The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) announced last week that it had issued new guidance banning the use of agency grants to purchase drones and other unmanned aerial systems from foreign groups deemed threats.
Category Archives: Non-Military & Commercial UAS
Drone Saves Surfer from Shark in New South Wales
World championship tour surfer Matt Wilkinson had a close encounter with a shark last week while surfing at Sharpes Beach at Ballina, New South Wales. Continue reading
AeroVironment Successfully Completes Sunglider Solar HAPS Stratospheric Test Flight
AeroVironment, Inc. announced that the Sunglider solar-powered high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) achieved key test milestones, including reaching an altitude of more than 60,000 feet above sea level and successfully demonstrating mobile broadband communication. Continue reading
maxon Develops Ultra-Efficient UAV Drive with Flybotix
maxon has collaborated with drone startup Flybotix to develop performance-optimized brushless DC motors for a new kind of inspection drone. With the know-how gained from this and other projects, maxon is making inroads into the new UAV market, where the reliability and quality of components are becoming more important. Continue reading
Fortress UAV Releases New Drone Field Repair Kits
Fortress UAV, a supplier of UAS maintenance and deployment services based in Plano, Texas, is now offering a Drone Field Repair Kit available for public purchase. The Drone Field Repair Kit will serve as a critical emergency option for drone operators who need a quick fix for maintenance while on-site during a drone mission. Continue reading
Everdrone Gets Patent for Drone Operations in Complex Airspace
Everdrone, a supplier of autonomous drone technology, announced that it has been approved for its first patent by the European Patent Office (EPO). Everdrone’s latest patented technology focuses on combining vision technology with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to allow drones to fly safely and accurately in low altitude airspace where obstacles such as buildings and vegetation are often present. Continue reading
EU Buys Surveillance Drones for Belarus
The EU has bought 15 surveillance drones for Belarusian authorities, prompting alarm they could be used against pro-democracy protesters. Lithuanian police handed over the equipment to the Belarusian State Committee for Forensic Science on 16 September – in the middle of a brutal police crackdown, which has seen thousands of people snatched off the streets, beaten, and tortured. Continue reading
North Carolina Gets First-Ever Waiver for Drone Bridge Inspections
The Federal Aviation Administration has just approved a waiver that allows NCDOT to operate Unmanned Aircraft Systems beyond visual line of sight while conducting bridge inspections. This approval is part of North Carolina’s participation in the FAA UAS Integration Pilot Program, which is focused on testing and enabling new innovative uses of drone technology. Continue reading