Episodes

While at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Become a Pilot Day, David and Max spoke with Roger Connor, who curates the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. In this recorded conversation with Roger, we talk about the history of UAV’s and how the Museum selects aircraft for display. The Museum exhibits include a number of Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, including the QH-50 Dash, MQ-1L, and Dark Star. We also learn about planned future exhibits, and Roger is beginning to explore the possibil...

The third FAA test site goes live, UAV’s to compete at Reno Air Races, drones spying at the World Cup, watching swim competition through the eyes of a quadcopter, hockey fans celebrate their victory by smashing a quadcopter, TV coverage of American football by drone, and mixing manned and unmanned flights in Japan. The News FAA: Nevada unmanned aircraft systems test site goes live UAS test site number three of six is now operational. The FAA granted the State of Nevada team a Certificate of Wa...

The LAPD is evaluating drones, quadcopter pilot assaulted over privacy concerns, a novel delivery by drone concept, Switzerland picks the Hermes, RQ-21A Blackjack deployment in Afghanistan, and the U.S. Navy tests an Aerostar. The News LAPD Chief Beck to Vet Drones Before Use The Los Angeles Police Department has received two Draganflyer X6 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles from the Seattle Police Department, to be used for manhunts and standoffs. The LA Police Chief says he will work with the American...

The movie industry petitions FAA for UAS exemption, UAS impact on traditional helicopter businesses, commercial UAVs in Canada, drug smuggling with drones, celebrities from history and drones, the video of the week, and listener feedback. The News FAA May Exempt Film Industry from UAV Rules The FAA is considering granting seven professional aerial cinematography companies an exemption that would allow them to create video with UAVs. This comes from a petition by the Motion Picture Association ...

AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems 2014 conference and trade show, a drone narrowly misses a commercial flight, and hack-proof UAS software from DARPA. Guest: Bob Schmidt, President, UAV Propulsion Tech. AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems 2014 conference and trade show was held in Orlando, Florida May 12-15, 2014. Bob attended and he offers his perspectives on the event. Follow Bob on Twitter as @Schmidtproducts. The News: Drone just missed turbo-prop over Perth military airspace A De Havilland Dash 8-300 turbo-...

UAS regulation proposals from CASA in Australia and from a listener in the U.S., a “Ten best drones” list, NASA testing sense and avoid with a Predator, and bright job prospects for those with UAS skills. The News: NPRM 1309OS – Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Australia’s ‘low risk’ drone strike stance could bring down airliners Certified UAS operators in Australia hits 100 The Australian CASA released an NPRM (a Notice of Proposed Rule Making) on May 14 concerning Remotely Piloted Aircraft (...

David flys a multicopter, an Iranian RQ-170 clone, Embry-Riddle creates an unmanned masters program, Italy looks to build a UAV school, a US Airways flight encounters a UAV, Northrop Grumman and Yamaha team up, and Parrot has a new FPV drone. David’s First Flight Parker Gyokeres from Propellerheads Aerial Photography gives David the opportunity to fly a hexacopter, an AGL Hobbies UAP2-V2 with a Sony NEX camera on a 6-axis gyroscopic gimbal and a Naza-M.V2 controller. The video. The News: Irani...

The Alaska UAS test site stands up, the X-37B space drone reaches 500 days in orbit, the National Park Service says no drones but archaeologists say yes, a drone delivery gone wrong, and armed drones for everyone. The News: Fairbanks flight opens unmanned aircraft test site The FAA issued a two-year Certificate of Authorization (COA) to the Alaska UAS Test Site. They’re using the Aeryon Scout for data collection in demanding weather conditions. Mysterious robotic plane hits 500 days in space; ...

Lockheed Martin gets into sUAS, Texas EquuSearch files suit, drones for weather forecasting and wildlife protection, a fixed wing VTOL drone, an Optionally Manned UH-60, a North Carolina UAS law, drone journalism goes indoors, and an unmanned R&D forecast. The News: Lockheed Martin Marks Significant Milestone in Research & Development for Unmanned Technologies Lockheed Martin is advancing their push into the sUAS segment with their Indago VTOL Quad Rotor for mobile surveillance. The quad and ac...

A UAS Test Site receives an FAA Certificate of Authorization, Spain bans commercial drone use, a drone tracker kit, drones for burglers, a survey says Americans favor targeting terrorists with drones, and an update on the FAA v. Pirker appeal. The News: Press Release – FAA Announces First UAS Test Site Operational On April 21, the FAA announced that the UAS Test Site operated by the North Dakota Department of Commerce is operational. A Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) was granted to...

Phantom firmware update addresses safety concerns, FAA files appeal brief in Trappy case, a search and rescue team fights to use quadcopters, 33 organizations appeal to the FAA, machine guns versus drones, Google beats out Facebook for atmospheric satellites, and a drone pilot is charged with a felony. The News: Chinese manufacturer programs Phantom drones with no-fly zones to protect Australian airports DJI Innovations is introducing a firmware update to the Phantom 2 quadcopter “to increase f...

The X-47B UCAS-D team wins the Collier Trophy, drones and Bluefins and the search for Malaysia Flight 370, the UK CAA convicts a drone pilot, and listener feedback. The News: Legendary Collier Trophy Awarded to X-47B Team The 2013 Robert J. Collier Trophy has been awarded to the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) team by the National Aeronautic Association. The team was selected for “developing and demonstrating the first unmanned, autonomous air system operating from an ai...

An FAA Center of Excellence for UAS, 3D printing a drone, the industry pressures FAA on UAS regs, drone privacy, a thought-controlled quadcopter, drones used for and against hunters, anti-drone legislation, Korean drones, and who needs drones when you have gulls? The News: Notice of Intent to Establish the FAA Center of Excellence (COE) for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Within the next year, the FAA intends to competitively select a Center of Excellence for UAS. The Center will conduct UAS re...

A near miss between a UAV and a crop duster, a new social network for the multi-rotor community, UAVs that survey cemeteries, no beer delivery by drone in the UK, and a red hot video of the week. The News: Victorian mine drone in near miss with aircraft The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has issued a final report that says that a Sensefly eBee 178 UAV came within about 100m horizontally and up to 70m vertically from an Ayres S2R crop duster. The ATSB rated this incident, which occurr...

Paul Braun and Dan Frye tell us about Taking Autism to the Sky (TATTS) where children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) build and fly a small UAS. This program helps the children build confidence, gives them world perspectives, and develops interest and ability in skill sets that may help them eventually find and hold productive jobs. With April being Autism Awareness month, this is a timely conversation. Paul and Dan work for Continental Mapping Consultants, Inc., who create authoritative g...

An analysis of the Raphael Pirker v FAA appeal, an offensive quadcopter and conservationists look to utilize UAVs. The News: FAA To Appeal NTSB Finding On UAS Case An NTSB Administrative Law Judge dismissed the charges against a UAV pilot for flying a commercial mission, but the FAA intends to appeal the decision. We talk about what that means to the sUAS industry and where the appeal goes next. SXSW 2014: Chaotic Moon Demonstrates CUPID, a Drone That Can Tase You The C.U.P.I.D. hexacopter (Ch...

Audio transcript of NTSB Docket CP-217, FAA v. Raphael Pirker. We reported In Episode 29 that a decision had been rendered in the case of the FAA v. Raphael Pirker, also known as Trappy in the sUAS community. The FAA claimed that Pirker flew a Ritewing Zephyr, which they considered to be a UAS, as a commercial operation. Furthermore, that in so doing, Pirker endangered life and property. The FAA fined Pirker US$10,000. Pirker appealed, and the NTSB Administrative Law Judge dismissed the charg...

Facebook buys a drone company, having enough communications and data bandwidth, an international UAV test consortium announced, UAV training at Roswell, busting FAA myths about UAVs, FAA authority to regulate UAS questioned, privacy questions flare down under, and Russia building Israeli UAVs. Breaking news: Commercial Drones Are Completely Legal, a Federal Judge Ruled The News: Facebook Follows Amazon, Google Into Drones With $60 Million Purchase Facebook is reportedly purchasing Titan Aerospa...

The size of the global UAV market, more on the FAA losing the drone war, a device that tries to warn you about drones overhead, ignorant politicians passing drone laws, a military UAV providing cargo lift, police use a quadcopter in a murder investigation, and other police shut down a journalist. The News: Small UAV Market Worth $582.2 Million by 2019 MarketsandMarkets published Small UAV Market Global Forecast, 2014 – 2019 that projects the small UAV market will grow to $582.2 million over a s...

A DJI Phantom watches baseball spring training, FAA policing UAS usage, Canada wants to buy drones, so does the Russian military, and Korea seeks to be a UAS supplier. The News: Nationals using aerial drone to record footage of spring training The Washington Nationals baseball team is observing spring training through the eyes of a GoPro mounted on a DJI Phantom. They say they’ll also use aerial footage on the scoreboard for games. Runaway Drones Map Land, Film ‘Wolf,’ Knock Down People, as FA...

FAA progress in meeting the UAS mandate, an update on plans at the Griffiss International Airport UAS test site, a former United States governor is hiding from the drones, a system to monitor river environments, maintaining UAS control in the airspace with satellites, and drones at the Olympics. The News: FAA reports on drones and NextGen Hearing reveals FAA behind on NextGen, UAS, consolidation A Congressional hearing was held to check on the progress made by the FAA in meeting the roughly 200...

Drones for defense says Navy, the CPB Predator B russels up a conviction, drones go nuke, a quadcopter that thinks its a Falcon, the AMA and FAA come together, and spotting a fire. The News: Bring on the Countermeasure Drones Rethinking the drone as a defensive weapon rather than offensive. The UCAV can be used to protect the Carrier Battle Fleet while manned systems take on the offense. Also, the drones can act as deception device to fool sea skimming missiles. This is not a new idea – the ADM...

A proposal for licensing and permitting small UAV operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection grounds their fleet, quadcopters filming whales, and drinking and droning don’t mix. Proposal for UAV/sUAV Licensing/Phased Permitting Plan Listener Tim Trott submitted a proposal for a collection of UAV classes, each with requirements for airframe type (multi-copter or fixed wing), weight, altitude, operation in private or public areas, VLOS or FPV, logging, observer requirements, safety and flight...

This Episode: Commercial use of drones, what the FAA plans to deliver by 2015, sites developing UAS technology other than the selected six, and a common operating system for drones. The News: Federal ban on drones doesn’t stop photography The FAA has a ban on commercial use of use of unmanned aircraft. Yet some people seem to be pulling it off. How? According to the website of Phoenix real estate photography company Aerial Raiders, they “fly for free.” They do, however, charge for editing and c...