A drone without an operating license that was shot down by the PLA Air Force in Beijing has brought light to the need for tightened regulations on privately-owned drones and other devices.
Author Archives: The Editor
AOPA tells Congress UAS Rules Needed Now
The FAA should expedite its rule governing the operation of small commercial unmanned aerial systems, AOPA told the House Aviation Subcommittee in comments submitted for the record as part of a Dec. 10 hearing on UAS technology. In its statement, AOPA also recommended that the FAA take steps to address dangerous operations by recreational UAS users, including stipulating penalties. Continue reading
USAF Seeks More Extended Range Reaper Conversions
The US Air Force (USAF) intends to award General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) a contract to upgrade an additional number of its MQ-9 Reaper Block 1 unmanned aircraft systems to the extended range (ER) configuration, it disclosed on 4 December. Continue reading
Dutch Army Seeks Raven replacement
The Royal Netherlands Army is preparing a request for proposals for the replacement of its AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven unmanned air vehicles. The service expects to release the RFP in early 2015. Continue reading
MQ-9 Reaper Crashes at Creech
At approximately 8:45 a.m. PST on Dec. 11, 2014, an MQ-9 Reaper crashed during a routine training mission in an unpopulated area approximately 1 mile east of Creech Air Force Base, Nevada.
QuadCopters to Serve in Restaurants in Singapore by end-2015
Restaurant-goers in Singapore can expect to be served by autonomous flying robots – the world’s first commercial attempt – by the end of next year.
Hamas UAS on Parade
Hamas paraded more than 2,000 of its armed fighters, drones and truck-mounted rockets through Gaza today to mark its 27th anniversary in the biggest show of force since the end of the Gaza war this summer.
EU Court Ruling Means Civilian use of Drones in Public Must Comply with Data Protection Laws
Hobbyists and other individuals using remotely piloted aircraft systems, or ‘drones’, to capture images in public will be required to ensure that the activity complies with EU data protection laws in future, in light of an EU court ruling.12 Dec 2014 Continue reading