Tag Archives: NASA

427 Drone Safety Day 2023

Drone Safety Day is April 29, a drone that changes shape, jump-starting your car with a drone, Florida bans DJI from government agencies, decision-making for small UAVs, drones that work together without colliding, adding VTOL to a fixed-wing drone, agave farmers saving water, land a drone in Red Square.

Drone Safety Day banner.

UAV News

Drone Safety Day

Drone Safety Day is Saturday, April 29, 2023. The annual campaign is dedicated to educating the drone community on the importance of flying safely. You can download the 2023 Drone Safety Day Playbook  and 2023 Drone Safety Day Flyer. You can also visit the Drone@Home page to find ideas to participate at home. Register your event

Crazy shapeshifting drone inspired by dragons forces itself around objects

University of Tokyo graduate students created drone prototypes that can rearrange into different structural shapes midair. The drones have individual segments with multi-axis gimbal systems. Each segment has its own propulsion unit, that can thrust in any direction. The drones can change their configuration to hold or move objects. They’ve also developed the SPIDAR quadruped robot that has joints in each leg and can fly.

Could Drones Come Jump Start Your Car When You’re Stranded? Ford’s New Patent

This patent contemplates drones that assist motorists stranded with a dead battery. The Ford vehicle would transmit a “dead battery” signal and its location then a drone would fly to the vehicle, open the hood, connect to the battery, and jump-start the vehicle.

Despite police outcry, DeSantis administration bans Chinese drones

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is forbidding government agencies from using drones manufactured by DJI. Only drones made by a small number of “approved manufacturers” can be purchased. Agencies have until January 1, 2023, to stop using drones not on the list. Many departments have already grounded their fleets. They told lawmakers that the Florida-approved drones are far more expensive and much less capable.

Sen. Tom Wright, R-New Smyrna Beach said, I’m not going to let one officer risk his life or her life because somebody thinks that these things talk to China. I cannot imagine what China would really want to see when we pull over a DUI, when we stop a speeding car, when we arrest somebody for an outstanding warrant.”

Making the skies safer with smarter drones

University of Notre Dame computer scientists and engineers are developing an automated decision-making system for small drones under a $5.3 million 3-year NASA grant. Notre Dame will enhance NASA’s current drone traffic management system and develop decision-making software that permits or denies flight requests by evaluating a drone’s safety track record, equipment readiness, operator preparedness, and maintenance procedures.

MIT researchers create algorithm to stop drones from colliding midair

The Robust MADER system lets drones work together without collisions. Each drone calculates its own trajectory and checks with nearby drones to be sure it won’t collide with any of them. The system is an asynchronous, decentralized, multiagent trajectory planner. By broadcasting both the newly optimized trajectory and the committed trajectory, and by performing a delay check step, RMADER is able to guarantee safety even with communication delays. The new system has been validated through simulation and hardware flight experiments. A 100% success rate of collision-free trajectory generation was achieved.

FLARES system gives non-VTOL drones a VTOL boost

The Flying Launch and Recovery System (or FLARES) turns a fixed-wing drone into a VTOL. The FLARES aircraft is a multicopter drone with four propeller arms. A mechanism on the underside clasps onto the body of a fixed-wing drone. The pair then rise vertically. At altitude, FLARES releases the fixed-wing drone. FLARES is manufactured by Hood Tech and was primarily designed for use on ship decks.

Boeing’s Insitu subsidiary offers a package that includes its Integrator fixed-wing drone and Hood’s FLARES system. Integrator flight time is reportedly up to 16 hours with a maximum payload of 40 lb (18 kg). Insitu says that payload capacity would be lower if Integrator had its own integrated VTOL system.

Video: Integrator VTOL joins Insitu’s best-in-class products & technology

Diageo Drones Improve Efficiency of Tequila Farming in Mexico

Tequila producer Diageo started using drones in 2022 to identify agave plants that need pesticides, fertilizer, and water. The 2022 pilot developed the flying skills of the agave planters and introduced more efficient farming practices with environmental benefits.

The drones work in pairs: One identifies plants that need attention and collects agave growth data while the other dispenses a water, fertilizer, and pesticide mix. Water use is dropping by two-thirds.

Video: Society 2030 | Introducing drones to drive efficient tequila farming | Diageo

Ukraine launches competition to land a drone on Red Square during Russian military parade

May 9, 2023, marks Victory Day in Russia and parades celebrate the Soviet victory in World War II. To help “celebrate,” a competition with a cash prize was launched for landing a UAV in Red Square that day. A bank co-founder who is also the developer of the Dovbush drone said, “I am officially awarding a prize to a Ukrainian UAV manufacturer, whose aircraft, with the help of the military, of course, will fly and land on Red Square in Moscow on May 9”. The prize fund is currently £440,000 and there is an open invitation for those who would like to contribute to the fund.

410 Women and Drones Documentary

A women and drones documentary film, a Chinese submarine that can fly, the “ghost fleet” of unmanned surface vessels, transferring drone technology to India, a portable air traffic management system for wildfires, Ford’s drone patent, and increased mapping speed using multiple drones.

UAV News

Women and Drones Documentary Filming Onsite at Commercial UAV Expo

Women and Drones and Monumental Access are creating a multi-part documentary with stories of women in the drone industry. They hope to inspire the next generation of aviation leaders through interviews with educators, CEOs, and industry professionals. The Commercial UAV Expo runs September 6-8, 2022 in Las Vegas and will be an official filming location for the documentary.

Flying Submarines! China Is Testing ‘Sub Drones’ That Can ‘Fly & Float’; Goes One Up On US Navy’s Submersible Aircraft Concept

Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics says they have built and tested a prototype submarine drone that can also fly in the air. Two large wings fold back when it glides underwater and two of the four propellers can tilt. These transmedia vessels are seen by China as a low-cost and effective way to destroy the defense system of an aircraft carrier fleet.

Drones of the Water

The unmanned surface vessels Seahawk, Sea Hunter, Ranger, and Nomad participated in the RIMPAC 2022 training event. Unmanned Surface Vessel Division One (USVDIV-1) operates this “ghost fleet” that includes the Seahawk, Sea Hunter, Ranger, and Nomad.

Unmanned surface vessel Sea Hunter. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Aleksandr Freutel)

US offers ToT to build HALE Drones in India

Negotiations are underway between India and the U.S. for 30 Predator (MQ-9) series UAVs. These High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones are valued at almost $3 billion, including spares and ground control stations.

NASA backs drone company that tracks wildfires

Florida-based Improving Aviation has been awarded a grant to develop SkyTL, a portable air traffic management system to combat wildfires and keep emergency services safe. SkyTL would collect atmospheric measurements of the wildfire canopy and predict the fire spread in real-time. The company is partnering with the College of Engineering and the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Ford Patent Filed For Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Sanitation System

The patent describes how a vehicle that needs to be sanitized could send a wireless signal to an aerial sanitizing machine. The sanitizing UAV would land on the vehicle’s roof, open a window, and inserts an “arm” into the vehicle which could hold subbing pads or sanitizer dispensers.

Ford Patent

Reveal Technology and Teal Drones Demonstrate Multi-Drone Mapping to US Military

Reveal Technology and Teal Drones have teamed up to enhance Reveal’s mapping software by automatically combining imagery from the drones. Maps and analytics can be created faster using Reveal’s “Farsight” mapping software. This method has been successfully demonstrated to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Teal’s 4-Ship multi-drone system is designed for the defense, government, and public safety markets. Teal’s Golden Eagle quadcopter drones are mass-produced in the U.S. and meet U.S. Department of Defense guidelines.

Video: Teal Drones Swarm Technology Test Flight

Florida Power & Light launches first drone for commercial use

With a wingspan slightly longer than that of a Cessna, FPLAir One can withstand tropical storm force winds and survey storm damage. FPL can then deploy its resources quickly and effectively.

FPLAir One

Mentioned

Tones & Drones

A podcast with conversational style interviews with musicians who work in the realm of ambient, drone, space, and new age music.

409 Court Ruling on Drone Remote ID

D.C. court rules on drone Remote ID case, reconnaissance drones for Ukraine, more drones going to Mars, fried chicken coming by drone, lifeguard drones meet U.S. resistance, mapping a mountain with a UAV, NASA and Zipline partnership, and United Airlines sends a pre-delivery payment to Archer.

UAV News

D.C. Circuit Upholds Drone Remote ID Rule

Court Upholds Remote ID For Drones

RaceDayQuads and drone operator Tyler Brennan sued to vacate the FAA’s drone Remote ID rule saying the rule amounted to “constant, warrantless governmental surveillance in violation of the Fourth Amendment.” The D.C. Circuit’s U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled and upheld the constitutionality of the FAA’s Remote ID requirement saying “drone pilots generally lack any reasonable expectation of privacy in the location of their drone systems during flight.” Also that the rule was properly developed.

Ukrainian defenders will receive 20 Fly Eye reconnaissance drones from the Drone Army

Included in the purchase are two control stations and 20 Fly Eye drones, 78 Matrice multicopters, and two ground systems for 20 Warmate kamikaze attack drones. The Fly Eye drones are designed and built by WB Electronics in Poland, can fly up to 160 kilometers per hour, have fully autonomous take-off and landing capability but can be launched by hand.

Video: NASA plans to send 2 more drones to Mars

Indian multinational English news channel WION says NASA is not going to scrap their original plan of sending another rover to Mars and instead send two new helicopter drones to would retrieve the samples from the Perseverance rover, then transport them to a rocket that will return them to Earth.

See also, Mars Sample Return Mission, and NASA, ESA to Discuss Mars Sample Return Mission.

Lifeguard drones can save lives. But U.S. beaches might not buy them.

Drones are being used by lifeguards at some European beaches with 22 of them in Spain using the General Drones Auxdron LFG, which costs 40,000 euros. A monthly fee of 15,000 euros pays for a trained pilot. In the US, there is a lifeguard shortage as younger Americans found other, higher-paying jobs during the pandemic. US lifeguard officials recognize the value of these drones but say widespread adoption is limited by their high cost.

KFC takes to the sky with drone-delivered fried chicken

KFC is partnering with Wing in Queensland in a trial to deliver fried chicken. The drone can carry up to 1.5 kilograms, not enough for the full bucket of chicken. But it can carry smaller orders.

Drone deliveries consume 94% less energy per parcel than diesel trucks

A new study by Carnegie Mellon University says drones carrying small packages emit 84% less greenhouse gas emissions than a diesel truck and use 94% less energy. Researchers used small quadcopter drones carrying packages weighing no more than half a kilogram to a single destination. Data from almost 200 flights were used to measure drone energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

See also: Rodrigues and Samaras Suggest Drones for Efficient Last-Mile Deliveries and Drone flight data reveal energy and greenhouse gas emissions savings for very small package delivery published in Patterns.

Conquering Elbrus: Mapping Europe’s Highest Peak with a UAV

A FIXAR 007 drone is being used to inspect a cable car route and to map the area for the potential future cable car extension The FIXAR 007 is a fully autonomous, VTOL fixed-wing drone for commercial and industrial applications. At 18,510 feet, Mount Elbrus poses some environmental challenges that were not met by previous systems.

Video: FIXAR conquered Elbrus!

NASA and Zipline Sign Space Act Agreement to Pursue m:N Drone Operations

NASA announced it signed a Space Act Agreement with Zipline “to pursue a future vision of U.S. aviation that includes delivery drones and air taxis.” m:N operations refers to the ratio of multiple operators (m) controlling multiple vehicles (N). The Zipline m:N operations model for medical drone delivery is already being used at scale in Africa. As well as operations in the U.S., Japan, Ghana, and Rwanda.

A Space Act Agreement (SAA) is a legal instrument that formulates partnerships with NASA. In March 2021, NASA formed the Multi-Vehicle (m:N) Working Group “…to bring together a broad collective of interested stakeholders from government, industry, and academia to identify and reduce barriers to m:N operations…”

Archer Receives $10 million Pre-Delivery Payment From United Airlines for 100 eVTOL Aircraft; Advances Path to Commercialization

In 2021, United Airlines conditionally ordered 100 Archer eVTOL aircraft. Now United has made a $10 million cash pre-delivery payment which signals that the airline is serious. The Archer production aircraft Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been completed and establishes aircraft specifications and manufacturing requirements.

UAV Video of the Week

Watch how Amazon is preparing for safe drone delivery

399 BREEZE Drone for Venus

The proposed BREEZE drone for Venus, a tethered drone for first responders, river rescue missions, taking out drones with Thor’s hammer, UAS over the Arctic, drone deliveries to offshore wind farms, and hobby drones in Ukraine.

UAV News

NASA considers bird-like drones to explore Venus’s atmosphere

NASA wants to study the use of drones that fly through the Venusian atmosphere and study the planet. BREEZE, or Bioinspired Ray for Extreme Environments and Zonal Exploration, will be funded for a two-year concept study. The BREEZE drones would be inflatable, fly at altitudes between 50-60 km, and ride zonal winds. This is one of 17 proposals under the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program.

Video: BREEZE | A Revolutionary Ray-inspired Airship Concept for Aerial Venus Exploration

NCDOT launches national first with tethered drones on IMAP Trucks

Three years ago, in episode 285, we covered the Fotokite tethered drone and their partnership with Pierce Manufacturing. Now we see that the North Carolina Department of Transportation is launching a pilot with Fotokite. Some IMAP (Incident Management Assistance Patrol) vehicles will be fitted with tethered drones to provide situational awareness to the NCDOT Operations and Traffic Management Centers and assist with overall traffic management of the incidents.

Iris Automation receives FAA waiver to test BVLOS drones in Nevada river rescue missions

The Iris Automation waiver allows them to fly BVLOS in a rural, unpopulated area south of Reno, Nevada using the company’s Casia X detect and avoid system. Iris is working with the City of Reno and the Reno Fire Department (RFD) which conducts about 40 rescues per year at the Truckee River.

Killing drones with Thor’s hammer: Air Force eyes counter-UAS ‘Mjölnir’ weapon

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has awarded a $26 million counter-UAS contract to Leidos. The company will build a prototype system that disables sUAS with high-power microwaves. Called Mjölnir, the name of Thor’s hammer, it builds on previous work under the Tactical High Power Operational Responder, or THOR, program. THOR is a counter-swarm electromagnetic weapon that uses non-kinetic energy to defeat multiple targets. In 2020, the Defense Department became so concerned it created the Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Office, led by the Army.

Earth News: NASA is helping fly drones in the arctic — here’s what that means for sea ice and sea level change

NASA is leading a team to show that a fixed-winged drone could fly over the Arctic ocean for several days. The attritable UAS from Vanilla Unmanned is designed for multi-day surveillance and inspection operations. In this application, a drone with sensors can capture more accurate data than is the case with satellites.

Project Seeks to Build Drones to Supply Offshore Wind Farms

The drones would be customized to deliver supplies and other items to offshore wind farms in the Asia-Pacific region. Two Singapore-based companies signed an MOU to co-develop the drones: Marco Polo Marine Ltd., a regional integrated marine logistics company; and F-drones, developer of large autonomous delivery drones. The delivery drones are expected to reduce cost by 90 percent, be four times faster, and reduce carbon footprint.

Hobby drones at war: How do they help Ukraine?

In a February Facebook post, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense says it is looking for drones and for pilots: “Do you own a drone? Give it to experienced pilots to use!” and “Do you know how to drive a drone? Join the joint patrol with units 112 of the separate brigade of the city of Kyiv!”

UAV Video of the Week

The PGA Tour is using drones to follow golf shots like this one from Rory McIlroy and it’s so cool

381 Tactical Beyond Visual Line of Sight

First responder tactical beyond visual line of sight (TBVLOS) waivers, 100,000 Wing deliveries in Australia, using Starlink for military maritime intelligence drones, DJI Mavic 3 leaked, measuring the wind for UAM safety, a drone services company meets a UAV maintenance provider, and the history of drones in Southeast Asia

UAV News

Paladin publicly launches Knighthawk, a first response drone for cities

Paladin has unveiled its custom Knighthawk and Watchtower products for first responders. The startup has built autonomous systems for cities that can be deployed to 911 calls and provide instant situational awareness. The Knighthawk drone has a 10x zoom optical camera and a thermal camera to provide video feeds day and night. The Watchtower software is available as an app. Since 2018, the company has responded to about 1,600 emergencies in Texas and Ohio. 

Paladin has “First Responder Tactical Beyond Visual Line of Sight” (TBVLOS) [PDF] operating waivers from the FAA. These temporary BVLOS flights are flown to both reduce risk to first responders and to ensure the safety of the communities they serve. The waiver has a number of specific conditions and requirements.

Wing approaches 100,000 drone deliveries two years after Logan, Australia launch

In the first week of August alone, customers in Logan, Australia placed 4,500 orders – one every 30 seconds during Wing’s delivery window. The Wing drones delivered 10,000 cups of coffee, 1,700 children’s snack packs, 1,200 hot chooks (roasted chicken, in Australia), 2,700 sushi rolls, and 1,000 loaves of bread. Wing expects the service to expand into other markets in the coming months, including Australia, Finland, and the United States.

Drones and Starlink: Combining Satellite Constellations With Unmanned Navy Ships

The United States Navy faces an aging fleet of transport ships and personnel shortages. Autonomous maritime vessels could be a solution, as well as semi-autonomous drones that could act as a screening force for operations, provide an extended sensor net, and provide greater tactical awareness. The new SpaceX Starlink satellite constellation might provide easy and reliable connectivity for a globally operated network of maritime drones.

DJI Mavic 3 leaks with new cameras, a larger battery and longer flight times

A YouTuber leaked what is believed to be the next Mavic drone. It features improved obstacle detection utilizing new wide-angle lenses on the front and rear cameras, the main camera with a focal length equivalent to 24 mm, and an f/2.8 aperture, a second camera that supports up to 7x optical zoom, images stored on 1 TB of internal memory, and a larger battery providing up to 40 minutes of flight time.

NASA taps Kyoto startup to make maps of the wind for drones

NASA wants maps of the wind so drones and air taxis will be safer. Japanese startup MetroWeather Co. LiDAR sensors track atmospheric dust to measure wind direction and speed.  MetroWeather sensors will be used by US-based TruWeather Solutions Inc. at a NASA drone testing site to show how real-time wind information can help drones choose optimal routes that avoid wind shear and other dangers.

Carbonix Partners with Robotic Skies to Advance Global Field Support

Robotic Skies, Inc provides maintenance, inspection, and repair services for the commercial drone industry with over 230 Service Centers in 50 countries. Carbonix is an Australian company with data capture UAVs for long-range and large-area aerial surveillance. The two companies are partnering to provide an international field support program for customers who operate Carbonix UAVs.

Inside Vietnam’s Forgotten Drone War

Drones played an important role in the Vietnam War target spotting for bombers, jamming radars, and dropping propaganda leaflets. The new nonfiction book Drone War: Vietnam explores that history.

UAV Video of the Week

Watch: Alligator Eats Drone In Video Shared By Sundar Pichai

An inexperienced drone operator in Florida flew his drone too close to an alligator, with serious consequences.

380 NASA System-Wide Safety Project

NASA’s System-Wide Safety project is focused on safe operations of unmanned vehicles in the National Airspace System. 

Guest

Dr. Wendy A. Okolo, Associate Project Manager, NASA System-Wide Safety project

Dr. Wendy A. Okolo is the Associate Project Manager for NASA’s System-Wide Safety project, which seeks to develop new research tools, innovative aerospace technologies, and re-defined operational methods. Researchers and stakeholders are developing an integrated safety management solution that considers the new unmanned entrants into the airspace. The project looks at safety from both a design and operations perspective.

Wendy describes the System-Wide Safety project, including its participants and objectives. We consider what “safety” means in this context, project methodology and timeline, beneficiaries of the project, and accomplishments to date. She explains the complexities of the project and collaborating with established and new entrants in the unmanned aircraft space.

As an aerospace controls research engineer, Wendy’s expertise is in unconventional controls system design and optimization for air and space vehicles. Wendy’s research experiences include stints at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the Advanced Development Programs of Lockheed Martin (the Skunkworks). She worked on multi-aircraft formation flight, and performance-optimizing flight control for the Joint Strike Fighter F-35C aircraft.

At 26 years old, Wendy became the first black woman to obtain a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is the recipient of the 2020 NASA Ames Award for Researcher and the 2019 NASA Ames Early Career Researcher Award. She also received the 2019 Black Engineer of the Year Award for Most Promising Engineer in the U.S. Government, the 2019 Women In Aerospace Award for Initiative, Inspiration & Impact, and the 2019 U.T. Arlington Distinguished Recent Graduate Award.

373 ASRS for UAS Operators

The NASA/FAA ASRS safety reporting system is now extended to UAS operators. Also, an autonomy Level 4 drone, learning from dragonflies, a triple-drop drone, a possible ADS-B solution for UAVs, getting your groceries delivered in Ohio, and a virtual UAS Symposium.

UAV News

FAA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) now available for drones

NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) collects confidential information about near misses from pilots and others. The data is used by the FAA to make aviation safer while maintaining confidentiality to maximize the number of incidents reported. Aviation Safety Reporting Program (ASRP) for UAS describes how “NASA’s ASRS has a reporting form tailored to the UAS community. This will ensure that the safety data that is collected will result in actionable information for the entire aviation community.”

Exyn Technologies’ drones achieve autonomy milestone with on-board mapping

Drones from Exyn Technologies have reached “Level 4A” autonomy and can explore a designated 3D area without a remote operator and operate without GPS. All spatial and mapping computations are done onboard, and unlike Level 3 autonomy, they do not  require an operator who can take over if required.

The company says, “We developed an autonomous system that can take you into dark, dirty, dangerous environments. Place it at the edge of danger and send it off to collect the information that you need. Oftentimes the information you need is beyond the line of sight, both in terms of communications as well as visual.”

See The 6 Levels of Vehicle Autonomy Explained for more.

Future drones likely to resemble 300-million-year-old flying machine

Researchers at the University of South Australia designed and tested components of a dragonfly-inspired drone. They describe the dragonfly as the “apex insect flyer” because of its flying abilities. The team modelled the aerodynamic properties of the dragonfly’s body, studied dragonfly wing geometry of 75 species, and created 3D images of the wings. The researchers believe drones that mimic dragonflies could perform many tasks, such as collecting and delivering unbalanced loads, safely operating near people, exploring delicate natural environments, and executing long surveillance missions.

Published in the journal Drones, 27 March 2021: Biomimetic Drones Inspired by Dragonflies Will Require a Systems Based Approach and Insights from Biology

Wingcopter debuts a triple-drop drone to create ‘logistical highways in the sky’

Wingcopter is a German startup that calls their Wingcopter 198 “the world’s first triple-drop delivery drone.” It’s fully autonomous, fixed-wing, BVLOS, and one operator can manage up to 10 Wingcopter 198s simultaneously. It has quick-swap batteries and can deliver up to 3 packages in a single flight. The company is currently pursuing certification from the FAA that would allow it to operate commercial flights in the United States.

New Patent Integrates UAS into National Airspace Systems, Enables ADS-B Inert & Alert Capability

The patent from uAvionix (U.S. Patent 10,991,260) is titled “Intelligent Non-Disruptive ADS-B Integration for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).” The uAvionix patent claims to allow UAS to use ADS-B in a way that minimizes spectrum use. Under the Inert and Alert Concept, the UAS ADS-B solution stays “inert” or in a “listen” mode that is not broadcasting. However, when a safety-critical event takes place, the UAV begins broadcasting its ADS-B position as an “alert.” Once the conditions are safe again, the system reverts to its “inert” state.

Kroger to Deliver Groceries Via Autonomous Drones in Ohio

Forget something for your picnic or barbeque? Drones can help you out in Centerville

Supermarket chain Kroger wants to deliver groceries with autonomous drones, and they are starting a pilot program in Centerville, Ohio, south of Dayton using drones from Drone Express. Test flights near the Kroger Marketplace in Centerville will be managed by licensed Drone Express pilots from an on-site trailer, with additional off-site monitoring. Customer deliveries should begin within a few months and a second pilot is scheduled to start this summer at a Ralphs store in California.

FAA To Host Second Virtual UAS Symposium

The FAA has announced that it will be hosting a two-part virtual UAS/drone symposium in 2021. What the FAA is calling Episode III is scheduled for June 9-10. Episode IV is September 14-15. The FAA notes, “Each episode will feature keynote presentations, expert panels, guided and non-guided networking discussions, one-on-one meetings with experts in the FAA UAS Support Center, and informational sessions with live Q&A.”

Episode III in June will focus on international operations, STEM, public safety operations, recreational drone operations and commercial drone operations.

Episode IV will address UAS traffic management, technology, the FAA BEYOND program, advanced air mobility and international operations.

The symposium is co-hosted by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI).

FAA UAS Symposium program

Commercial UAV Expo Americas, September 7-9, Las Vegas

Showcasing the global commercial UAV industry, with a special focus on solutions in the Americas region and urban air mobility. Collocated with the Urban Air Mobility Summit.

Commercial UAV Expo Europe, December 7-9 Amsterdam

In its third year, this show co-locates with Amsterdam Drone Week for 2021. This leading pan-European conference and expo is focused on commercial drones.

Video of the Week: 

The makers of that Bryant Lake Bowl drone video now have a Mall of America version

Rally Studios of Minneapolis released a first-person video from the Mall of America and its indoor theme park, Nickelodeon Universe.

Video: The Quack Attack is Back

361 Urban Airports for Drones

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.

320 Holographic Radar for C-UAS

Holographic radar for drone detection, inspecting the Tokyo underground, good uses for drones at airports, delivery drones in China, Elon Musk has another prediction, a drone delivery proposal for Long Island Sound, an eVTOL prototype goes up in flames, and NASA’s Autonomous Navigation Demonstration Challenge.

UAV News

Aveillant’s Holographic Radar and Fortem Technologies’ Complete End-to-End Counter UAV Solution

The UK National Beyond Visual Line of Sight Experimentation Corridor (NBEC) was created to test new technologies that integrate unmanned aircraft into the airspace. A counter-UAS holographic radar from Aveillant was used to detect and track several different drones. Counter drone systems developer Operational Solutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airways New Zealand for a drone detection system based on Aveillant’s radar technology. This is being trialed at Auckland Airport. Fortem Technologies has also developed an autonomous Counter UAV solution using TrueView R30, a holographic radar similar to Aveillant’s Gamekeeper.

Drones used to inspect Tokyo’s subway tunnels

Tokyo Metro is using drones to inspect almost 200 km of tunnels. The drones reduce the need for scaffolding and heavy equipment. The drone has a 22 cm diameter, weighs 1.15 kg, and can fly for up to five minutes. It’s surrounded by a spherical cage with LED lights and sends video to a monitor where workers look for any defects in the tunnel. The drone also takes photos for later inspection.

Good drones: the UAVs changing airport operations for the better

Three ways drones can work positively with airport operations: maintenance and inspection activities at airports, drone delivery systems based at the airport, and bird control. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) lists six major technology trends that will impact how future air cargo facilities evolve: augmented reality and wearables, robotics and automated systems, IoT and connected cargo, big data and AI, green buildings, and drones and autonomous vehicles.

Drones & Robots: Deploying New Technology to Handle Crisis

China’s eCommerce powerhouse JD.com has been using drone technology for deliveries since at least 2016. Under the JD Drone program, items are carried from regional delivery stations to village entrances, then local partners deliver orders to the customers. The JD drones are also being used for disaster relief and disinfectant spraying for Coronavirus.

Elon Musk says military drones will outlive fighter jets

Elon Musk had a fireside chat with Gen. Jay Raymond, chief of space operations for the Space Force, about the future of air defense. Musk expects unmanned drones will outlive fighter jets in the U.S. Air Force. “It’s not [that] I want the future to be this. The fighter jet era has passed.”

Wave Aerospace proposes commercial drone delivery between Stamford and Long Island

Wave Aerospace wants to establish a corridor across the Long Island Sound for commercial drone delivery from Stamford, Connecticut to Huntington, Long Island – about 10 miles. The corridor would be 1,000 feet wide, outside New York’s Class B Controlled Airspace.

First electric VTOL Lilium Jet prototype goes up in flames

Lilium had two prototype jet eVTOL prototypes in their flight-test program. Now they have one. The first prototype was destroyed in a fire on February 27, 2020, while in maintenance in Germany. The investigation to determine the cause is underway.

NASA Langley Opens Applications for $20,000 UAV Competition

Applications for NASA Langley’s Safeguard with Autonomous Navigation Demonstration (SAND) Challenge are now being accepted. Small businesses will compete in an autonomous UAV for a grand prize of $20,000 under the America Competes Act. They will complete a set of complex mission profiles using NASA’s “Safeguard” technology. The SAND Challenge will be held in August of 2020 in Hampton, Virginia. To apply for the SAND challenge and to view more information including drone eligibility, participant eligibility, operational requirements and more visit: sand2020.nianet.org.

Max’s Zip News One-Liners

Quaternium drone HYBRiX sets a new World Record of Endurance with a flight of 8 hours and 10 minutes

Quaternium accomplished the feat with its HYBRiX hybrid fuel-electric drone.

Protesters tell FAA “If we build it, let it fly”

A protest was held in front of FAA headquarters by modelers who don’t like the proposed remote ID rules. The Help Save Our Hobby webpage was created for the event.

New Tech Could Finally Change Drone Regulations for the Better

Detect-and-avoid technology is being tested at Virginia Tech’s Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) where drones are being flown head-on.

With a speaker and four microphones, drones can echolocate like bats

The headline says it all. From Purdue University.

UAV Video of the Week

These insanely fast racing drones capture golf shots as you’ve never seen them

Seattle drone pilot Ross Beck released a video of golf shots captured from tee to green via a drone that can fly 85 mph.

Mentioned

Drones deployed in bid to tackle Queensland’s rogue crocodiles

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.