drones
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DJI says products will stay on sale despite US trade ban
DJI says its drones will continue to be available despite the US trade ban, but it's uncertain how long that will last.
DJI can no longer buy components from the US for its drones
The Commerce Department said the drone maker 'enabled wide-scale human rights abuses within China.'
DARPA says it's getting closer to snatching drones out of midair
The agency is still working on its Gremlins reusable drone project.
Boeing's tanker drone completes first flight with refueling pod
Boeing has flown its MQ-25 mid-air refueling drone with a fuel pod for the first time, bringing it one step closer to mid-air top-ups for combat aircraft.
The drones that announced Joe Biden as the 46th president-elect
The drone air show business is not an easy one, only around two dozen such outfits exist worldwide. The company also keeps its drone manufacturing in-house with its M1 UAV. But for as complicated as the swarm’s movements are, the drones themselves possess virtually zero autonomy.
Modified drones help scientists better predict volcanic eruptions
With the help of drones, we could predict when the next major eruption could happen.
Dendra System's seed-spitting drones rebuild forests from the air
"For a long time, the state of the arts in ecosystem restoration was hand planting. We're trying to give restoration a toolset to be able to do that at [an industrial] scale.”
Rural North Carolina residents will soon get their meds delivered by drone
Now they’re going to be buzzing through the skies of rural North Carolina thanks to a novel delivery service devised by drug-maker Merck and drone-maker Volansi. The plan is simple: use Volansi’s 7-foot long “Gemini” quadcopter to ferry packages of cold chain medicines — such as vaccines, glaucoma treatments, insulin, and asthma inhalers — from Merck’s Wilson, NC drug lab to the Vidant Healthplex-Wilson. This medical network serves more than 1.4 million people across 29 counties in eastern North Carolina.
The US Army wants to build an autonomous drone charging system
The military funded a four-year research project into the technology.
NFL teams are using drones and robots to limit virus spread
Despite a recent COVID-19 outbreak in the NFL that resulted in cancelled games, some teams are planning to welcome back fans over the next few weeks. The Atlanta Falcons are one of those, and to reduce the risks, Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium (MBS) will be among the first sports venues to sanitize key areas using drones (via CNN).
NASA delays its Titan drone mission by another year
NASA is delaying the launch of its Dragonfly drone mission to Titan to 2027 due to the pandemic and other external setbacks.
Watch Amazon's entire new hardware event right here
Amazon unveiled new Echos, eeros and even a Ring camera/drone. Now you can watch the entire hardware presentation on YouTube, or just check out a 30 second ad for the flying security camera.
Walmart launches a drone delivery program in North Carolina
Shortly after receiving final FAA approval for drone deliveries, Amazon already has a rival. Walmart announced that it will start a pilot program with drone company Flytrex to deliver groceries and other household essentials from its superstore in Fayetteville, NC.
AI helps drone swarms navigate through crowded, unfamiliar spaces
Researchers have developed AI that lets drone swarms navigate cluttered, unmapped spaces without collisions.
Qualcomm's 5G RB5 robotics platform will help drones navigate tight spaces
Qualcomm is working on AI computing much like rival chip makers Intel and NVIDIA, but it’s sticking to what it does best: smaller devices and connectivity. It just unveiled the RB5 AI-enabled 5G robotics platform, a follow-up to the RB3 chipset, designed to be used in a wide array of robotic and drone products.
Alphabet partners with local library to deliver books to students
Students in a Virginia county can order books online and have them dropped off via one of Wing's drones.
NASA's Mars helicopter is ready for the red planet
NASA is done attaching the Mars helicopter to the Perseverance rover.
The Pentagon wants to catch rogue drones in nets
The Pentagon already has permission to shoot drones out of the sky if they're deemed a threat, but it's not stopping there. The Department of Defense (DoD) has signed a contract with Fortem Technologies for what the company calls Drone Hunter, an AI-enabled drone that can chase down, catch and retrieve rogue drones using a net.
Interior Department grounds Chinese-made drones
The reports were true: the Interior Department is grounding much of its drone fleet. It's issuing an order that bans flights for drones either made in China or with Chinese parts out of fear they could be used for spying purposes. That effectively grounds the entire fleet in principle. There will be exceptions for training as well as emergency situations like wildfire tracking and search and rescue, but day-to-day operations won't be feasible without drones made elsewhere.
Heathrow Airport installs anti-drone system that can locate UAV pilots
The UK knows first-hand how disruptive drones can be to major airports. Last March, it introduced legislation to widen the drone no-fly zone around airports to five kilometers. Now, to enforce the new rules, London's Heathrow Airport has installed a system to detect and identify unauthorized UAVs.