Owners of FireFlight Unmanned Aircraft Systems, based in Oklahoma City, were at Possum Kingdom Lake recently to deliver an unmanned aircraft trainer in preparation for aircraft that will eventually be used over wildfires. Continue reading
Category Archives: Non-Military & Commercial UAS
Mistletoe UAS Invades San Francisco
The Mistletoe UAS visited San Francisco’s Union Square this Christmas to spread some holiday cheer. Continue reading
Idaho Farmer Pioneers UAS for Smart Agriculture
Idaho farmer Robert Blair isn’t waiting around for federal aviation officials to work out rules for UAS. He and a friend built their own, outfitting it with cameras and using it to monitor his 1,500 acres. Continue reading
UAS Technology Aids Wildlife Conservation
As biodiversity diminishes around the world, scientists and conservationists are spending more money to document and understand the changes that are taking place. Conservation ecologist Lian Pin Koh argues that UAS technology can be used as a much cheaper way to survey landscapes and document ecological change. Continue reading
UAS Surveillance of Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Russia
If there is suspicious movement at Russia’s Sochi Winter Olympic Games next year, unmanned surveillance aircraft positioned over stadiums, roads and railroads will be there transmitting the images live to Russian security services. Continue reading
DJI Phantom + Sony RX 100 II Crashes into Icelandic Ocean
In the days before my trip to Iceland, I had the chance to play with the DJI Phantom, an affordable, out-of-the-box quadcopter for budding aerial videographers. Continue reading
China Deploys UAS to Monitor Wild Yaks
China is using UAS to monitor rare herds of wild yaks in a remote mountain region. Scientists use the unmanned aircraft to calculate the number of yaks in the mountain wilderness of Xinjiang province, and to collect data about their habitat, reports official news agency Xinhua.
In November, a UAS performed four flights, taking photos of the yaks, the areas where they live and also collecting meteorological information, the agency says. Continue reading
UAS Views of Kiev Protests
This video was filmed on Saturday shows a great view of the massive gathering in Kiev’s Independence Square. Some 200,000 people have rallied in the Ukrainian capital Kiev to protest against President Viktor Yanukovych’s refusal to sign a landmark EU deal. Continue reading