Monthly Archives: March 2021

368 Mesh Network Drone Delivery

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An AI-based mesh network drone delivery test, Navy destroyers swarmed by drones, an Amazon double-coupon deal, an attritable Bell cargo UAV, a first amendment drone case, the target drone on the beach, drones replacing fireworks.

UAV News

AI-based system to support world’s first mesh network drone delivery test

Airwayz is participating in a unique technology test in Israel where delivery drones will use AI and operate in mesh networks. Previous studies have used drone corridors, but that limits the number of delivery drones, doesn’t scale to commercial volumes, and if a part of the corridor goes down, the corridor fails. A mesh system doesn’t have these limitations. However, a human cannot manage a mesh network so AI is needed at each drone for quick decision-making.

Multiple Destroyers Were Swarmed By Mysterious ‘Drones’ Off California Over Numerous Nights

In July 2019, as many as six drones pursued the ships and performed “brazen maneuvers.” An  investigation included elements of the Navy, Coast Guard, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The Drive conducted their own investigation using iInformation not previously public that was disclosed through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

Amazon double coupon deal cuts this awesome foldable 4K camera drone to just $60

The Tomzon D25 4K Camera Drone is listed on Amazon.com at $99.99 but at this time, Amazon is offering a $20 coupon, applied at checkout. BGR says you can apply the coupon code TOMZOND25 at checkout for another $20 off, making the final price $59.99. Note that Amazon states “Coupons are valid for a limited time only. Amazon reserves the right to modify or cancel coupons at any time.”

Bell sees its APT cargo UAV as being attritable in combat

Bell believes it can produce the APT (Autonomous Pod Transport) at a low enough price that it could be considered “attritable.” The APT is a tail-sitting VTOL that uses a battery and 4 electric motors. An internal combustion engine would be more complex, less reliable, and louder.

Drone Operator Grounded by Self-interested Government Board Fights Back

The North Carolina the Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors claims that conducting an aerial survey with a drone constitutes surveying without a license. The Board is warning drone operators they may face criminal prosecution. But drone entrepreneur Michael Jones is fighting back saying his images and maps were not being used to set legal boundaries. Instead, they were for informational purposes. Jones claims creating and sharing information is speech protected by the First Amendment and he’s filed a federal lawsuit with the Institute for Justice.

Military drone washed ashore on beach

It’s a U.S. Air Force BQM-167A Aerial Target drone that is usually recovered from the ocean.

Drone shows coming to OC this summer, replacing firework shows

Ocean City, Maryland has frequent fireworks shows during the summer. Now they are planning to replace the fireworks with drones for many of those shows. But not to fear, fireworks will appear for the 4th of July.

UAV Video of the Week

James Gunn offers viral drone video cinematographer a gig in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3

That bowling alley drone guy? It may have paid off. Director James Gunn offered Jay Christensen an opportunity with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. When Gunn saw the viral video, he said on Twitter, “Oh my God this drone shot is stupendous,” and in another tweet, “I want them to come with us to London later this year when we shoot Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” To which Christensen replied, “What’s up James. I shot this.” Gunn may or may not have been serious.

Video: The light in the night!

Video: Iceland volcano: Drone footage captures stunning up-close view of eruption

Anthony Quintano Photography on Instagram and Twitter.

Cartoon used with permission, Leigh Rubin, RubesCartoons.com.
Used with permission, Leigh Rubin, RubesCartoons.com.

367 Remote ID Lawsuit Filed

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A drone company files a Remote ID lawsuit against the FAA over the rules going into effect next month, EASA publishes a drone incident manual for European airports, MIT builds tiny insect-inspired drones, Erickson plans an optionally-piloted S-64 Aircrane, and another spectacular video of the week.

UAV News

FAA Announces Effective Dates for Final Drone Rules

The final rules go into effect on April 21, 2021, that require remote identification of drones, allow some flights over people and moving vehicles, and permit flights at night under certain conditions. Before flying under the new provisions a remote pilot must pass the updated initial knowledge test or complete the appropriate updated online training course.

RaceDayQuads LLC v. FAA (Lawsuit Challenging Drone Remote Identification Regulations)

RaceDayQuads (RDQ) filed a lawsuit against the FAA in Federal court. They believe some provisions of the Remote ID rule will have “devastating effects on our hobby and on all of RC flight.” 

“This case is about protecting the constitutional rights and freedom to fly of millions of active drone and model aviation hobbyists by upholding the rule of law through challenging the FAA’s illegal law in court.”

“RDQ and Tyler Brennan are defending our constitutional rights and freedom by confronting the FAA’s rulemaking as violating multiple constitutional protections and rampant with unlawful arbitrary and capricious decision making, some of which was done intentionally behind closed doors out of the eyes of the public. Everyone is under the rule of law -including the FAA. The FAA is not free to differ from what the law requires.”

RaceDayQuads Press Release

Specifically, “RDQ’s goal is to allow current and future drone and model aviation hobbyists to continue flying safely:

  • without the need to broadcast their information 
  • or be inhibited by any regulation which fails to comply with constitutional protections, 
  • fails to follow rulemaking procedures, 
  • fails to listen to the comments of those the rule would affect, 
  • is founded upon inaccurate risk assessments and data, 
  • or fails to provide an overall benefit to the American people.”

The Petition for Review was filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on March 12, 2021. RDQ was represented by Law Offices of Yodice Associates of Potomac, MD, Rupprecht Law of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, and Parlatore Law Group of Washington, DC.

From the RDQ website: RDQ vs. FAA – RaceDayQuads and FAA Legal Battle – Challenging Remote ID. For more information, follow the UAV Law News & Discussion group on Facebook.

EASA issues guidelines for management of drone incidents at airports

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published the 35-page “Drone Incident Management at Aerodromes” (PDF) manual. It provides guidance to help aviation operators and national authorities address unauthorized drone usage near airports. This is Part 1: The challenge of unauthorised drones in the surroundings of aerodromes. The other two parts are addressed to those parties involved in the management of these incidents.

MIT’s insect-sized drones are built to survive collisions

Generally, the smaller you make a drone, the more fragile it is. Insects, on the other hand, are very resilient for their size. The MIT lab recognised that if you are going to design an insect-sized drone, it needs to survive a collision. While older designs used rigid ceramic-based materials, the newer designs are built with soft actuators made with carbon nanotube-coated rubber cylinders that elongate when electricity is applied. These are used to simulate beating wings.

Erickson rebuilding Air Crane as potentially pilotless combat logistics helicopter

Erickson is considering upgrading the S-64 Aircrane helicopter to make it an optionally piloted combat cargo transport. Adding the Sikorsky Matrix retrofit autonomy kit to become the S-64F+, the helicopter would remove the risk to pilots during nighttime operation through mountainous terrain.

UAV Video of the Week: 

If you liked the FPV bowling video, here’s more by the same pilot

See other Videos by Jay Christensen from the Rally Studios production company in Minneapolis at his jaybyrdfilms YouTube channel.

Video: Movie Night FPV

366 American Security Drone Act of 2021

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The American Security Drone Act of 2021 incorporates drone detection and mitigation systems, an RFI is released for an MQ-9 Reaper replacement, one drone is on Mars and another is planned for Titan, the Choctaw Nation partners with the FAA, and US drone registrations plummet.

UAV News

Uncovering the legality and security of radio frequency based drone detection systems – 5 questions to ask technology providers

U.S. laws and regulations restrict what the public can do for drone detection and mitigation. To help non-federal public and private entities navigate federal laws and regulations, the Department of Justice, FAA, Department of Homeland Security, and the FCC published Advisory on the Application of Federal Laws to the Acquisition and Use of Technology to Detect and Mitigate Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The bipartisan American Security Drone Act of 2021 would modify the American Security Drone Act of 2019 to incorporate drone detection and mitigation systems.

MQ-9 Reaper Replacement Requirements Now Include Air-To-Air Capability In Contested Airspace

The U.S. Air Force has released a request for information for the MQ-Next program to replace the MQ-9 Reaper. The Air Force seeks a drone with defensive counter-air capabilities so it can protect high-value manned aircraft, like tankers, and potentially fly red air aggressor missions. A previous RFI from June 2020 focused on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and strike capabilities. The scope of the RFI is now expanded.

NASA preparing to fly Ingenuity Mars drone, enabling future airborne missions

Ingenuity flights are expected to begin in 30-60 days with a flight window is planned to last 30 days. The first flight is planned to be a simple 20-30 second low altitude hover test before landing with longer flights to follow. The Dragonfly large drone is set to launch in 2027 and land on Saturn’s largest moon Titan in 2036.

FAA, Choctaw Nation Team Up to Advance UAS

The FAA and the Choctaw Nation have partnered to study how UAS can best transport cargo, including parcels, at lower altitudes. The FAA’s Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC), signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The two will study human factors, supply chain management, and air traffic control using a virtual simulated urban environment. One goal of the MOU is to promote interest in STEM programs for students seeking possible careers in aerospace.

Drone Registrations With FAA Plummet By 50%

The total number of recreational flyer registrations and commercial-registered drones were aircraft 1,746,248 in December 2020. A large number of drone registrations expired in December 2020, after the three-year registration period. The FAA is continuing to review the registration data and plans to launch a drone registration information and awareness campaign later this year.

UAV Video of the week 

Right Up Our Alley

Maui63 drone

365 Remote Identification Implications

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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