Episodes

PrecisionHawk appoints a new CEO, a plan to deliver cannabis in Seattle with drones, flying medical specimens to the lab with UAS, a Chinese 3-engine MALE drone, taking down small drones with an F-16, a Gremlins maiden flight, and a drone solution to parasitic disease in humans. UAV News We’re Welcoming James Norrod as CEO of PrecisionHawk James Norrod has been named the new Chief Executive Officer of PrecisionHawk. Norrod has 25 years of experience leading companies and “specializes in formin...

Initial reactions to the FAA Remote ID NPRM, a high-accuracy photogrammetry solution, Apple hires a familiar face to lobby in Washington, an anti-drone system for Heathrow, a stealthy new target drone, and a fixed-wing eVTOL personal ultralight aircraft. UAV News Proposed FAA Drone Rules Prompt Industry Pushback Engineering News-Record reports on some of the statements that are being made about the Remote-ID NPRM that is currently in the public comment period. Frank J. Segarra, president and ...

Uber and Hyundai team up on an air taxi, mystery drones still flying in the U.S. midwest, UK investigations of drone crashes leads to safety recommendations, a drone that can see dead people, and a drone that brews beer.

An NPRM for drone remote ID was published by the FAA, drones used by the NYPD for event security, public agencies contracting for UAS services, methanol-powered drones, a mystery swarm of drones, and delivery by UAS in the 2020s. UAV News U.S. Department of Transportation Issues Proposed Rule on Remote ID for Drones The FAA published Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the Federal Register. This Notice of Proposed Rule Making [PDF] describes the rules for inflight identificati...

A new bi-copter for aerial photography, a waterproof fishing drone, a single-seat eVTOL aircraft for the GoFly competition, DOD wants U.S. designed and manufactured drones, a town grapples with public safety drones and privacy concerns, and the FAA revises the airman certificate process. UAV News V-Coptr Falcon 4K camera drone gets 50-minute flight time with just two rotors The new bi-copter from Zero Zero Robotics is called the V-Coptr Falcon, a tilt-rotor with a claimed flight time of 50 min...

Rides available in the Hexa Electric VTOL, mapping a railway project, low-altitude hurricane hunting, another reported drone strike, a DHS warning for private industry, another round of financing for PrecisionHawk, and spying on hippos with drones. Lift Aircraft says 13,000 people have signed up for drone rides; flights begin in beta mode in Texas In 2020, Lift Aircraft plans a 25-city tour of it’s Hexa electric VTOL passenger drone. You can register for a flight on Lift’s website. It will cost...

Disney X-Wing drones, counter UAS technology at an air force base, drones and weed infestations, sampling water in a volcano crater, a large fine for landing a quadcopter at an airport.

Droneresponders forms a working group for public safety agencies, protestors and C-UAS, TSA and C-UAS, cannon-launched drones, the QF-16 target drone, names for different types of passenger drones, and drone light shows.

Airbus funds new UAV battery technology and flys rotary wing UAV, upcoming UAS Traffic Management workshop, hydrogen-powered UAV for the Navy, a heavy-payload long-range drone, drone racing at Daytona, mosquitoes might help drones make less noise.

Drone registration requirements in the UK and Singapore, automated safe landing technology, the speed of drone technology development, package delivery progress and issues, and counter-UAS technology funding. UAV News UK Drone Operators Have Until the End of November to Register With the Government All drone owners and operators in the UK with droves that weigh more than 250g have to register them by November 30, 2019. Registration costs £9. Failure to register can result in a fine of as much a...

The Mavic Mini doesn’t require FAA registration, DOI grounds Chinese drones, more no-fly facilities, Uber Eats delivery drone, submarine resupplied by drone, drones at live broadcast events, an airport uses drones for facilities inspections.

UAS flight demonstrations in the news: the Boeing MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueler, a microturbine propulsion system, a high altitude pseudo-satellite. Also, counter-drone tech from both the Secret Service and Raytheon, and drones that study dust devils.

EHang is flying its urban air mobility vehicle contender. Remote identification of drones is moving forward. Also, using drones to measure methane emissions, find standing water where mosquitoes breed, assess hurricane damage, explore Titan, and plant trees. UAV News EHang completes first passenger-carrying autonomous aerial vehicle demonstration flight The EHang 216 passenger-carrying autonomous aerial vehicle (or AAV) was flown at the 2019 Northeast Asia Expo in August. Ehang has been demons...

Situational awareness drones for border protection, hydrogen fuel cell UAV platform, UAS Traffic Management Pilot Program, FPV drones, traffic control drone in China, all-electric helicopter UAS, teaming manned and unmanned aircraft and munitions.

Drones for activism at Heathrow, the trade war and the drone community, FAA issuing more emergency COA’s, RAAF working with the U.S. Navy on the MQ-4C Triton, a drone generates electricity, a reporting portal for drone incidents, the “drone bubble.”

The Commercial Drone Alliance wants to see regulations for large drones, sUAS are vulnerable to impacts, using AI-enabled drones to identify specific individuals (human and otherwise), drones donated to universities for precision ag, and BVLOS for the UAS Integration Pilot Program. UAV News DON’T SAY ‘DRONES,’ Beg Drone Makers This is the first story we covered, from Episode #1. Commercial Drone Alliance calls for focus on large UAS in letter to new FAA administrator The Commercial Drone Alli...

Aeronautical knowledge test for recreational drone pilots, UPS medical deliveries, drone technician college degree, drone flights over people, drone strikes on airliners, environmental BVLOS missions, FAA on drones and dangerous weapons.

HAPSMobile plans to fly a High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) over Hawaii, Amazon petitions for drone delivery exemptions, NASA plans to test UAS traffic management in Texas, researchers find that drones are better than people studying whales, a female drone pilot seeks to encourage women, and drones that provide medical assistance. UAV News FAA Approves Solar Drone Flights Over Hawaiian Island Japanese drone company HAPSMobile has a waiver to fly a solar-powered UAV over Lanai. The HAWK30 w...

Package delivery halted after crash, AI and drones, swarming nano-drones, mesh networked drones for precision ag, drone mesh for event security, UAS for airport and public safety, reliability of drone sightings from aircraft.

Bio-inspired drones are getting attention and a general contractor receives a waiver for flights over people with a parachute-equipped drone. Also, six Israeli drone companies, a drone-mounted flamethrower, BVLOS critical infrastructure inspection, and an online drone survey.

Hybrid drone controllers from MIT, UPS drone delivery subsidiary, LAANC expanded to recreational Part 107, Australian drone registration delayed, gas detecting micro-drone, quadcopter that shrinks to get through small openings.

DJI Government Edition, public safety alliance board of advisers, a USV rescues swimmers, interim report on UAS mitigation at airports, drone operations app is launched in Australia, a de-confliction service for drone flights via API.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) performed drone market research studies, including a consumer study titled Drones: Public Perceptions & Consumer Attitudes.

Diana Cooper is the SVP of Policy & Strategy at PrecisionHawk, a company that provides training, drone consulting, and global flight services.