Monthly Archives: July 2018

UAV253 High Altitude Pseudo Satellite Drone

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A pseudo satellite drone with deformable wings, an agricultural drone that sprays crops, a project for drone applications in cities, the FAA makes a Federal preemption statement, a payment concept for drone package delivery, and a deformable drone that absorbs impacts.

A high altitude pseudo satellite. Courtesy UAVOS Inc.

UAV News

Prototype Solar-Powered, High-Altitude UAV Undergoing Flight Tests

The UAVOS Inc. HAPS (High Altitude Pseudo Satellite) aircraft is solar-powered with a flexible wing for control. The ApusDuo prototype has been flown more than 1000 hours at altitudes of up to 65,617 feet (20,000 meters). Flight tests confirmed the aircraft can handle turbulence by actively changing the bend of the wing. UAVOS specializes in the design, development, and manufacturing of unmanned vehicles and autopilot systems and components. Their solutions range from small industrial surveillance drones to large UAVs.

North Dakota State University’s Herbicide-Spraying Drone Covers 33 Acres in an Hour

The University’s Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering department is using an AG V6+ agriculture drone from Homeland Surveillance & Electronics. It holds four gallons of herbicide and flies autonomously for 30 minutes, covering 33 acres in one hour. The department’s “smart farm” project looks to deploy the drone in precise areas of land and fly autonomously without the need for a high-resolution imaging drone.

Promotional video: AG v6a+ UAV Crop Sprayer

Report: UK has golden opportunity to shape future of drones

The Nesta innovation foundation conducted the Flying High Challenge pilot project to investigate applications for drones in cities. The objectives of the Challenge were to shape plans for the future of drones in UK cities, identify and address key complexities, and detail technical and economic plans. The project collaborated with five cities to analyze socially beneficial use cases. See the final report: Flying High: The future of drone technology in UK cities

FAA Clarifies Federal Authority Over Drone Rulemaking

Some state and local governments have passed laws that regulate drones, but who has authority over the airspace? In Press Release – FAA Statement–Federal vs. Local Drone Authority, the FAA says, “Congress has provided the FAA with exclusive authority to regulate aviation safety, the efficiency of the navigable airspace, and air traffic control, among other things. State and local governments are not permitted to regulate any type of aircraft operations, such as flight paths or altitudes, or the navigable airspace.” But local governments can control landing sites through their land use powers.

Worldpay’s Drone Delivery Mat Identifies Customer Before Releasing Package

While many companies are developing package delivery systems, Worldpay is thinking about the payment system: how the customer ensures they receive the package and how the seller ensures they get paid? Worldpay’s idea is that customers get a portable landing pad tied to their credit card, the delivery drone lands on the pad, and the drone confirms the delivery location is correct. Then payment is authorized and the package is released. Worldpay’s Drone Pay proof-of-concept uses EMV contactless payment card technology embedded into the drone landing pad.

Demonstration video: Drone Pay by Worldpay

https://youtu.be/YR9s_lp9l30

An insect-inspired drone deforms upon impact

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) developed a drone that deforms on impact. The design is inspired by insect wings and also by origami. The hybrid origami drone can be stiff or flexible depending on the circumstances. The structure is stiff when airborne but if the drone runs into something, it becomes flexible and absorbs the shock.

Video: An insect-inspired drone deforms upon impact

Mentioned

Webinar Invitation by the UAVs for Payload Delivery Working Group

August 1, 2018, 10am Eastern (GMT-4)

The newly developed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Procurement Guide will be shared by the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program – Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project. The guide’s purpose is to share lessons and insight from the project’s experience to help other organizations undertaking similar efforts. The guide will prevent them from reinventing the wheel or starting from zero to expedite the rate at which this technology is applied and scaled up. This webinar is open to anyone to attend.

UAV252 An Autonomous Flock of Drones

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A flock of drones that act autonomously, the Airbus Zephyr maiden flight, Teal Group predicts strong growth for the civil drone market, DJI improves their geofence unlocking process, another incident with an airliner, and suicide drones that take out hostile UAVs.

An autonomous flock of drones from Eötvös University in Budapest. Credit: Zsolt Bézsenyi.

UAV News

How a Flock of Drones Developed Collective Intelligence

These autonomous drones flock without any pre-programming or control station. Instead, they communicate amongst themselves and self-organize, split around obstacles, rejoin, and avoid colliding with each other. The flocking model is described in Science Robotics Vol. 3, Issue 20. The research is from the Robotic Lab in the Department of Biological Physics at Eötvös University in Budapest. See: Optimized flocking of autonomous drones in confined environments.

Airbus unveils pioneering solar-powered drone

At the Farnborough airshow, Airbus unveiled its Zephyr solar-powered drone. Airbus said the High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) Zephyr S maiden flight occurred in Arizona on July 11, 2018. The Zephyr S has an 82-foot wingspan and weighs less than 55 pounds. It can fly at 21,000 meters or almost 70,000 feet. Seven models are planned to be produced in 2018 and seven more in 2019. The future Zephyr T would have a 108-foot wingspan.

Civil drone production will soar over the next decade

The Teal Group 2018 World Civil Unmanned Aerial Systems Market Profile & Forecast is out, featuring 10-Year Market Forecasts, expert analysis, a look at venture capital, implementation of regulations worldwide, and company strategies. The forecast projects non-military UAS production growing from $4.4 billion worldwide in 2018 to $13.1 billion in 2027. You can download the Table of Contents & Executive Overview [PDF].

DJI will unlock geofencing for enterprise drone users

DJI is improving the process that allows drone pilots with authorization to obtain geofence unlock codes. The company’s global authorization team is now staffed around the clock and requests can be made online at the DJI “Custom Unlocking” webpage. A DJI account is required to login.

Dumb and Dumber: A Drone Flies Dangerously Close to an A380 During Take Off

A drone waited off the end of the runway as an Emirates Airbus A380 prepared to take off from the airport at Mauritius Island. The drone appeared to be about 300 feet from the tip of the left wing as the jet passed by.

Army Buys Small Suicide Drones To Break Up Hostile Swarms And Potentially More

At the Farnborough Airshow, Raytheon announced it has shipped more than 32 Block 1B variants of the Coyote drone to the U.S. Army. The Coyote weighs under ten pounds and includes a small warhead with a fire control radar. After launch, the six-foot-wide main wing, the rear stabilizers, and the twin tail pop open. Raytheon’s Vice President for Advanced Missile Systems said, “We modified these vehicles to have small warheads to take down a quadcopter, for example, or other types of Class I or Class II UAVs.”

Mentioned

The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Procurement Guide was recently published by the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project. The guide contains considerations, specifications, and criteria that can be used to evaluate UAV manufacturers. A webinar on the guide with the UAVs for Payload Delivery Working Group is scheduled for August 1, 2018, at 10 AM Eastern Standard Time.

UAV251 General Atomics MQ-9B Flies Across the Atlantic

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A General Atomics remotely piloted drone flew across the Atlantic, military drone documents found on the dark web, Google’s delivery drone project moves forward, and recreational drone registration reaffirmed.

The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian.

The MQ-9B SkyGuardian remotely piloted aircraft. Courtesy General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.

UAV News

First ever trans-Atlantic drone flight lands in UK

The civilian-registered and remotely piloted General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian flew 3,760 nautical miles from the Grand Sky park at the Grand Forks Air Force in North Dakota to the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford in Gloucestershire, UK in 24 hours and two minutes. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) says, “MQ-9B is the next generation of GA-ASI’s multi-mission Predator® B fleet. GA-ASI named its baseline MQ-9B aircraft SkyGuardian, and the maritime surveillance variant SeaGuardian. MQ-9B is a “type-certifiable” version of the MQ-9 Predator B product line. It’s [an]… RPA that can meet the stringent airworthiness type-certification requirements of various military and civil authorities, including the UK Military Airworthiness Authority (MAA) and the U.S. FAA… Type-certification, together with an extensively tested collision avoidance system, will allow unrestricted operations in all classes of civil airspace.”

AOPA Drone Social tickets almost gone

A few free seats remain available for the AOPA Drone Social during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on July 27, 2018. Food and beverages will be provided, and a 20-minute presentation by event sponsor PrecisionHawk will be followed by time to network and socialize. Register now.

US Reaper drone data leaked on dark web, researchers say

Someone hacked into an Air Force captain’s computer and accessed documents. They included a private list of airmen working with General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper drones as well as maintenance and course material. The threat intelligence firm Recorded Future posted in their blog post, Military Reaper Drone Documents Leaked on the Dark Web, “On June 1, 2018, while monitoring criminal actor activities on the deep and dark web, Recorded Future’s Insikt Group identified an attempted sale of what we believe to be highly sensitive U.S. Air Force documents. Specifically, an English-speaking hacker claimed to have access to export-controlled documents pertaining to the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Insikt analysts engaged the hacker and confirmed the validity of the compromised documents. Insikt Group identified the name and country of residence of an actor associated with a group we believe to be responsible. This analysis is available to our customers via Insikt’s blog. We continue to assist law enforcement in their investigation.”

Google’s Parent Births New Businesses: Balloons and Drones

Two projects operated within the research lab of Google’s parent company Alphabet have now been moved out of the research lab and into their own Alphabet business units. “Wing” is the delivery drone project using fixed-wing VTOL drones that have made test deliveries in Australia. “Loon” is the high altitude balloon project that provides internet connectivity for rural or disaster areas.

FAA Says Avoid Drone Registration Schemes

The FAA warns against entities that offer to help drone owners and operators file an application for a registration number. Some attempt to mimic the look of the FAA’s website with similar graphic design and even the FAA logo. You can easily register yourself for $5 at the FAA Drone Zone. These registrations apply to those flying for recreational, commercial, governmental, or other purposes under Part 107. Also to those flying model aircraft under Section 336, the special rule for model aircraft.

Drone Regulations in U.S. Withstand a Hobbyist’s Legal Challenge

Back in episode 195, we reported that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit struck down the FAA’s drone registration requirement for recreational UAV operators. John A. Taylor argued that the FAA requirement violated the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act passed by Congress. Since then, Congress passed a law allowing registration of hobbyist drones. Taylor requested that FAA rules be invalidated arguing that all hobbyists, not just those exempted by Congress, should be exempt from the law. But the appellate court said, “Because the rule is within the agency’s statutory authority and is neither arbitrary nor capricious, the petition for review is denied.”

UAV Video of the Week

Travis AFB 4th of July ft. Intel® Shooting Star Drone Light Show

Mentioned

LAANC Turned Off at 6 Airports

UAV250 Skyship Search and Rescue Platform

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Korean telecom KT proposes the Skyship platform for search and rescue operations, the EU takes a step to harmonize drone rules, China pushes ahead with deliveries by drone, a Japanese drone can change its shape, UAS success in the Arctic, and Transcend Air proposes a city-to-city VTOL aircraft.

Courtesy KT Corp.

UAV News

KT Unveils 5G Emergency Rescue Platform ‘SKYSHIP’

South Korean telecom company KT Corporation has announced a disaster and safety management platform. The “Skyship” platform uses remotely controlled drones for search and rescue operations for disaster survivors. The platform is made up of four components: the Skyship airship, the Skyship C3 (Command, Control, Communication) Station, a mobile ground control station, and Skyship Drones and Skyship Robots.

The Skyship airship Is helium-filled and includes a pod for propellants, cameras, network modules and drones. It performs signal scanning to detect smartphone signals, map them to customer databases, and identify survivor personal information.

The signal scanning locates survivors within a 50-meter radius, then the drones are deployed to pinpoint the exact location of survivors. Ground robots are deployed “to deliver emergency relief items, relay information to rescuers and take first-aid measures until rescuers arrive.”

Rescuers on the ground use augmented reality (AR) glasses that have a direct line of communication to doctors at nearby hospitals for assistance in delivering emergency treatment.

European Parliament Votes in Favor of EASA Basic Regulation: “It’s a Good Day for the Drone Industry in Europe”

Ensuring Aviation Safety and Safe use of Drones: Council Signs off on EASA Reform

The EU has revised its “Basic Regulation” that specifies aviation safety rules. It includes a new mandate for the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) that applies to all civil drones and creates harmonized EU-wide rules. A threshold for drone registration is established and the rules establish the basic principles for safety, security, privacy, data protection, and environmental protection. Detailed drone rules will be created by the European Commission with help from EASA.

Drone deliveries become reality as China races to take the lead

Looking at package delivery by drone in China, this article notes the size of the Chinese market, the expense of conventional delivery, the advanced drone technology in China, and the support of the government for drone delivery. Chinese e-commerce companies giants are taking advantage of this pro-drone environment.

Flying Dragon Robot Transforms Itself to Squeeze Through Gaps

The JSK Lab at the University of Tokyo has developed a modular robot called DRAGON, the “Dual-rotor embedded multilink Robot with the Ability of multi-deGree-of-freedom aerial transformatiON.” The DRAGON is made up of segments connected by hinges and each segment has a pair of ducted fan thrusters that provide roll and pitch thrust. The drone can reconfigure its shape as required.

Video: Design, Modeling and Control of Aerial Robot DRAGON

A bird’s eye view of the Arctic

A new study from the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) and NOAA researchers finds that drones and other unmanned technologies can cost-effectively collect weather data in harsh or remote environments and contribute to better weather and climate models. The DOE’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility is now accepting proposals from atmospheric scientists to deploy UASs at their research sites. ARM uses four DataHawk UAS built by the University of Colorado, Boulder, and the larger ArcticShark fixed-wing UAV.

Transcend Air announces “affordable” city-to-city VTOL aircraft

Transcend Air Corporation announced the Vy six-seat aircraft that would utilize VTOL-ready landing pads. The tilt-wing Vy would fly 405 miles per hour utilizing a P&WC PT6A engine and have a range of 450 miles. Transcend plans to launch commuter airline service in early 2024.

The Vy VTOL aircraft. Courtesy Transcend Air Corporation.

Mentioned

Sensyn Robotics – Formerly V-Cube Robotics, the company now tells us they have changed their name to Sensyn Robotics and raised funds totaling approximately ¥1.2 billion (US$10.82 million).