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

A smart drone mailbox could be a solution to delivery concerns, an FAA waiver for automated drones, Quantum networks with unmanned aircraft, precision infrastructure inspection, using a drone to contact rescuers, keeping a 3-rotor quadcopter from crashing, and air taxi trials coming to Paris.

UAV NewsSmart Drone Mailbox Secures the Future of “Last Inch” Deliveries

A smart drone mailbox would address delivery issues such as porch pirates, excited pets, and inclement weather. They offer security, are accessible only to the recipient, and packages are shielded from the weather. Valqari and DRONEDEK are developers of smart drone mailboxes. Valqari CEO Ryan Walsh says, “The drone companies have been focused largely on all the innovative features of their drones, but if that innovation doesn’t create a safe, secure, and convenient experience for consumers, it will never be adopted.”

FAA Approves Automated Commercial DronesFAA approves American Robotics to fly its automated drone-in-a-box

American Robotics Inc. becomes the first company to get FAA approval for fully automated commercial flights. The Scout drones are housed in weather-proof base stations with autonomous charging and data transmission from aerial surveys. They fly along planned routes, limited to altitudes below 400 feet (122 meters) in rural areas, and have a maximum takeoff weight of 20 pounds (9 kilograms). The FAA Waiver is valid until January 31, 2023.

Using Drones to Create Local Quantum Networks

Researchers published a paper saying they have used drones to create a quantum network. Researchers put lasers on drones and the resulting photons were split into entangled pairs. One photon went to a ground station while the other went to another drone, was relayed to an additional drone, then sent to another ground station.

American Drone Company, Skyfish, Launches Advanced Autonomous Drone Technology Stack Designed for Precision Commercial Applications

Skyfish is an American drone company based in Montana with a Sony partnership. Their focus is on infrastructure inspection and measurement with survey-grade accuracy. The Skyfish M4 and the Skyfish M6 support a variety of payloads, including Lidar, methane detection, thermal, electro-optical, and custom payloads. The M4 is designed for photogrammetry and high-fidelity 3D reality models. The M6 drone is designed for heavier payloads and “environment-aware robotic interactions.” As DJI faces political hurdles, companies like Skyfish are trying to establish a toehold.

A Drone Saves The Day In An Unusual Way

Some stranded adventurers in Australia needed to get help. They had a mobile phone, no service, and a drone. So they typed a help message on the phone, attached it to the drone, and sent the drone up to where it had enough signal to send the message and summon help.

How to keep drones flying when a motor fails

Most quadcopters crash if one motor fails: the drone starts to spin and without very accurate position information, the controller cannot determine location. A GPS reference position can help, but GPS might not be available. Researchers at the University of Zurich and the Delft University of Technology say that a drone can be stabilized using onboard cameras.

Paris to launch ‘air taxi’ trials in June 2021

The series of trials are planned for a test area at an airfield about 16 miles north of Paris. Participating are the Choose Paris Region business group, airport operator Groupe ADP and Parisien rail operator RATP Group. The Paris Urban Air Mobility industry branch will investigate issues around parking, takeoff, and landing operations. All trials are being conducted in partnership with the French civil aviation authority and with the support of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Eurocontrol.

Events

Commercial UAV Expo Americas, September 7-9, Las Vegas

This event defines and showcases the global commercial UAV industry, with a special focus on solutions in the Americas region and a glimpse into the world of urban air mobility. It showed consistent growth for 5 straight years, with 3,100+ live attendees in 2019 – up 32% – and a record 200 exhibiting companies. It moves to a much larger space right on the Las Vegas Strip for 2021 and adds a collocated Urban Air Mobility Summit produced by RAI Amsterdam. Strictly commercial Expo by choice, it draws the power buyers and global influencers and sets the pace for the industry, with innovative formats, cutting-edge content, and unmatched excitement on the expo floor. It is a must-attend event and will convene delegates and exhibitors from 6 continents.

Commercial UAV Expo Europe, December 7-9 Amsterdam

After powering forward with nearly 80% growth in its third year (1,150+ attendees from 65 nations) in 2019, the LIVE show returns to Amsterdam and co-locates with Amsterdam Drone Week for 2021. This leading pan-European conference and expo [is] focused on commercial drones will convene top UAV experts and buyers from all key vertical markets, from across the globe. The 1,500+ attendees and 100+ exhibitors will be part of Amsterdam Drone Week’s total audience of 4,000+ including delegates to the EASA high-level European summit.

Boeing settles the Insitu lawsuit; Intel neuromorphic chips in drones; betting on drone races; connected drone delivery from Verizon, UPS, and Skyward; and new drones from Cadillac, Sony, and Autel Robotics.

UAV NewsBoeing to pay $25 Million to settle Insitu Lawsuit

In a federal whistle-blower lawsuit, Insitu was accused of fraudulently overcharging the U.S. government. Surveillance drones were sold to the government and billed as new, but Insitu provided used drones. This was on no-bid military contracts that were signed between 2009 and 2017. The Department of Justice accused Insitu of “knowingly submitting materially false cost and pricing data” for contracts to supply surveillance drones to both the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and the Navy. Insitu said in a statement that “our disclosures to the government at the time satisfied all requirements.” The company does not admit any wrongdoing.

Intel envisions drones with biological brains and eyes

Intel is installing neuromorphic chips into drones. The “Loihi” chip has 2 billion transistors which simulate 130,000 neurons and 130 million synapses. Intel is initially applying neuromorphic technology to drone cameras. The hope is that Loihi will allow cameras to function more like natural eyes, responding almost instantly to visual change.

DraftKings announces it will now allow betting on drone races in some states

Sports betting company DraftKings has teamed up with the Drone Racing League (DRL). Betting on the races will be allowed for residents of Colorado, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Regulatory approval is pending for other states.

News from CES 2021The Cadillac personal drone is the Cadillac of personal drones

The Cadillac-branded single-seat eVTOL is a concept study featuring a 90-kilowatt hour electric motor powering four rotors.

Sony offers first glimpse of its Airpeak drone that can carry an Alpha camera on an adjustable gimbal and capture footage and images from the air

The Sony Airpeak quadcopter was designed to carry the Sony Alpha mirrorless camera system. Two landing gear extensions retract upwards during flight. Price and availability were not announced.

Airpeak will support the creativity of video creators to the fullest extent possible, aiming to contribute to the further development of the entertainment industry as well as to improved efficiency and savings in various industries.Sony statement.Verizon, UPS, and Skyward announce connected drone delivery at CES 2021

The collaboration between Skyward, A Verizon company, and UPS Flight Forward™ plans to deliver retail products with drones connected to Verizon 4G LTE. 5G testing and integration will also be conducted. Deliveries of retail products via connected drones will start at The Villages in Florida.

Video: Building the New Smart City | CES 2021 | Verizon

Verizon at CES 2021

Autel Robotics releases the new Dragonfish VTOL and EVO 2 RTK series at CES

Autel Robotics released two new drones at CES. The Dragonfish VTOL has autonomous capability, a maximum flight time of 120 minutes, an 18.6-mile video transmission range, and a deployment time of under four minutes. The EVO 2 RTK series drones use Real-Time Kinematic technology to improve the accuracy of GNSS data, allowing sub-inch accuracy.

Videos of the Week

Drone Captures Stunning Scenes After Snowstorm Hits Central Idaho

Breathtaking aerial video of Washington’s snowy mountains

A Walmart drone delivery hub is coming to Arkansas, researchers create bio-composite drone parts, a UAV for cloud seeding, Alphabet’s Wing isn’t happy with the remote ID rule, the “Uber of Drones” receives funding, and a 19-year-old with a drone led rescuers to four lost fishermen.

UAV NewsWalmart Drone Delivery Hub: Never Heard of Pea Ridge, AR? You Have Now

Pending approval of the Planning Commissioners, Pea Ridge, Arkansas will be the site of a Walmart drone delivery hub that will see drone delivery trials by Zipline International in partnership with Walmart.

Zipline will operate from a Walmart store and can service a 50-mile radius, which is about the size of the state of Connecticut. And, not only does their launch and release system allow for quick on-demand delivery in under an hour, but it also eliminates carbon emissions, which lines up perfectly with our sustainability goals. The operation will likely begin early next year [2021], and, if successful, we’ll look to expand.Walmart SVP of Consumer Product, Tom Ward

Zipline says that they will open the facility for tours and STEM opportunities for local students.  

Malaysian team turns pineapple waste into disposable drone parts

Researchers at Malaysia’s Putra University have created drone parts (such as frames) using fiber from discarded pineapple leaves to make a bio-composite material. These have a greater strength-to-weight ratio than other composites and will biodegrade when discarded. The bio-composite components would create income for farmers.

China deploys large UAV for ecological protection in GansuChina uses Wing Loong II variant for weather modification work

Western China is arid and some would like to see a little more precipitation. Now China’s official news agency Xinhua reports that the Ganlin-1 UAV is equipped to allow cloud seeding for weather modification. The Ganlin-1 (Chinese for “sweet rain”) is a variant of the AVIC Wing Loong II UAV.

Privacy nightmare? FAA’s drone tracking rules have big consequences

At the end of December, 2020, the FAA announced final rules for Unmanned Aircraft (UA), including rules for remote identification. But Alphabet’s Wing team has an issue.

At a basic level, the new rule would enable the real-time tracking of consumer’s drone delivery orders by the general public.Wing public affairs spokesperson

And we see this:

Unfortunately, the final rule, unlike existing international standards, does not allow the use of equally effective network remote ID, and requires all UAS, no matter the use case, to use “broadcast” RID. This approach creates barriers to compliance and will have unintended negative privacy impacts for businesses and consumers. Unlike traditional aircraft flying between known airports, commercial drones fly closer to communities and between businesses and homes. While an observer tracking an airplane can’t infer much about the individuals or cargo on board, an observer tracking a drone can infer sensitive information about specific users, including where they visit, spend time, and live and where customers receive packages from and when. American communities would not accept this type of surveillance of their deliveries or taxi trips on the road. They should not accept it in the sky.Wing blog post

Wing asks for network-based RID for some use cases, especially delivery.

Op-Ed: Brian Wynne and Kevin Burke on Remote Identification for Unmanned Systems

AUVSI President and CEO Brian Wynne, and Kevin Burke, President and CEO of Airports Council International, North America (ACI-NA) published a joint op-ed praising the FAA for the new rule.

‘Uber for drones’ scores fresh funds from Nightingale

Sydney-based Aerologix wants to connect drone pilots with people who need drone imaging. The company received a $1.5 million investment from Nightingale Partners and they say they’ve “been approached by Qantas, Jetstar, and even airlines in the Middle East. These pilots have all these skills and all they have to do is complete a half-day course to become a drone pilot.”

Armed with drone, 19-year-old rescues 4 drowning fishermen off Kerala coast

A fishing boat was missing off the coast of India and a 19-year-old engineering student approached rescue workers, but he was rebuffed. A local legislator intervened and the student was allowed to bring his drone on a rescue boat. After 20 minutes he found one man clinging to a log from the capsized boat. In the end, four fishermen were rescued.

UAV Video of the Week

Watch a wild lava ‘dome fountain’ gush at Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano started erupting in 2020. The United States Geological Survey has released a video of the lava dome fountain that formed.

The FAA has issued final rules for small unmanned aircraft remote ID and flight over people. Those are important steps in integrating UAS into the National Airspace System. This episode provides summaries of the rules and describes how they are different from the previously proposed rules.

Final Rule on Remote ID of Unmanned Aircraft

There are three options for unmanned aircraft (UA): Standard Remote ID with broadcast directly from the UA, a Remote ID Broadcast Module as a separate broadcast device on the UA, and FAA-Recognized Identification Areas (FRIA) where UAs without Remote ID can fly.

Option 1: Standard Remote ID

• Broadcasts remote ID messages directly from the UA via radio frequency broadcast (likely Wi-Fi or Bluetooth technology)
• The broadcast will be compatible with existing personal wireless devices.
• Standard Remote ID message includes:
• UA ID (serial number of UA or session ID);
• Latitude/longitude, altitude, and velocity of UA;
• Latitude/longitude and altitude of the Control Station; 
• Emergency status; 
• A time mark.
• Remote ID message will be available to most personal wireless devices within range of the broadcast
• However, correlating the serial number or session ID with the registration database will be limited to the FAA and can be made available to authorized law enforcement and national security personnel upon request.
• The range of the remote ID broadcast may vary, as each UA must be designed to maximize the range at which the broadcast can be received.

Option 2: UA w/ Remote ID Broadcast Module

• Broadcast Module may be a separate device that is attached to an unmanned aircraft, or a feature built into the aircraft.
• Enables retrofit for existing UA, and Broadcast Module serial number must be entered into the registration record for the unmanned aircraft.
• Broadcast Module Remote ID message includes:
• Serial number of the module;
• Latitude/longitude, altitude, and velocity of UA;
• Latitude/longitude and altitude of the take-off location, and time mark.
• UA remotely identifying with a Broadcast Module must be operated within visual line of sight at all times.
• Broadcast Module to broadcast via radio frequency (likely Wi-Fi or Bluetooth technology).
• Compatibility with personal wireless devices and range of the Remote ID Broadcast Module message similar to Standard Remote ID UA.

Option 3: FAA-Recognized Identification Areas (FRIA)

• Geographic areas recognized by the FAA where unmanned aircraft not equipped with Remote ID are allowed to fly.
• Organizations eligible to apply for the establishment of an FRIA include community-based organizations recognized by the Administrator, primary and secondary educational institutions, trade schools, colleges, and universities.
• Must operate within visual line of sight and only within the boundaries of an FRIA.
• The FAA will begin accepting applications for FRIAs 18 months after the effective date of the rule, and applications may be submitted at any time after that.
• FRIA authorizations will be valid for 48 months, may be renewed, and may be terminated by the FAA for safety or security reasons.  

Design and Production Rules for Manufacturers

• Most unmanned aircraft must be produced as Standard Remote ID Unmanned Aircraft and meet the requirements of this rule beginning 18 months after the effective date of the rule.
• Remote ID Broadcast modules must be produced to meet the requirements of the rule before they can be used.
• The final rule establishes minimum performance requirements describing the desired outcomes, goals, and results for remote identification without establishing a specific means or process.
• A person designing or producing a standard UA or broadcast module must show that the UA or broadcast module met the performance requirements of the rule by following an FAA-accepted means of compliance.
• Under the rule, anyone can create a means of compliance. However, the FAA must accept that means of compliance before it can be used for the design or production of any standard remote identification UA or remote identification broadcast module.
• FAA encourages consensus standards bodies to develop means of compliance and submit them to the FAA for acceptance.
• Highlights of Standard Remote ID UA Performance Requirements:
• UA must self-test so UA cannot takeoff if Remote ID is not functioning
• Remote ID cannot be disabled by the operator
• Remote ID Broadcast must be sent over unlicensed Radio Frequency spectrum (receivable by personal wireless devices, ex: Wi-Fi or Bluetooth)
• Standard Remote ID UA and Remote ID Broadcast Modules must be designed to maximize the range at which the broadcast can be received.  

Other Provisions in the Remote ID Final Rule

• No Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out or Air Traffic Control (ATC) Transponders
• However, ADS-B Out & ATC transponder authorization is likely for large UAS operating in controlled airspace.
• Operators can seek special authorization to operate UA without remote identification for the purpose of aeronautical research or to show compliance with regulations.
• UA registered in a foreign country can be operated in the United States only if the operator files a notice of identification with the FAA.

Major Changes from Proposed Rule to Final Remote ID Rule

• Network-based / Internet transmission requirements have been eliminated. The final rule contains Broadcast-only requirements. 
• UAS operators under the Exception for Limited Recreational Operations may continue to register with the FAA once, rather than registering each aircraft. However, each Standard UA or Broadcast Module serial number must also be entered into the registration record for the unmanned aircraft.
• “Limited Remote ID UAS” has been eliminated and replaced with Remote ID Broadcast Module requirements to enable existing UA to comply. 
• FRIA (FAA-Recognized Identification Area) applications may be submitted to the FAA beginning 18 months after the effective date of the rule, and applications may be submitted at any time after that.
• Educational institutions may now apply for FRIAs as well as community-based organizations.

Final Rule on Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Over People

The final rule allows routine operations over people and routine operations at night under certain circumstances. The rule will eliminate the need for those operations to receive individual Part 107 waivers from the FAA.

The final rule establishes four new categories of small unmanned aircraft for routine operations over people. It also allows for routine operations over moving vehicles.

Category 1

• Eligible small unmanned aircraft must weigh less than 0.55 pounds and contain no exposed rotating parts that would lacerate human skin.
• Operations over people:
• No exposed rotating parts that would lacerate human skin.
• Operation prohibited in sustained flight over open-air assemblies unless the operation meets the requirements for standard remote identification or remote identification broadcast modules established in the Remote ID Final Rule.

Category 2

• Eligible small unmanned aircraft must not cause injury to a human being that is equivalent to or greater than the severity of injury caused by a transfer of 11 foot-pounds of kinetic energy upon impact from a rigid object, 
• Does not contain any exposed rotating parts that could lacerate human skin upon impact with a human being, 
• Does not contain any safety defects. 
• Requires FAA-accepted means of compliance and FAA-accepted declaration of compliance.
• Operations over people:
• No operation in sustained flight over open-air assemblies unless the operation meets the requirements for standard remote identification or remote identification broadcast modules established in the Remote ID Final Rule.
• Requires means of compliance and declaration of compliance by the applicant.

Category 3 

• Eligible small unmanned aircraft must not cause injury to a human being that is equivalent to or greater than the severity of injury caused by a transfer of 25 foot-pounds of kinetic energy upon impact from a rigid object, 
• Does not contain any exposed rotating parts that could lacerate human skin upon impact with a human being, 
• Does not contain any safety defects. 
• Requires FAA-accepted means of compliance and FAA-accepted declaration of compliance.
• Operations over people:
• No operation over open-air assemblies of human beings.
• May only operate if one of the following conditions met:
• The operation is within or over a closed- or restricted-access site and all human beings located within the site must be on notice that a small unmanned aircraft may fly over them
• The UA does not maintain sustained flight over any human being unless that human being is directly participating in the operation of the small UA; or located under a covered structure or inside a stationary vehicle that can provide reasonable protection from a falling small unmanned aircraft.

Category 4 

• Eligible small unmanned aircraft must have an airworthiness certificate issued under Part 21 of FAA regulations. 
• Must be operated in accordance with the operating limitations specified in the approved Flight Manual or as otherwise specified by the Administrator. 
• The operating limitations must not prohibit operations over human beings.
• Must have maintenance, preventive maintenance, alterations, or inspections performed in accordance with specific requirements in the final rule.
• Operations over people:
• No sustained flight over open-air assemblies unless the operation meets the requirements of standard remote identification or remote identification broadcast modules established in the Remote ID Final Rule.

Operations at night 

• Remote pilots in command must complete either the updated initial test or the updated recurrent online training.
• The small UA must be equipped with operational anti-collision lights that can be seen for 3 statute miles and have a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision. 

Operations over moving vehicles

• Must be Category 1, Category 2, and Category 3, eligible to operate over people, may not maintain sustained flight over moving vehicles; transit operations only.
• Throughout the operation, the small unmanned aircraft:
• Must remain within or over a closed- or restricted-access site, and all human beings located inside a moving vehicle within the closed- or restricted-access site must be on notice that a small unmanned aircraft may fly over them; 
• Or must not maintain sustained flight over moving vehicles.
• For a Category 4 operation, the small UA must
• Have an airworthiness certificate issued under part 21.
• Be operated in accordance with the operating limitations specified in the approved Flight Manual or as otherwise specified by the Administrator. 
• The operating limitations must not prohibit operations over human beings located inside moving vehicles.

Remote Pilot knowledge test changes

• The final rule updates the initial Remote Pilot knowledge test to include night subject areas. 
• The final rule replaces the requirement to complete an in-person recurrent test every 24 calendar months. The updated requirement is for remote pilots to complete online recurrent training which will include night subject areas. 
• The online recurrent training will be offered free of charge to remote pilots.  

Inspection, testing, and demonstration of compliance

• A remote pilot in command, owner, or person manipulating the flight controls of a small unmanned aircraft system must:
• Have in that person’s physical possession the remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating and identification
• Present his certificate and identification upon a request from the FAA, NTSB, TSA, or any Federal, state, or local law enforcement officer.
• Make available, upon request, to the FAA any document, record, or report required to be kept under FAA regulations.
• Upon request, must allow the FAA to test or inspect the small unmanned aircraft system, the remote pilot in command, the person manipulating the flight controls of a small unmanned aircraft system, and, if applicable, the visual observer to determine compliance with the rule.  

Design and Production Rules for Manufacturers

• Some existing Category 1 small unmanned aircraft may meet the performance-based requirements to be eligible for Category 1 operations over people of this rule beginning the effective date of the rule (Those that have already been produced with propeller guards/shrouds that prevent the blades from causing laceration to human skin upon impact).
• Manufacturers may bring to market retrofit propeller guards to install on existing small unmanned aircraft to make them eligible for Category 1 operations over people beginning after effective date of this rule.
• Some existing small unmanned aircraft may meet the performance-based requirements to be eligible for Category 2 operations over people of this rule once FAA-accepted MOC and DOC are received.
• Small unmanned aircraft may meet the performance-based requirements for Category 2 of this rule upon FAA-Accepted MOC/DOC 9-12 months after the effective date of this rule.
• Small unmanned aircraft may meet the performance-based requirements for Category 3 of this rule upon FAA-Accepted MOC/DOC 9-12 months after the effective date of this rule.
• Category 4 small unmanned aircraft for operations over people may receive an airworthiness certificate beginning 6-12 months after the effective date of this rule.  

Major Changes from Proposed Rule to Final Rule

• Category 1 small unmanned aircraft cannot have any exposed rotating parts that would lacerate human skin.
• Category 1, Category 2, and Category 4 [sic] remote pilots are prohibited from operating a small unmanned aircraft in sustained flight over open-air assemblies unless the operation meets the requirements of standard remote identification or remote identification broadcast modules established in the Remote ID Final Rule.
• Added a Category 4 of small unmanned aircraft that may be eligible for operations over people and moving vehicles.
• Allow operations over moving vehicles.
• Remote pilot, owner, or person manipulating the controls must have in their physical possession and readily available their remote pilot certificate.

References

Press Release – U.S. Department of Transportation Issues Two Much-Anticipated Drone Rules to Advance Safety and Innovation in the United States

Remote ID Executive Summary

Remote ID Final Rule

Operations Over People Executive Summary

Operations Over People Final Rule

Royal Mail delivery by drone, the Bell Autonomous Pod Transport, drones and vaccine distribution, Navy MQ-25 Stingray warrant officers, Catching Gremlin UAVs with a C-130, and test and evaluation programs you might join.

UAV NewsIncredible footage shows first Royal Mail drone delivery to Mull lighthouse

Alexa Kershaw became the first recipient of the new service from the Royal Mail, in collaboration with DronePrep, Skyports, and what3words. DronePrep’s mission is “to unlock suitable locations for drone use in the UK by bringing pilots and landowners together.” Skyports designs, builds, and operates vertiports. The company develops and operates end-to-end drone delivery services. what3words has given every 3m square in the world a permanent unique 3-word address.

Bell’s Autonomous Pod Transport Carries 110 lbs. of Payload

The Bell ATP (Autonomous Pod Transport) flew with 110 lbs. of payload over an 8-mile route at Bell’s testing site near Fort Worth, Texas. Over 300 flights have been completed so far. APT will demonstrate several military and commercial operations in 2021. The APT 70 can transport up to 36 MREs, 72 water bottles, 64 magazines of 5.56 ammunition, and a gallon of fuel.

Drones Could Help Bridge the Economic, Social Divides for Vaccine Distribution

Vaccine distribution is a huge logistical challenge: huge quantities of vaccine need to be moved both within the US and to/from other countries, many destinations for vaccine deliveries are remote, and refrigeration requirements are strict. The Miami International Airport is a huge freight hub and is certified to handle pharmaceuticals. Remote control aircraft might have a role in delivering vaccine to remote locations.

Navy unveils warrant officer specialty to operate MQ-25 Stingray refueling drones

The MQ-25A Stingray is a carrier-based refueling drone with initial operating capability expected in 2024. The Navy looks to recruit about 450 aerial vehicle operator (AVO) warrant officers over the next 6 to 10 years. The new AVO warrant officer specialty is designated 737X. Applications will be open to enlisted sailors already in the fleet, as well as “street-to-fleet” warrants. Navy Recruiting Command will not start accepting applications for AVO accessions until fiscal 2022.

Test flight within inches of retrieving Gremlin UAV

DARPA has been testing under the X-61A Gremlins Air Vehicle (GAV) program. Nine attempts were made to capture GAVs with a docking bullet extended from a C-130 aircraft. However, due to “relative movement [that] was more dynamic than expected” the attempts were unsuccessful and the GAVs parachuted to the ground. The program manager for Gremlins in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office said, “All of our systems looked good during the ground tests, but the flight test is where you truly find how things work. We came within inches of connection on each attempt but, ultimately, it just wasn’t close enough to engage the recovery system.”

Test & Evaluation Programs Making Big Ideas Soar!

A number of UAS test and evaluation (T&E) programs are available to those looking to participate, including the FAA UAS test sites, FAA ASSURE (Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence), FAA/UAS Unmanned Traffic Management Pilot Program (UPP), FAA/Partnership for Safety Program (PSP), NASA/FAA/Urban Air Mobility (UAM/AAM) Grand Challenge, as well as Federal Labs/Tech Transfer and Transition (T3) Authorities.

UAV Videos of the Week

Floppy newborn whale – and man overboard – caught on video

Drone footage from Playa Grande Resort near Baja California’s tip shows a humpback whale and her calf swimming beneath a boat.

Video: Whale Knocks Man Off Boat, Gets Hit By Prop!

Video: Walmart Holiday Drone Light Show

Designing homes to accept deliveries by drones, a Smellidrone, Virginia partners with a UAS company, launching smallsats, refreshments delivered to golfers, a passive perching mechanism for micro drones, contract awards for loyal wingman prototypes, a long-range medical test flight in South Korea.

UAV NewsDrones are poised to reshape home design

If delivery drones become prolific, that might have implications for the way homes are designed to accept deliveries by drone. That includes the location where deliveries are made and how they are are made.

Tech startup Valqari is developing drone-delivery mailboxes where the top of the mailbox acts as a landing pad, the drone activates a retractable door, and space opens to accommodate packages. These mailboxes could be mounted on rooftops and windowsills of homes, or be part of a neighborhood bank of mailboxes.

The Paramount Miami Worldcenter condo building in Florida was designed to include a “skyport” platform on the roof. The platform could accommodate VTOL vehicles for residents or a package delivery area.

Walmart submitted a patent application for a delivery chute mounted onto an apartment building. Drone deliveries would be dropped through the chute and onto a conveyor belt, then packages would be carried to the building’s mailroom for distribution.

‘Smellicopter’ drone sniffs its way around its surroundings

Researchers from the University of Washington are using live moth antennas on an autonomous drone. Use cases include detecting chemicals in the air, gas leaks and explosives, locating disaster survivors, and narcotics detection. Most human-made sensors are not sensitive enough or fast enough. Professor Thomas Daniel, a biologist at the University of Washington says, “Cells in a moth antenna amplify chemical signals. The moths do it really efficiently – one scent molecule can trigger lots of cellular responses, and that’s the trick. This process is super-efficient, specific, and fast.”

Drone company to invest millions, build new headquarters in Virginia

Silent Falcon UAS Technologies intends to invest $6 million for its new East Coast headquarters for research, development, and manufacturing at the Front Royal-Warren County Airport. The company manufactures UAS components and sensors for the security, military, and commercial markets. The partnership with Virginia will create 250 jobs for the area. The Unmanned Systems Lab at Randolph-Macon Academy will act as part of a pre-professional pathway initiative for students.

Aevum unveils smallsat-launching drone aircraft

Huntsville, Alabama startup Aevum unveiled its Ravn X drone. The aircraft will become the first stage of its smallsat launch system. The company wants to provide a fast-response service using autonomous aircraft that can take off from any mile-long runway.

One of the many perks at Michael Jordan’s Grove XXIII golf club? Drones deliver drinks and snacks

At The Grove XXIII in Hobe Sound, Florida, Michael Jordan’s golf club, drones are delivering beer and food to players on the course. Video shows a multirotor lowering a bag to a thirsty golfer on the course. 

Mechanical gripper allows drones to hang from objects

Engineers at Colorado State University have developed a gripper for micro air vehicles (MAVs). The gripper is intended to mount on the top of third-party MAVs so they can rest and save batteries when they don’t need to be flying. The gripper has a vertical plunger-like pad in the middle that is mechanically linked to two diagonally raised folding arms. The MAV flies up against the underside of a horizontal object and the force of impact pushes the pad down, engaging the two arms to clasp the object.

Video: Passive Perching for Flying Robots with Bistable Grippers

These Three Companies Will Build Drones To Carry The Air Force’s “Skyborg” AI Computer Brain

Boeing, General Atomics, and Kratos were all awarded 24-month contracts. The three will build prototypes that will be “missionized prototypes with the ability to fly in experimentation events while teaming with manned aircraft.” The Air Force says it expects all three companies to deliver an initial batch of prototypes no later than May 2021. Speculated aircraft are the Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie drone or variants, the General Atomics Avenger drone or a version of the Predator C, and the Boeing loyal wingman-type design from its Australian division.

PABLO AIR succeeds in simultaneous delivery using two drones in a 50-mile circular flight

In a recent test flight, Korean UAV company PABLO AIR shipped medical supplies to two islands with two drones. The roundtrip journey was 50 miles and the mission took one hour and twenty minutes. This was the longest drone flight made in Korea and took place in inclement weather with VTOL) drones.

Drone highways and corridors, flying over the ocean on hydrogen, a hybrid drone sets a new flight record, a world civil UAS market forecast looks bright, and a DroneMasters online meetup.

UAV News:Digital Drone Highways: a Future Transportation Network

Airspace Link is a company that wants to play a role in developing drone highways for safe and efficient transportation. The company connects private drone operators with state and local governments. Their tag line is: Partnering with local government to expand drone innovation through communication, collaboration & connection and Airspace Link offers the “AirHub for Government” and “AirHub for Pilots” cloud-based drone platforms to manage and build a local drone community.

President and CEO Michael Healander says, “If you were to set up these drone highways, it’s really about figuring out the safest areas for the kind of drone I’m going to fly and figuring out the probability of hurting someone on the ground in creating these corridors.”

But are drone highways the right idea? We contemplate that question.

Hydrogen-powered VTOL drone flies for 3.5 hours

The Micro Air Vehicle Lab (MAVLab) of TU Delft University has developed a hydrogen fuel cell-powered drone in collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Netherlands Coastguard. The 3-meter (9.8 ft) wingspan VTOL weighs 13 kg (29 lb) with 12 motors and propellers distributed on two wings. The 800-watt fuel cell stores hydrogen in a 300-bar (4,351-psi) composite hydrogen cylinder holding 6.8-liters.

Video: Novel versatile hydrogen drone developed by TUDelft – MAVLab

Quaternium partners with Löweheiser EFI startup to achieve a new Flight Record of 10 hours 14 minutes with HYBRiX drone

The experimental HYBRiX hybrid quadcopter hovered for over 10 hours after being loaded with 16 liters of fuel.

Video: New World Record of 10 hours 14 minutes with HYBRiX drone

Teal Group Predicts Worldwide Civil Drone Production Will Triple

A Teal Group study (2020/2021 World Civil UAS Market Profile and Forecast) finds that non-military UAS production will total $108 billion in the next 10 years. Such production was $5 billion worldwide in 2020 and is expected to grow to $18.4 billion in 2029 for a 15.6% compound annual growth rate in constant dollars. Teal Group analysis says consumer drone purchases are slowing, government purchases are small but growing, but commercial use will drive the market with a 21% compound annual growth rate.

DroneMasters Meetup

The 54th DroneMasters Meetup will be held on 2 December 2020. The online event features one hour of “full droning” with speakers from Bulgaria, Germany, Spain, and the U.S. talking about amphibious drones, kidney deliveries, and acceptance of urban air mobility.

Since 2015, the DroneMasters Meetups connect relevant stakeholders from business, science, politics, and society. More than 4,000 experts and enthusiasts from all industry sectors have already participated in the DroneMasters Meetups in Africa, Europe, and North America to share knowledge, present projects, trigger developments, and promote the sustainable use of lower airspace.

UAV Video of the Week

Mesmerizing Drone Footage Shows Flamingo Flock Gathering in Kazakhstan Lake

A photographer was able to capture stunning footage of a massive flock of flamingos on a Kazakhstan lake.

Video: Mesmerizing flock of flamingos filmed by drone in Kazakhstan

DOT announces the BEYOND drone program to follow the UAS Integration Pilot Program. Also, a drone with morphing wings and tail, Europe’s first TRACE drone takes flight, placing sensors with darts fired from a drone, and Sony hints at a coming drone brand.

UAV NewsU.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces Successful Completion of Drone Pilot Program, Announces New Program Called BEYOND

The three-year Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP) has concluded. Now, eight of the nine IPP participants have signed new agreements with the FAA for the BEYOND program designed to further advance the safe integration of drones into the NAS. BEYOND was created to address Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, leverage industry operations to better analyze and quantify the societal and economic benefits of UAS operations, and focus on community engagement efforts to collect, analyze and address community concerns.

Raptor-Inspired Drone With Morphing Wing and Tail for Unprecedented Flight Agility

The Laboratory of Intelligent Systems of Swiss university EPFL studied the shape of the goshawk’s wings and tail and the bird’s flight behavior to develop a drone with similar characteristics. Their drone can approximate the flight performance of raptors using artificial feathers.

TRACE drone carries EGNOS beacon for identification

The first TRACE drone under Europe’s U-space project was launched from the ATLAS experimental flight center in Spain. It carried an EGNOS-enabled beacon. TRACE supports the integration of drones into U-space through e-registration, e-identification, and pre-tactical geofencing. The beacon allows for remote identification of low altitude drones and enables better traffic separation.

These Drones Shoot Darts at Trees to Collect Data

Imperial College London’s Aerial Robotics Lab developed a drone that can place sensors in difficult locations with a spring-loaded mechanism that shoots a dart. The system is laser-aimed and has a 4-meter range with a 10cm accuracy.

Video: Unmanned Aerial Sensor Placement for Cluttered Environments

Sony prepares to enter the drone game with Airpeak

Sony has announced they are entering the drone market, but the company is providing almost no details. The new brand is called Airpeak and Sony plans to launch it in the spring of 2021. The press release says, “Airpeak will support the creativity of video creators to the fullest extent possible, aiming to contribute to the further development of the entertainment industry as well as to improved efficiency and savings in various industries.”

UAV Video of the Week

Drone captures dizzying views from mountains near Clearwater

Filmed during the Summer of 2020, Raft Mountain is located just north of Clearwater British Columbia, Canada.

Video: Raft Mountain BC

A police department funds drones for response to 911 calls, paramedics in manned drones, public perception of drones, the U.S. government warns of drone attacks, a puffing drone, a heterogeneous drone swarm, and landing a UAV on a submarine.

UAV NewsIf you call 911 in this Georgia town, a drone might respond soon

Brookhaven, Georgia will be using drones as part of its first responder program. The police department’s UAS unit was funded for four drones to respond to 911 calls, witness crimes in progress, conduct investigations, and document crime scenes.Reportedly, Brookhaven would be the second U.S. city to adopt this program. The Chula Vista Police Department in California was the first in 2018.

Paramedics in manned drones to save more lives

Danish company Falck was founded in 1906 to provide fire, medical, and rescue services. They hope for a crewed UAS to deliver a first responder who can assess the situation and provide real-time triage.

New Study Shows Public Associates Drones Mainly with Photography, Toys and Military Operations

The ResponDrone Project is developing a situational awareness system for emergencies and twelve focus groups were conducted in six countries. The focus groups showed weak knowledge of the use of drones, including some negative feedback on drones relating to privacy issues. ResponDrone “recommends that emergency drones carry special identification, such as a specific colour or a logo, make distinctive sounds or have unique lights. Further, it is recommended that the residents are informed about flights and drills beforehand.”

The State Department Is Now Warning Of Impending Drone Attacks And How To Survive Them

An ominous announcement came from @TravelGov, the official Twitter for the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs:

#SaudiArabia: The Embassy is tracking reports of possible missiles or drones that may be headed toward Riyadh today, October 28. Stay alert. If you hear a loud explosion or if sirens are activated, immediately seek cover.

Later, @TravelGov tweeted that the alert had passed.

Pufferfish inspired robot could improve drone safety.

ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder has developed a quadcopter with a shield that expands to become half of a Hoberman Sphere. The shield protects the craft and reduces the impact on barriers.

Video: PufferBot: Actuated Expandable Structures for Aerial Robots

Blue Bear demos collaborative 20 drown swarm on BVLOS

Blue Bear Systems Research is demonstrating a swarm of twenty heterogeneous aircraft and payloads. The mission was conducted using three operators to complete the mission profiles.

The US Navy is experimenting using drones to hand things off to ballistic missile submarines

A hexacopter delivered a small payload to the SSBN USS Henry M. Jackson off the Hawaiian Coast. The simulation showed the ability of a UAS to deliver packages to a sub while underway.

Video: Drone Delivery aboard the Ohio-class Ballistic-Missile Submarine USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730)

UAV Video of the Week

Drone footage shows gigantic floating hands

A Voith-Schneider cyclogyro propulsion concept for UAM, holographic particle detection with a drone, new UAV licensing requirements in Singapore with stiff penalties for non-compliance, Pipistrel plans an autonomous heavy lift UAV, the EU looks to police its southern border with medium-altitude long-endurance drones, maintaining offshore wind farms with autonomous drones, and drone seeding to save the Koala.

UAV NewsCyclotech brings a totally unique propulsion system to the eVTOL world

CycloTech is an Austrian company that is developing a propulsion system based on Voith-Schneider propellers, which the company calls “cyclogyro rotors.” The system combines characteristics of helicopters and conventional propeller blades. CycloTech plans to fly a demonstration model by the end of the year.

Video: Cyclogyro Principle

Video: Cyclocopter Demonstration

Army teams with universities to create miniature drone device that detects aerosols

The “Holographic Aerosol Particle Imager,” or HAPI is small enough to be carried by a commercial drone and can resolve particles larger than ten micrometers in size. It can image free-floating aerosol particles from any direction and doesn’t have to actually contact the particles. HAPI uses digital holography and is built from 3D-printed polymer structures

The paper Imaging atmospheric aerosol particles from a UAV with digital holography published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports tells more.

Drone users must get licensed to fly certain unmanned aircraft or face penalties from February

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced that starting February 2021, if you are 16 years old or above and want to fly a drone above 1.5kg in weight, you must complete online training and pass an exam to get licensed. If you are under 16 years old, you must be supervised by an older licence holder. 

There are two different certificates: An unmanned aircraft basic training certificate for those flying drones between 1.5kg and 7kg for recreational or educational purposes, and an unmanned aircraft pilot license for those flying drones above 7kg or who are flying them for commercial purposes. Penalties for flying drones without the appropriate licenses include jail time and fines up to $100,000 or both.

Honeywell to Provide Pipistrel with Advanced Flight Control Technology for Unmanned Cargo Aircraft

Pipistrel Aircraft is developing the Nuuva V300, a long-range large-capacity heavy-weight autonomous eVTOL UAV designed for aerial cargo delivery of up to 460 kg. Power comes from eight Type Certified battery-powered Pipistrel E-811 electric engines. Entry into service is planned for the second half of 2023. The smaller Nuuva V20 is targeted at last-mile delivery missions.

Pipistrel selected Honeywell’s Compact Fly-By-Wire system for the Nuuva V300 cargo UAV. Honeywell is leveraging air transport fly-by-wire systems into Part 23, eVTOL, and urban air mobility aircraft platforms.

Airbus to Operate Drones to search for migrants crossing the MED

Airbus, and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have won an EU contract to operate medium-altitude long-endurance, remotely piloted aircraft systems for “maritime aerial surveillance services.” Airbus and IAI will provide the equipment and human operators and the drones will be based in either Greece, Italy, or Malta. Testing is planned on the Greek island of Crete with Mediterranean drone operations starting in 2021.

Unmanned Boats & Drones could repair offshore wind farms and clean plastic from the ocean. 

The University of Bristol and Thales are testing technology for autonomous drones and unmanned boats that could be used for offshore wind farm maintenance, or even cleaning plastics from the ocean.

Army of Drones to restore Koala Trees

Bushfires in Australia have killed or displaced an estimated three billion animals and up to seven billion trees were destroyed or damaged. The Koala habitat has been devastated. The World Wide Fund for Nature Australia is trialing a drone seeding program where the drones shoot Gum tree seeds into the ground. This has been successful in other countries with other types of seeds.

UAV Video of the Week

Archaeology mystery: Ancient carving accidentally uncovered near Nazca Lines – drone video

A previously undiscovered geoglyph of a large cat was discovered on a Peruvian hillside.

Webinar

Next-generation Situational Awareness – How Skydio’s autonomous drone solutions protect first responders

Thursday, October 29, 2020, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM (EST) with featured guest Austin Worcester, Senior Program Manager for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems at the Civil Air Patrol, where he is responsible for leading and administering the largest public safety/emergency services small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) operation in the world. This program encompasses all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the USVI.

The webinar will also feature Fritz Reber, a former Captain of the Chula Vista Police Department, where he served as UAS Commander and developed the agency’s internationally recognized Drone-as-First-Responder (DFR) program in partnership with the FAA’s San Diego Drone Integration Pilot Program (IPP). The webinar will be hosted by Guillaume Delepine, a current Skydio Product Marketing Manager and former Public Safety Lead and Enterprise Strategy Manager.

Registration is free for all attendees.

Mentioned

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