Tag Archives: China

414 Operations Over People

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Operations Over People approval for AgEagle, transitioning to UAV-dominated air forces, women drone pilots in Ukraine, an autonomous Black Hawk helicopter, a drone facilitates a robbery, a BVLOS corridor in upstate New York, an autonomous firefighting helicopter, 500 drones celebrate a game anniversary, and how to increase lithium battery lifespan.

UAV News

AgEagle’s eBee X Series Drones Are the First and Only UAVs to be Approved by the FAA for Operations Over People (OOP) in the United States

AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. announced that the eBee X series of UAS comply with Category 3 of the Operations Over People rules for sUAS. These are the first and only drones on the market to comply with the rules published in March 2021. eBee drone operators will no longer need an FAA waiver for OOP or Operations Over Moving Vehicles. Testing was conducted by the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (“MAAP”). The family of eBee fixed-wing UAS includes the eBee X, eBee GEO, and eBee TAC.

The eBee is currently approved for use by the U.S. Department Of Defense under the Blue sUAS 2.0 program, for BVLOS operations in Brazil, and Operations Over People and BVLOS operations in Canada. It is also the first drone to receive European Union Aviation Safety Agency (“EASA”) C2 certification and a Design Verification essential for these operations from EASA.

Transitioning from Human Pilots to Drones

This opinion piece argues that manned military aircraft have issues and unmanned aircraft, or drones, can address some of them. This is not to say that manned combat aircraft should be abandoned. Rather, supplementing manned with unmanned should be the focus and the military should plan to “transition toward UAV-dominated air forces.”

A new school in Kyiv is training women to pilot drones

The Female Pilots of Ukraine school opened recently to teach Ukrainian women to operate drones. Most Ukrainian drone pilots are men and this school focuses on training women – civilians and military student pilots.

Black Hawk Flies Missions Without Pilots

Pilot-less Black Hawk flies logistics and rescue missions

In a demonstration to the U.S. Army, Sikorsky and DARPA showed how an autonomous Black Hawk helicopter could perform internal and external cargo resupply missions, as well as a rescue operation. The demonstration shows that in the future, optionally piloted utility helicopters could fly complex missions safely.

How a DJI Mini drone enabled a $147,000 ATM robbery

The incident took place in broad daylight in France with security footage showing a drone flying into the air vent. The drone subsequently pushed a button that opened a door allowing the thieves to enter.

Governor Hochul Announces Major Progress Toward Boosting New York’s Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Industry

Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the New York Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site (NUAIR) received approval from the FAA to fly uncrewed aircraft systems BVLOS across the 50-mile airspace of New York’s Drone Corridor. NUAIR can fly civilian drones from Syracuse International Airport to Griffiss International Airport in Rome without the need for visual observers.

The Governor also announced that New York will be providing NUAIR with an additional $21 million in funding to cultivate the UAS industry hub along the corridor in Central New York.

Also, NUAIR has entered into an agreement with Quebec-based VPorts to develop an international Advanced Air Mobility Corridor between Syracuse International Airport and Quebec, Canada.

Video: New York UAS Corridor – Flying 50-Miles Beyond Visual Line of Sight

Rain Industries announces autonomous firefighting helicopter

Rain Industries says, “Every Wildfire Starts Small” and “The Rain System contains ignitions within 10 minutes to prevent catastrophic wildfires.” Rain announced their next-generation MK2 autonomous firefighting demonstrator aircraft, an uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) that carries about 30 gallons of payload.

Backlash after 500 drones light up New York City sky to celebrate Candy Crush

A swarm of 500 drones performed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Candy Crush game. Not everyone was happy.

Video: 500 Drones Take Over NYC Skies, Twitterverse Outraged “Shoot them down”

Chinese scientists’ new gel filling could triple lifespan of lithium batteries for EVs, drones

Beijing University of Chemical Technology researchers say a new technology could triple the lifespan of lithium batteries and decrease the risk of battery fires. They do this by replacing the liquid battery electrolytes with gel-polymer electrolytes.

UAV Video of the Week

Video: 10 Fastest Military Drones And Unmanned Vehicles In The World

413 Community-Based Drone Organizations

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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.

412 Nano Drones

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Nano drones in Ukraine, cloud seeding with drones in China, bots that clean beaches and waterways, a STEM program for young girls, new technologies from Draganfly, and patrolling the airport perimeter.

UAV News

What Are Black Hornets? The Cutting-Edge Micro-Drones Donated to Ukraine

The British Prime Minister announced that 850 Black Hornet nano drones would be given to Ukraine under a joint U.K.-Norway program. The Black Hornet was designed by Prox Dynamics in Norway and became part of Teledyne FLIR. The nano drone is about the size of a tennis ball, has three high-definition cameras, a maximum range of about 1.2 miles, flight time up to 25 minutes, and an 11 MPH top speed. They are designed to be quiet to avoid detection.

Black Hornet nano drone
Black Hornet nano drone

Drones and rockets bring rainfall to China during record-breaking heatwave and severe drought

China has been experiencing record-breaking heat and drought. In response, the country has been cloud seeding with drones and rockets. Eight cloud-seeding flights were planned over the Guizhou province in southwest China. Drones over the Sichuan province brought rainfall to more than 600 sq/km of land. A drone was recently sent to Henan province to bring artificial precipitation to that area. The photograph in the article appears to be the Wing Loong 2 military drone.

Wing Loong 2
Wing Loong 2

Watch drones pick up litter on Michigan beaches and waterways

It’s estimated that millions of pounds of plastics go into the Great Lakes every year. Now two “litter bots” are tackling the problem. The Searial Cleaners “PixieDrone” and “BeBot” remove litter in the water and in the sand, such as bottle caps, cigarette butts, straws, cups, and bottles.

High School Girls Use Drones to Uncover the Black, Indigenous Legacy of San Diego County’s Founding

A group of women of color who call themselves Hers-torians are working to empower ethnic minority girls aged 14-17 in STEM. The girls will get their drone licenses and map some historic sites in the San Diego area with LiDAR-equipped drones. The one-year Our Genetic Legacy program is free for the girls, but they get paid for it as a workforce development project. The organization was formed to address the lack of recognition and the disenfranchisement of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) in American history.

Draganfly’s New Products Bring Added Value to Drone Operations

This article describes three technologies that Draganfly has added this year:

The Heavy Lift Drone can carry up to 67 pounds of payload with a 55-minute flight duration. It can fly automated or manual missions and has been used in Ukraine to deliver medical supplies and humanitarian aid.

The Commander 3 XL Drone is a high-endurance, weather-resistant, multirotor UAV designed for easy assembly and rapid deployment. It was modeled after Draganfly’s X4-ES drone. The drone packs down into a transportable case with quick-release arms and propellers. It carries up to 26 pounds of payload for a maximum flight duration is 50 minutes.

Applications for the Long Range LiDAR System include mapping and surveying forests, cities, real estate, energy infrastructure, and telecommunications infrastructure. It has been used in Ukraine by de-mining teams.

A few weeks ago, Draganfly announced its 2022 Q2 results. Q2 revenue was $2,370,115, an increase of 19.6% year-over-year. Gross profit was up 39.1% to $284,996. Gross margins are around 40%

Unorthodox: A São Paulo Airport Is Using Drones To Patrol Its Surroundings

The São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) is using drones to monitor and protect the perimeter. This is part of the airport’s Security Work Plan to identify threats such as fire outbreaks, animal incursions, and trespassing, as well as some maintenance tasks, like runway inspection and logistics and traffic guidance. The airport is using two UAVs from Dahua Technology with thermal and optical cameras. Dahua Technology is a security company that provides video-centric IoT solutions and services.

410 Women and Drones Documentary

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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

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Tones & Drones

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

361 Urban Airports for Drones

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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.

357 Walmart Drone Delivery Hub

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A Walmart drone delivery hub is coming to Arkansas, researchers create bio-composite drone parts, a UAV for cloud seeding, Alphabet’s Wing isn’t happy with the remote ID rule, the “Uber of Drones” receives funding, and a 19-year-old with a drone led rescuers to four lost fishermen.

UAV News

Walmart Drone Delivery Hub: Never Heard of Pea Ridge, AR? You Have Now

Pending approval of the Planning Commissioners, Pea Ridge, Arkansas will be the site of a Walmart drone delivery hub that will see drone delivery trials by Zipline International in partnership with Walmart.

Zipline will operate from a Walmart store and can service a 50-mile radius, which is about the size of the state of Connecticut. And, not only does their launch and release system allow for quick on-demand delivery in under an hour, but it also eliminates carbon emissions, which lines up perfectly with our sustainability goals. The operation will likely begin early next year [2021], and, if successful, we’ll look to expand.

Walmart SVP of Consumer Product, Tom Ward

Zipline says that they will open the facility for tours and STEM opportunities for local students.  

Malaysian team turns pineapple waste into disposable drone parts

Researchers at Malaysia’s Putra University have created drone parts (such as frames) using fiber from discarded pineapple leaves to make a bio-composite material. These have a greater strength-to-weight ratio than other composites and will biodegrade when discarded. The bio-composite components would create income for farmers.

China deploys large UAV for ecological protection in Gansu

China uses Wing Loong II variant for weather modification work

Western China is arid and some would like to see a little more precipitation. Now China’s official news agency Xinhua reports that the Ganlin-1 UAV is equipped to allow cloud seeding for weather modification. The Ganlin-1 (Chinese for “sweet rain”) is a variant of the AVIC Wing Loong II UAV.

Privacy nightmare? FAA’s drone tracking rules have big consequences

At the end of December, 2020, the FAA announced final rules for Unmanned Aircraft (UA), including rules for remote identification. But Alphabet’s Wing team has an issue.

At a basic level, the new rule would enable the real-time tracking of consumer’s drone delivery orders by the general public.

Wing public affairs spokesperson

And we see this:

Unfortunately, the final rule, unlike existing international standards, does not allow the use of equally effective network remote ID, and requires all UAS, no matter the use case, to use “broadcast” RID. This approach creates barriers to compliance and will have unintended negative privacy impacts for businesses and consumers. 

Unlike traditional aircraft flying between known airports, commercial drones fly closer to communities and between businesses and homes. While an observer tracking an airplane can’t infer much about the individuals or cargo on board, an observer tracking a drone can infer sensitive information about specific users, including where they visit, spend time, and live and where customers receive packages from and when. American communities would not accept this type of surveillance of their deliveries or taxi trips on the road. They should not accept it in the sky.

Wing blog post

Wing asks for network-based RID for some use cases, especially delivery.

Op-Ed: Brian Wynne and Kevin Burke on Remote Identification for Unmanned Systems

AUVSI President and CEO Brian Wynne, and Kevin Burke, President and CEO of Airports Council International, North America (ACI-NA) published a joint op-ed praising the FAA for the new rule.

‘Uber for drones’ scores fresh funds from Nightingale

Sydney-based Aerologix wants to connect drone pilots with people who need drone imaging. The company received a $1.5 million investment from Nightingale Partners and they say they’ve “been approached by Qantas, Jetstar, and even airlines in the Middle East. These pilots have all these skills and all they have to do is complete a half-day course to become a drone pilot.”

Armed with drone, 19-year-old rescues 4 drowning fishermen off Kerala coast

A fishing boat was missing off the coast of India and a 19-year-old engineering student approached rescue workers, but he was rebuffed. A local legislator intervened and the student was allowed to bring his drone on a rescue boat. After 20 minutes he found one man clinging to a log from the capsized boat. In the end, four fishermen were rescued.

UAV Video of the Week

Watch a wild lava ‘dome fountain’ gush at Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano started erupting in 2020. The United States Geological Survey has released a video of the lava dome fountain that formed.

349 Solar-Powered Drone LTE

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Loon and HAPSMobile test LTE from a solar-powered drone, India tests a MALE prototype, and China tests a weaponized drone swarm. Also, very small sensors dropped from very small drones, FAA submits two proposed final drone rules, a Colorado drone club builds a drone park, and a virtual drone summit.

UAV News

Alphabet and SoftBank’s solar-powered drone provides first LTE connection

Google parent company Alphabet and SoftBank demonstrated a stable LTE connection from the solar-powered Sunglider drone at 62,000 feet. The connection supported an international video call with members from Loon and AeroVironment speaking with HAPSMobile members based in Japan. Alphabet’s Loon jointly developed the communications payload, and SoftBank’s HAPSMobile, which built the aircraft. HAPSMobile is minority-owned by AeroVironment.

Video: Sunglider’s Test Flight in the Stratosphere

https://youtu.be/9G_h_fDyYAk

India’s Rustom-2 Completes 8-Hour Flight Test

The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) recently flight-tested the Rustom-2 MALE prototype drone. It flew for eight hours of flying at 16,000 feet and by the end of 2020, DRDO expects the prototype to fly at 26,000 feet with an 18-hour endurance.

China Conducts Test Of Massive Suicide Drone Swarm Launched From A Box On A Truck

Reportedly, the China Academy of Electronics and Information Technology (CAEIT) conducted a test in September with a swarm of loitering munitions (also called suicide drones). They were deployed from 48 tubular launchers mounted on a light tactical vehicle, and also deployed from helicopters. The folded fixed-wing drones launch from the tubes.

Video: 中国电科陆空协同固定翼无人机“蜂群”系统 (China Electric Land and Air Cooperative Fixed-wing UAV “Swarm” System)

Airdropping sensors from moths: Researchers use flying insects to drop sensors from air, land them safely on the ground

University of Washington researchers wanted to solve the problem of inserting sensors into locations that are unsafe or too small for humans. So they developed a 98 milligram sensor system that can be carried by a tiny drone, or even an insect, like a moth. When the carrier gets above the destination, a Bluetooth command causes the sensor to release and fall to the ground. The sensor can survive a fall of up to 72 feet (or 22 meters) and collect data for 1.3-2.5 years when transmitting 10-50 packets per hour on a 68 milligram battery.

University of Washington: Airdropping sensor networks from drones and insects

Video: Dropping Sensors From Live Moths

Drone rules on final approach

FAA has submitted two proposed regulations to the Office of Management and Budget: Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Operations of Small Unmanned Aircraft Over People. OMB has 90 days to review these final regulations.

Shovels break ground at Drone Flying Park

The Buena Vista Drone Flying Park in Colorado is taking shape. The Central Colorado UAS Club and the Buena Vista Recreation Department broke ground for the Park on October 8, 2020. The purpose of the Club is to bring together UAS owners, pilots, and interested parties in an informal and social atmosphere where they exchange ideas and learn about the safe, legal, and ethical operation of UAS. When the Drone Park is complete, the area will have space for pilots to seek certification for the use of drones, an obstacle course, and a racecourse that might host sanctioned races in the future. TNL Aviation is a founding sponsor.

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UAS Magazine announced the 14th annual UAS Summit & Expo, will be 100% virtual and has been moved to October 28-29, 2020.

320 Holographic Radar for C-UAS

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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

317 Proposal to Type Certify UAS

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The FAA proposal to type-certify UAS, autonomous EA-18G Growlers, surveillance with drones in China, no Remote ID NPRM extension, DoD counter-UAS contract, an unmanned kit for the K-Max, delivering ice cream, and an arrest for busting the Super Bowl TFR.

UAV News

How Does the FAA Aircraft Certification Process Affect UAVs?

The FAA proposes to type certify unmanned aircraft the same way they certify manned aircraft. Criticism has arisen because of the long, complicated, and expensive process can only be met by large companies. Type Certification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems is the rule proposed by the FAA to type certify certain UAS as a special class of aircraft under current regulations. (Docket No. FAA-2019-1038.) Comments must be received on or before March 4, 2020.

EA-18 Growlers Can Be Controlled Autonomously

Boeing has announced they and the U.S. Navy have successfully flown two unmanned and autonomously controlled EA-18G Growlers. A third Growler acted as the mission controller for the other two. This showed that F/A-18 Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers can perform combat missions with unmanned systems.

All the Invasive Ways China Is Using Drones to Address the Coronavirus

Drones with loudspeakers are calling out pedestrians in China who are not wearing a mask. They are also being used to monitor traffic infractions, students taking exams, illegal border crossings, and hospital disposal of waste.

FAA denies requests to extend drone remote ID comment period

A number of organizations requested that the comment period for the Remote ID NPRM be extended due to the complication of the rule and the number of people impacted. The FAA denied the request. Comments will be accepted until March 2, 2020, at Regulations.gov.

The Pentagon is spending millions to scoop drones out of the sky with nets, 

Fortem Technologies Wins Contract From Department of Defense for Advanced Airspace Security and Defense System

F​ortem Technologies​ announced it was awarded a contract with the Department of Defense (DoD) through the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). DoD purchased various solutions from Fortem including its SkyDome®, DroneHunter®, DroneHangar, and TrueView radar for a layered C-UAS solution.

Kaman K-Max advances civil and military autonomous flight programs

The Kaman Air Vehicles division of Kaman Corporation is developing the K-Max UAS kit that will convert the helicopter for unmanned operation. First flight scheduled in Q3 2020. Launch customers are Helicopter Express Inc. of Chamblee, Georgia, and Swanson Group Aviation of Glendale, Oregon.

Terra Drone Europe and British-Dutch transnational consumer goods giant Unilever collaborate to deliver ice cream in New York

Delivery of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in New York is being explored by Terra Drone and Unilever. A demonstration flight was conducted at a recent Unilever annual investor event where a multi-copter drone was fitted with a delivery box designed to carry three Ben & Jerry’s mini cups.

Pilot faces a year in federal prison for flying a drone during Super Bowl week

The FBI announced that a 46-year-old man was arrested for flying a drone through the TFR during Super Bowl week in Miami. Authorities say he faces up to one year in federal prison if he is convicted. The man told the FBI that he just wanted to capture images of the Super Bowl-related festivities in South Beach.

Mentioned

Omniscient season 1 is on Netflix. The series is about a city that has chosen to ensure safety by assigning drones to watch each individual and report any crimes.

Video of the Week

An even brighter future is on the horizon. This television commercial from Florida Power and Light includes the NASC Teros Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAS.

https://youtu.be/La0gef3LAzs

315 PrecisionHawk Leadership Change

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PrecisionHawk appoints a new CEO, a plan to deliver cannabis in Seattle with drones, flying medical specimens to the lab with UAS, a Chinese 3-engine MALE drone, taking down small drones with an F-16, a Gremlins maiden flight, and a drone solution to parasitic disease in humans.

UAV News

We’re Welcoming James Norrod as CEO of PrecisionHawk

James Norrod has been named the new Chief Executive Officer of PrecisionHawk. Norrod has 25 years of experience leading companies and “specializes in forming strategic partnerships, optimizing domestic and international operations, establishing new sales distribution channels, and developing management teams.” Previous CEO Michael Chasen will lead PrecisionHawk’s advisory board and continue to act as chair of the FAA’s Drone Advisory Committee.

Deloitte, Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine Announce Project to Accelerate Medical Sample Delivery Via Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Genomic test results for acutely ill babies and children would get back to the medical team more quickly if the specimens were flown to the lab in a UAS, instead of using slower ground transportation. Deloitte Consulting principal Josh Nelson says, “This UAS project is an innovation to speed transport and delivery of samples to their lab. Together with [the Children’s Institute], we plan to go from strategy to testing to operational and develop a blueprint for other health care organizations to use.”

Three-engined variant of China’s Tengden TB001 UAV makes maiden flight

China showed images said to be of the first flight of the Sichuan Tengden Technology Company TW328/TB001 UAV. The strike-capable, reconnaissance MALE UAV is a new three-engined variant with an overall wingspan of 20 m and an 11 m length. The maximum take-off weight is 3.2 tons with an endurance of 35 hours.

Air Weapons: The Little Little UAV Killer

The U.S. Air Force tested a system where an F-16 fighter shoots down a small UAV with a laser-guided missile. The APKWS II (Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System) uses a targeting pod that spots and identifies small flying objects. It enables the pilot to launch an AGR-20A missile that can hit slow-moving targets, UAV of all sizes, and cruise missiles.

Dynetics’ X-61A Gremlins air vehicle performs its maiden flight

The Dynetics X-61A Gremlins Air Vehicle has flown for the first time. This is part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Gremlins program. The flight was carried out in November 2019 at Dugway Proving Ground near Salt Lake City, Utah. One captive-carry X-61A flew a TBM, Inc. C-130A which was then air-launched and flew for one hour and 41 minutes.

Flight test video: Gremlins X-61A Maiden Test Flight

Identifying aquatic plants with drones could be the key to reducing a parasitic infection in people

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by worms in the human circulatory system. The parasitic worms incubate in snails and people become infected through contact with contaminated water. More than 200 million people are affected, worldwide. There is no vaccine. Now a University of Washington lab found that snail clusters favor certain types of aquatic vegetation, which can be identified through drone images. The snails can then be targeted.

Cannabis delivery drones are likely to fly above Seattle this year

GRN Holding Corporation announced in December that it was signing a non-binding letter of intent to purchase Squad Drone. The drones would be used for a business-to-business marijuana delivery service. Squad Drone will license its drones and technology to state-registered hemp and cannabis companies. Press release: Cannabis Delivery Drones Could be in Seattle Skies by March.

302 Drones for Border Protection

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US Customs and Border Protection plans to test drones that provide agents with situational awareness. Also, a modular hydrogen fuel cell UAV platform, a UAS Traffic Management Pilot Program concludes, FPV drones that use your phone for video, a traffic control drone in China, a new all-electric helicopter UAS, and a test that teams manned and unmanned aircraft and munitions.

UAV News

UAVs Recruited for Border Detection

US Customs and Border Protection has been working with the Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate to build and test small drones. Planck Aerosystems will be granted $200,000 to test its prototype in operational environments over the next three to six months. The autonomous small UAV will launch from and land on the bed of a moving vehicle, provide fully autonomous navigation, have advanced computer vision capability, and include customized communications interfaces.

ISS Aerospace Launches Sensus Hydrogen Fuel Cell UAV with AMS Cylinders

ISS Aerospace has developed the Sensus, a modular hydrogen fuel cell UAV platform. It includes an ultra-lightweight, carbon composite gas cylinder from AMS Composite Cylinders and the air-cooled hydrogen fuel cell module was developed by Intelligent Energy.

Video: Fuel cell power for UAVs

FAA, Nasa and UAS partners conclude pilot programme

This portion of the UAS Traffic Management Pilot Program sought to test safe drone operations beyond visual line of sight at less than 400 feet altitude. Technology tests and evaluation included flight planning, communications, aircraft separation, and weather services for drones. Also, connections to FAA flight management servers and LAANC services (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability). Based on the results, the FAA will form the UTM regulatory framework.

See also, Unmanned Traffic Management Pilot Program: FAA Drone Flight Testing Lands First Milestone.

10 of the most popular FPV drones on Amazon this fall

This is a list of FPV drones that use your phone for the video.

Police Drone Caught Barking Orders at Chinese Driver

In this video from China, a police drone sees a group of scooters stopped at a traffic light and one of the riders isn’t wearing his helmet. The drone has a loudspeaker and can be heard ordering the man to put his helmet on, which he does.

Video: Traffic officer in China uses drones to give orders from above.

AeroVironment Unveils VAPOR All-Electric Helicopter UAS at DSEI, Adding New and Expanded Mission Capabilities to Its Family of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems

AeroVironment announced the VAPOR all-electric helicopter UAS, now added to their line of fixed-wing tactical systems. With a GTOW of up to 55 pounds, the copter has a maximum cruise endurance of 60 minutes with a full payload.

Army Night Stalker Chinook Teamed Up With Bomb-Slinging Drone In Complex AI-Enabled Test

The test integrated an MH-47 Chinook special operations helicopter, an MQ-1C Gray Eagle drone, a Dynetics GBU-69/B glide bomb, and personnel on the ground using an AI-driven networked sensor system. The Air Force has a similar project, called Golden Horde.

UAV Video of the Week

Drone follows a rollercoaster and takes you on a wild ride in this epic video

301 Drones for Activism

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Climate activists plan to use drones for activism at Heathrow Airport. Also, how the trade war is impacting the drone community, the FAA is issuing more emergency COA’s, the RAAF is working closely with the U.S. Navy on the MQ-4C Triton, a startup is using a drone to generate electricity, an anonymous reporting portal for drone incidents is coming, and a look at the “drone bubble.”

UAV News

Climate activists plan to use drones to shut down Heathrow Airport next month

UK organization Heathrow Pause says they will fly drones for activism near Heathrow to protest the third runway proposed for the airport. Starting on September 13, 2019, they intend to fly toy drones at up to 6 feet high inside the airport 5km no-fly zone, not within flight paths, and early in the morning when no flights are scheduled. Travelers who may be impacted by this drone activism can read a statement by Heathrow Pause on their website: About the Disruption to Travellers.

Tariffs with a Capital T: How the Trade War with China is Affecting the Drone Community

Tariffs are paid to Customs when certain goods are imported. They are generally baked into the price charged to consumers, like any cost of doing business. How are Chinese drones and replacement parts affected by tariffs, and how are sellers responding?

FAA Requests for Emergency UAS Airspace Authorizations on the Rise

The number of requests and approvals for emergency COAs are up over last year. In 2018, FAA issued 708 Special Government Interest (SGI) airspace authorizations while through July 2019, more than 600 had been issued by the FAA System Operations Security Directorate to law enforcement for major events like fires and hurricanes.

U.S., Australia work side-by-side on Triton UAS development

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has been working with the U.S. Navy’s Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton team. The HALE UAV is designed to provide ISR over the ocean and coastal regions. The RAAF has agreed to purchase up to six Triton aircraft and associated Mission Control Stations.

Swiss start-up dreams of powering homes using drones

Swiss startup company Skypull wants to use drones to generate electricity from high-altitude winds. The wind generator that can be deployed almost anywhere. A high-lift, low drag “box wing” drone pulls a tether to a drum on the ground that converts the force into electricity.
Video: Skypull promo 2017.

Altitude Angel launches industry first “just culture” reporting system

In Episode 294 we reported that UK company Altitude Angel planned to launch a UTM conflict resolution service as an API. Now Altitude Angel says they’ll launch an anonymous web portal reporting system for drone pilots and operators, similar to that used in manned aviation.

Drone bubble bursts, wiping out startups and hammering VC firms

Teal Group says venture capitalists poured $2.6 billion into drones from the beginning of 2012 to June 2019. Now we are seeing startups fold or consolidate. Kay Wackwitz, founder and chief executive officer of research group Drone Industry Insights says, “There was some irrationality around drones, a period of hype driven by the popularity of the hobby sector. We’re getting past that and people are coming back to reality.”

UAV Video of the Week

Dronehackers was created to showcase how drones can be used to help solve real-world problems. The project seeks to inspire the next generation of builders, DIY’ers, and creators with something entertaining and educational.

The sizzle reel: Dronehackers – Episode 0 (Sizzle Reel)

The full episode: Dronehackers – Episode 0.

283 NPRM for sUAS Operations over People

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Comments close soon for an NPRM for sUAS operations over people and an ANPRM for safe sUAS operations. In the news, advice for drone operators near agricultural aircraft, rogue drones in China, Google’s Wing receives authority to operate in Australia, FAA close to awarding the first drone airline license, and GENIUS NY awards are announced.

UAV News

Safe and Secure Operations of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems

In this Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), the FAA seeks comment on whether and in what circumstances the FAA should promulgate new rulemaking to require stand-off distances, additional operating and performance restrictions, the use of UAS Traffic Management (UTM), and additional payload restrictions. The FAA also seeks comment on whether it should prescribe design requirements and require that unmanned aircraft be equipped with critical safety systems.

Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Over People

Under this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), operations of small unmanned aircraft over people would be allowed in certain conditions without a waiver, along with operations of small UAS at night. It would also require remote pilots in command to present their remote pilot in command certificate as well as identification to certain Federal, State, or local officials, upon request, and proposes to amend the knowledge testing requirements in the rules that apply to small UAS operations to require training every 24 calendar months.

NAAA Cautions Hobbyist and Professional UAS Operators to be Mindful of Low-Flying Agricultural Aircraft this Growing Season

The National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) would like drone operators to be aware that agricultural aircraft aviators fly as low as 10 feet off the ground when making an application. That puts UAVs and Ag pilots in the same airspace. The NAAA has some specific recommendations for UAS operators. Local agricultural aviation operations can be identified by consulting AgAviation.org/findapplicator.

Authorities take action to counter increasingly intrusive UAV flights

China is subject to the same type of rogue drone flights that we see elsewhere. The State Council and the Central Military Commission jointly released a draft of interim UAV rules that put drones put into five categories based on weight and speed: mini, light, small, medium and large. Mini drones are required to fly below 50 meters without permission except for airspace over and around restricted areas, airports, restricted military zones, and dangerous areas. Light drones are allowed to fly in airspace lower than 120 meters.

Jianzhen Technology Company is developing a C-UAV system with four steps: detection, recognition, following, and handling. The company explained: “The drone can be recognized on a cloud platform. We continuously follow and locate the drone, generating a real-time flight trajectory. Counter-drone devices and a drone navigation deception system will then be used to disrupt their communication. Finally, the drone will be shot down by a laser net.”

Google’s Wing drones approved to make public deliveries in Australia

Australian regulator CASA given Wing approval to deliver products from local businesses. The initial service will be for about 100 homes in three Canberra, Australia suburbs. The service will expand in the coming months. The approval comes with some restrictions.

FAA to award first drone airline license in the next month

The FAA requires that large-scale commercial package delivery operations by drones need to meet the same safety and economic certification standards as other licensed U.S. airlines. At a conference in Singapore, FAA Office of Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Executive Director Jay Merkle said, “In the next month we expect to announce we will have our first … air carrier certificate for operating a drone airline.” He wouldn’t say who that is, but Wing Aviation LLC is the only air carrier certificate application for a drone carrier listed on a U.S. government website.

Italian company wins NY commercial drone competition

The latest winner of the GENIUS NY prize is Sentient Blue of Italy, a designer of small, gas engines for UAVs. GENIUS NY is a business accelerator for unmanned systems. Sentient Blue is developing efficient, environmentally friendly, hybrid micro gas turbine based power systems for use in UAVs and will receive $1 million, Four other businesses were named as finalists and receive $500,000 in funding: CivDrone (Israel), ​EagleHawk (Buffalo, NY), ResilienX (Syracuse, NY), and Vermeer (Brooklyn, NY).

UAV Video of the Week

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve

Tom Brown took this video of the poppy super-bloom with his DJI Mavic Pro

Mentioned

Lake Victoria Challenge
An initiative that aims to explore drones as a new mobility model for the hard-to-reach, rural communities of the Lake Victoria region in Mwanza, Tanzania. The LVC will feature three Flying Competitions. Registrations close on April 25, 2019. An informational webinar will be held April 12, 2019, at 7 AM GMT.


266 A Modular Drone Taxi

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Audi and Airbus demonstrate a drone taxi, Piaggio Aerospace goes into receivership, drones map the Great Wall of China, drone recovery by parachute, industry concerns about the pace of drone regulations.

UAV News

Audi and Airbus’ Idea of the Future is Modular Drone Taxis

Watch Audi, Italdesign and Airbus design and test an autonomous flying taxi

Audi, Airbus, and Italdesign showed a 1:4 scale model of a drone taxi concept during Drone Week in Amsterdam. The drone picks up the cab of an autonomous vehicle and delivers it to its destination. The “Pop.Up Next” is modular and includes a road module, a cabin module, and a flight module. Audi is testing in South America with Airbus subsidiary Voom.

The president of Italdesign said, “Flying taxis are on the way. We at Audi are convinced of that. More and more people are moving to cities. And more and more people will be mobile thanks to automation. In the future, senior citizens, children, and people without a driver’s license will want to use convenient robot taxis. If we succeed in making a smart allocation of traffic between roads and airspace, people and cities can benefit in equal measure.”

Video: AUDI Flying Car prototype – Flying cars are on the way!

Piaggio Aerospace seek receivership

Piaggio Aerospace has asked to be put in receivership. Is this the end of the P1.HH Hammerhead, or will the Italian government step in? The Italian Air Force was to be the launch customer for three systems.

China’s Great Wall is ‘crumbling,’ and drones are being used to save it

Chinese authorities are using drones to map and measure sections of the wall. As much as 30% of the walls are crumbling and in danger of being lost. BBC reports that data collected by the drones are already being used to build support structures.

Why It’s So Incredibly Hard to Attach a Parachute to a Drone

If one motor of a multicopter fails, a drone goes unstable. Try to launch a parachute and it might get shredded by the other rotors. Indemnis has a solution called Nexus. A tube is inflated at 30 psi in 30 milliseconds with the end away from the rotors. The parachute ejects from that tube with a launch velocity of 90 mph. The company hopes this will facilitate allowing flights over people.

Drone Rules Likely Still Years Away, Dragging on Industry’s Growth

FAA regulations for BVLOS, flights over people, night flying, etc. are taking a long time. Some trade-association leaders think it will be 2022 before this is worked out. Brian Wynne, president and chief executive of AUVSI says, “I’m not happy about it.” George Mathew, chairman and chief executive of Kespry says, “There has been a process of kicking the can down the road.” Meanwhile, an FAA spokesman says, “We have to get this right the first time. We are moving as quickly as possible to address the complex issues.”

Mentioned

Interlocking Brick System MicroQuad

The Festo SmartBird, inspired by the herring gull.

An unbelievable image proves the shape of the B-2 stealth bomber was suggested by Mother Nature

 

264 Hovermap Autonomous Drone Maps Underground

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Australian startup Emesant is using Hovermap technology to map underground environments. Also, drones and wildlife, another PrecisionHawk acquisition, the Chinese CH-7 UAV, remotely recharging drones, and the Robird drone for airport wildlife management.

Emesant Hovermap technology for mapping underground environments.

Emesant uses Hovermap technology for mapping underground environments.

UAV News

Hovermap drones dive underground to autonomously map mines and tunnels

Australian-based startup Emesant is developing specialized software that autonomously maps mines and tunnels. The Hovermap technology utilizes LiDAR, collision avoidance sensors, and GPS to map underground environments. Hovermap has been tested 2,000 feet underground in Australia generating 3D maps.

Video: Autonomous underground drone flight beyond line-of-sight using Hovermap payload

The Problem Behind a Viral Video of a Persistent Baby Bear

Video of a mother bear and cub struggling to climb a mountain made national news. After several attempts, the cub was able to climb up and reunite with its mother. However, experts say the video was taken with a drone which was actually terrorizing the bears.

North Carolina drone startup PrecisionHawk makes fifth acquisition of 2018 with Uplift Data Partners

More industry consolidation: PrecisionHawk is acquiring Uplift Data Partners, a provider of drone-based inspection services for the construction and facilities management industry. PrecisionHawk acquired Hazon and InspecTools in September, and Droners and AirVid in February. These after a $75 million funding round in January. PrecisionHawk says they will continue to expand in high-growth industries: energy and renewables, agriculture, construction, infrastructure, and insurance and government.

China Unveils New Stealth Drone With Eye on Middle East Dictators

China is showing a model of the CH-7 UAV at the Zhuhai air show and hopes to begin test flights next year with production in 2022. The 72-foot wingspan, 33 feet long UAV is expected to be sold internationally.

Lab-grown diamonds offer solution to drone flight-time issue

LakeDiamond created a small, square lab-grown diamond which can be used to charge drones in-flight. The diamond is used as the optical component of a low power laser which can recharge photovoltaic cells on the drones’ surface.

Robird drone convinces bird flocks to move away from airports

A peregrine falcon-shaped drone is chasing birds at the Grand Forks International Airport. Aerium Analytics, Clear Flight Solutions, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are seeking to reduce the number of bird strikes. Geo-fencing prevents the Robird from flying too high or intruding into the airport.

 

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.

The Skyship Search and Rescue Platform

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.

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).

UAV249 Aquila Project Shut Down

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Facebook cancels the high altitude, solar powered Aquila project. Matternet and DroneDeploy attract VC capital, Amazon patents drone hacking defense, lawmakers seek to make wildfire overflights a felony, China develops surveillance drones that look like birds, and Transcend Air proposes a VTOL transportation service.

UAV News

Facebook’s quest for fleet of solar-powered Internet drones grounded forever

Facebook has shut down their Aquila project. The high altitude, solar-powered drones (or “atmospheric satellites”) were to provide Internet access to areas that lack connectivity. Facebook said other companies with more experience and resources were working on this problem. Two Aquila test flights were conducted – the first resulted in a structural failure that caused a hard landing and the second didn’t meet Facebook’s goals.

Drone Deliveries Advance With $16M Boeing-Led Investment

Matternet has raised $16 million in a Series A funding round led by Boeing Horizon X Ventures. Matternet founder and CEO Andreas Raptopoulos said, “As we expand Matternet’s U.S. and global operations, we will work with Boeing to make next-generation aerial logistics networks a reality and transform our everyday lives.” Investments also came from Swiss Post, the Sony Innovation Fund, and Levitate Capital. Matternet works with Mercedes-Benz Vans in its drone integration program, and it also participates in two projects under the FAA’s UAS Integration Pilot Program.

DroneDeploy Raises $25M of Series C Funding to Bring Drones to Every Job Site

DroneDeploy is the large cloud-based drone data platform with 30,000 users having mapped 30 million acres in 180 countries on 400,000 job sites. The funding round is led by the Invenergy Future Fund and backed by Australian VC AirTree with investors Scale Venture Partners, Uncork Capital, Emergence Capital, and AngelPad.

Amazon eyes defense against hijacking of delivery drones by ‘nefarious individuals’

Yet another Amazon drone patent! Patent number 10007265 is titled “Hostile takeover avoidance of unmanned vehicles” and attempts to counter attackers who would steal the drones or their packages or even to take out the drones by hacking the communications signals. The patent proposes a “heartbeat” signal between the UAV and controller in normal “mission mode.” If the signal is lost, the UAV is assumed compromised and it shifts to “safety mode.” According to the patent, “In the safety mode, the UAV performs one or more pre-programmed actions designed to re-establish communication with the controller, regain control over the UAV in the event of a hostile takeover, and/or land the UAV at a safe location.”

Colorado lawmakers want to make it a felony to fly a drone over a wildfire

U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colorado), Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), and Rep. Scott Tipton (R-Cortez) introduced S.3132, the Securing Airspace For Emergency Responders Act. Under this bill, flying an unauthorized drone over a wildfire could land you a fine, and maybe a year in jail.

China is testing creepy drones that look and fly like real birds to monitor citizens

China has been testing drones that look and fly like birds. The “robo-doves” have been flown in “at least five provinces by some 30 government and military agencies in the country.” Reportedly, they have gone undetected in these tests by people and other birds. The wings flap, the drones can soar and dive like a bird, and they are very quiet. The perfect surveillance device.

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

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft providing door-to-door service was announced by Transcend Air Corporation. The tilt-wing Vy 400 six-seat aircraft would utilize VTOL-ready landing pads, 405 miles per hour, and have a range of 450 miles. Transcend plans to launch commuter airline service in early 2024.

It’s Finally Here – Fishing With a Drone: Introducing the RoboRod®

RoboRod LLC has developed a fishing rod with a “drone.” Chief development officer Paul Leslie calls it, “probably the biggest development in the fishing rod since the addition of the reel.” If you can’t cast where you want, RoboRod’s “drone” will swim your line to that perfect spot, and drop your bait on command, to the desired depth.

RoboRod video

 

Video of the Week

Posted by the New York City Drone Film Festival.

 

 

UAV228 Aurora Flight Sciences Orion

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Aurora Flight Sciences and PrecisionHawk receive additional funding, some first responders gain permission for BVLOS and night flights, the FCC imposes a civil penalty for communications violations, China is developing a heavy cargo drone, and KFC offers a build-a-drone promotion.

Orion Unmanned Aircraft System from Aurora Flight Sciences

Orion Unmanned Aircraft System. Photo courtesy Aurora Flight Sciences.

UAV News

Boeing’s New Drone Subsidiary Purchase Is Already Paying Off

The U.S. Air Force awarded Aurora Flight Sciences a $48 million contract to fund continued development of its Orion Unmanned Aircraft System. This MALE Orion is a twin-engine, fixed wing, heavy fuel propulsion aircraft with “over three times the endurance and range of current ISR platforms.”

PrecisionHawk Secures $75 Million to Foster Global Adoption of Commercial Drone Technology

PrecisionHawk Inc. announced a $75 million round of funding from a group of venture and strategic investors. This new funding brings the total funding to more than $100 million.

Danbury, Conn., Firefighters Green-Lit to Fly New UAV at Night

The FAA has issued a waiver to the Danbury Fire Department to conduct flights at night. Without the waiver, such night flights would be prohibited. The Department operates a DJI Matrice 210 and received training through Fire Tech and Safety of New England Inc.

Ontario Paramedics Now Fly BVLOS

Renfrew County paramedics initially had Transport Canada’s permission to fly drones within line of sight. But they wanted BVLOS and conducted a six-day demonstration in Spring 2017 with Transport Canada, RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police, and InDro Robotics. They then received permission to fly UAVs at night within a four-nautical-mile search area.

Renfrew paramedics use their drone to scan rugged crash sites, locate people lost in the woods, and determine whether snowmobilers fell through ice or made it safely to shore. They have the ability to deliver an automatic external defibrillator, a personal flotation device, and deliver a rope out to a person on the ice.

Frequency Check: Is Your UAS FCC Compliant?

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates interstate communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. Recently, the FCC imposed a civil penalty of $180,000 against “high-end” FPV supplier Lumenier Holdco LLC. That company provided products operating on frequency bands reserved for federal aviation navigation and communication. Also, some of the Lumenier UAS used unauthorized transmitters exceeding the authorized one-watt power limit for model aircraft. In the consent decree [PDF], Lumenier admitted liability.

China’s new drone company is building a UAV with a 20-ton payload

Tengoen Technology is developing several drones, including an eight-engine drone with a 137 feet wingspan that can carry a 20-ton payload up to 4,660 miles. The carbon-fiber, double-bodied drone is targeted for a 2020 first flight.

KFC’s New Chicken Wings Come With Drone Parts

Under a new KFC India limited-time promotion, “Smoky Grilled Wings” orders come with drone parts that can be assembled into a Bluetooth-enabled KFO (Kentucky Flying Object). The drone can be controlled with a smartphone. Watch the promotional video.

 

UAV222 Pipeline Inspection with SkyX

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SkyX completes a data collection flight of a Mexican gas pipeline, Terra Drone uses the LTE network for unmanned traffic management, Europe moves toward drone standards, Maine law enforcement employs drones, China uses drones for monitoring forest fires, New Jersey tackles droning while drunk, and Airbus expands its investment in unmanned technology companies.

The SkyOne drone for pipeline inspection. Courtesy SkyX Systems Corporation.

The SkyOne. Courtesy SkyX Systems Corporation

UAV News

Canadian drone remotely monitors gas pipeline in Mexico

Canadian company SkyX Systems Corporation offers systems for monitoring long-range assets like oil and gas pipelines. Now they have successfully completed a 100 kilometer robotic data collection flight of a gas pipeline in Mexico. SkyX founder and CEO Didi Horn said, “More than $38 billion is spent annually monitoring oil and gas pipelines using less efficient means, which often identify problems only long after they’ve occurred.” The flight was programmed and monitored by SkyX at their Greater Toronto Area SkyCenter mission control center with a support crew of engineers on the ground in Mexico.

Video: SkyOne: From Concept to Completion

New UTM System Uses Cellular Network to Extend Flights BVLOS

Japanese UAV service provider Terra Drone Inc. and telecommunications operator LG U+ have developed a 4G LTE control system that gives operators the ability to remotely monitor their drones through the LTE network. This provides beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) capability

Terra Drone is also working with UNIFLY on the “Terra UTM” unmanned traffic management system. They want to promote international standardization of the system.

IATA stresses need for UAV operation standards

IATA (the International Air Transport Association) and ICAO (the International Civil Aviation Organization) are working together to develop standards for commercial use of UAVs. ICAO has sent a letter to its member countries asking them to protect manned aircraft operations from drones.

EU reaches initial agreement on UAV rules

The European Parliament and European Council negotiators have agreed to new regulations for civil use of UAVs by the EU member countries. “The design and manufacture of drones will have to comply with EU basic requirements on safety, security and personal data protection. Drones to be covered by the EU safety rules will be those that have an impact force of more than 80 joules if they hit a person.”

Brunswick police could be 1st in U.S. to use drones to spot railroad trespassers

The Brunswick (Maine) Police Department is concerned about trespassers along railroad tracks and they want to use drones to patrol the tracks. Desiree French, a spokeswoman for the Federal Railroad Administration says, “This device will only be used for detection, not enforcement.” They hope to have the program operating by early summer 2018.

The 9 best drones for generating some holiday buzz

New Atlas gives us their “picks for the best unmanned aircraft to get a loved one buzzing come Christmas morning.”

China’s CH-4 to be Deployed for Firefighting

The Chinese manufacturer of the CH-4 unmanned “rainbow drone” has made a deal with the regional forestry authority to monitor forest fires in northeast China. Previously, fire monitoring was performed by visual observation from fixed look-out posts and, occasionally from manned aircraft. The CH-4 is equipped with both visual and infrared sensors to allow it to see day and night and through fog.

New Jersey considers barring operating a drone while drunk

New Jersey lawmakers are working on legislation that would make it illegal to operate a drone while drunk.” The bill also bans using a drone to hunt wildlife and endanger people or property, and criminalizes using drones that endanger safety at correctional facilities as well as interfering with first responders.

Airbus Invests In Maker Of ADS-B For UAVs

Airbus is taking a stake in uAvionix, a Montana-based startup developing miniaturized ADS-B transceivers for detect-and-avoid in UAVs. Airbus previously invested in AirMap, AEye, BestMile, and Cognata.

UAV209 Drones for Disaster Relief

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Using drones for disaster relief, a new marketplace for used drones, a drone park for a Florida county, unmanned aircraft replacing manned helicopters, bright career prospects for drone pilots, and fighting pollution with gas-sniffing drones.

UAV News

Amateur Drones Over Houston Endangering Rescue Choppers, Officials Say

The Texas Military Department representing the Texas Army National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, and the Texas State Guard tweeted: “#ALERT: We are seeing civilian drones that pose EXTREME risks to our rescue pilots and crews in high need areas.”

Amid Warnings, Drones Respond to Hurricane Harvey Aftermath

FAA: “The FAA warns drone operators that flying an unauthorized drone could interfere with local, state and federal rescue and recovery missions. You could be subject to significant fines if you interfere with emergency response operations”

And, “Flying a drone without authorization in or near the disaster area may violate federal, state, or local laws and ordinances, even if a TFR is not in place. Allow first responders to save lives and property without interference.”

Drones and their pilots get a closer look at havoc caused by Harvey

droneUp matches drone pilots with appropriate agencies for disaster relief.

Drones for disaster relief

People streamed into Texas with drones, trying to help. But how do we safely and effectively integrate drones with disaster relief efforts?

droneUp pulls qualified drone pilots together and coordinates with local authorities. droneUp says they are “about flying. It’s about building a community of enthusiasts who share a passion. droneUp was designed by pilots, for pilots to support our diverse needs and interests. We can scale to provide mission support for hundreds of thousands of pilots responding, reporting and communicating in real time. droneUp facilitates safety, fellowship, emergency assistance, and commerce for a network of pilots of unmanned aerial vehicles using a mobile application connected to cloud servers. You’re joining the central resource and community for drone pilots worldwide.”

To use droneUp, qualified pilots register for an account on a mobile app. When law enforcement or first responders need drone assistance, a mission is created and local pilots are alerted. Pilots acknowledge alerts on their app and take action.

Is DRONEFAX the New Craigslist for UAS?

New start-up DRONEFAX offers a marketplace for buying and selling used drones, as well as inspection and repair services by an FAA-licensed aviation maintenance technician. Discounts on drone insurance are available for drones purchased through the marketplace.

Drone park takes flight

Citrus County has the first designated drone park in Florida. Drone enthusiast and County Commissioner Jimmie T. Smith responded to Lecanto High School student Catherine Schlabach’s request for help get a drone club up and running at the school. The Citrus Drone Racing Club now has 52 members and a place to fly.

Drones edging out helicopter film pilots, videographers

Some videographers are losing their jobs because major motion picture producers are using drones instead of helicopters. Drones are safer and significantly less expensive than helicopters.

UMaine Augusta’s new drone course training aces for a growing industry

Last year, the University of Maine at Augusta began offering Maine’s first university-level UAV course. The seven-week drone course prepares students for the FAA test for remote pilot operators. UMA says graduates are immediately in demand and can earn six figures working for large corporations.

Drones Are Helping a Massive Chinese Factory Town Fight Pollution

With more than 900,000 factories registered in the Chinese city of Dongguan, it is impossible for officials to inspect them all for safety and environmental compliance. Now drones with gas detecting sensors are assisting in the fight against pollution.

Videos of the Week

Drone Funny Footage Fail

My favorite drone fails compilation!

https://youtu.be/6FVeZeT_TEA

Feedback

Listener Steve captures the flight of an RC airplane with his DJI Mavic:

RC Flying with Richard

A week later the two aircraft met up again but with different results:

RC Flying with Richard – Part 2

 

UAV195 Drone Registration Struck Down

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A court ruling halts recreational drone registration in the U.S. while China implements a new drone registration requirement. Also, a fast fixed-wing VTOL UAV, heavy-lift delivery drones, remote pilot training in Australia, a long-endurance solar powered unmanned sailplane, and some new drone swarming applications.

The Marlyn VTOL mapping and surveying drone. Courtesy Atmos UAV.

The Marlyn VTOL mapping and surveying drone. Courtesy Atmos UAV.

UAV News

Court Strikes Down Drone Registration Requirement

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has struck down the FAA’s drone registration requirement for recreational UAV operators. The three-judge panel agreed with John A. Taylor, a drone hobbyist represented by attorney Jonathan Rupprecht, who argued that the FAA requirement violated the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act passed by Congress. Read the Court Opinion [PDF] and the Court Order [PDF]. Note that the ruling does not affect aircraft operated for commercial operations under Section 333 or Part 107. Rules for commercial operations remain the same. More details: Complete Guide to Taylor v. FAA (Drone Registration Lawsuit).

FAA Statement Regarding US Court of Appeals Decision

“We are carefully reviewing the U.S. Court of Appeals decision as it relates to drone registrations. The FAA put registration and operational regulations in place to ensure that drones are operated in a way that is safe and does not pose security and privacy threats. We are in the process of considering our options and response to the decision.”

Atmos UAV Launches Marlyn

The Atmos UAV Marlyn is a fixed-wing, VTOL UAV designed for high-speed mapping applications like land surveying, mining, precision agriculture, and forestry. It can be deployed from any surface, can map up to 10 times faster than a multirotor, and can fly in a broad range of weather conditions.

Heavy Duty Delivery Drones Coming From JD.com

JD.com says they are China’s largest retailer, online or offline, and they plan to build China’s largest low-altitude drone package delivery network. The heavy-lift drones are expected to carry more than a ton, transport products to remote areas, and move agricultural produce to cities. JD.com will also establish an R&D campus in partnership with the Xi’an National Civil Aerospace Industrial Base (XCAIB) where unmanned systems will be developed, manufactured and tested.

Changes to approved training

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), Australia’s national aviation authority is changing the practical training requirements for receiving an Australian Remote Pilot Licence (RePL) effective 1 June 2017. RePL applicants will satisfy the training requirements by completing a RePL training course conducted by a person holding a RPA Operator’s Certificate (ReOC) that authorized the training. Applicants can also apply to CASA for a flight test. CASA-approved training organisations are located across Australia, and a list of approved drone operators including those who can conduct training, is on the CASA website. More information about the advantages of holding a RePL can be found in Flying drones/remotely piloted aircraft in Australia.

Drone owners will now have to register with the government in China

Pilots of drones weighing 250 grams or more (0.55 pound) will be required to register with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). This requirement is effective June 1, 2017. Registration is online and real names must be used.

FAA releases registered private drone owner database

The Federal Aviation Administration has made available a database of registered drone owners. The spreadsheet shows the city, state and zip code of each registered drone owner.

NRL Tests Autonomous ‘Soaring with Solar’ Concept

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory is looking at long endurance unmanned sailplanes that use solar power. The Navy says, “The Solar Photovoltaic and Autonomous Soaring Base Program and the U.S. Marine Corps’ Expeditionary Energy Office (E2O) want to improve the ability of unmanned platforms to support 24-7 information, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

DroneSeed Receives the First FAA Approval for Using Drone Swarming to Deliver Agricultural Payloads

DroneSeed has received approval from the FAA to deliver agricultural payloads with drone swarms. The company says, “We’re working with commercial foresters to make reforestation more efficient. Offering a one-stop solution, our team of drones plants tree seeds and sprays fertilizer and herbicides to keep trees healthy.”

Drone Swarms Could Spoof the Enemy

At the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference, the vice president of science and technology at Cintel said a web of swarming unmanned aircraft systems that can spoof enemy drones could be a solution to the shot doctrine problem when exercising counter-UAS capabilities.

UAV Video of the Week

Lockheed Martin Conducts First Underwater Unmanned Aircraft Launch from Unmanned Underwater Vehicle

Lockheed Martin successfully launched a Vector Hawk UAV on command from the Marlin MK2 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). At the same time, the Submaran unmanned surface vehicle (USV) developed by Ocean Aero provided surface reconnaissance and surveillance.

Read more: From Under the Sea to Up in the Air: Lockheed Martin Conducts First Underwater Unmanned Aircraft Launch from Unmanned Underwater Vehicle

Mentioned

Airplane Geeks episode 453 The Zunum Aero Electric Airplane.

 

 

 

UAV060 Searching for the Missing

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MLB Super BatFAA grants an emergency COA, Reno is not just for manned aircraft anymore, Chinese inflatable UAVs, more UAS regulations, and more bad behavior with drones.

News

Drones Get Waiver to Search for Missing Texas Woman Christina Morris

The FAA granted an Emergency COA to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of Gaithersburg, MD in order to utilize an Unmanned Aircraft System in the search for a woman missing in Texas.

Under the Emergency COA, NIST was able to operate an unmanned aircraft through contractor Texas EquuSearch, a non-profit organization that assists with locating missing individuals.

The FAA issues COAs “on an emergency basis when: 1) a situation exists in which there is distress or urgency and there is an extreme possibility of a loss of life; 2) the proponent has determined that manned flight operations cannot be conducted efficiently; and 3) the proposed UAS is operating under a current approved COA for a different purpose or location.”

Texas EquuSearch used the NIST’s catapult-launched MLB Super Bat, but did not locate the woman. The search was subsequently suspended until more leads could be developed.

Reno air races draw new kind of aircraft: drones

This year’s National Championship Air Races in Reno included the Small UAS Challenge, designed to test speed, agility, and strength. Contestants navigated an obstacle course, and participated in a time trial and a dead lift. A “Drone Zone” gave event attendees an opportunity to learn more about unmanned aerial vehicles and systems.

Tianjin expo reveals Chinese UAV innovations, aspiration and Now that’s an AIRplane! Homemade inflatable drone reaches speeds of 120mph

The Chinese are actively seeking to develop their aviation industry, and that includes unmanned vehicles. At the Tianjin International UAV and Model Aircraft Technology Exhibition, a family of UAVs were shown that featured inflatable bodies. The  SF-1, SF-2 and SF-3 have wingspans of 2.5 m, 3 m and 4.3 m respectively, and a useful load of 25 kg. They can be inflated with either air, helium, or hydrogen.

This development reminds David of the experimental Goodyear Inflatoplane, produced in the 1950’s and ‘60’s.

Europe Outlines Action Plan For UAV Policymaking

Matthew Baldwin, the director of aviation and international transport affairs with the European Commission (EC) had some comments from the UAS 2014 conference held in London:

  • The task of creating a regulatory framework that promotes UAS but addresses safety and privacy concerns.
  • The current European framework is fragmented, and that’s a competitive disadvantage.
  • Thresholds based on UAV weight are inconsistent, absurd, and arbitrary.

Baldwin said, “We believe that EASA [the European Aviation Safety Agency] is best placed to develop rules, and we envisage an EC proposal early next year to cover safety, liability and insurance, security privacy and so on.”

This Dunkable Drone Will Suck Up Whale Snot for Science

Whales have blowhorns that are lined with mucus and researchers want to collect that mucus to determine the health of the whale. Obviously, whale mucus is not easy to collect. The Olin College of Engineering has tackled this problem by developing and testing a drone they call Snot Bot. They want the FAA to give them permission to use it on real whales.

Pilot spots drone flying near Nashville airport runway

On approach to Nashville International Airport, the pilot of an American Eagle flight spotted a hovering drone. ATC notified the police air unit and the FAA is investigating.

Drones snooping into homes

Residents in this town are complaining about drones snooping around. One woman says her son had friends over for a pool party, and suddenly a drone was hovering overhead.  Neighbors also report seeing a drone after dark with flashing red and green lights.

Videos of the Week

Keep an eye on battery life

Max Trescott sends in this close call where the pilot saves his DJI Phantom before it sinks into the water.

DJI Phantom and GoPro 3 Black go for a swim

Note:  This video contains some profanity

In this video passed to us by Neal, a Phantom is not so lucky. But the GoPro keeps recording underwater!

Feedback

Tethered UAS

Since the FAA excludes tethered aircraft from its unmanned aircraft policy, listener Eric wondered if a tethered UAS is likewise excluded. So he asked them, “does the FAA have any guidelines in regards to tethered aircraft?”  The FAA’s response:

“The short answer is no.  We had looked at tethered UAS a couple years ago or so.  The story is we thought they could be considered like a kite or moored balloon covered under 14 CFR Part 101.  There was an internal discussion and our lawyers weighed in and deemed them aircraft, tethered or not.  Tethering is merely a very good safety mitigation.  Since they are aircraft, they must comply with all civil 14 CFR rules in place.  That means the civil UAS must be certified by the FAA as airworthy.  Currently the industry & FAA standards to make that determination are not yet fixed.  This along with many other integration problems yet to be solved makes the current civil use of UAS extremely limited.  Governmental uses enjoy a bit more freedom to use UAS since each governmental entity self-certifies its aircraft.”

“An operator could petition the FAA for an exemption under 14 CFR Part 11.  Tethering would help in proving to the FAA the operator can meet an equivalent level of safety to the NAS [National Airspace System].”

LiPo Battery Safety Tips

Luke Harris sends along some good advice for LiPo batteries:

  • When charging, never leave your battery unattended.  NEVER!  This is the stage where if a fault is present the battery can could possibly catch fire.
  • Never charge a battery indoors.  Ideally charge on the concrete outside and keep the battery in a LiPo safety bag while charging.
  • Always use a balance charger and ensure you select the correct setting on your charger that matches the battery.  Avoid ‘fast charging’.  The most common model of charger in Australia is the ‘swallow charger’.
  • Know your batteries, purchase a battery checker than can read the total capacity of the battery as well as individual cells.  When you land your model, aim to have a total charge remaining of 40%.    Never fly until the battery is empty, this will lead to problems when trying to charge.
  • If you charge a battery it is safe to store them in your LiPo safety bag if the weather is not ideal for flying, for around one month.  If you plan to store your batteries for a long period of time, discharge them to 30-40%.
  • Any sign of puffing batteries, dispose of them immediately.  They are not expensive to replace and not worth risking a fire.  Dispose by dropping the battery into a bucket of salt water.

UAV049 UAV Privacy, Subpoenas, and Regulations

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SectionalUAVs taking off in China, aerial video and privacy, a map showing UAS regs by State, FAA subpoenas realtors, FAA might not make their 2015 deadline, and drone poetry.

The News

Drone Hobbyists Taking off in China

Twenty-three-year old Jin Xing is representative of the enthusiasm for UAVs that is growing in China.  He’s created the Butterfly Aerial Photography Workshop, a business he operates from his home. Jin and his partner take aerial photographs for client companies using six helicopters.

Aerial Photo Company Gets Cops Called on Them After Drone Startles Naked Woman

Portland, Oregon firm Skyris Imaging was out taking panoramic video for a developer. But when the resident of a 26th floor apartment looked out the window and saw a hovering drone, she assumes she was the victim of a peeping tom. So she called the police. As you would expect, the media went crazy with the story.

Are drones illegal in your state? This map can tell you

This map of the U.S. lets you click on a State and see legislation, proposed legislation, a description of the legislation, and associated websites.

Drone rangers slap Realtors with subpoenas

Real estate is one of the industries that offers an immediate business use for UAVs. But the FAA is watching UAV users that it suspects are operating commercial operations. Now they’re issuing subpoenas to real estate brokerages that use UAVs to take photos of properties.

Clever copters can learn as they fly

University of Sheffield’s Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering (ACSE), is researching quadcopters that learn from their environment. These “flying robots” use camera images to build up a 3D map of the environment. Other sensors detect barometric and ultrasonic information. All this is fed to the autopilot software for navigation within the environment.

The use case is for aerial robots that can enter an environment, learn to identify objects and other features of the environment, and make decisions. The research quadcopters can also detect and interact with each other.

FAA will not meet deadline for unmanned aircraft

According to a report from the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, FAA will not meet the Congressionally mandated September 2015 deadline to integrate unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace.

The report identifies four areas of concern and makes eleven recommendations.  These recommendations include the need for reports, milestones, timelines, clarification of responsibilities, process standards, more ATC study, definition of the data required from the six test sites, and metrics to measure performance to plan.

Video of the Week

Drone Captures Massive Yacht Fire As $24 Million Boat Is Engulfed In Flames 

Submitted by Paul Siebert: San Diego boat captain Kurt Roll was using a remote-controlled quadcopter drone to shoot aerial footage at a shipyard in Chula Vista, California on Thursday when he spotted a plume of smoke rising in the distance. Roll decided to use his device to get closer to what appeared to be a massive boat fire, and managed to capture some incredible, close-up footage of a yacht going up in flames.

Feedback

From Ben, a Laugh of the Week: “Stop saying ‘uh-oh’ while you’re flying”: Drone crash pilot quotes unveiled. Real recorded quotes from military drone pilots just before they crash.

Christian from Germany sent us two interesting links: SailDrone, for ocean science applications, and the Aerovel Flexrotor, a fixed-wing VTOL tail-sitter that is designed for autonomous operation in sites with restricted access.

DRONE: poems with found sound and video from Harry Giles, a poet and a performer who produces poetry through the eyes of a UAV!

New Sectionals that show UAV’s. This came from Tim Trott’s Southern Helicam website. (See image above.)

Airbus Wants To Take The Cockpit Out Of The Cockpit Of The Future. This Airbus patent applications describes airline pilots who are moved out of the front into an interior area of the airplane. They fly using first person view.

Airbus Cockpit Patent Application

 

UAV 004 Goosebusting by Hexacopter

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Flamewheel 550

This Episode:

Using a hexacopter for wildlife management, airline pilots are concerned about UAVs, a copter goes into a crowd, wildfire fighting with a Predator, a sea-faring drone, building a ground station, and a Chinese attack UAV under development.

The News:

Canada plans to use hexacopter drones in war against geese

GOOSEBUSTER_600An Ottawa beach has been plagued by geese despite attempts to scare them off with trained dogs, loud noises, and other means. Along comes Steve Wambolt, the owner of Aerial Perspective, with a Flame Wheel 550 hexacopter and an idea, and he’s successfully used the craft to drive most of the geese away.

 

Pilot Group Expresses Concern Over Sharing the Sky With Drones

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) representing over 59,000 airline pilots issued (in April 2011) a white paper, “Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Challenges for Safely Operating in the National Airspace System” which says, “The fundamental function of operating the aircraft in a safe manner must be maintained at the same level of safety regardless of the location of the pilot or the levels of automation.” Military UAS operations do not meet this criteria. 

When Drones fall from the Skies

At an event called the Great Bull Run at a racetrack in Virginia, a drone copter with a camera flying over the stands, suddenly veered downward and into the crowd. Five people suffered minor injuries. 

Predator UAV Provides Surveillance in Battle Against Yosemite Fire

The MQ-1 Predator is flown for 22 Hours in support of the RIM fire in Yosemite National Park. The 163rd Reconnaissance Wing of the California Air National Guard out of Victorville Southern California Logistics Airport used Infrared cameras to determine hot spots and contained areas, and provided real time images to people on the ground.

Transatlantic Drone Takes to the Sea

It’s not aerial, but it is a drone. It’s an unmanned robotic boat called the Scout designed by students in seven colleges to cross the Atlantic Ocean. You can follow the progress of the craft at the Scout Transatlantic website.

Tearing an old laptop apart to build a ground control station

Here, parts from an old broken laptop and some other components are assembled in a Pelican case as a ground station. The DIY community is very active in the unmanned vehicle arena. It’s a bit like the early days of the personal computer when the term “hacker” meant something positive that geeks aspired to.

China’s ‘Sharp Sword’ stealth UAV to make first flight one year later

China’s “Sharp Sword” attack unmanned aerial vehicle has been seen taxiing around and was captured on video. It looks a little like the X-47B. The report is that we will see a first flight in one year.