Chinese civil aviation industry insiders have called for tighter regulation on illegal drone flights, as the country has become the world’s largest manufacturer of consumer drones. Continue reading
Author Archives: The Editor
World’s First Drone Surf Rescue
Lennox Head on the state’s Far North Coast made history last Thursday when it became the scene of a dramatic rescue involving the deployment of the Westpac Little Ripper UAV and Rescue Pod. Continue reading
US Coast Guard to Launch sUAS Competition
Last year, the US Coast Guard netted its third largest drug bust of all time with the help of a small drone. Now, the service wants that kind of ISR capability for all of its national security cutters, and plans to jump start a competition in the coming weeks.
Bell Air Taxi Project Revealed at CES
Bell staked a claim as the first helicopter maker to exhibit at the recent Consumer Electronics Show, and joined a growing list of manned aircraft manufacturers working to make pilots optional. Continue reading
Program Aims to Slash Cost of Methane Sensor Systems
Methane emissions are a significant environmental challenge for the oil and gas industry, and companies are looking for the most effective sensor-based systems to reduce methane leaks from anywhere on the wellpad, But while there are numerous technologies available to measure methane levels—including gas chromatographers, flame ionization detection systems, and catalytic sensors—these systems can be cost-prohibitive. Continue reading
Drones Confirm Importance of Costa Rican Waters for Sea Turtles
Olive Ridley sea turtles come ashore to nest at Ostional National Wildlife Refuge in Costa Rica
Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs during mass-nesting events at Ostional National Wildlife Refuge on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, making it one of the most important nesting beaches in the world. Continue reading
SkySpecs Lands $8M to Accelerate Global Growth
SkySpecs, an automated infrastructure inspection company, has announced an $8 million Series B financing led by Statkraft Ventures together with UL Ventures and Capital Midwest with follow-on investments from Venture Investors, Huron River Ventures and additional existing investors. Continue reading
Ontario Paramedics Now Fly BVLOS
When a driver was fatally ejected one night late last year from a vehicle that rolled off a road in Eastern Ontario’s Renfrew County, emergency responders were unsure whether there were other victims. The terrain around the crash site was difficult to access, forested and rocky with steep and unexpected drops. Instead of relying solely on emergency staff to determine the number of dead or injured, the county’s paramedic service turned to a technology it has pioneered among its peers in Canada: an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or, more colloquially, a drone. Continue reading