dronelife

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) wants to change the definition of drone accidents, or “unmanned aircraft accident” in order to encompass smaller commercial drones operating in higher risk environments. Currently, pilots flying under Part 107 are asked to report drone accidents to the FAA within 10 days if an accident meets the definition of […] The post The NTSB Wants to Change the Definition of Drone Accidents appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

New Counter -UAS technology from White Fox could help lift the cloud of criminal and terrorist drone threats that hovers over the U.S. and the entire global commercial drone industry. Lifting the Cloud of Drone Threats in the Homeland – STRATUS By: Dawn M.K. Zoldi (Colonel, USAF Ret.) Perception often aligns with reality. For the […] The post Drone Threats in the Homeland: Lifting the Cloud appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Auterion software firm teams up with Swiss motor manufacturer maxon By DRONELIFE Staff Writer Jim Magill Auterion, a software company that provides an ecosystem of connected drones, payloads and apps, is teaming up with Switzerland-based drive and motor specialist maxon best known as the creator of the precision systems enabling the autonomous helicopter Ingenuity and rover Perseverance to explore Mars. The […] The post Maxon Motors Powered Mars Exploration – Now, They’re Powering Drones. Auterion and maxon’s New Partnership appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

In Canada, UTM is sometimes referred to as RTM, Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) Traffic Management. Whatever you call it, it’s a complex system of technologies working together, and can be difficult to visualize. At flight demonstration activities as part of the Energy UTM Trials, supervised by Transport Canada and NAV Canada, AirMarket, and IT […] The post RTM, UTM: Drone Traffic Management is Complex – Canadian Energy UTM Project Shows How it Works (VIDEO) appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Africa is leading the way on widescale drone delivery: commercial drone applications for mining and other heavy industry are on the rise. African drone regulations are developing rapidly to support the continent’s growing drone industry. Big Things on the Big Continent – African Drones By: Dawn M.K. Zoldi, Contributor Drone deliveries in Africa have made […] The post African Drone Regulations: How Easy is it to Operate in the African Market? appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

ANRA Technologies has won a leading place in NASA’s new advanced air mobility project, the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate National Campaign 2 for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) for Community Planning and Integration. ANRA will work FlyOhio, a collaboration of public, private and academic institutions led by DriveOhio’s advanced air mobility (AAM) group, to address the safety […] The post NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility Project: ANRA to Provide UAM Services for Multi-Year Project to Develop Passenger Drones and Other Advanced Air Mobility Solutions appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Israeli-based Percepto is known for their drone-in-a-box solution, enabling fully autonomous inspections and other commercial drone applications. Now, Percepto has partnered with robotics experts Boston Dynamics, creating a base for their ground robot, Spot. Spot’s new base “provides the robotic dog with capabilities that enables a full autonomous inspection cycle in outdoor remote environments, dramatically increasing […] The post “Spot” Gets a New Doghouse: Ground Robots and Drones Provide End-to-End Autonomous Inspections appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

As the world returns to in person gatherings, the appetite to participate in drone trade shows is high. “Organizers of Commercial UAV Expo Americas, the leading commercial drone trade show and conference in North America, have announced an impressive list of more than 70 exhibitors from around the globe who have already signed on to […] The post Commercial UAV Exhibitors: September Show is Back, Better than Ever appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

In this week’s column – the mistakes and misconceptions about flying under a public safety COA, as Steve Rhode talks about his recent interview of FAA representative John Meehan. The following is one of a biweekly series on public safety drone issues by Steve Rhode, Chief Pilot with the Wake Forest Fire Department and the North […] The post Public Safety COA: FAA Expert Talks Mistakes and Misconceptions – Steve Rhode’s Public Safety Drone Column appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Wireless broadband company Ondas Holdings has acquired drone company American Robotics in a $70.6 million deal. Founded in 2016, American Robotics brings its Scout drone system to Ondas’ portfolio—the first drone system to receive FAA regulatory approvals for autonomous flight. “This gives the company an exclusive first-mover advantage to unlock the commercial drone market by […] The post Ondas Acquires American Robotics to Leverage Autonomous Drone Tech appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Skyward and Pix4D have announced that the drone management platform will now offer drone mapping and modeling powered by Pix4D, called Skyward Mapping and Modeling. It’s a great move for both companies, moving another step closer to a seamless, end to end solution for enterprise customers. The Skyward platform allows customers to manage their drone […] The post Skyward and Pix4D: Integrating Drone Management Platform with Drone Mapping appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Research firm Facts and Factors have published a new research report the forecasts the drone delivery market to expand at a 53% CAGR from2020 – 2026. “According to the research report, the global Drone Package Delivery Market was estimated at USD 528 Million in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 6,773 Million by 2026. […] The post Drone Delivery Market Growing at 53% CAGR… Because Most People are Very Impatient appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Staying alive as a small company in an emerging industry is always a challenge – so organizations that have made it for 10 years or more, growing along the way, are always worth looking at. Success isn’t always a straight path, and it takes flexibility and a determination to get things done to survive. NH-based […] The post Necessity is the Mother of Invention: Argen Tech on Building a Drone Business, Step by Step appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

French tech company Thales, Drones-Center and ZenT have teamed up to demo a hydrogen-powered drone. Organized to test industrial and operational feasibility, the demonstration is another in a growing number of drone projects using hydrogen cells to extend flight time. “Drones used in professional applications need to combine operational efficiency with the highest levels of […] The post European Consortium Tests Long-flying Hydrogen-cell Drones appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Noise is something that most drone manufacturers try to minimize: but a new USPTO patent application from Sony proposes using drones for noise cancellation. Founders Legal has reviewed the patent, which would use networked drones carrying audio equipment to create quiet spaces. From the patent: “In certain situations of open areas (for example, restaurants, party […] The post Here’s a Cool Ideas: Sony Patents Drones for Noise Cancellation appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

We’re constantly finding and featuring new U.S.-based drone manufacturers. While this list is by no means comprehensive, we will keep updating as new companies grow in the U.S. market. Part I of this list was originally published in April, 2021, as 5 Commercial Drones Made in the U.S. Please see our original article for more […] The post U.S.-Based Drone Manufacturers: Check Out Our Updated List! appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

A Pittsburgh-based drone company has received the FAA’s blessing to use drones to disinfect public venues. The federal agency granted a “137” certification for AERAS Drone Disinfectant Solutions, allowing the company to sanitize sports and entertainment venues such as stadiums or concert arenas against COVID and other viral pathogens. The special certification is usually reserved […] The post Drones Take Flight to Disinfect Sports, Entertainment Venues appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

As the hometown of the Wright Brothers, Dayton, Ohio sports a rich tradition in aviation history. So, it’s no surprise the Gem City is making history again in unmanned aviation. Last week, Sinclair Community College awarded its first-ever bachelor’s degrees in Unmanned Aerial Systems. Samuel Bryan and Preston Moore hope to leverage their degrees to […] The post Ohio Community College Awards First-ever Drone Bachelor’s Degree appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Recently published European drone regulations provide operations- and risk-based rules for drone operations. Here, former EASA Pincipal Advisor explains the European regulatory system: and gives an update on the new developments on the horizon. Drone Life – Drones are Flying High in Europe! By: Dawn M.K. Zoldi, Guest Contributor European drones are flying high, as […] The post European Drone Regulations: EASA Basic Regulation, and What’s Next appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

This week, Royal Mail drone delivery takes a step forward with the first trial autonomous, beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flights between the UK mainland and an island, as they deliver Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), COVID testing kits and other mail to the Isles of Scilly. The pandemic has given the project an […] The post Royal Mail Drone Delivery: Inter-Island Parcel Deliveries Across the Scillies appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Tomorrow, May 12, 2021, the U.S. Congress meets to discuss the American Security Drone Act. (See text of the bill at the link.) The American Security Drone Act is a “Bill To ban the Federal procurement of certain drones and other unmanned aircraft systems, and for other purposes,” – specifically, to ban federal procurement (with […] The post Tomorrow, Congress Meets to Discuss the American Security Drone Act. Here’s What You Need to Know. appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Leading drone advocacy group AUVSI has spoken out against avigation easements, saying that a “drone toll” model is a “poison pill” for the industry. So-called avigation easements would allow state and local governments to create drone toll lanes in the sky. Not only does this threaten to create a complex and costly system for commercial […] The post No “Drone Toll Lanes”: AUVSI Speaks Out Over Avigation Easements appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Zipline has expanded service in Nigeria, partnering with Cross River State to distribute vaccines, medicines, and blood products to more than 1,000 facilities statewide. This partnership is the second for Zipline in Nigeria, following a February agreement with Kaduna state. Zipline has been a leader in medical drone delivery on the African continent, establishing the […] The post Zipline in Nigeria: Cross River State Partners for Medical Drone Delivery of Vaccines, Medicine, and Blood Supplies appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Skydio has set new standards in autonomy for drones. That autonomy has proven a game-changer for the public safety sector and other commercial enterprises, making it easier than ever to fly safely and accurately. Will Skydio’s new product be a breakthrough for enterprise companies in autonomous inspection? Find out June 22nd, 2021 at 9:00 AM […] The post Autonomous Inspection: Skydio Reveals Breakthrough Advancements in Airborne AI appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Drone Express and Kroger begin testing drone grocery delivery in a pilot program – part of the retailer’s goal of providing customers with “anything, anytime, anywhere,” says a company press release. The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) and Drone Express, a division of TELEGRID Technologies, Inc., will offer package delivery near the Kroger Marketplace in Centerville, […] The post Kroger, Drone Express Begin New Drone Grocery Delivery Program appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article