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

Project Wing demonstrates package delivery under the Virginia UAS Integration Pilot Program, Zephyr achieves altitude and duration records, DARPA recharges drones with lasers, drone-themed tours entice enthusiasts, FAA details shortcomings with many waiver applications, and DroneSeed raises venture capital.

UAV NewsCountry’s first long-distance, residential drone delivery touches down in Montgomery County neighborhood

Alphabet subsidiary Wing is a partner in the Virginia UAS Integration Pilot Program, which had proposed package delivery in Wise County, Montgomery and Roanoke counties, and Loudoun County. Under the Pilot Program, Wing can now fly long distances, over people, and beyond visual line of sight. Demonstration flights are underway.

Zephyr claims new endurance record

The Airbus Defence and Space Zephyr ‘pseudo-satellite’ has achieved an endurance record with a 26-day flight. At the same time, the solar-powered production-standard Zephyr S also set an altitude record for a UAV in its class at 70,740 ft. A Zephyr has previously held the record with a 14-day flight in 2010. Note that the record still has to be officially ratified by the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale).

Drones Recharged by a Laser Could Fly Forever

DARPA’s Stand-off Ubiquitous Power/Energy Replenishment – Power Beaming Demo (SUPER PBD) uses lasers to recharge drone batteries. The Silent Falcon drone has solar panels on the wings and batteries in the fuselage. When batteries get low lasers are aimed at the solar panels to recharge them.

Tour operators take a flyer on multi-thousand-dollar drone photography trips

The New York Times Journeys travel program now offers the Drone Photography Journey, departing June 2019 for an eight-day trek around Norway. Daily drone-photography sessions will be led by a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer. You can bring your own drone or use one of theirs. As an alternative, Airbnb Experiences offers single day, lower cost drone experiences.

FAA: Why Most Drone Rule Waiver Applications Crash and Burn

In 2018 to date, the FAA has reviewed 11,345 waiver applications, and only 16% of them were approved. At the FAA webinar on applying for Part 107 operational waivers, the agency noted that almost 8,000 of the rejections were for incomplete information and another 800 made “an insufficient safety case.” The biggest issue: not reading the requirements and leaving information out or not being specific enough.

A Seattle Startup Is Pioneering a New Way to Use Drones in Agriculture

As we described in Episode 195, the FAA approved delivery of agricultural payloads by DroneSeed with drone swarms. The company planned to plant tree seeds and spray fertilizer and herbicides on trees. In this update, we see that DroneSeed now has eight employees, they raised over $3 million in venture-capital backing, and two large timber companies are now DroneSeed customers. One pilot operates up to five drones, each carrying four gallons of payload with a 20-minute spray time. Planting tree seeds could take another year or so.

AgEagle is set to acquire Agribotix, Skysense and Avansig partner on indoor surveillance drones, DARPA investigates high-speed indoor drones with partners, Boeing and SparkCognition bring AI and blockchain to unmanned aircraft system traffic management, GE Aviation links with Korea’s Kookmin University to study future systems and possible uses for UAVs.

UAV NewsAgEagle Signs Agreement to Acquire Agricultural Analytics Company Agribotix

AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. is acquiring Agribotix, LLC. AgEagle offers 3 fixed-wing drones for precision agriculture, while Agribotix is a precision agriculture software company that provides imaging and data analysis. AgEagle plans to integrate the Agribotix FarmLens data analytics platform into AgEagle’s offerings. FarmLens software takes remotely sensed imagery and develops crop reports.

AgEagle plans to hold a conference call on Tuesday, August 7, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time to discuss the acquisition of Agribotix and new sustainability initiatives. The conference call will be broadcast live and available for replay here. Details:

Conference Call Date: Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Time: 1:00 p.m. Eastern time (12:00 p.m. Central time)

Toll-free dial-in number: 877-473-2646

International dial-in number: 702-374-0792

Conference ID: 3462458

Get Ready for Indoor Surveillance Drones

Avansig and Skysense announced a joint venture to develop a fully automated indoor drone security service. Automated drone “security guards” would follow a pre-programmed route, livestream video, and flag any detected security concerns. The drone would return to a charging pad when batteries get low.

Skysense is currently focused on research, development, and production of charging pads and “droneports.” Avansig is a Spanish information and communication technology company that produces “smart drones” for indoor navigation. Press release: Avansig & Skysense – Autonomous Drone Solution for Indoor Surveillance.

Faster, Lighter, Smarter: DARPA Gives Small Autonomous Systems a Tech Boost

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has completed Phase 2 of its Fast Lightweight Autonomy (FLA) program. DARPA says, “The goal of the FLA program is to explore non-traditional perception and autonomy methods that could enable a new class of algorithms for minimalistic high-speed navigation in cluttered environments.” DARPA wants to develop small autonomous UAVs that can fly up to 45 mph with no communication links to the operator and without GPS guidance.

Video: Fast Lightweight Autonomy (FLA) Phase 2 Flight Testing

Boeing to Establish New Aerospace & Autonomy Center

The Boeing Aerospace & Autonomy Center “advances the development of next-generation aircraft and the enabling technologies that allow for safe, autonomous flight.” Boeing says their Aurora Flight Sciences subsidiary will operate the 100,000 square foot center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It will be located in a new 17-floor building in Kendall Square on the east side of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus. When the Center is opened in 2020, both Boeing and Aurora engineers will move in.

Boeing, SparkCognition to shape the future of travel and transport

Last month at the Farnborough Air Show, Boeing announced it is collaborating with artificial intelligence (AI) technology company SparkCognition to deliver unmanned aircraft system traffic management (UTM) solutions. Boeing and SparkCognition will track unmanned air vehicles in flight using AI and blockchain technologies, then allocate traffic corridors and routes. They also say they’ll “provide a standardized programming interface to support package delivery, industrial inspection and other commercial applications.”

GE Aviation Signs Agreement for Future Systems Studies with Kookmin University

GE Aviation and Kookmin University in Seoul, Korea have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to study various future systems, procedures and possible uses for UAVs. Kookmin University established the Defense UAS Research & Development Center in April 2018. Alan Caslavka, president of Avionics Systems for GE Aviation, said, “This collaboration builds upon our experience with Kookmin University in Aviation and recent indigenous new UAV testing in South Korea. Our ongoing work with Kookmin will help validate various technologies as we work globally to accelerate safe unmanned air systems.”

UAV Video of the WeekHow to shoot surfing with a drone

Surfer Today has tips and techniques for creating videos of surfers with drones. They describe selecting the right drone, drone settings and where to film from, as well as drone altitude, flying techniques, and best angles. The article finishes with a video:

Koa Smith Skeleton Bay 2018: 1 wave, 8 Barrels

Mentioned

We’d like to welcome a new sponsor: Corporate Service Supply and Manufacturing, a DJI Enterprise Dealer that provides DJI equipment and support for commercial and public sector users of unmanned aerial systems such as law enforcement, public safety, and construction. To learn more, visit theuavdigest.com/css

A pseudo satellite drone with deformable wings, an agricultural drone that sprays crops, a project for drone applications in cities, the FAA makes a Federal preemption statement, a payment concept for drone package delivery, and a deformable drone that absorbs impacts.

UAV NewsPrototype Solar-Powered, High-Altitude UAV Undergoing Flight Tests

The UAVOS Inc. HAPS (High Altitude Pseudo Satellite) aircraft is solar-powered with a flexible wing for control. The ApusDuo prototype has been flown more than 1000 hours at altitudes of up to 65,617 feet (20,000 meters). Flight tests confirmed the aircraft can handle turbulence by actively changing the bend of the wing. UAVOS specializes in the design, development, and manufacturing of unmanned vehicles and autopilot systems and components. Their solutions range from small industrial surveillance drones to large UAVs.

North Dakota State University’s Herbicide-Spraying Drone Covers 33 Acres in an Hour

The University’s Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering department is using an AG V6+ agriculture drone from Homeland Surveillance & Electronics. It holds four gallons of herbicide and flies autonomously for 30 minutes, covering 33 acres in one hour. The department’s “smart farm” project looks to deploy the drone in precise areas of land and fly autonomously without the need for a high-resolution imaging drone.

Promotional video: AG v6a+ UAV Crop Sprayer

Report: UK has golden opportunity to shape future of drones

The Nesta innovation foundation conducted the Flying High Challenge pilot project to investigate applications for drones in cities. The objectives of the Challenge were to shape plans for the future of drones in UK cities, identify and address key complexities, and detail technical and economic plans. The project collaborated with five cities to analyze socially beneficial use cases. See the final report: Flying High: The future of drone technology in UK cities

FAA Clarifies Federal Authority Over Drone Rulemaking

Some state and local governments have passed laws that regulate drones, but who has authority over the airspace? In Press Release – FAA Statement–Federal vs. Local Drone Authority, the FAA says, “Congress has provided the FAA with exclusive authority to regulate aviation safety, the efficiency of the navigable airspace, and air traffic control, among other things. State and local governments are not permitted to regulate any type of aircraft operations, such as flight paths or altitudes, or the navigable airspace.” But local governments can control landing sites through their land use powers.

Worldpay’s Drone Delivery Mat Identifies Customer Before Releasing Package

While many companies are developing package delivery systems, Worldpay is thinking about the payment system: how the customer ensures they receive the package and how the seller ensures they get paid? Worldpay’s idea is that customers get a portable landing pad tied to their credit card, the delivery drone lands on the pad, and the drone confirms the delivery location is correct. Then payment is authorized and the package is released. Worldpay’s Drone Pay proof-of-concept uses EMV contactless payment card technology embedded into the drone landing pad.

Demonstration video: Drone Pay by Worldpay

An insect-inspired drone deforms upon impact

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) developed a drone that deforms on impact. The design is inspired by insect wings and also by origami. The hybrid origami drone can be stiff or flexible depending on the circumstances. The structure is stiff when airborne but if the drone runs into something, it becomes flexible and absorbs the shock.

Video: An insect-inspired drone deforms upon impact

MentionedWebinar Invitation by the UAVs for Payload Delivery Working Group

August 1, 2018, 10am Eastern (GMT-4)

The newly developed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Procurement Guide will be shared by the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program – Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project. The guide’s purpose is to share lessons and insight from the project’s experience to help other organizations undertaking similar efforts. The guide will prevent them from reinventing the wheel or starting from zero to expedite the rate at which this technology is applied and scaled up. This webinar is open to anyone to attend.

A flock of drones that act autonomously, the Airbus Zephyr maiden flight, Teal Group predicts strong growth for the civil drone market, DJI improves their geofence unlocking process, another incident with an airliner, and suicide drones that take out hostile UAVs.

UAV NewsHow a Flock of Drones Developed Collective Intelligence

These autonomous drones flock without any pre-programming or control station. Instead, they communicate amongst themselves and self-organize, split around obstacles, rejoin, and avoid colliding with each other. The flocking model is described in Science Robotics Vol. 3, Issue 20. The research is from the Robotic Lab in the Department of Biological Physics at Eötvös University in Budapest. See: Optimized flocking of autonomous drones in confined environments.

Video: Optimized flocking of autonomous drones in confined environments

Airbus unveils pioneering solar-powered drone

At the Farnborough airshow, Airbus unveiled its Zephyr solar-powered drone. Airbus said the High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) Zephyr S maiden flight occurred in Arizona on July 11, 2018. The Zephyr S has an 82-foot wingspan and weighs less than 55 pounds. It can fly at 21,000 meters or almost 70,000 feet. Seven models are planned to be produced in 2018 and seven more in 2019. The future Zephyr T would have a 108-foot wingspan.

Civil drone production will soar over the next decade

The Teal Group 2018 World Civil Unmanned Aerial Systems Market Profile & Forecast is out, featuring 10-Year Market Forecasts, expert analysis, a look at venture capital, implementation of regulations worldwide, and company strategies. The forecast projects non-military UAS production growing from $4.4 billion worldwide in 2018 to $13.1 billion in 2027. You can download the Table of Contents & Executive Overview [PDF].

DJI will unlock geofencing for enterprise drone users

DJI is improving the process that allows drone pilots with authorization to obtain geofence unlock codes. The company’s global authorization team is now staffed around the clock and requests can be made online at the DJI “Custom Unlocking” webpage. A DJI account is required to login.

Dumb and Dumber: A Drone Flies Dangerously Close to an A380 During Take Off

A drone waited off the end of the runway as an Emirates Airbus A380 prepared to take off from the airport at Mauritius Island. The drone appeared to be about 300 feet from the tip of the left wing as the jet passed by.

Army Buys Small Suicide Drones To Break Up Hostile Swarms And Potentially More

At the Farnborough Airshow, Raytheon announced it has shipped more than 32 Block 1B variants of the Coyote drone to the U.S. Army. The Coyote weighs under ten pounds and includes a small warhead with a fire control radar. After launch, the six-foot-wide main wing, the rear stabilizers, and the twin tail pop open. Raytheon’s Vice President for Advanced Missile Systems said, “We modified these vehicles to have small warheads to take down a quadcopter, for example, or other types of Class I or Class II UAVs.”

Mentioned

The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Procurement Guide was recently published by the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project. The guide contains considerations, specifications, and criteria that can be used to evaluate UAV manufacturers. A webinar on the guide with the UAVs for Payload Delivery Working Group is scheduled for August 1, 2018, at 10 AM Eastern Standard Time.

A General Atomics remotely piloted drone flew across the Atlantic, military drone documents found on the dark web, Google’s delivery drone project moves forward, and recreational drone registration reaffirmed.

UAV NewsFirst ever trans-Atlantic drone flight lands in UK

The civilian-registered and remotely piloted General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian flew 3,760 nautical miles from the Grand Sky park at the Grand Forks Air Force in North Dakota to the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford in Gloucestershire, UK in 24 hours and two minutes. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) says, “MQ-9B is the next generation of GA-ASI’s multi-mission Predator® B fleet. GA-ASI named its baseline MQ-9B aircraft SkyGuardian, and the maritime surveillance variant SeaGuardian. MQ-9B is a “type-certifiable” version of the MQ-9 Predator B product line. It’s [an]… RPA that can meet the stringent airworthiness type-certification requirements of various military and civil authorities, including the UK Military Airworthiness Authority (MAA) and the U.S. FAA… Type-certification, together with an extensively tested collision avoidance system, will allow unrestricted operations in all classes of civil airspace.”

AOPA Drone Social tickets almost gone

A few free seats remain available for the AOPA Drone Social during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on July 27, 2018. Food and beverages will be provided, and a 20-minute presentation by event sponsor PrecisionHawk will be followed by time to network and socialize. Register now.

US Reaper drone data leaked on dark web, researchers say

Someone hacked into an Air Force captain’s computer and accessed documents. They included a private list of airmen working with General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper drones as well as maintenance and course material. The threat intelligence firm Recorded Future posted in their blog post, Military Reaper Drone Documents Leaked on the Dark Web, “On June 1, 2018, while monitoring criminal actor activities on the deep and dark web, Recorded Future’s Insikt Group identified an attempted sale of what we believe to be highly sensitive U.S. Air Force documents. Specifically, an English-speaking hacker claimed to have access to export-controlled documents pertaining to the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Insikt analysts engaged the hacker and confirmed the validity of the compromised documents. Insikt Group identified the name and country of residence of an actor associated with a group we believe to be responsible. This analysis is available to our customers via Insikt’s blog. We continue to assist law enforcement in their investigation.”

Google’s Parent Births New Businesses: Balloons and Drones

Two projects operated within the research lab of Google’s parent company Alphabet have now been moved out of the research lab and into their own Alphabet business units. “Wing” is the delivery drone project using fixed-wing VTOL drones that have made test deliveries in Australia. “Loon” is the high altitude balloon project that provides internet connectivity for rural or disaster areas.

FAA Says Avoid Drone Registration Schemes

The FAA warns against entities that offer to help drone owners and operators file an application for a registration number. Some attempt to mimic the look of the FAA’s website with similar graphic design and even the FAA logo. You can easily register yourself for $5 at the FAA Drone Zone. These registrations apply to those flying for recreational, commercial, governmental, or other purposes under Part 107. Also to those flying model aircraft under Section 336, the special rule for model aircraft.

Drone Regulations in U.S. Withstand a Hobbyist’s Legal Challenge

Back in episode 195, we reported that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit struck down the FAA’s drone registration requirement for recreational UAV operators. John A. Taylor argued that the FAA requirement violated the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act passed by Congress. Since then, Congress passed a law allowing registration of hobbyist drones. Taylor requested that FAA rules be invalidated arguing that all hobbyists, not just those exempted by Congress, should be exempt from the law. But the appellate court said, “Because the rule is within the agency’s statutory authority and is neither arbitrary nor capricious, the petition for review is denied.”

UAV Video of the WeekTravis AFB 4th of July ft. Intel® Shooting Star Drone Light ShowMentionedLAANC Turned Off at 6 Airports

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