Aviation researchers in China are developing solar-powered drones capable of staying airborne for at least a month, a senior designer has revealed. Shi Wen, head of unmanned aircraft development at the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, said in an exclusive interview that his team has developed prototypes to demonstrate new technologies and equipment. Continue reading
Category Archives: Non-Military & Commercial UAS
Drones Used in Railroad Safety Inspections
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway became part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Pathfinder Program in creating a frame work for the commercial use of drones. Continue reading
Inside Amazon’s Secret Drone Lab
Nestled in the heart of Camridge’s historic city centre, this is Amazon’s secret lab where it is building and testing drones that aim to deliver packages to customer’s homes within just 30 minutes. Continue reading
Drone Startup Funding Crashes
Drone startups hoping to snag venture-capital funding may have hit some turbulence. Financing for drone companies fell 59% year-over-year in the third quarter, and 48% from the previous quarter. The drone industry’s numbers were starker than for venture-capital funding overall, in which funding dollars fell 39% from the same quarter in 2015 and 14% sequentially. Continue reading
FOX 11 Introduces SKYFOX for News Gathering
FOX 11 is taking news to new heights, with its new addition, SKYFOX. FOX 11 is one of six Sinclair Broadcast Group news stations with this technology. By the end of 2017, that number is expected to grow to 40. Continue reading
NASA Tests Air Traffic Control System for Manned/Unmanned Flights in Reno
A team from NASA will conduct a weeklong test of an air traffic control system it is developing for both drones and manned aircraft starting Tuesday at Reno-Stead Airport, an exercise that will include flying drones beyond the limits of operators’ eyesight.
UK MoD and CAA to ‘Test-Crash’ Drones
Drones will be deliberately smashed into passenger jets as part of a radical testing programme triggered by fears of a catastrophe in British skies. Ministers ordered the tests after a series of near misses, some near major airports. Continue reading
FAA Ads UAS to Lost Link Procedures
The FAA has just issued a notice which amends procedures contained within Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 7110.65W, Air Traffic Control, and introduces Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) lost link procedures. Continue reading