An Amazon security drone will monitor the inside of your home, a Bell cargo drone flies through metropolitan airspace, a new underwater drone manufacturing facility, humanitarian award announcements, Covid tests delivered by drone, and the ATSB report on a pseudo-satellite break-up.

UAV NewsRing Always Home Cam indoor security drone: What you need to know

Amazon announced the “Ring Always Home Cam,” an indoor security drone that flies around inside your home. The drone can upload video to the cloud, or stream it. Some have security concerns about the system that goes on sale in 2021.

Bell flies APT 70 cargo drone through DFW airspace in successful NASA demo

The Bell Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) 70 eVTOL cargo drone flew autonomously through the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area at 500 feet AGL. A remote pilot monitored the flight from a ground station, but did not have to intervene. This was a simulation of a medical transport mission, and part of NASA’s Systems Integration and Operationalization (SIO) demonstration activity. Partner Xwing provided the detect-and-avoid system.

Huntington Ingalls to Manufacture Drones in VA

Military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries has been producing small to medium-sized underwater drones. Their new Hampton facility will be able to build larger drones – about 30 feet long. The facility will also manufacture and assemble parts for Boeing, which is producing the ORCA XLUUV unmanned submarines for the Navy.

Women and Drones Humanitarian Team Award Goes to Kenya Flying Labs

Women and Drones seeks to bring together women to help them connect and succeed in the drone industry. The Humanitarian Award recognizes co-ed teams, organizations, or companies with a primary focus of using drones for good. Women and Drones announced that this year’s Humanitarian Team Award Honoree goes to Kenya Flying Labs, a non-profit organization that uses drone technology for the benefit of people in local communities.

Winners Named in 2020 AUVSI XCELLENCE Humanitarian and Public Safety Award

Six organizations that pioneer new ways to use drones for good are winners of the XCELLENCE Humanitarian and Public Safety Awards from the Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International (AUVSI). The award is sponsored by DJI. The recipients of 2020 AUVSI XCELLENCE Humanitarian and Public Safety Awards are:

Humanitarian Project/Program:

• Nepal Flying Labs, Drones Optimized Therapy Systems 
• UMD UAS Test Site, Human Organ Transplant Delivery UAS 
• WildTrack, Footprint Identification Technique (FIT)

Public Safety Project/Program:

• Chula Vista Police Department, Drone as a First Responder (DFR) Program 
• DRONERESPONDERS, DRONERESPONDERS Public Safety Alliance 
• Verity, Making Drones Safer with Failsafe by Verity 

Walmart is using drones to deliver Covid-19 tests

Walmart launched a pilot drone delivery program where Quest Diagnostics Covid-19 tests are delivered to homes within a one-mile radius of the North Las Vegas Walmart store. Customers receive a text from DroneUp when the test is on its way and test kits land on people’s driveways, front sidewalks or backyard.

In-flight break-up of high-altitude pseudo-satellite UAS

The ATSB report describes the Airbus Zephyr that had launched from Wyndham Airport on 28 September 2019 for a high altitude flight. After a series of uncommanded rolls in unstable atmospheric conditions, the Zephyr entered into an uncontrolled spiral descent. The maximum airspeed was exceeded, the roll angle increased beyond structural limitations, and both wings fractured at about mid-span.

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Your FedEx Packages May Soon Arrive By Autonomous Cargo Plane

Reliable Robotics completed test flights for two of its remote-piloted aircraft models. FedEx now owns the Cessna 208 Caravan or C208.

Video: C208 Automated Landing