drones
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DJI drones will detect and warn of airplanes and helicopters
DJI has announced that all its consumer drones over 250 grams will use "AirSense" tech to help operators see and avoid airplanes and helicopters. They'll be equipped with so-called ADS-B sensors already installed in many aircraft and air traffic control (ATC) towers. Drone pilots will be able to see air traffic on their controllers and take evasive action if the system will warns of any potential collisions. "ADS-B was designed for airplanes and helicopters, but already there are more drones in the sky than any of them," said DJI VP of policy Brendan Schulman.
US government warns China may have access to drone data
Today, the Department of Homeland Security issued an alert warning that Chinese-made drones may be sending flight information back to their manufacturers, who could share it with third parties. According to CNN, the alert warns companies and organizations that the US government has "strong concerns about any technology product that takes American data into the territory of an authoritarian state that permits its intelligence services to have unfettered access to that data."
Alphabet’s Wing will offer drone deliveries in Helsinki next month
Alphabet announced that Wing deliveries are about to start in Finland's capital of Helsinki and detailed more about where they the drones would operate and what folks could order. The pilot program will start in the Vuosaari district, an ideal spot for drone deliveries because it's bordered by water on three sides and has a dense population.
Commercial drones are way more popular than the FAA expected
The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has unveiled its predictions for the future of drones, and the findings came as a surprise, even to the FAA itself. Non-commercial drone growth has greatly exceeded expectations, increasing by 170 percent last year, despite officials thinking that it would only grow by 44 percent. This also forced experts to race back to the drawing board and re-write its predictions for the entire industry as a result.
Senators urge FAA to complete remote drone identification rules
There's no question that drone sightings can be disruptive. In December, a drone spotted at Gatwick Airport in London led to the grounding and diversion of hundreds of flights, and similar disruptions have happened at Dubai International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. With those incidents in mind -- as well as a flyover of Fenway Park -- Senators Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and John Thune (R-SD) are calling on the Federal Aviation Admission (FAA) to complete guidelines on remote drone identification.
Alphabet’s Wing launches drone delivery service in Australia
After months of testing, Alphabet's Wing division is launching a drone delivery service in Australia. It will cover roughly 100 homes in the suburbs of Crace, Palmerston and Franklin, just outside the capital city of Canberra. Customers will be able to request small goods, such as medicine, coffee and groceries, from a range of local businesses including Kickstart Expresso, Capital Chemist, Pure Gelato, Jasper + Myrtle, Bakers Delight, Guzman Y Gomez, and Drummond Golf. Wing says it will slowly expand to more neighborhoods "in the coming weeks and months" and "connect with more local businesses" to expand the products that are available to order.
Disposable delivery drones pass test with US Marines
The US military is testing delivery drones that can transport supplies over long distances and be thrown away after each use. Made of cheap plywood, the bigger version of the two gliders being tested can carry over 700 kilograms, or roughly 1800 pounds. As reported in IEE Spectrum, the scientists at Logistic Gliders, Inc. revealed that their gliders just successfully completed a series of tests with US Marines. If cleared for mass production, the LG-1K and its bigger counterpart, the LG-2K, could cost as little as a few hundred dollars each.
UPS launches a drone 'airline' to deliver medical samples
Autonomous delivery drone networks are coming to the US in earnest. UPS and Matternet are launching a drone "airline" that will use the robotic aircraft to carry medical samples between WakeMed's health care facilities in Raleigh, North Carolina. The drone of choice (an M2 quadcopter) can only carry up to 5lbs at distances as long as 12.5 miles, but it should still be faster, cheaper and more consistent than the current system of driving samples across town using cars. They won't have to deal with traffic snarls, after all.
Drone Racing League's new season will air on NBC and Twitter
Three seasons down the line, the fledgling Drone Racing League (DRL) is still not a household name. But it continues to draw major broadcasters and is now set to make its debut on social media. For its upcoming world championship season, the DRL is making the switch from ESPN to the home of NASCAR: NBC and NBC Sports. For the first time, viewers will also be able to tune in on Twitter via the official @DroneRaceLeague account. The new season commences August 11th.
The UK is expanding drone no-fly zones around major airports
Just a couple of months after drone sightings grounded flights at one of the UK's busiest travel hubs, the nation is expanding drone no-fly zones around airports. As of Wednesday, the no-fly radius is widening from one kilometer to five kilometers (around three miles).
NASA is close to finalizing its drone traffic control system for cities
NASA is ready to put its drone traffic management system to the ultimate test and has chosen Nevada and Texas as its final testing sites. The agency, together with the FAA, has been developing an Unmanned aircraft Traffic Management (UTM) system over the past four years in an effort to figure out how to safely fly drones in an urban environment. Now that the project is in its last phase, it has teamed up with the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems in Las Vegas and the Lone Star UAS Center for Excellence & Innovation in Corpus Christi, Texas to conduct a final series of technical demonstrations.
MIT developed a new system to help robots track objects
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a new system that will either improve the quality and accuracy of robotics or lead to humanity's inevitable demise at the hands of mechanical overlords. Using RFID tags, the researchers were able to make robots more efficient and accurate when tracking moving objects. The development carries major implications for the future of drones, manufacturing robots and many other applications.
Owleez is the mutant offspring of a cuddly pet and a helicopter
Ask any parent of a school-aged child and they'll probably tell you nurturing toys are big now. Those are the ones where petting and feeding it are not optional activities, thanks to a series of sensors embedded under the plaything's surface. It's like a Tamagotchi on steroids. Those same parents might also say that drones are still pretty popular, before complaining about their child terrorizing the dog with one. The two product categories couldn't have been more different, until this week's Toy Fair. Spin Master's new Owleez is a cute little owl you must care for until it gains the confidence to take to the skies thanks to the rotors hidden beneath its feathered exterior.
Dubai Airport drone scare temporarily disrupts flights
Dubai International Airport is the latest to halt flights over a drone scare following similar incidents at London's Gatwick and Heathrow. The world's third-busiest airport temporarily stopped operations for just under 30 minutes due to "unauthorized drone activity," according to a tweet from the Dubai Media Office. Incoming flights were permitted to land during the disruption, reports The New York Times, which occurred between 10.15AM and 10.45AM local time. Operations are now reportedly back to normal.
DJI updates geofencing system in Europe after Gatwick airport scare
Drone manufacturer DJI announced today that it is updating the geofencing system it uses in Europe to prevent drone pilots from flying the unmanned aircraft in places where they don't belong. The updated Geospatial Environment Online (GEO) 2.0 system will be introduced in 19 European countries and is expected to roll out over the course of this month.
FAA will require drones to display registration numbers externally
Drone owners will soon need to display their device's registration numbers on the outside of the craft, the Federal Aviation Administration has declared. The agency, which last month proposed looser restrictions on drone night flights, posted the rule on a Federal Register preview site. The directive is set to take effect on February 23rd -- you'll need to mark the ID number on your drone's body by then.
Drone giant DJI will take a huge loss due to employee fraud
The world's largest drone-maker, DJI, has reported that it will take a loss of up to a billion yuan ($150 million) due to employee fraud, according to Bloomberg and other sources. The company said that it fired multiple employees who apparently inflated parts costs to pad their own pockets. DJI discovered the "extensive" corruption during an internal probe and has contacted law enforcement.
Proposed FAA rules loosen restrictions on drone flights at night
Right on the heels of Canada introducing new, stricter regulations for drone operations, the US Department of Transportation proposed a new set of rules for drones that would allow the unmanned vehicles to fly over populated areas and operate at night. The proposal also includes a pilot program for drone traffic management that would help to integrate the aircraft into the nation's airspace.
DJI drones can fly over crowds, if they pack a parachute
Most of the time, commercial and personal drones are not allowed to fly over groups of people. For safety, obviously. Indemnis' drone parachute changes that. The company's product was just certified to allow operators to legally fly drones over small groups of people. This is the first time such a device received the certification.
Heathrow and Gatwick airports buy anti-drone systems after scare
London's airports don't want a repeat of the drone panic that left Gatwick travelers grounded for days, and they're willing to spend loads of cash to keep their skies safe. Heathrow and Gatwick have spent millions of pounds on "military-grade" anti-drone systems in the wake of the scare. It's not clear what they've purchased, but it might be a Rafael Drone Dome system that can jam drone communications. The company told the Times that it had seen interest from UK customers, but it's not clear if that included the two airports.
