UAV News Talk – Drone News, eVTOLs, UAS Policy & Air Mobility

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.

UAV NewsKT 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.

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).

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 NewsFacebook’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: RoboRod contest video

Video of the WeekPosted by the New York City Drone Film Festival.

A UAS for Venus from Black Swift Technologies, DJI building a new headquarters complex, MIT develops the Navion chip, DroneDeploy spells out commercial drone predictions for 2018 and beyond, and LiquidPiston is developing a rotary drone engine.

UAV NewsBlack Swift Technologies Awarded NASA Contract to Develop UAS for Atmospheric Observations of Venus

Black Swift Technologies announced it has been awarded a NASA contract to perform upper atmospheric observations of the planet Venus. They will develop an unmanned aircraft system based on the concept of dynamic soaring. Jack Elston, CEO of Black Swift Technologies said, “While there have been a variety of systems proposed for upper atmospheric observations of Venus, the planet’s high wind speeds pose a significant design challenge. Our solution will be designed to not only survive in the harsh wind environment, but also simultaneously perform targeted sampling of the atmosphere while continuously extracting energy, even on the dark side of the planet.”

DJI’s Shiny New HQ Has a Sky Bridge for Showing Off Drones

DJI is constructing new company headquarters in China. The 1.7 million square foot complex includes twin towers connected with a sky bridge. This sky bridge includes a giant indoor space for demonstrating and testing drones.

Video: Foster + Partners’ Shenzhen ‘drone’ towers

Chip upgrade helps miniature drones navigate

A team at MIT has developed a custom chip called Navion that is smaller, has lower power consumption, and increased processing speed. Applications for Navion include tiny “nanodrones.” The chip can process real-time camera images up to 171 frames per second as well as inertial measurements. Researchers say the chip can help vehicles navigate, “particularly in remote or inaccessible places where global positioning satellite data is unavailable.”

2018 Commercial Drone Industry Predictions: DroneDeploy weighs in on the future of drones in 2018 and beyond [PDF]

Drone data company DroneDeploy has eight predictions for the commercial drone industry in 2018. These are continued consumerization of drone hardware, more outside players entering the Industry, in-house drone programs replacing service providers, deployments of large-scale fleets, a new era of automation, acquisition of large data sets, use of machine learning and artificial intelligence, and real-time data collection and analysis.

US military wants quieter drones

LiquidPiston Inc. is developing the X4 engine that offers the possibility of quieter drones, greater flight time, and reduced thermal signature. With some similarity to the Wankel engine, the X4 has an oval rotor inside a triangular chamber. DARPA is interested in the X4 enough to invest $2.5 million in LiquidPiston to continue research and development of the engine.

Video: LiquidPiston X Engine

LiquidPiston X Engine from LiquidPiston on Vimeo.

A report says FAA risk adversity limits use of drones, SenSat breaks U.K. BVLOS record, Japan set to loosen BVLOS rules, and FCC sends a strong message to drone makers, marketers, and operators.

UAV NewsRisk-Averse Culture At FAA Stifles Progress On Drones, Scientists Say

A study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine was mandated by Congress and sponsored by the FAA. It concludes that the FAA views drones the way they view aircraft: under a strong safety culture that is adverse to risk. George Ligler chaired the committee that wrote the report and said, “FAA needs to accelerate its move away from the ‘one size fits all’ philosophy for UAS operations. The FAA’s current methods for safety and risk management certainly ensure safety within the manned aircraft sector, but UASs present new and unique challenges and opportunities, which make it important for the agency to take a broader view on risk analysis.”

The committee wants the FAA to establish and publish guidelines to measure risks in a consistent and reliable manner within 12 months and include considerations of the safety benefits of drone use. The 66-page report is titled: Assessing the Risks of Integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System

SenSat, U.K.’s Largest Drone Data Provider, Breaks BVLOS Record

SenSat broke the beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) record for the U.K. after completing a 7.5-mile (12 kilometers) BVLOS flight with a fixed-wing “Sparrow” drone. SenSat has Pathfinder status from the U.K. government which allows them to fly BVLOS. This record flight utilized multiple communication channels to ensure safety. SenSat uses Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry that uses GPS to combine digital aerial photographs with computer vision to recreate areas in high detail. A live webcast of the event is available as LIVE Webcast: 12km Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone flight ops.

Japan Moves Closer to Drone Delivery with New BVLOS Regulations

Commercial drone regulations in Japan require an observer who can keep the drone in sight, thus, BVLOS is not allowed. That is about to change. According to the Japan Times, “A law requiring that a safety assistant be present during long-distance commercial drone operations will be scrapped, according to new rules announced… by the transport and industry ministries.” And “a safety assistant will no longer be required to keep the aircraft in view if flight safety can be fully ensured remotely through devices such as cameras and sensors.” The change is to be implemented by the end of 2018.

No fly zone: FCC proposes US$2.8 million penalty for marketing non-compliant drone AV accessories [PDF]

In this article, Hogan Lovells says, “The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is proposing to bring a US$2.8 million penalty against HobbyKing for marketing drone-attachable audio/video (AV) transmitters that operate on unauthorized frequencies.” The FCC is cracking down on those who make and market noncompliant UAS and UAS-attachable devices. FCC says HobbyKing offered UAS attachable audio/video devices that operate on amateur radio frequencies (which do not require FCC certification), but twelve devices operated on restricted FAA frequencies and three of the devices exceeded the allowable power levels. FCC found repeated violations, intentional marketing of unauthorized devices, untimely and incomplete responses.

The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau issued an enforcement advisory for marketers and operators of AV transmitters:

• Only manufacture or market devices that operate on amateur frequencies, unless you receive FCC certification for operating on other bands.
• Keep transmitter power within the levels of the commission’s rules.
• If the FCC contacts you regarding devices you’re marketing, seek legal counsel.
• If you receive a letter of inquiry, respond in a timely, complete, and accurate manner.
• Both commercial and amateur drone operators have a responsibility to ensure that the equipment they are using complies with applicable FCC regulations, because they could also be subject to FCC civil penalties for operating drones with noncomplying radio frequency devices.

AiRXOS creates partnerships to create an “air operating system,” a five-month Canadian UAS BVLOS proof-of-concept trial, using drones to identify violent crowd behavior, and a chain of custody drone program for law enforcement.

UAV NewsWaze for the Sky: GE Drone Venture AiRXOS Takes Flight

AiRXOS is working with government agencies and others to help develop standard criteria for commercial drone operations. The company is a venture between GE Business Innovations (the corporate venture capital arm) and GE Aviation and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GE.

AiRXOS (the “X” is silent) says they are “currently partnering with the FAA, FCC, NASA, ICAO, GUTMA and other industry stakeholders, to help define the architecture, standards, and implementation requirements necessary for the next generation of manned and unmanned potential.”

The Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR) and AiRXOS previously announced a strategic initiative, and of the ten pilot programs under the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program (UAS IPP), AiRXOS was selected as a partner for three: the City of San Diego, the City of Memphis, and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Additionally, AiRXOS has been selected as a partner with DriveOhio’s UAS Center for UTM research, and AiRXOS is a partner with NASA’s Technical Capability Level (TCL) testing and the expansion of the LAANC service program (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability).

For more see:

• A Friend In High Places: New GE Company Aims To Ease Drone Industry’s Growing Pains
• GE Introduces New Company to Develop Next Generation Unmanned Traffic Management [PDF]
• NUAIR, AiRXOS Collaborate on Unmanned Testing & Rating Initiative [PDF]

IN-FLIGHT Data and senseFly partner for Canada’s largest BVLOS drone trial

Canadian commercial drone operator IN-FLIGHT Data, drone-maker senseFly, and other partner organizations are starting a five-month “UAS BVLOS Proof-of-Concept Trial.” The goal is to demonstrate that BVLOS flights can be conducted safely and efficiently. The trial will run until early November and will collect a very large amount of geo-accurate data, across many types of long-range drone applications.

Drones taught to spot violent behavior in crowds using AI

Researchers in the UK and India are developing an algorithm that analyzes drone video of crowds and indicates when violent behavior is occurring. The system uses a Parrot AR quadcopter, video over a real-time internet connection, and a “deep learning” algorithm that matches poses to violent postures, such as strangling, punching, kicking, shooting, and stabbing. Accuracy of the algorithm is an issue. See the Paper: Eye in the Sky: Real-time Drone Surveillance System (DSS) for Violent Individuals Identification using ScatterNet Hybrid Deep Learning Network [PDF] and the video demonstration.

Taser-maker Axon partners with DJI on police drone program

DJI and Axon have entered into an exclusive partnership to sell surveillance drones directly to public safety and law enforcement agencies. Under the new Axon Air program, DJI supplies drones and Axon brings its Evidence.com data management system which is used to preserve data from law enforcement body cameras and in-car cameras. This chain of custody control system is used by more than 200,000 public safety professionals, according to Axon. See the Product card [PDF].

Mentioned

The first webinar in the FAA series How to Apply for an Operational Waiver is available for you to watch:

How do I Apply for a Drone Waiver?

Be sure to contribute to the Embry-Riddle Unmanned Systems Industry Survey. Use this handy shortcut link: http://theUAVdigest.com/usis

Airbus pushes forward with a new Urban Air Mobility unit, law enforcement embraces drones, another Amazon drone delivery patent, and FAA UAS news.

UAV NewsAirbus Steps Up Push for Flying Taxis, On-Demand Helicopters

Airbus SE is creating an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) division based in Munich. The division will consolidate all UAM activities except current air vehicle projects. Eduardo Dominguez Puerta becomes head of Urban Air Mobility. Previously, Puerta was CEO of the Airbus A3 innovation center in Silicon Valley. In Autonomous Skies: Airbus is working towards a world of self-piloted air travel, the company says, “The future of transport lies in the skies. By developing a range of cutting-edge autonomous technologies, Airbus is working towards a world of self-piloting urban air mobility vehicles, cargo drones and more autonomous commercial aircraft. The vision: a safer, more efficient and eco-friendly global transport network.”

Wisconsin, Texas, California states with most law enforcement agencies with drones

The Bard College Center for the Study of the Drone estimates that “at least 910 state and local police, sheriff, fire, and emergency services agencies in the U.S. have acquired drones.” Texas, California, and Wisconsin have the most agencies with drones. In Public Safety Drones: An Update, Bard says they “estimate that the number of public safety agencies with drones has increased by approximately 82 percent in the last year alone. All told, there are now more than twice as many agencies that own drones as there are agencies that own manned aircraft in the U.S.”

Amazon patent covers how to signal a delivery drone (and how it signals back)

Amazon was issued Patent 9,984,579, Unmanned aerial vehicle approach notification for methods by which a delivery drone and the customer could communicate. Patent abstract:

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may provide an approach notification to enable people to understand and interpret actions by the UAV, such as an intention to land or deposit a package at a particular location. The UAV may communicate a specific intention of the UAV and/or communicate a request to a person. The UAV may monitor the person or data signals for a response from the person, such as movement of the person that indicates a response. The UAV may be equipped with hardware and/or software configured to provide notifications and/or exchange information with a person at or near a destination. The UAV may include lights, a speaker, and possibly a projector to enable the UAV to project information and/or text on a surface. The UAV may control a moveable mechanism to “point” toward the person, at an object, or in another direction.

Webinar Series – How to Apply for an Operational Waiver

The FAA will host a summer webinar series to help drone operators maximize their chance of success when applying for an operational waiver. The eight free, live webinars start June 5, 2018, and will be conducted every two weeks. The series will address the waiver application process and cover the most requested Part 107 waivers, under the Small UAS Rule: daylight operation, operation over people, operating limitations (altitude), and visual line of sight aircraft operation. Registration is on a first come, first served basis, and caps at 1,000 attendees.

Note: As of June 1, the June 5 webinar registration is currently full, but you can sign up for the waitlist.

The FAA Will Require Recertification for Commercial Drone Pilots | InterDrone

The Remote Pilot Airman Certificates under Part 107 for commercial drone pilots are good for 24 months. This update (Remote Pilot – Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Airman Certification Standards (FAA-S-ACS-10A) [PDF] describes the process for recurrent testing.

UAV Video of the WeekHawaii volcano: Drone video shows emergency services evacuate home as lava approaches

See USGS.gov for more. Specifically, Kīlauea Volcano Erupts for current information and more videos and still photographs.

MentionedUnmanned Systems Industry Survey (USIS)

This Embry-Riddle Worldwide survey looks at the future challenges for and expectations of the workforce in unmanned systems. Embry-Riddle Worldwide wants to learn about current market developments and challenges, identified gaps, and upcoming needs for graduates and employees in this field.

Sound Idea: Acoustic Technology Lets Small Planes “Listen” for Nearby Aircraft

A device mounted on the exterior of small aircraft that listens “for characteristic sounds that indicate the presence of other fliers. Called an acoustic vector sensor (AVS), the system uses nanoscale materials to alert pilots to other aircraft within about 10 kilometers…” For more, see the paper, Acoustic Detection of a Fixed-Wing UAV [PDF].

uAvioniX and the potential for ADS-B for sUAS from Southern Helicam

Forum on Air & Space Law from the American Bar Association, June 5, 2018, in Washington, D.C.

A long endurance solar-powered drone, UAVs used for offensive and defensive applications, autonomous pollination drones, and DJI interest in the UAS Integration Pilot Program.

UAV NewsNaval Research Lab Adds Solar Power to Hybrid Tiger UAV Project

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) will use Alta Devices solar technology to help power the Hybrid Tiger UAV, a long endurance UAV with a planned flight time of at least 3 ½ days. The Tiger uses solar cells, a hydrogen fuel cell, and autonomous soaring algorithms. Alta Devices develops “efficient, thin and flexible mobile power technology” that enables solar-powered drones.

MyDefence Launches the WINGMAN 103 – Wearable Drone Detection for Special Operations Forces

Dutch anti-drone technology company MyDefence has the vision “To protect those who protect us” and their mission is “To deliver products within Electronic Warfare, by extensive research and development in the field of mission critical RF equipment.” MyDefence offers the Wingman series of wearable drone detection platforms, the newest of which is the Wingman 103, designed for special operations forces.

Israel Uses Drone Racers To Down Incendiary Kites And Drones To Dispense Tear Gas Over Gaza

The Israeli Defense Forces enlisted local drone racers to fly into “incendiary kites” and snag them with fishing hooks. Video: צפו בתיעוד: רחפן של צה”ל מיירט עפיפון מעזה [IDF skimmer intercepts a kite from Gaza]

Robotic Bees Are a Real Thing—and the Company Funding Them Might Surprise You

Walmart has filed a patent for autonomous pollination drones, along with five other patents for agricultural applications.

DJI appeals for involvement in first-of-its-kind UAV integration programme

DJI didn’t show up in the DOT list of initial 10 projects under the UAS Integration Pilot Program. However, the company still wants to make contributions in the areas of AeroScope remote identification, drone equipment, software development kit, policy collaboration, custom geofencing, educational outreach, and access to the DJI user community. See press releases: DJI Seeks To Partner With State, Local And Tribal Governments (November 16, 2017) and DJI Welcomes New Drone Integration Pilot Programs (May 10, 2018).

Ohio Governor John Kasich Signs Executive Order Authorizing Autonomous Vehicle Testing in Ohio

AUVSI says, “The order authorizes researchers to test on the state’s roadways ‘as long as their vehicles meet certain safety requirements and are capable of complying with Ohio traffic regulations.’” Executive order (2018-04K) also asks that researchers register their vehicles with the DriveOhio initiative.

UAV Videos of the WeekThis New Video Showing DARPA’s Master Plan For Its Gremlins Drones Is AwesomeGremlins: Airborne Launch & Recovery of Unmanned Aerial SystemsSpectacular light show of 350 drones over #ALJAWHARAl Stadium in Jeddah during the final football match of the King’s CupMentioned

From UAV Expert News: Fortress UAV Will Host Drone Day Event with DJI, CyPhy Works, Intel and Yuneec. June 1, 2018, in Plano Texas.

The DOT announces the UAS Integration Pilot Program selectees, and the Small UAS Coalition responds. The future of Aurora’s Hybrid-Electric VTOL X-Plane is uncertain, and Uber wants to be your air taxi service provider, but many others want to play a role as well.

UAV NewsU.S.Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program Selectees

The U.S. Department of Transportation received more than 140 applications for the FAA UAS Integration Pilot Program, created to accelerate drone integration in the national airspace. DOT announced 10 UAS Integration Pilot Program Awardees who will conduct flight tests under the three-year program. Following are the ten selectees along with a brief description of their projects:

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Durant, OK – Agricultural, public safety and infrastructure inspections, with planned Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations over people and nighttime operations.

City of San Diego, CA – Border protection and package delivery of food, with a secondary focus on international commerce, Smart City/autonomous vehicle interoperability and surveillance.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Authority, Herndon, VA – Facilitate package delivery in rural and urban settings.

Kansas Department of Transportation, Topeka, KS – Deploy UAS to support beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations in rural communities, leverage a statewide unmanned traffic management system to facilitate precision agriculture operations.

Lee County Mosquito Control District, Ft. Myers, FL – Low-altitude aerial applications to control/surveil the mosquito population using a 1500-lb. UAS.

Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority, Memphis, TN – Inspection of FedEx aircraft and autonomous operations that support airport operations such as perimeter security surveillance and package delivery.

North Carolina Department of Transportation, Raleigh, NC – Test localized package delivery within a defined airspace by establishing drone delivery stations in local communities. This approach enables small businesses to utilize this delivery platform for commercial purposes.

North Dakota Department of Transportation, Bismarck, ND – Diverse operations that incorporate advanced technologies that seek to expand UAS operations at night and Beyond Visual Line of Sight.

The City of Reno, NV – Time-sensitive delivery of life-saving medical equipment, such as medical defibrillators in emergency situations in both urban and rural environments. See also, Reno, Flirtey among 10 chosen nationally for drone partnership.

University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK – Pipeline inspection and surveying in remote areas and harsh climatic conditions.

Small UAV Coalition approves of new US DOT policy

The Small UAV Coalition, representing consumer and technology companies, is very happy with the “Notification to UAS Operators Proposing To Engage in Air Transportation” that was published in the Federal Register. In their press release Small UAV Coalition Applauds DOT for Taking Steps to Authorize UAS Delivery Operations [PDF], the Coalition says they applaud “the Department of Transportation (DOT) for announcing that it will use existing exemption authority to grant economic authority to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operators seeking to carry property in air transportation, an important step to expedite UAS delivery operations in the United States. The Coalition has long encouraged DOT to take this step and is pleased that it will be available to operators as the UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP) gets underway.”

The Small UAV Coalition is also happy with the applicants selected to participate in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program (IPP). In Small UAV Coalition Congratulates Secretary Chao and First UAS Integration Pilot Program Selections [PDF], they say, “The Coalition is pleased that UAS IPP has moved forward so quickly since it was first established by the President just a few months ago. The pace is emblematic of the urgency around developing a regulatory framework that will enable the safe integration of UAS into the national airspace and allow the United States to keep pace with other countries that are increasingly moving beyond pilot programs to ubiquity and integration.”

Darpa Pulls Plug On Aurora’s Hybrid-Electric VTOL X-Plane

DARPA no longer plans to build and fly the XV-24A LightningStrike from Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences. Aurora won an $89 million contract for Phases 2 and 3 of the program in March 2016 and flew a 20%-scale, all-electric demonstrator in April 2016. But the Phase 2 full-scale demonstrator isn’t progressing well enough for DARPA and they have decided not to proceed into Phase 3 and flight testing.

Uber Targets Los Angeles As Next Air Taxi Market

Uber wants to develop a network of air taxi operators. They previously announced their interest in Dallas and Dubai, and now Uber has added Los Angeles as a test market. Uber sees its network of air taxis flying 20% of the 45.8 million daily Los Angeles trips from rooftop and purpose-built skyports with up to 1,000 landings and takeoffs per hour.

Embraer unveils electric air taxi concept

At the Uber Elevate event, Embraer announced it formed the “Embraer X” division to work on urban air taxis. Their four-passenger concept vehicle is called the “DreamMaker.”

NASA, Uber to Explore Urban Air Mobility Safety, Efficiency of Future Urban Airspace

NASA and Uber signed an agreement under which Uber will provide its plans for an urban aviation rideshare network and NASA will use computer modeling and simulation to assess the impacts of small aircraft in crowded environments.

Testing at the Northern Plains UAS Test Site utilized the Rockwell Collins CNPC-1000 UAS command and control data link, the DOT published procedures for obtaining operator exemption to hold economic authority, New Zealand police ask the public to report drones instead of shooting them down, drones as autonomous air ambulances, battlefield deliveries by drone, the Customs and Border Protection drone program comes under fire, and Intel wants to play a major role in processing drone sensor data.

UAV NewsRockwell Collins Enables Airspace Management During Test Flights For NASA’s UAS Traffic Management Program

Two weeks of tests were conducted for the NASA Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Traffic Management (UTM) program. Under a NASA contract, the tests were organized by the Northern Plains UAS Test Site. Rockwell Collins was the UAS Service Supplier (USS) for the safe management of a UAS flying beyond visual line of sight, utilizing Rockwell’s CNPC-1000 Command and Control data links. The University of Iowa Operator Performance Laboratory partnered with Rockwell Collins, integrating the CNPC-1000 links with its Pulse Aerospace Vapor 55 unmanned test vehicle.

DOT Takes Step Toward Expediting Drone Delivery Authorizations

A “Notification to UAS Operators Proposing To Engage in Air Transportation” was published in the Federal Register [PDF] on April 30, 2018. This document sets forth the procedure to seek an air taxi operator exemption to hold economic authority from the Department of Transportation (DOT or Department) for companies proposing to engage in certain air transportation operations with unmanned aircraft systems. This authority is separate and distinct from any safety authority required by the FAA.

Nothing to suggest link between drones and burglaries

A Facebook post shared with a number of community pages claimed drones were being used by burglars to scope out properties. Some comments suggested that people should shoot down the drones. However, police in Selwyn, New Zealand say they have no evidence of this and they are telling residents not to shoot down drones.

Drones Being Tested as Ambulances

Researchers at CalTech have been developing a “personal rescue system” and they are testing a one fifth scale model of an autonomous drone ambulance. Internal sensors would monitor the patient’s vital signs, and the actual vehicle would be the size of a small car.

DOD seeks battlefield blood delivery drones

The Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx) calls itself “a fast-moving government entity that provides non-dilutive capital to companies to solve national defense problems.” They accelerate commercial innovation for national defense by “contracting with companies offering solutions in a variety of areas – from autonomy and AI to human systems, IT, and space – to solve a host of defense problems.” The Unit had a solicitation for the ability to deliver a 5-pound package over 100 kilometers in “austere environments.”

The Marine Corps’ Next Generation Logistics branch and DOD’s Rapid Reaction Technology Office recently tested the Hive Final Mile project. In that system, a group of UAVs are autonomously deployed to deliver small supplies such as food or ammunition to marines on the field.

Drones on the Border: Efficacy and Privacy Implications

The author believes U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) “should wind down its drone program and in the meantime establish more robust privacy protections.” Issues include surveillance of Americans living along the border with minimal oversight and without warrants, the cost of the drone systems, and the lack of effectiveness.

Intel Wants Its New Drones to Find Jobs Outside the Spotlight

Why is Intel so into drones? They have shown huge PR displays at events like the Olympics and the Super Bowl and the industrial-grade Falcon 8+ drone just received UL 3030 certification. Well, Intel wants to rely less on the personal computer market and be a “data-centric” company. They want Intel technology to be central to whatever new market emerges for data processing. And that describes the massive processing of sensor data required for some commercial drone missions.

UAV Video of the Week1,374 dancing drones break world record

China-based Ehang used a fleet of 1,374 Ghostdrones and beat Intel’s record of 1,218 flying drones at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in February. But as Digital Trends points out in China nabs world record for biggest drone display, but it’s a bit of a mess, all didn’t go according to plan.

UAV Conference

The fourth annual Drone Focus Conference will be held May 30-31, 2018 in Fargo North Dakota. Short-format talks from over 50 speakers on topics ranging from cybersecurity and innovative hardware to policies and ethics regarding autonomous systems. The short-format talks challenge speakers to present relevant information quickly and concisely, with only four to twelve minutes on stage. 

Attendees will also have the opportunity to get hands-on with interactive workshops, focused lunch panels, and a party with live demos. Other elements of the conference include a Drone Focus Film Festival, student pitches, and celebration of National Autonomous Vehicle Day (May 31st).

More information and tickets are available online at https://dronefocuscon.com.

The Intel Falcon 8+ becomes the first drone certified under UL 3030, DJI responds to security and privacy concerns, hydrogen fuel cells for drones, combating the Zika virus with drones, and an air taxi startup draws on an outside designer.

UAV NewsFirst Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) Certified by UL

UL issued their first UL 3030 electrical system safety certification to the Intel® Falcon 8+ UAS. Anil Nanduri, VP and GM of Intel’s Drone Group said, “The Intel Falcon 8+ drone is designed for advanced flight performance with redundancy built in for safety and reliability. Our successful UL listing of the Intel Falcon 8+ drone to UL’s 3030 safety standard demonstrates Intel’s commitment to safe operations needed for commercial applications such as inspection, surveying and mapping.”

Video: Intel Falcon 8+ Drone

DJI releases findings of Kivu report to stem concerns that China might use DJI’s drones to spy on the U.S.Kivu’s report on DJI’s UAV Data Transmission and Storage practices – Are DJI drones really spying for China?

DJI has been in the news over concerns that user data was transmitted to China. Some U.S. Government entities even issued directives prohibiting the use of DJI drones. In response, DJI asked McDermott Will & Emery to undertake an independent investigation and Kivu Consulting, Inc. was retained to conduct the investigation. The report concludes that “users have control over the types of data DJI drones collect, store, and transmit.” But there’s more to it…

UAV Propulsion Tech Bringing HES Hydrogen Solutions to U.S. Drone Market

Singapore’s HES Energy Systems Pte. Ltd has appointed UAV Propulsion Tech to be their authorized U.S. representative for lightweight hydrogen fuel systems for UAVs. Press release. [PDF]

‘Breakthrough’ in mosquito-packed drones to combat Zika in Brazil

The Zika virus will be combated in Brazil using drones to release millions of sterile laboratory-bred male mosquitoes. The male mosquitoes breed with females but no offspring are produced. Over time, the mosquito population is significantly reduced.

Lilium Air Taxi Startup Hires McLaren Designer Frank Stephenson

A noted supercar designer has joined Lilium as they develop an electric vertical take-off and landing jet.

UAV Video of the WeekStunning Manta Ray Sighting Off Florida Coast

A new species of manta ray may have been discovered off the coast of Florida.

Mentioned

SMi’s third annual UAV Technology conference in Prague September 26-27, 2018.