Amazon.com has patented technology for drones with retractable in-flight wings. Amazon originally filed for the patent in October 2014 under the name “in-flight reconfigurable hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle.” The hybrid foldable-wing design is covered in a patent that was published last Tuesday.
UAE to Charge $14k p.a. Fee for Commercial Operators
Commercial operators of drones in the UAE have to shell out a fee of $13,624 (AED50,000) per year, according to the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operators using drone for non-commercial purpose are charged $1,107 (AED4,063) a year though the operator has to pay $273 (AED1,000) every 90 days. The fee for UAS training entities has also been set at $13,624 (AED50,000), but for five years. Continue reading
Trig Avionics Announces TT26 UAS Transponder
Trig Avionics has announced its latest product, the TT26. As an ETSO certified UAS transponder product, the TT26 is capable of operations up to 70,000 feet, thanks to its 250-watt Mode S transponder with altitude encoder and ADS-B Out (1090ES). Continue reading
General Atomics Names SkyGuardian Predator Variant
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI) launched a “Type-Certifiable” (STANAG 4571) version of its Predator B product line, called SkyGuardian, last week before an audience of international dignitaries from nine nations including the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Australia, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and the United States.
Speaker Proposals Now Being Accepted for Drone World Expo Educational Program
Following an extremely successful gathering for the commercial drone industry, the Drone World Expo team with the help of an outstanding Advisory Board, is preparing for its 3rd annual event, which will return to the San Jose Convention Center, October 3-4, 2017.
Greece Publishes Drone Regulations
The law on the operation of drones in Greece was published in the Government Gazzette last week, applying to the use of drones when they fly more than 50 meters away from the controller. Continue reading
Vigilant Aerospace Completes Beyond Line-of-Sight UAS Detect-and-Avoid Flight Testing at NASA Armstrong
Vigilant Aerospace has completed successful beyond line-of-sight flight testing of its new FlightHorizon detect-and-avoid collision avoidance system for unmanned aircraft at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Continue reading
USAF’s 1,000th RPA Student Graduates
Lt. Col. Jason Thompson, 558th Flying Training Squadron commander, presented 2nd Lt. Kevin a certificate commemorating the thousandth graduate of the Undergraduate Remotely Piloted Aircraft training program at Joint Base San Antonio–Randolph, Texas, Jan. 20, 2017. Continue reading