The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) received permission to conduct the first ever Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operation in the nation leveraging only onboard detect-and-avoid systems. This is the first-ever FAA authorized operation to fly without a requirement for visual observers or ground-based radar and is the result of the 31-member Kansas Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP) team efforts to advance drone technologies. Continue reading
Author Archives: The Editor
US Army Discovery Offers New Energy Source

Army researcher Anthony J. Roberts inflates a balloon with hydrogen produced from a chemical reaction between water and an aluminum nanomaterial powder discovered at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland
US Army scientists and engineers recently made a groundbreaking discovery — an aluminum nanomaterial of their design produces high amounts of energy when it comes in contact with water, or with any liquid containing water. Continue reading
Maui Electric to Use Drones for Power Line Inspections
Maui Electric Company will be using unmanned aircraft, or drones, and a helicopter for routine aerial power line inspections from Monday, Aug. 26 to Friday, Aug. 30, throughout the island of Maui. The inspections are weather permitting. Continue reading
Portuguese Army Requires Small UAS
The Portuguese Army is looking to acquire additional NATO Class 1 (under 150 kg) hand-launched unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to enhance tactical situational awareness of its troops. Continue reading
AirMap Demonstrates Dynamic Flight Plan Modification Capabilities During European U-space Trials
On August 13, 2019, AirMap and SESAR JU GOF USPACE partners completed a successful demonstration of the ability to dynamically modify a drone flight plan in-flight within a UTM system during an exercise simulating a marine search and rescue operation. Continue reading
Drones Help Farmers Save an Endangered US River

United States Department of Agriculture engineering technician Kevin Yemoto guides a drone into the air at a research farm northeast of Greeley, Colorado
A drone soared over a blazing hot cornfield in northeastern Colorado on a recent morning, snapping images with an infrared camera to help researchers decide how much water they would give the crops the next day. Continue reading
Commercial Drone Alliance, DRONERESPONDERS Partner on Public Safety Programs
The DRONERESPONDERS Public Safety Alliance – a 501(c)3 non-profit program of AIRT, Inc. – and the Commercial Drone Alliance, an independent 501(c)6 organization working to collectively merge policy with innovation in the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) industry – have announced a partnership to assist public safety UAS programs in implementing UAS technologies to yield lifesaving benefits. Continue reading
Ukraine and Turkey to Develop New Heavy Strike Drone
The Ukrainian and Turkish defense industries are pooling their efforts to develop the new Akinci heavy strike drone, Ukraine’s state military manufacturer UkrOboronProm said on Aug. 20. The new aircraft is being designed as part of a recently-launched joint production project between UkrSpetsEksport, an UkrOboronProm affiliate company, and Turkish arms producer Baykar Defence. Continue reading




