Category Archives: VTOL

FAA Approves First Unmanned Quadrotor

InstantEyeThe Instant Eye small unmanned aerial system received approval last Thursday from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to be used by an energy company, which will conduct research, development and training to see if the system is practical for inspecting infrastructure such as pipelines, power lines and insulators on towers. It is the first unmanned quadrotor to receive FAA certification and may be the lightest aircraft ever certified.

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‘Sense-and-Avoid’ System for Hobby Quadcopters

ebumper-DJI PhantomPanoptes UAV, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based start-up, has created a system that uses echolocation to help small quadcopters avoid collisions. The product, the eBumper, contains acoustic sensors that work outdoors, indoors and in all weather conditions, said Terrence McKenna, chief executive officer. Continue reading

Australians Develop ‘Projector Drone’


Melbourne-based company, I-Drone, has  developed the ‘Projector Drone’ which is capable of beaming news, games and advertising over the walls of buildings. The proof of concept aircraft is able to fly for 12 minutes at a time, features its own on-board data storage and a 500 lumens projector. Continue reading