk aircraft is too expensive and Remote ID requires access to the Internet. Also, the AMA doesn’t want owners to have to individually register every aircraft. NPRM comments are being accepted until March 2, 2020.

Reality show to highlight role of drones in difficult survey ops

A new reality series called “Down to Earth” shows real surveyors working with drones under challenging conditions. The surveyors use aerial drone imagery and analysis and the series is sponsored by MicroDrones. Viewers can register to watch a one-hour webinar at either 9 am ET or 6 pm ET February 19, 2020, covering episodes 1-3 of Down to Earth, project overview and objectives, workflow analysis, and a review of final surface model and deliverables.