an independent online news service for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems world
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has just announced a streamlined and user-friendly web-based aircraft registration process for owners of small unmanned aircraft (UAS) weighing more than 0.55 pounds (250 grams) and less than 55 pounds (approx. 25 kilograms) including payloads such as on-board cameras. Continue reading
The Aerodrome and its partner, the City of Boulder City, NV, announced today the world’s first commercial droneport and teaching facility in Boulder City, NV. A droneport is a facility tailored specifically to Unmanned Air Systems (UAS). Unlike other planned droneport projects previously announced, The Aerodrome’s Eldorado Droneport has already broken ground, is fully funded, permanent and currently operational. This history-making project by Aerodrome and the City of Boulder City has the full support and approval of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
A report just released from the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College identified 327 “close encounters” in U.S. airspace from December 2013 to September 2015 in which drones presented a hazard to manned aircraft. Of that total, at least 241 incidents met the Federal Aviation Administration’s definition of a near-collision — two aircraft flying within 500 feet of each other. Ninety of the close encounters involved commercial jets.
A China-made large amphibious UAV – “U650” – successfully conducted its maiden flight in the heavy fog and strong crosswinds above the waters in east China’s Jiangsu province in early December. The test flight lasted for 30 minutes. Continue reading
France has ordered a third batch of Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles, with delivery in 2019 of three UAVs and two ground stations in the advanced block 5 version, a spokesman for the procurement office said Friday.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT) is testing an unmanned aerial vehicle to inspect the underside of the northbound Gold Star Memorial Bridge in New London on December 15th..
Shenzen-based FLYPRO Aerospace Tech Co., Ltd has released the XEagle equipped with auto follow and obstacle avoidance functions. Continue reading