A federal court upheld the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) subpoenas of a 19-year-old Connecticut drone operator in relation to YouTube videos showing two drones (also known as unmanned aircraft systems or UAS) modified to carry a flamethrower and a handgun. Continue reading
Category Archives: Non-Military & Commercial UAS
senseFly Launches Fixed-Wing Ag Drone
Swiss professional drone manufacturer, senseFly, has expanded its portfolio with the launch of the new eBee SQ fixed-wing agricultural drone. This cutting-edge unmanned aircraft system (UAS) is built for the Parrot Sequoia multispectral camera and can cover up to 10 times more ground than small quadcopter drones.
Buffett’s 167-Year-Old Railroad Tests Drone Inspections
BNSF Railway Co. is flying drones as far as 150 miles (240 kilometers) along the New Mexico desert to inspect tracks, helping the Federal Aviation Administration develop rules for operating unmanned aircraft beyond the pilot’s line of sight. That’s an essential step for expanding use to such commercial endeavours as deliveries by Amazon.com Inc. and other companies. Continue reading
Fancy Apartments to Offer Drone Landing Balconies
Drones are coming, and they’re going to change a lot of things about how we shape our lives. So why shouldn’t we change how we shape our buildings to get ready for them?
CNN Receives FAA Approval to Fly UAS Over People
CNN announced yesterday that it has become the first organization to be granted a waiver by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly unmanned aerial systems (UAS) over people in the United States.
Sharper Shape’s New Sharper A6 BVLOS Drone
Sharper Shape has announced its new Sharper A6 drone and Sharperscope 5.0 payload. The Sharper A6 drone is the world’s first drone optimized for BVLOS asset inspections. Notably, the Sharper A6 uses four redundant cellular networks to make it virtually impossible for the drone to lose communication with ground control operators.
Section 333 vs. Part 107: What Works for You?
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) new small drone rule – formally known as Part 107 – is effective from today, August 29. You may also be wondering what happens to your Section 333 exemption grant or petition for exemption. The biggest question is whether you are better off flying under the provisions of Part 107, or should continue using your existing exemption? Continue reading
Applying for a Waiver under the New FAA Drone Rules
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) new small drone rule effective August 29 – formally known as Part 107 – allows for some expanded operations based on technology mitigations if you can make the safety case for a waiver of some provisions. Operators can apply for waivers to operate at night, beyond line of sight, above 400 feet and other specific types of operation. Continue reading