Tag Archives: General Atomics

421 Cargo Drone

A large autonomous blended-wing cargo drone and a smaller electric cargo drone, the Eaglet takes flight, taser drones at public schools, the GAO recommends the FAA create a comprehensive strategy, the Dronut for inspections, two MQ-9 Reapers for a Dollar, and a  BVLOS autonomous inspection solution.

UAV News

Artist drawing of the Natilus 3.8T cargo drone.
3.8T Cargo Drone, courtesy Natilus.

Drones will ‘push the boundaries of what is possible’ in air cargo

The Natilus Kona cargo drone looks a lot like the NASA X-48B blended-wing prototype. It’s autonomous so no need for pressurization and the blended wing design is efficient with up to a 50% reduction in emissions. It has a claimed 4.3-ton cargo capacity with a 900 nautical mile range. Natilus says they have “designed and developed” the aircraft. The patent-pending ‘Diamond’ cargo bay allows for 60% more volume. It’s designed for cargo and can hold a large configuration of standard pallets and outsized cargo. A remote pilot watches over.

World’s largest electric cargo plane unveiled, here’s how far it can fly on its own

Pyka unveiled a large, zero-emission autonomous electric cargo plane. The second-generation Pelican Spray is an autonomous electric aircraft designed for complex agricultural operations on farms. The Pelican Cargo features an extended range, increased payload capacity, and maximized cargo volume. A payload of up to 400 lbs can be carried in 66 feet of cargo space for a range of up to 200 miles (with a 20 min reserve). 

Video: Pyka Pelican Cargo Unveil – Large Autonomous Electric Cargo UAS

GA-ASI’s Eaglet Takes Its First Flight

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) conducted a flight demonstration of the Eaglet Air-Launched Effect (ALE) at the Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah. The Eaglet was launched from a U.S. Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER) UAS. The Eaglet is a low-cost survivable UAV that can be launched from a Gray Eagle, rotary-wing aircraft, or ground vehicles.

Taser drones in schools? The idea isn’t completely kaput

There was some talk about the ethics of putting tasers on small UAVs to subdue dangerous people and using “shock drones” to protect schools. Several years ago, law enforcement company Axon asked its ethics board for input on the idea. After a year-long study, the board said it was not a good idea. Then the mass shooting at the school in Uvalde, Texas happened. Axon may be rethinking the idea.

FAA Should Improve Its Approach to Integrating Drones into the National Airspace System

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) says the FAA has developed planning documents to manage efforts to integrate drones into the national airspace, but it does not have a comprehensive strategy. According to the GAO, a comprehensive strategy includes seven elements and the FAA has only four of them. The FAA’s documents do not identify drone integration goals and objectives and they only partially include milestones and performance measures for all activities. The GAO recommends that the FAA address this as well as some other process deficiencies.

Cleo Robotics’ drones fly into tight spaces to gather data

The Cleo Robotics Dronut® X1 is a small bi-rotor ducted drone with no exposed propellers. It fits in the palm of your hand and is powered using bi-rotor thrust vectoring technology. Applications include inspections in dangerous and confined spaces and an ISR solution for GPS-denied environments.

Two MQ-9 Reaper UAVs just for a dollar but there are nuances

According to The Wall Street Journal, General Atomics is offering Ukraine two Reapers for $1.00. But Ukraine has to pay about $10 million to prepare and deliver them, and about $8 million for maintenance and support. The Pentagon would have to approve of the sale.

Flying Beyond Visual Line of Sight at Record-Breaking Altitude with Percepto

Percepto has FAA authorization to execute unmanned drone-in-a-box operations 200 feet above ground level without a pilot or visual observer on site. The FAA authorization is only for a large Texas solar power plant but Percepto will use this as a model for other industries, including oil and gas, mining, and utilities.

416 European Drone Strategy 2.0

European drone strategy 2.0, armed drones for Ukraine, drones used for poaching and other wildlife investigations, drone videos of three active volcanoes, dynamically assigning frequencies for UAS command and control, a survey of consumer attitudes on home drone delivery of goods and food, liquid hydrogen power, and the Dover AFB sUAS program.

UAV News

Drone Strategy 2.0: Creating a large-scale European drone market

The European Commission adopted the European Drone Strategy 2.0 which offers a vision for the further development of the European drone market. The Commission wants to ensure that society supports drones. By 2030, the Drone Strategy envisions a number of services, including emergency services, mapping, imaging, inspection and surveillance; the urgent delivery of small packages, such as biological samples or medicines; Air Mobility services, like air taxis that provide regular transport services for passengers, initially with a pilot on board, but ultimately fully automated operations.

The Commission’s strategy includes operational, technical, and financial actions:

  • Adopting common rules for airworthiness, and new training requirements
  • Funding the creation of an online platform to support local stakeholders and industry implementing sustainable Innovative Air Mobility.
  • Developing a Strategic Drone Technology Roadmap to identify priority areas for research and innovation, to reduce existing strategic dependencies and to avoid new ones arising.
  • Defining criteria for a voluntary cybersecurity-approved drone label.

See: A Drone Strategy 2.0 for a Smart and Sustainable Unmanned Aircraft Eco-System in Europe [PDF].

Senators urge Pentagon to send advanced Gray Eagle drones to Ukraine

After some reports that the Pentagon had decided to not send armed drones to Ukraine, sixteen Senate Republicans and Democrats sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin objecting. In the letter, the Senators say, “This particular [Unmanned Aerial System] will increase Ukraine’s unmanned capabilities in the near term and demands careful reconsideration. Most importantly, armed [Unmanned Aerial Systems] could find and attack Russian warships in the Black Sea, breaking its coercive blockade and alleviate dual pressures on the Ukrainian economy and global food prices.” The General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones can hold up to four Hellfire Missiles.

Poachers beware—new drone team launched to assist in wildlife crime investigations

The five Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) drone law enforcement officers have been trained and have their FAA pilot licenses. The drones will assist officers in their investigations through increased documentation of crime scenes and locating evidence.

Drones capture video of three active volcanoes around the world

Watch videos of three active volcanoes: Mauna Loa in Hawaii, the Villarrica volcano in Chile, and Russia’s Shiveluch volcano.

uAvionix Awarded FAA contract to Implement and demonstrate C-Band Frequency Assignment Manager (FAM) with Multiple UAS Operations

uAvionix won a contract from the FAA for end-to-end demonstrations of a Frequency Assignment Manager (FAM) as a component of the uAvionix SkyLine™ Command and Control Communications Service Provider (C2CSP) management platform. The system will dynamically assign UAS C-Band Command and Non-Payload Control frequencies to UAS with CNPC radios. uAvionix teamed with the Northern Plains UAS Test Site to develop command and control concepts.

The contract demonstrations include:

  • Managing a pool of frequencies in a geographic area.
  • Allocating available frequencies to a specific CNPC radio for a specific mission.
  • Receiving assigned frequencies for the designated mission.
  • CNPC radios operating on the assigned frequencies.
  • Non-interference when multiple aircraft are operating in the area.

Do US Consumers Want Drone Delivery? Auterion’s 2022 Report

Auterion surveyed 1,000 Americans to get their perspective on drones. 94% view drones as having a potential positive purpose in the world. 67% view drones as more environmentally friendly than trucks. 57% think the adoption of small-quantity drone deliveries is a good thing for the environment. 47% said they would make a purchase from a specific retailer due to the option of a drone delivery program. 64% believe drones are becoming an option for home delivery now or will be in the near future. Press release: Drones set to make the future of holiday shipping greener. Download the report: Drone Delivery in the United States.

This New Airplane Could Be The First to Fly on Carbon-Free Liquid Hydrogen

Since 2016, the German company H2Fly has been flying an airplane powered by a hydrogen gas fuel cell. The Hy4 is a four-seat aircraft and in April it set a record for the highest zero-emission flight, at 7,230 feet. H2Fly plans to switch from Hydrogen gas to liquid. That would double the range. Testing is scheduled for 2023. The company has entered into a partnership with Deutsche Aircraft to develop a fuel-cell-powered aircraft that will hold up to 40 passengers, with a range of 1,200 miles.

Video: Präsentation der sechsten Wasserstoff-Antriebsgeneration in der Hy4

Eye in the sky: SUAS program takes flight at Dover AFB

The 436th Airlift Wing Plans and Programs office at Dover AFB has an sUAS program jointly run with the Bedrock Dover AFB  Innovation Lab. Recently, a Skydio X2D Small Unmanned Aerial System drone was tested during its first operational flight around a static aircraft at Dover on Nov. 4, 2022. The X2D was selected from other Department of Defense-approved systems due to its advanced obstacle avoidance system and other possible capabilities.

413 Community-Based Drone Organizations

FAA issues guidelines for community-based drone organizations, large Navy drone swarms, Iranian drone components, the 2023 FAA reauthorization bill, a large Chinese cargo drone, the Bell Autonomous Pod Transport, Russians with drones in Norway, plant specimen sampling with drones, a Wing drone comes to a fiery end, and Collaborative Combat Aircraft.

UAV News

FAA Updates Recreational Drone Flying Guidance

FAA logo

Recreational drone flyers are required to follow the safety guidelines of FAA-recognized community-based drone organizations. These organizations develop safety guidelines in coordination with the FAA. The FAA has issued guidance on how to become an FAA-recognized community-based organization for recreational drone flying. The FAA Advisory Circular 91-57C Exception for Limited Recreational Operations of Unmanned Aircraft provides a list of recommended safety guidelines. Applications for community-based drone organizations can be made through the FAA’s DroneZone website.

The US Navy wants swarms of thousands of small drones

According to budget documents, the US Navy wants to use thousands of small drones that flock together and overwhelm anti-aircraft defenses. Israel became the first nation to use swarming drones in combat in 2021. Other nations are working on swarms, including China, Russia, India, the UK, and Turkey.

Austrian engines, South Korean and Malaysian microchips, US parts found in Iranian Mohajer-6 drones

The examination of drones that have been shot down shows the international components they contain. The Iranian Mohajer-6 reconnaissance drone was powered by a Rotax engine. Rotax is investigating and said the company “have not authorized and has not given any authorization to its distributors to supply military UAV manufacturers in Iran or Russia.” Previously, microprocessors from South Korea and Malaysia, bought in violation of sanctions, were found in the Shahed-136 kamikaze drone. Both drones are used by the Russian military in Ukraine.

Drones and air taxis will be big part of FAA bill

Hearings for the 2023 FAA reauthorization bill are underway and the Senate Commerce Aviation Subcommittee is looking at “new entrants” into the airspace. eVTOL aircraft (Advanced Air Mobility – or AAM) will likely get a lot of attention this time.

China Flies Large Twin-Tailed Scorpion D Cargo UAS

The Twin-Tailed Scorpion D is claimed to be the world’s first large-scale, four-engined uncrewed aircraft system. The 18-minute test flight was deemed to be “trouble-free.” The Scorpion D is 10.5 m (34.4 ft.) long with a 20 m wingspan and a height of 3.1 m. The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 4.35 tons. The Scorpion D will be exhibited at Zhuhai Airshow 2022, which begins November 8, 2022.

Bell Brings Autonomous Cargo UAV To Air Medical Show

Bell brought its Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) eVTOL to the 2022 Air Medical Transport Conference in Tampa, Florida. The APT has been flying for several years and Bell hopes for a production version that will deliver 100 pounds, 100 miles, at 100 knots per hour.

Autonomous Pod Transport (APT). Courtesy Bell.
Autonomous Pod Transport (APT). Courtesy Bell.

Russian man arrested for flying drone over Norwegian airport

The 51-year-old man was arrested after flying over the Tromso Airport in northern Norway. Police seized a “large” amount of photography equipment, including the drone and memory cards. Police also found photos of the airport in Kirkenes, near the Russian border and of a Norwegian military helicopter. In February 2022, Norway’s Civil Aviation Authority banned Russians from flying or operating aircraft (including drones) in Norway. 

Drones Sample Rare Specimens from Cliffs and Other Dangerous Places

Drones are being used in Hawaii to capture specimens of rare and endangered plants in places that would be dangerous for humans. Historically, botanists would rappel down sheer rock faces to collect samples. A commercially available drone carries a second robotic machine named Mamba. The Mamba remote-controlled robotic arm was custom-built from scratch. It’s suspended from the hovering drone and picks the plant samples.

A Food Delivery Drone Hit Power Lines, Caught Fire, and Left Thousands Without Electricity

Subtitle: An Alphabet-owned Wing drone “incinerated itself” after it became entangled in power lines in Brisbane, Australia. On the bright side, the food stayed hot.

Danny Donald, a spokesperson from utility provider Energex, said: “We didn’t actually have to get the drone off, as such, it actually caught fire and incinerated itself.”

GA-ASI’s Gambit Series: The Future of Collaborative Combat Aircraft

With adversary aircraft and air defense systems improving, many are predicting a future with a mix of manned and unmanned aircraft. A new type of aircraft is emerging: the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is proposing the Gambit CCA family of aircraft built off a common Gambit Core.

Gambit concept. Courtesy General Atomics.
Gambit concept. Courtesy General Atomics.

UAV Video of the Week

Video: How a hive of 3D-printing drones could change construction | Mashable

A team of researchers at Imperial College London and Empa have been developing collaborative aerial drones that can 3D print buildings from a single blueprint. The drones are fully autonomous once in flight and have so far successfully completed tests with lightweight cement mixtures.

403 BVLOS ARC Final Report

Public meeting scheduled for BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee Final Report, the MQ-9B STOL, Skyward is closing, bombs dropping from commercial drones, an indoor drone from DJI, Commercial UAV Expo 2022, and drone docking systems.

UAV News

FAA: Unmanned Aircraft Systems beyond Visual Line of Sight Aviation Rulemaking Committee Final Report

The UAS Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) has scheduled a public meeting for June 22, 2022. Its purpose is to give the public an opportunity to comment on the UAS BVLOS ARC Final Report.

The meeting will be held virtually from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. On the day of the event, the Livestream can be viewed on Facebook or YouTube. Members of the public who wish to provide written comments and/or oral comments may email 9-FAA-UAS-BVLOS@faa.gov. Meeting minutes and other information will be posted on the FAA webpage.

To see the March 10, 2022, final report, visit Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) Operations Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC).

MQ-9B STOL, first aircraft in its class to offer short takeoff and landing

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. developed a kit for the MQ-9B SeaGuardian giving it short takeoff and landing, or STOL, capability. The kit allows the aircraft to operate from shorter fields (less than 1,000 ft) compared to the roughly 3,500-foot runways it currently requires.

Verizon is closing its Skyward drone management company

Verizon bought the Skyward drone management business in 2017. In a surprise announcement, Verizon now says it will close down Skyward on June 30, 2022, to focus on higher near-term growth activities.

Skyward Is Closing—What Does This Mean for LAANC and for Parrot’s ANAFI Ai?

Skyward launched in 2013 and provided LAANC services starting in 2017. The company conducted a remote drone operation in 2020 without a pilot present in a Washington state wildfire, helped establish Remote ID requirements, and partnered in 2021 with Parrot to provide 4G LTE connectivity for its ANAFI Ai.

Now There’s A Drum Magazine For Dropping Multiple Bombs From Commercial Drones

Reports are unconfirmed that a Dutch company (unnamed) has developed a drum magazine for commercial drones that holds and drops multiple mortar shells. It’s said that prototypes are headed to Ukraine.

DJI may be working a new FPV drone that you can fly indoors

According to leaks, A DJI indoor drone is coming between July and August 2022. Supposedly called Avata, the drone will weigh 500 grams and features ducted propellers, a camera, and “greatly improved” battery life.

Commercial UAV Expo 2022 Program – Vegas Show is Back, and Bigger than Ever

The Commercial UAV Expo is September 6-8, 2022 in Las Vegas. Featured sessions include keynotes, deep-dive vertical market sessions, and industry update sessions. See the 2022 Conference Program.

Advances in Drone Docking Systems

On-demand drone services need a place where drones can land and await the next mission, get their batteries charged, and be protected from environmental conditions. Globe UAV and HEISHA Technology have offerings in this space.

Mentioned

PBIA approved for ‘vertiport’ for electric jet service to connect Florida cities

Lillium

395 Counter-UAS Contract

A $1B counter-UAS contract, Kittyhawk air mobility, sports game halted, no recreational drones in UAE, medical deliveries in the Navajo Nation, locating pets after a disaster, peeking at volcanos, an unidentified drone spotted, and a drone research contract at a UAS test site.

UAV News

US Special Ops Command Awards $1B Counter-Drone Contract

Anduril Industries has won a 10-year, $1 billion counter-UAS integration contract. Awarded by US Special Operations Command (SOCOM), Anduril is to “deliver, advance, and sustain” counter-UAS sensors and systems in a layered configuration. Anduril’s cUAS Lattice system includes a solar-powered Sentry Tower with sensors and the Anvil sUAS, all running on the Lattice operating system. The system “autonomously detects, classifies, and tracks targets, alerting operators to threats and allowing options for mitigation or engagement.”

A Larry Page-backed drone guru expects you to be a future passenger. Here’s why

Larry Page funded Kittyhawk and picked up a portion of 3D Robotics, co-founded by Chris Anderson, now the Kittyhawk COO. Kittyhawk pivoted from air mobility with a pilot to pilotless.

I am a drone guy, and this was the perfect, obvious next chapter, just bigger drones and the use case is so much more obvious, moving people from A to B more quickly and as cheaply as a car is the kind of mission I can get behind. On the tech side, there is no reason we can’t move a significant fraction of people off the roads and into the sky.

Chris Anderson

Premier League clash between Brentford and Wolves halted for 19 minutes due to a DRONE hovering over the west London stadium

Play of the English Premier League was halted due to an “unofficial drone” flying over the field. Both teams returned to the dressing rooms while a helicopter was used to try and shoo the drone away.

UAE bans flying of recreational drones after fatal attack

Recreational drones and light sport aircraft have been banned in the United Arab Emirates. This follows a fatal drone attack on an oil facility and a major airport. Also, some people were flying drones outside the area of their permits, often into areas where drones are prohibited. The penalty for violating the ban is heavy: Six months in jail and Dh100,000 fine for flying drones in the UAE, prosecutors says.

The “Healing Eagle Feather” project is a partnership between MissionGo and the Navajo Nation to deliver medical supplies and other essentials with drones to people in remote areas. Cargo includes insulin kits, prepackaged meals, large animal medicine, emergency communication devices, and anti-venom. In Episode 375 we talked with MissionGO’s Frank Paskiewicz, EVP of Cargo Operations, and Ryan Henderson, Lead Pilot.

Drones for Animal Rescue: Doug Thron Flies Around the World, Saving Pets and Wildlife After Natural Disasters

Douglas Thron is a photographer and drone pilot who travels to natural disasters and conducts animal rescues. He uses a Matrice 210 V2 drone with a FLIR XT2 camera and has found and rescued distressed animals around the world. The HBO Max TV show “Doug to the Rescue” chronicles the rescues.

Volcano-observing Drone Flights Open Door to Routine Hazard Monitoring

Under a long-term collaboration between NASA and Black Swift Technologies, the S2 UAS flew over the Makushin Volcano in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. The U.S. Geological Survey provided a payload that detects gases and collects visual and thermal images. The S2 fixed-wing drone is designed to carry scientific payloads in demanding atmospheric conditions.

Pilot Video And FAA Interview Reveal Bizarre Encounter With Unidentified Aircraft Over Atlantic City

An Air Force pilot flying a Diamond DA40 observed a strange drone above Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 16th, 2018. The KC-135 aerial refueling tanker pilot said the drone followed his aircraft.

Video: Unidentified Aircraft Encounter Over Atlantic City 9/16/18 Air-To-Air Video

FAA awards contracts for drone research at Grand Sky

More than $2 million was awarded to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. and Appareo Systems LLC. GA-ASI will focus on detect-and-avoid technology while Appareo will examine how radio signals function at different altitudes and in different environments. They’ll also conduct research to evaluate the use of LTE cellular networks for unmanned aircraft. The companies will work in conjunction with the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, near Grand Forks Air Force Base.

UAV Video of the Week

Video: MONSTER WAIMEA BAY (part one) Heavy Carnage

Video: MONSTER WAIMEA BAY (part two) Taming The Beast

393 Lessons for the eVTOL Industry

What the eVTOL industry can learn from helicopters, a counter-unmanned aircraft missile/drone, a birthday drone light show, saving lives with a drone, fused sensor data across manned and unmanned aircraft, and getting the most from the DJI Mavic 3 drone.

UAV News

5 Lessons eVTOL Can Learn from Legacy Helicopter Airlines

We see what the emerging eVTOL industry can learn from the history of helicopter airlines: safety first, encouraging public acceptance, keeping a critical eye on operating costs, maintaining tight routes, and including the first and last mile.

Dog owner spends nearly $16K on drones to celebrate pooch’s birthday

A woman in China hired 520 drones to spell out “Happy 10th birthday to Doudou” for her dog. The drone light show featured a birthday cake and a jack-in-a-box-like present. Authorities said they would have shot down the drones if they had seen them.

This Footage Of Jet-Powered Coyote Drones Obliterating Other Drones Is Incredible

Raytheon Missiles & Defense released a video showing Coyote missiles launched from a truck and taking out different fixed-wing drones. In partnership with the U.S. Army’s Integrated Fires and Rapid Capabilities Office, the tests used precision targeting radar and mobile sensing radar to detect and defeat drones of varying size and range. Raytheon says the Coyote 2s have a “dogfight-type of capability” and are capable of engaging highly maneuverable targets.

Video: Raytheon Missiles & Defense proves counter-UAS effectiveness against enemy drones

Drone helps save cardiac arrest patient in Sweden

A 71-year-old man suffered a cardiac arrest while shoveling snow in Sweden. Everdrone dispatched an autonomous drone with an Automated External Defibrillator. It arrived within 3 minutes and a doctor on the scene used the defibrillator at the man’s house – all this before the ambulance arrived.

Video: Everdrone’s emergency medical delivery service in action in Sweden

Two GA-ASI Avengers Equipped with Lockheed Martin Legion Pods Autonomously Send Fused Air Threat Data to Command Center

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has demonstrated sending fused sensor data to a command center. The long-range air threat data was captured passively by two Avenger® Unmanned Aircraft Systems and fused by an advanced sensor algorithm. The Avengers were each equipped with a Lockheed Martin Legion Pod®. GA-ASI Senior Director of Advanced Programs Michael Atwood said, “Avenger with Legion Pod demonstrates how collaborative autonomous platforms with advanced sensing can deliver persistent, shared air domain awareness.”

Video: Legion Pod Flies on F-16

28 MUST KNOW Tips & Settings for DJI Mavic 3

Dan from DansTube.TV recently created a tips and settings video for the DJI Mavic 3, a professional-grade cinematic drone with a 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad camera and 28x hybrid zoom.

Video: 28 MUST KNOW Tips & Settings for DJI Mavic 3

UAV Video of the Week

Drone that can fly and swim unveiled

Developed by telecom company KDDI, the drone floats on water and releases a second, underwater drone from its belly cage. The underwater drone can survey fish and shellfish farms or perform infrastructure inspection of facilities such as dams.

Maui63 drone

365 Remote Identification Implications

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

354 Home Design for Drone Deliveries

Designing homes to accept deliveries by drones, a Smellidrone, Virginia partners with a UAS company, launching smallsats, refreshments delivered to golfers, a passive perching mechanism for micro drones, contract awards for loyal wingman prototypes, a long-range medical test flight in South Korea.

UAV News

Drones are poised to reshape home design

If delivery drones become prolific, that might have implications for the way homes are designed to accept deliveries by drone. That includes the location where deliveries are made and how they are are made.

Tech startup Valqari is developing drone-delivery mailboxes where the top of the mailbox acts as a landing pad, the drone activates a retractable door, and space opens to accommodate packages. These mailboxes could be mounted on rooftops and windowsills of homes, or be part of a neighborhood bank of mailboxes.

The Paramount Miami Worldcenter condo building in Florida was designed to include a “skyport” platform on the roof. The platform could accommodate VTOL vehicles for residents or a package delivery area.

Walmart submitted a patent application for a delivery chute mounted onto an apartment building. Drone deliveries would be dropped through the chute and onto a conveyor belt, then packages would be carried to the building’s mailroom for distribution.

‘Smellicopter’ drone sniffs its way around its surroundings

Researchers from the University of Washington are using live moth antennas on an autonomous drone. Use cases include detecting chemicals in the air, gas leaks and explosives, locating disaster survivors, and narcotics detection. Most human-made sensors are not sensitive enough or fast enough. Professor Thomas Daniel, a biologist at the University of Washington says, “Cells in a moth antenna amplify chemical signals. The moths do it really efficiently – one scent molecule can trigger lots of cellular responses, and that’s the trick. This process is super-efficient, specific, and fast.”

Drone company to invest millions, build new headquarters in Virginia

Silent Falcon UAS Technologies intends to invest $6 million for its new East Coast headquarters for research, development, and manufacturing at the Front Royal-Warren County Airport. The company manufactures UAS components and sensors for the security, military, and commercial markets. The partnership with Virginia will create 250 jobs for the area. The Unmanned Systems Lab at Randolph-Macon Academy will act as part of a pre-professional pathway initiative for students.

Aevum unveils smallsat-launching drone aircraft

Huntsville, Alabama startup Aevum unveiled its Ravn X drone. The aircraft will become the first stage of its smallsat launch system. The company wants to provide a fast-response service using autonomous aircraft that can take off from any mile-long runway.

One of the many perks at Michael Jordan’s Grove XXIII golf club? Drones deliver drinks and snacks

At The Grove XXIII in Hobe Sound, Florida, Michael Jordan’s golf club, drones are delivering beer and food to players on the course. Video shows a multirotor lowering a bag to a thirsty golfer on the course. 

Mechanical gripper allows drones to hang from objects

Engineers at Colorado State University have developed a gripper for micro air vehicles (MAVs). The gripper is intended to mount on the top of third-party MAVs so they can rest and save batteries when they don’t need to be flying. The gripper has a vertical plunger-like pad in the middle that is mechanically linked to two diagonally raised folding arms. The MAV flies up against the underside of a horizontal object and the force of impact pushes the pad down, engaging the two arms to clasp the object.

Video: Passive Perching for Flying Robots with Bistable Grippers

These Three Companies Will Build Drones To Carry The Air Force’s “Skyborg” AI Computer Brain

Boeing, General Atomics, and Kratos were all awarded 24-month contracts. The three will build prototypes that will be “missionized prototypes with the ability to fly in experimentation events while teaming with manned aircraft.” The Air Force says it expects all three companies to deliver an initial batch of prototypes no later than May 2021. Speculated aircraft are the Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie drone or variants, the General Atomics Avenger drone or a version of the Predator C, and the Boeing loyal wingman-type design from its Australian division.

PABLO AIR succeeds in simultaneous delivery using two drones in a 50-mile circular flight

In a recent test flight, Korean UAV company PABLO AIR shipped medical supplies to two islands with two drones. The roundtrip journey was 50 miles and the mission took one hour and twenty minutes. This was the longest drone flight made in Korea and took place in inclement weather with VTOL) drones.

337 Hacking Drones

Hacking drones as a target and as a weapon, military drone flight over San Diego, a State-by-State drone report card, a milestone in India for civilian drones, the EHang 216 goes sightseeing, and those drone sightings in the U.S. midwest, revisited.

UAV News

Drones Aren’t Just Hackers’ Targets – They’re Hackers’ Weapons

A 96-page report titled How to Analyze the Cyber Threat from Drones [PDF] has been published by the Rand Corporation. The report summarizes 26 specific instances of hacking drones. The most common cyberattacks reviewed were denial of service and spoofing attacks against an active drone. The Rand Corporation recommends:

  • DHS must continue to work with senior policymakers, cybersecurity experts, and other government and law enforcement agencies to move towards a coherent UAS cyber strategy.
  • DHS should also prioritize the most critical vulnerabilities and find ways to close attack vectors and protect attack surfaces.
  • DHS will need to monitor UAS adoption and anticipate the implications of widespread UAS diffusion.

Secret General Atomics Drone Flights Over San Diego Raise Surveillance Concerns

The press reported that a new version of the Predator drone (the SkyGuardian) would be flying over San Diego. The General Atomics SkyGuardian has an advanced detect-and-avoid system with a Due Regard Radar to detect other aircraft, TCAS (Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System) for detecting nearby aircraft transponders, and ADSB (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) which broadcasts the drone’s location.

Which States Are Prepared for the Drone Industry?

The authors argue that states should take the lead by creating drone highways that mirror the paths of the public roads beneath them. The “Fifty-State Report Card” ranks states on their readiness to get new drone technology into the skies. The ranking considers airspace lease law, law vesting air rights with landowners, and navigation easement law, as well as having an aviation advisory committee and the estimate for drone jobs. North Dakota ranks #1 and #50 falls to South Carolina. This is from the Mercatus Center, associated with George Mason University.

India’s First NPNT Compliant Drone Flight Successfully Completed

India’s first No-Permission No-Takeoff (NPNT) compliant drone flight was successfully completed. India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation banned civilian use of UAVs in 2014, but in 2018, a new policy became effective. UAVs had to comply with stringent manufacturing standards and also be compliant with the new No-Permission No-Takeoff (NPNT) architecture requiring a Unique Identification Number (UIN), an Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (UAOP), online permission for every flight, and compliance workflow through a fully digital “Digital Sky” portal. This Digital Sky platform was demonstrated with an A200 Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)

EHang 216 Sightseeing Flights

EHang released a video showing an EHang 216 autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) conducting aerial sightseeing trial flights in Yantai, a coastal city in East China. Passengers flew around Yantai’s Fisherman’s Wharf in trials that are part of a “world flight tour.” EHang founder and CEO said, “As the world’s first provider of passenger-grade AAVs, we are honored to prove this game-changing air mobility solution by demonstrating flights to regulators, customers, partners and the general public. The positive support and feedback have strengthened our determination in our quest to bring this new style of mobility to the people.” 

Video: Self-flying EHang 216 Showcases Aerial Sightseeing Trips Over the Sea in East China

Newly Released FAA Documents Give Unprecedented Look Into Colorado Drone Swarm Mystery

In December 2019 and January 2020, law enforcement agencies reported seeing drones flying at night in formations in parts of Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas. The sightings made national news, but we never got a really good idea what (or who) was behind this. Now a volunteer researcher with the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies (SCU) used the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to obtain hundreds of pages of emails and other documents from the FAA and other federal agencies. Hundreds of other documents are still being processed by the FAA and some documents are being withheld by the FAA. The agency says they are exempt from FOIA.

Kespry Appoints Krishnan Hariharan as Vice President of Engineering

Kespry announced the appointment of Krishnan Hariharan as Vice-President of Engineering overseeing Kespry’s Aerial Intelligence platform development and evolution. Hariharan was Vice-President, Engineering and Product Management for PrecisionHawk. Before that, he held a number of leadership roles at SAVO, Sabre, and OpenText. He also founded River North Labs, a technology consulting company.

334 Drone Aerobatics

AI-powered drones perform extreme aerobatics, the U.S. administration intends to allow the export of armed drones, how to test swarming drones, the Royal Canadian Navy uses a drone to find drug smugglers, a hybrid drone rescues a stranded motorist – in a demonstration, and the 5th Annual FAA UAS Symposium goes virtual.

UAV News

Researchers train drones to perform flips rolls and loops with AI

Researchers at Intel, the University of Zurich, and ETH Zurich developed an AI system that allows autonomous drones to perform acrobatics using only onboard sensing and computation. The vision-based drone can perform barrel rolls, loops, and flips. Training is accomplished entirely in simulation, which is fast, inexpensive, safe, and free from physical crashes.

Exclusive: Trump aims to sidestep another arms pact to sell more U.S. drones

The Trump administration plans to reinterpret the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in a way that would open up the sale of armed U.S. drones to other countries. This would allow General Atomics and Northrop Grumman Corp sell into new markets that are currently serviced by China and Israel, which do not participate in the MTCR.

World’s Largest Drone Swarm Testing Facility

The U.S. Army and PhaseSpace have created an outdoor system for testing swarming drones. It uses a new motion-capture capability where LED marker strobes are attached to the UAS. 96 cameras on 16 tracking pods around the perimeter track the LED markers. It has a capacity of more than 1,500 times the volume of a typical testing facility and the testing system is transportable and can be scaled up or down and even change shape. 

Radar Tech becomes UAS Pilot

The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) has been testing Puma-model fixed-wing unmanned aircraft for about two years. They’ve been used to help locate potential drug smuggling ships. The Pumas can sweep an extended area while the ship stays below the horizon. One team monitors the Puma real-time streaming video and another team manages the operation of the aircraft. Instead of the ship weaving around hunting smugglers, the drone does the weaving. The patrolling ship sails in a straight path saving fuel and increasing operational time.

UAV Video of the Week

The HYBRiX 2.1 is a hybrid fuel/electric multirotor with up to 2-4 hours of operational flight time and a 25 kg MTOW. It uses a 2-stroke gas (or petrol) engine and LiPo 6S batteries.

Mentioned

FAA UAS Symposium is Going Virtual

The FAA is hosting the 5th Annual FAA UAS Symposium virtually instead of in-person in Baltimore. The Symposium will take the form of several virtual events or “Episodes.”

Episode I  —  July 8-9, 2020 will focus on UTM and international UAS integration.

Episode II  —  August 18-19, 2020 will focus on updates to the Integration Pilot Program (IPP) and public safety operations.

The sessions will be re-run later in the day for international attendees.