Tag Archives: China

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.

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: CivD r one (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.

Courtesy KT Corp.

UAV News

KT Unveils 5G Emergency Rescue Platform ‘SKYSHIP’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Drone deliveries become reality as China races to take the lead

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

Flying Dragon Robot Transforms Itself to Squeeze Through Gaps

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

Video: Design, Modeling and Control of Aerial Robot DRAGON

A bird’s eye view of the Arctic

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

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

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

The Vy VTOL aircraft. Courtesy Transcend Air Corporation.

Mentioned

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

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

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.

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