State Farm Gets First National FAA Waiver for Damage Assessment Drone Flights

State Farm drone pilots conduct drone flights with Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAPP) at Virginia Tech

State Farm just announced that it has received “the first national waiver to any company in the U.S. by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)” for the operation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and over people. The waiver grants relief of certain FAA rules through 2022. Continue reading →

GA-ASI Builds Team in Belgium for MQ-9B SkyGuardian

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) announced that it has teamed with five Belgium-based businesses as part of an industrial collaboration effort with the Belgian aerospace and defense industry. Team SkyGuardian Belgium includes GA-ASI, SABCA, Thales Belgium, Esterline, DronePort, and satellite communication technology company Newtec. Continue reading →

Drone Aviation Gets $3.8M Govt Award and $2M Funding

Drone Aviation Holding Corp., a manufacturer of tethered drones and lighter-than-air aerostats announced that it was selected by a prime contractor under an initial $3.8 million award. Additionally, the Company has solidified its cash position with the closing of an initial $2 million in equity capital to support the recently awarded contract.

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Israel’s Flytrex Closes $7.5M Funding Round

Israeli drone logistics startup Flytrex, which specializes in food and consumer good deliveries via unmanned aircraft systems, has raised $7.5 million in a series B funding round led by Benhamou Global Ventures, with additional investment from Btov. The investment follows a $3 million Series A funding round in June 2017, bringing the company’s total raised to $10.5 million. Continue reading →