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234 2018 FAA UAS Symposium Mar 09, 2018

Show notes

Observations from the FAA’s 3rd annual UAS Symposium.

2018 FAA UAS Symposium

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) co-sponsored the FAA’s 3rd annual Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Symposium on March 6-8, 2018, at the Baltimore Convention Center. David attended the event and he gives us his observations.

Remote identification of unmanned aircraft was viewed as a key enabler to the goal of BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) flight. A consensus is building that remote identification is necessary for drones flying below 400 feet, as well as for those flying above.

FAA Symposium: Drones Seeing “Massive Adoption,” Safety Concerns are a Primary Issue

FAA Acting Administrator Dan Elwell said, “If you want to fly in the system, you have to be identifiable, and you have to follow the rules.” The rules would need to apply to hobbyist aircraft as well, because “one malicious act could put a hard stop on all the hard work we’ve done on drone integration.”

U.S. officials pushing for drone identification requirement, new powers for Homeland Security and Justice

What’s Next: Whose Drone Is That?

Angela Stubblefield, the FAA’s deputy associate administrator for security and hazardous materials safety said: “Anonymous operations in the system aren’t consistent with moving forward with integration and expansion of operations.”

Brendan Schulman, vice president of policy and legal affairs at DJI noted, “The FAA is not going to create future rules for expanded operation of drones until the remote identification framework is in place.”

FAA Announces Real-Time Airspace Authorizations at 500 Airports, Starting April 30

FAA Acting Administrator Dan Elwell announced that Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) will be expanded to 500 airports beginning April 30, 2018. LAANC provides real-time airspace authorizations through an FAA UAS Data Exchange.

When Is LAANC Going Live in My Area?

The airports will be added in six waves across U.S. regions. Skyward provides a list of the impacted facilities. Currently, there are four LAANC providers: AirMap, Project Wing, Rockwell Collins, and Skyward. Beginning April 16, 2018, the FAA will also consider LAANC service agreements with others.

233 Drone Legislation Priorities for 2018 Mar 02, 2018

Show notes

Drone legislation priorities for 2018, UAVs and university research, Piaggio’s latest P.1HH HammerHead, unmanned vehicles from Turkey, the drones made by DJI, drone applications in Maine, and hydrogen fuel cells for drones.

UAV News

Commercial Drone Alliance: Legislative Priorities for 2018

Founded in 2016, the Commercial Drone Alliance is an independent non-profit organization led by members of the commercial drone industry. They “…advocate for the commercial use of drones by reducing barriers… creating value for commercial enterprise end users to facilitate adoption of drone technology… [and] educate on the benefits of drone technology for various end user communities.”

The Alliance has eight drone legislation priorities [PDF] they feel the U.S. Congress should support in the FAA Reauthorization bill or other relevant legislation:

Eliminate (or at the very least amend) the Section 336 hobbyist loophole, which endangers the safety and security of the airspace and slows innovation.
Require the FAA to require remote identification for all drones over 250 grams, including hobbyist drones.
Direct the FAA to swiftly implement a rule authorizing low-risk operations over people.
Direct the FAA to allow safe operations beyond visual line of sight in a timely way.
Direct the FAA to streamline and improve the operation waiver process.
Direct the FAA to implement a “Trusted Operator” program that establishes streamlined permitting and operational procedures for authorized commercial UAS operations.
State the sense of Congress supporting the industry-driven Unmanned Aircraft Traffic Management (UTM) System and its timely implementation.
Ensure that UAS programs, and relevant agency offices, are adequately funded and staffed to accomplish these priorities and support existing programs in a timely way.

Additionally, the Alliance wants Congress to pass appropriately-tailored UAS threat mitigation legislation as part of an FAA/DOD/DHS reauthorization, and design certain tax incentives.

UAV-ersity Research: The Soaring Rise of UAV’s and University Research

Researchers have found that UAVs represent a new tool for professional data collection applications. Plus, university-level unmanned aerial vehicle programs are widely available. Mike Hogan, Microdrones’ Sales Director for the Americas, recommends that a basic needs analysis is performed to understand what the researcher’s goal is, what data they are trying to collect, and how they are going to apply it.

P.1HH HammerHead Unmanned Aerial System to enter in service with UAE armed forces

Piaggio Aerospace showed its latest P.1HH HammerHead at the International Unmanned Systems Exhibition in Abu Dhabi. The HammerHead is derived from the P.180 Avanti II commercial aircraft, and is designed for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The UAV can be fitted with communications intelligence (COMINT), electronics intelligence (ELINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT). According to the Defense Industry Daily website, Piaggio has eight orders to be delivered to the UAE from 2018, is an expression of interest from the Italian military.

Turkey May Try to Build an Unmanned Tank

Turkey has been building unmanned aircraft for some time, but now Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says, “We will carry it a step further [after domestically produced unmanned aerial vehicles] . . . We should reach the ability to produce unmanned tanks as well. We will do it.”

All 39 DJI drones ever made!

According to We Talk UAV, DJI has made 39 different drones since the company started in 2006, and they have a video illustrating the different models of the Wind series, Flame Wheel series, Phantoms, Mavics, Inspires, the Spark, Agras series, Matrice series, and the Spreading Wing series.

DJI has made 39 drones already!!

Video: DJI has made 39 drones already!!

Drones that reconstruct accidents, monitor crops could put 800 Mainers to work

Drone use by first responders and others is increasing across the country. The State of Maine provides some good examples of the value they can add, including the creation of new jobs.

HES Energy Systems Announces Smallest and Lightest Hydrogen Fuel Cell For Drone Applications

Hydrogen fuel cells offer the prospect of longer flight times, with a Wh/kg energy density 2 to 5 times higher than lithium batteries Singapore-based HES Energy Systems announced they now manufacture the world’s smallest and lightest hydrogen fuel cell for drones. With previous applications for the defense industry, HES is now deploying their technology for commercial applications. Their Aeropack Series is intended for drone manufacturers to integrate into their products. The Aerostak series is available for more advanced applications.

UAV Video of the Week

Drone vs Piper Cub, via Dave Homewood on the Flight – Audio & Video Facebook page.

Mentioned

David will be attending the 3rd annual FAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Symposium at the Baltimore Convention Center March 6th and March 7th, 2018. The event is cosponsored by the FAA and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI). He hopes to see you there!

232 Should FAA Regulate Recreational Drones? Feb 23, 2018

Show notes

A call for regulation of recreational drones, the accuracy of wildlife counts, a flying display device, the MQ-1 Predator retirement, using drones for automated inspection, and a Phantom may have caused a helicopter to go down.

UAV News

Airline Groups Call on US Congress to Regulate Drones

Three groups want Congress to modify Section 336 of the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act that restricts the FAA from applying any rules or regulations to the operation of recreational drones or unmanned aircraft systems used as a hobby. The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), Airlines for America (A4A), and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) sent a letter [PDF] to Congress stating, in part:

“We strongly urge you to remove legislative restrictions that have been placed on the FAA that limit its safety oversight of UAS. The likelihood that a drone will collide with an airline aircraft is increasing. By providing the FAA with the full authority to regulate all UAS operations, the safety of passenger and cargo flights will be protected.”

Should recreational drones be regulated as commercial drones are? Send your thoughts to us at feedback@theUAVdigest.com.

Why Drones Are Counting Thousands of Decoy Ducks

How accurate are counts of wildlife, and can drones do a better job than people? Researchers at the University of Adelaide’s Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences wanted to find out. They conducted an experiment and found “Overall, the drone’s counts were much more precise than the ground counts.”

Samsung Just Patented Display Drones Controlled by Your Eyes, Face and Hand Gestures

The United States Patent and Trademark Office granted Flying Display Device, U.S. Patent 9,891,885 to Samsung. It would consist of a quadcopter with a camera, a display, GPS, a “WiFi-based positioning system,” and voice-recognition. It’s a flying screen that reacts to you and presents information on the screen.

Air Force announces official retirement date for iconic MQ-1 Predator drone

On March 9, 2018, the Air Force will retire the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator and instead use MQ-9 Reapers for combat missions.

V-Cube Robotics Begins Offering SOLAR CHECK, a Solar Power Plant Inspection Package Service

V-cube Robotics will begin offering a solar power plant inspection package called Solar Check. Drones fly autonomously over a predetermined flight path and inspect the solar panels with infrared thermography cameras. The images are uploaded to the cloud and analyzed for discrepancies. Inspection time is drastically reduced and inspection accuracy is higher.

Report: Helicopter crash on Daniel Island may have been caused by drone

A Robinson R22 helicopter on a training flight in South Carolina, encountered a DJI Phantom, and crashed after attempting to take evasive action. The FAA is investigating.

UAV Video of the Week

Watch a Drone Crash Into Apple’s New Headquarters

A drone crashed into Apple Park. The pilot got in touch with another drone operator for help in finding it. The crash and the subsequent search were recorded.

Drone Crash at Apple Park Caught on Camera

Video: Drone Crash at Apple Park Caught on Camera

Mentioned

A Message From APSA Regarding The New CAPS/COA Process

231 The Drone Services Industry Feb 16, 2018

Show notes

The changing landscape for drone services, drone swarms for urban tactics, a simulated drone attack in Idaho, European airport operators embrace the value of drones but look for protections, MIT develops a mapping system for drone navigation, the Department of the Interior uses UAVs with great results, and Intel at the Olympics.

UAV News

Here’s Why The Drone Services Industry is in Trouble

In the “old” days, the Section 333 process was long and difficult. The hardware was tricky to operate and getting data from the drone was not easy. So companies used drone service providers to accomplish the desired missions. Now, a Part 107 is easy and cheap to obtain, flying drones is easier, and data from the drone is not as difficult to acquire. This means companies can create their own in-house drone capability.

PrecisionHawk Acquires Droners.io and AirVid to Launch the Nation’s Largest Network of Commercially Licensed Drone Pilots

PrecisionHawk has acquired Droners.io and AirVid to deliver on-demand, drone-based imagery to enterprise clients. The companies will merge and operate under the Droners.io name. Combined, they form a network of more than 15,000 commercially licensed drone pilots, which PrecisionHawk will use to service its enterprise customers in insurance, agriculture, energy, construction, and government. Part 107 certified pilots can join the network and start accepting jobs in their region by creating a profile at www.droners.io.

Participants wanted for UAV swarm-based tactics test bed

Northrop Grumman is the Phase 1 Swarm Systems Integrator for the DARPA OFFSET program (OFFensive Swarm-Enabled Tactics). The program “envisions future small-unit infantry forces using swarms comprising upwards of 250 small unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) and/or small unmanned ground systems (UGSs) to accomplish diverse missions in complex urban environments.” Northrop Grumman is about to launch its first open-architecture test bed and they are looking for participants to create and test their own swarm-based tactics on the platform.

Idaho Technology Company Black Sage Plans Drone Defense Demonstration at Idaho State Capitol

On February 21, 2018, Boise, Idaho-based Black Sage plans to demonstrate a drone defense system as they create a drone attack on the state capitol. Black Sage will create a virtual fence around the capitol, fly a swarm of drones directly into the protected area, and demonstrate the counter-UAS system to safely defeat the threat.

European airport operators call for adoption of drone rulebook

Airport Council International for Europe (ACI Europe) says safety issues involving drones and airports are increasing, and they want to see “an effective regulatory framework.” ACI Europe released the 6-page position paper on drone technology, ACI Europe Position on Drone Technology [PDF] in January. The paper recommends:

Airport-specific protection policies, including standardized protected zones
Technical systems to detect and neutralize drones
Traffic management for drone operations at airports
Readying the airport industry for future drone technology opportunities.

MIT teaches drones to fly with uncertainty

MIT researchers are developing the NanoMap system for drones. The system navigates a drone from point to point while avoiding random obstacles. Where other models have the drone map the environment, then fly through it, NanoMap creates maps on the fly.

Interior’s magic bullet: Drones that are DoD castoffs

The Department of Interior has a fleet of drones, many of which are hand-me-downs from the Department of Defense. Nevertheless, the drones are performing tasks that take one-seventh the time at one-tenth the cost, such as: land surveillance, wildlife monitoring, assistance with natural disasters, and dam inspections.

UAV Videos of the Week

High-tech drones steal the show at the Winter Olympics

Video: High-tech drones steal the show at the Winter Olympics

Intel | The Tech Behind a Record-breaking Drone Show at PyeongChang 2018

Mentioned

Questions remain after drone collides with helicopter on Kauai

230 Ehang Autonomous Aerial Vehicle Feb 09, 2018

Show notes

Ehang flies their autonomous aerial vehicle with human passengers, reaction to a close encounter with an airliner, drone safety measures at the Olympics, drone video awards, drone package delivery by Airbus, and thoughts on cargo drones.

UAV News

Flying car? Watch as this drone flies around with passengers inside

The Ehang 184 autonomous aircraft is rated for a 220-pound payload, a cruising altitude of 500 meters, and a top speed of 80 mph.

CEO takes ride in passenger drone to demonstrate that it’s safe

Ehang has conducted over 1000 flight tests, including some with human passengers. Other flight tests include a 300-meter climb test with a 507-pound payload, a 9.3 mile distance test, and tests in high winds. Video shows two variants: a single-seater with eight pairs of rotors on four arms, and a two-seater with sixteen pairs of rotors on eight arms.

EHANG 184 AAV Manned Flight Tests

Video: EHANG 184 AAV Manned Flight Tests

FAA Investigating Video of Drone Flying Dangerously Close to Airliner

Video originally posted on a Facebook group shows a drone flying close to a Frontier Airlines Airbus A320 on final approach to McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. The poster says he is a Las Vegas high school student and the video is real, but he didn’t shoot it. The FAA confirmed to Flying that it is taking the video very seriously,

UAS Stakeholders to FAA: Use Full Authority to Apprehend and Prosecute Reckless Las Vegas UAS Operator

A number of UAS stakeholders sent a letter [PDF] to the FAA to encourage it “to use its full authority to investigate, identify and apprehend an operator who recently flew a UAS over an airliner making its final approach at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport.”

DJI institutes no-fly zones around sports arenas as the Olympics open in South Korea

DJI is implementing temporary no-fly zones around sports arenas at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Aviation authorities recommended the size of the zones.

Drone-catching drones to bolster security at Winter Olympics

Despite precautions, officials are concerned about rogue drones and have taken additional steps. A special drone-detection radar developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology will be used. There are reports of signal-jamming guns and “drone-catching drones” with nets may be deployed.

2017 Drone Video Awards Winners

The 2017 AirVūz Drone Video Awards winners have been announced:

Dronie — There Is No One Else by Wellington Visuals
Landscape — Perspective by Jay Worsley
Racing — Drone Racing Underground by JohnnyFPV
Countries — “Awaken” Iceland by mikebishop.tv
People — This is Yunnan by Face du Monde
Animals — Majestic Beast Nanuk by florian ledoux
Cities — Moscow Aerial 5K Timelab.pro by Timelab.pro
Tiny Whoop — エアリアルヨガスタジオｙ＋AERO × TINY WHOOP JAPAN by KatsuFPV
Freestyle — NURK’s Flight of the Year // Trains, Bridges, Rapids, Mountains, Sunsets, Gapping, Perching, Powerlooping by nurkfpv
Sports — Dream… by PilotViking
Originality — Cardboard Cadet by chrisxgxc
Reel — Drones are Awesome by thisistilt
Photography — Floating in the Unknown by zimydakid

Airbus Helicopters’ Skyways UAV takes flight into future of parcel delivery

The Skyways UAV completed its first flight demonstration at the National University of Singapore. The drone was launched from the Airbus dedicated maintenance center. It flew to the roof of a specially designed parcel station and used a robotic arm to load a package. It then returned to the maintenance center. Airbus Helicopters’ Executive Vice President of Engineering and Chief Technical Officer, Alain Flourens said, “Safe and reliable urban air delivery is a reality not too distant into the future, and Airbus is certainly excited to be a forerunner in this endeavour.”

Singapore Air Show: Drone tech is ready, but are we?

Air Cargo World noted the Airbus achievement, but comments that “Drones with last-mile delivery capabilities… require a dense population to justify the typically steep costs from research to deployment.” Additionally, Air Cargo World stated that regulatory hurdles exist in densely populated areas, and residents might be hostile to unmanned vehicles.

Also at the Singapore Air Show, ST Aerospace showed the concept for an unmanned freighter piloted by an artificially intelligent computer. ST Aero was optimistic that an unmanned freighter could be possible in the next five years. The technology is available now, they say, but public sentiment is not there yet.

UAV Video of the Week

Beaver Dam Collapse Update 2018

This video documents a Beaver Dam collapse and rebuild on private property in Northern Minnesota. The dam was an engineering marvel as it was double-decked, holding back over nine feet of water.

Video: Beaver Dam Collapse Update 2018

Mentioned

CNY Drones

Organizing an upstate New York open team drone competition.

229 DroNet Autonomous Flight Through Cities Feb 02, 2018

Show notes

DroNet uses deep machine learning for autonomous flight, a labor union takes a stand on package delivery by drone, a tiny radar for sUAS, counter-unmanned aerial systems, and a British drone survey.

UAV News

AI-Powered Drone Mimics Cars and Bikes to Navigate Through City Streets

Researchers have developed a drone that can autonomously fly through the streets of a city. DroNet uses minimal onboard sensing and is trained with datasets collected by cars and bicycles.

Two years ago, roboticists at the University of Zurich trained a deep neural network with photographs taken by cameras mounted on a hiker’s head. They could then fly a drone along forest paths. Now, along with researchers from a Madrid University, they have used city datasets to train the rules for navigating through streets without running into anything.

DroNet is a convolutional neural network, designed as a fast 8-layers residual network. It produces two outputs for each single input image: A steering angle to keep the drone navigating while avoiding obstacles, and a collision probability to let the drone recognize dangerous situations and promptly react to them.

The researchers publicly release all their datasets, code, and trained networks. Learn more at the DroNet project website, and the research page on deep learning. See also the video DroNet: Learning to Fly by Driving.

No parcel drones. No robo-trucks – Teamsters driver union delivers its demands to UPS

The Teamsters union and UPS are holding labor negotiations that cover 260,000 union workers in North America. Reportedly, one of the union demands is a prohibition on “driverless trucks, drones, robots, and other driverless technology.” In Teamsters Union Says ‘No’ to UPS Drones, we find this:

“With a smaller carbon footprint and ever-increasing sophisticated, AI-infused behavior, it makes sense to transition to individual aerial deliveries, not to mention the convenience on behalf of the customer. On the other hand, one completely understands and empathizes with the aversion truck drivers have toward this stark, autonomous future. If it feels like their jobs are being endangered by the incredible exponential growth in technology, it’s because they are. Hence, a series of discussions soon to be cemented into policy, with one side trying to slow things down in order to survive, and another eager to march into the fully autonomous future.”

Aurora Flight Sciences and Socionext Develop Radar-Enabled Collision Protection Solution for Drones

Aurora Flight Sciences is collaborating with Socionext Inc. on a Radar Flight Control Module that exists as a single-chip 24GHz radar. It includes range measurement software and the radar can detect multiple objects, objects in open spaces, and target distance and speed. The RFCM talks to the flight controller and provides distance, warning and braking signals, preventing head-on collisions with obstacles. Press release: Aurora Flight Sciences and Socionext Develop Radar-Enabled Collision Protection Solution for Drones [PDF].

DHS SAVER Program Issues ‘Counter-Drone’ Procurement Guide for Emergency Responders

The DHS National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) program conducted a market survey of counter-unmanned aerial systems. The 19 page Market Survey Report: Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems [PDF] is intended to assist emergency responders in identifying useful products.

The thirteen systems identified range in price from $7,500 to $1.9 million. Eight systems can detect, track, classify and mitigate SUAS; two systems can detect, track and classify SUAS; and three systems can mitigate SUAS.

Driving licence for DRONES supported by majority of Brits, while 1 in 5 call for total ban

In a study commissioned by a UK tech firm Nominet, more than 2,000 British adults were surveyed. Nearly three-quarters of the respondents believe that flying a drone should require the equivalent of a driving licence. Thirty-seven percent said the Government should set up a body to manage drone ownership.

228 Aurora Flight Sciences Orion Jan 26, 2018

Show notes

Aurora Flight Sciences and PrecisionHawk receive additional funding, some first responders gain permission for BVLOS and night flights, the FCC imposes a civil penalty for communications violations, China is developing a heavy cargo drone, and KFC offers a build-a-drone promotion.

UAV News

Boeing’s New Drone Subsidiary Purchase Is Already Paying Off

The U.S. Air Force awarded Aurora Flight Sciences a $48 million contract to fund continued development of its Orion Unmanned Aircraft System. This MALE Orion is a twin-engine, fixed wing, heavy fuel propulsion aircraft with “over three times the endurance and range of current ISR platforms.”

PrecisionHawk Secures $75 Million to Foster Global Adoption of Commercial Drone Technology

PrecisionHawk Inc. announced a $75 million round of funding from a group of venture and strategic investors. This new funding brings the total funding to more than $100 million.

Danbury, Conn., Firefighters Green-Lit to Fly New UAV at Night

The FAA has issued a waiver to the Danbury Fire Department to conduct flights at night. Without the waiver, such night flights would be prohibited. The Department operates a DJI Matrice 210 and received training through Fire Tech and Safety of New England Inc.

Ontario Paramedics Now Fly BVLOS

Renfrew County paramedics initially had Transport Canada’s permission to fly drones within line of sight. But they wanted BVLOS and conducted a six-day demonstration in Spring 2017 with Transport Canada, RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police, and InDro Robotics. They then received permission to fly UAVs at night within a four-nautical-mile search area.

Renfrew paramedics use their drone to scan rugged crash sites, locate people lost in the woods, and determine whether snowmobilers fell through ice or made it safely to shore. They have the ability to deliver an automatic external defibrillator, a personal flotation device, and deliver a rope out to a person on the ice.

Frequency Check: Is Your UAS FCC Compliant?

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates interstate communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. Recently, the FCC imposed a civil penalty of $180,000 against “high-end” FPV supplier Lumenier Holdco LLC. That company provided products operating on frequency bands reserved for federal aviation navigation and communication. Also, some of the Lumenier UAS used unauthorized transmitters exceeding the authorized one-watt power limit for model aircraft. In the consent decree [PDF], Lumenier admitted liability.

China’s new drone company is building a UAV with a 20-ton payload

Tengoen Technology is developing several drones, including an eight-engine drone with a 137 feet wingspan that can carry a 20-ton payload up to 4,660 miles. The carbon-fiber, double-bodied drone is targeted for a 2020 first flight.

KFC’s New Chicken Wings Come With Drone Parts

Under a new KFC India limited-time promotion, “Smoky Grilled Wings” orders come with drone parts that can be assembled into a Bluetooth-enabled KFO (Kentucky Flying Object). The drone can be controlled with a smartphone. Watch the promotional video.

Video: KFC’s New Chicken Wings Come With Drone Parts

227 Drone Parachute Recovery Systems Jan 19, 2018

Show notes

Drone parachute systems to protect your UAV, state-level drone legislation, UAS disaster response training, large drone swarms and peeping drones, and a new drone registration class action lawsuit against the FAA.

UAV News

New Harrier Parachute Launcher is Light, Compact, and Easy to Use!

Fruity Chutes announced a new line of drone parachute launchers. The servo-activated Harrier Drone Parachute Launcher was developed for fixed wing and small multicopters. It featured a thin wall carbon fiber canister, lightweight nylon components, and a high energy compression spring. Three models are offered with different weight ratings.

Other companies offering drone parachute recovery systems include ParaZero Drone Safety Solutions from Israel, Skycat from Finland, Mars Parachutes in California, Parachutedrone in France, and UAV Propulsion Tech in Florida.

New Jersey Passes UAV Penalty Bill

New Jersey’s state Assembly Bill 5205 would create fines and prison terms for unsafe or prohibited operation of UAVs. It addresses operating a drone in a manner that could endanger life/property, while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or for the purpose of taking or assisting in the taking of wildlife. Also for operating a drone near a correctional facility or interfering with first responders or lawful hunters.

Florida International University UAS management for disaster response workshop

Florida International University and Airborne Response are providing a 40-hour advanced-level workshop tailored for UAS operators, airspace managers, and emergency management officials. The interactive, hands-on course provides instruction for disaster response UAS operations.

China is making 1,000-UAV drone swarms now

In December 2017, Ehang UAV set a world record for the largest drone swarm ever deployed. 1,180 drones flew in a nine-minute aerial light show at the close of the Global Fortune Forum in Guangzhou. The drones can move autonomously and land if they have a problem. Ehang is saying that its swarms are self-repairing.

Israeli Researchers Use Radio Signals to Detect Peeping Drones

Ben-Gurion University researchers say they can tell if the drone outside your home is spying on you. It works by comparing a “pattern” of the object you want to monitor (like your house) to the radio signals intercepted from a nearby drone. For more details, see the research paper: Game of Drones – Detecting Streamed POI from Encrypted FPV Channel [PDF].

Game of Drones – Detecting Streamed POI from Encrypted FPV Channel

Video: Game of Drones – Detecting Streamed POI from Encrypted FPV Channel

FAA Drone Registry Tops One Million

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced that the total number of drones now registered with the FAA has reached one million. 878,000 hobbyists have registered and 122,000 commercial, public, and other drones have been registered.

Robert Taylor v. FAA- 2nd Drone Registration Class Action Lawsuit

A class action lawsuit (of at least 836,796 members) against the FAA is brought by Robert Taylor, the brother of John Taylor who brought the other drone registration lawsuit. In four counts, this suit alleges the FAA collected personal information and money for drone registration and did not delete the registry or refund the money when the registration was ruled illegal. Drone registration refunds and statutory damages are estimated to be almost $841 million.

Scott+Scott, Attorneys at Law, LLP Alerts Investors to Securities Class Actions Against GoPro, Inc. (GPRO)

A shareholder class action lawsuit has been filed against GoPro alleging that the company made false and misleading statements and did not disclose that the demand for Karma drones and other products GoPro products had declined dramatically.

Mentioned

Unmanned Cargo Aircraft Conference

March 20, 2018, at the North Carolina Global TransPark in Kinston, North Carolina. The Conference aims to bring together manufacturers, operators, knowledge institutes, consultants, shippers and government organizations active in the upcoming field of unmanned cargo aircraft.

Cargo Innovation Conference

June 6-7, 2018, De Maaspoort, Venlo, the Netherlands. The conference will address the impact of digitalization of logistics processes on efficiency, profitability, user-friendliness, transparency and more.

UAV Video of the Week

Drone saves two Australian swimmers in world first

Two teenage boys got into difficulties in heavy surf about 2,300 feet off the coast of Lennox Head, New South Wales. Lifesavers instantly sent the Little Ripper UAV to drop an inflatable rescue pod, and the pair made their way safely to shore. The drone took about a minute to reach the boys. It was estimated that lifeguards would have taken three to six minutes.

226 Drones at CES 2018 Jan 12, 2018

Show notes

Drone news from CES 2018, drones and asymmetrical warfare, situational awareness for sense and avoid from Insitu, a Cargo Air Vehicle prototype from Boeing, and GoPro exits the quadcopter market.

UAV News

Drones fly over Bellagio fountains during Las Vegas CES

Intel Corp. flew 250 light-emitting Shooting Star drones over the Fountains at Bellagio at CES 2018. Intel plans a drone show at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.

Video: Intel’s drone light show sends 250 drones flying over Las Vegas at CES 2018

Volocopter 2X: An Autonomous Flying Taxi In Flight At CES 2018 In Las Vegas For The First Time

The Volocopter 2X autonomous passenger drone lifted off on the stage at CES 2018. The flight was short and tethered for safety.

Yuneec announces Typhoon H Plus alongside first fixed-wing and racing drones

Yuneec showed three drones at CES 2018: The Typhoon H Plus for pro photographers and videographers, the Firebird FPV fixed-wing drone, and the HD Racer small racing drone.

Images from CES 2018

These photos were provided by junior21 in our Slack listener team:

SLaw enforcement drone at CES 2018.

Yamaha Frazer at CES 2018.

2CES 2018 drone safety booth.

Defining Asymmetrical Warfare: Extremists Use Retail Drones to Attack Russian Air Base in Syria

There are reports of insurgents modifying commercially available quadcopters to deliver explosives such as mortar rounds and grenades. Social media photos show the damaged tail of a Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer attack aircraft in Syria. There is speculation the Russians have intercepted the drones with the Pantsir S-2 integrated missile and gun vehicle.

Insitu Demonstrates Broad-area Airspace Situational Awareness System for Unmanned Air Systems

Insitu completed a successful flight demonstration of their real-time, ground-based UAS airspace situational awareness system. The system allows commercial UAS operators to detect and avoid nearby aircraft flying both within and beyond line of sight. The system is specifically designed to help detect and avoid “non-cooperative” traffic. Insitu collaborated with Boeing Phantom Works International in Australia under a program sponsored by the Queensland Government.

Boeing Unveils New Unmanned Cargo Air Vehicle Prototype

The unmanned electric VTOL multi-copter Cargo Air Vehicle (CAV) prototype is designed to carry up to 500 pounds. Boeing will use it to “test and evolve Boeing’s autonomy technology for future aerospace vehicles.” Initial flight tests were successfully completed at Boeing Research & Technology’s Collaborative Autonomous Systems Laboratory in Missouri.

Future of autonomous air travel: Boeing unveils new cargo air vehicle prototype

Video: Future of autonomous air travel: Boeing unveils new cargo air vehicle prototype

GoPro Plunges After Announcing Job Cuts, Revenue Miss

GoPro Inc. had a difficult fourth quarter. The company is cutting more than 20 percent of its global workforce and ending its drone business. GoPro says they will sell off the existing inventory of Karma drones but will continue to provide service.

UAV Video of the Week

Brain Controlled UAV

A hacked Star Wars Force Trainer uses the operator’s thoughts to control a small drone in this ARCLab ACE Project.

Video: Brain Controlled UAV

Feedback

NASA chief historian Bill Barry sets the record straight on the origins of the winglet. It was Richard Whitcomb at NASA that gets credit for the aeronautical innovation, not DARPA.

Dryden Flight Research Center: Winglets

225 DARPA Gremlins Jan 05, 2018

Show notes

DARPA Gremlins advance reusable drone technology, North Carolina plans UAS workshops for public safety agencies, Seaglider underwater drones set to explore Antarctic ice shelves, fuel cell propulsion systems will be integrated into the ScanEagle, and medical package delivery drones are successful in Africa.

UAV News

Air Force Could Test “Flying Aircraft Carriers” as Early as Next Year

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Gremlins program envisions small, reusable drones that can be launched from a C-130 inflight to surveil or attack targets as much as 300 miles away. The Gremlins then return to their flying airbase and are flown back to home base where there are prepared for their next mission.

In Phase 2, DARPA will review Gremlin prototypes from Dynetics and General Atomics. In Phase 3 DARPA will select one of the two prototypes for a “full-scale technology demonstration system” that will be test-flown in 2019.

North Carolina government plans drone workshops for 2018

The North Carolina Department of Transportation is planning free UAS/Drone workshops for public safety agencies. The purpose of the workshops is to educate agencies on the safe and beneficial uses of drones, provide updates on the latest federal and state regulations, and provide best practices for safe operations and data management. The Operating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in North Carolina web page contains a downloadable 47-page safety guide [PDF] and an online knowledge test.

Drones Are Diving Under Antarctic Ice to Map Unseen Portions of Our World

The University of Washington in Seattle is planning to use seven underwater robots to explore an Antarctic ice shelf. Three Seaglider self-propelled drones “swim” by adjusting their buoyancy and using mechanic “wings.” The Seaglider Fabrication Center, a division of the School of Oceanography in the College of the Environment, provides Deepgliders™, Seagliders™, operator training, and glider refurbishment. Under a license agreement with Kongsberg Underwater Technologies, Inc. (KUTI), the University can only produce Seagliders for customers inside the University of Washington.

Earth Under Water is a 45 minute National Geographic program that looks at the worldwide rise in sea levels.

Drone Operator Sues Blackhawk Pilot for Destroying Drone over Staten Island

Maybe. The Aviation Acorn treads a bit into the realm of The Onion.

Ballard, Insitu partner on UAS fuel cell propulsion system

Ballard Power Systems is working with Insitu to develop a next-generation fuel cell propulsion system for the ScanEagle UAS. The 1.3-kilowatt system for small unmanned fixed-wing and vertical-take-off-and-landing (VTOL) drones will be integrated into the ScanEagle platform.

‘Uber for blood’: how Rwandan delivery robots are saving lives

As an update to our report in Episode 146 about medical package delivery in Rwanda, we see that the Rwandan health ministry has delivered more than 5,500 units of blood over the past year using Zipline drones. Delivery times to remote regions of Rwanda have been cut from four hours to an average of half an hour. Now Zipline plans to launch what it claims is the world’s largest drone delivery network, working with the government of Tanzania.

UAV Video of the Week

Zipline

This video shows how medical package deliveries with Zipline drones save lives in Rwanda.

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