The FAA’s new regulations went into effect Aug. 29 for routine commercial use of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), more popularly known as drones or remotely piloted aircraft. The provisions of the new rule – formally known as Part 107 – are designed to minimize risks to other aircraft and people and property on the ground, according to […]
drones
Commercial drones cleared for takeoff
The new FAA rule governing commercial operations of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) — also known as drones or remotely piloted aircraft — means more businesses and innovators will be able to fly, unlocking the “tremendous economic benefits of the new technology,” according to the top official of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI). “The United […]
Report: Most drone accidents cause by technology failures
A new story at Mashable reports that researchers in Australia have found that most drone accidents were caused by technology issues, rather than human error. Led by Graham Wild, a senior lecturer in aviation at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, the researchers reviewed a sample of 152 global drone event reports between 2006 and 2015. The most […]
University teams with HiddenGenius.com to launch technology competitions
Kansas State University’s Polytechnic Campus has joined with a Kansas-based company to launch three technology competitions that seek ways to improve the safety of flying drones, help pilots pass their color vision test, and aid NASA’s search to find life in the solar system. Kansas State Polytechnic is working with HiddenGenius.com, an online community that […]
Why drones may save general aviation
Andrew Schmertz, a blogger at the Huffington Post, says in a recent post that the very thing that GA fears could actually save general aviation: Drones. Also known as unmanned aerial systems and remotely piloted aircraft, drones are not only enticing kids into aviation, but also adults, who once they’ve gotten a taste of flight, […]
Video: The artistic side of drones
You may have heard of plans to use drones for delivering packages, monitoring wildlife, or tracking storms. But painting murals? That’s the idea behind a project in Paul Kry’s laboratory at McGill University‘s School of Computer Science. Kry and a few of his students have teamed up to program tiny drones to create dot drawings […]
Drone pilots reminded to respect wildfire operations
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Know Before You Fly campaign is reminding operators of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to respect temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) over and around wildfires as this year’s wildfire season makes an early start. Wildfires or other hazardous conditions often lead to authorities putting in place TFRs, which allow first responders to do their […]
Consumer drone sales predicted to increase tenfold by 2021
Falling prices and increased capabilities are driving strong consumer interest in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) — also known as drones or remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) — for aerial imaging, recreation, and aerial games, according to a new report. Rapid advances in technology and economies of scale have enabled consumer drones to be prototyped and sold at an […]
Video: First ship-to-shore drone delivery
CAPE MAY COUNTY, N.J. — Independent drone delivery service Flirtey and Dr. Timothy Amukele, an assistant professor of pathology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, successfully conducted the first ship-to-shore drone delivery in the U.S. on the New Jersey coastline June 22. “Imagine a future where in the event of a natural disaster like […]