The FAA says you become part of the U.S. aviation system when you fly your drone in the nation’s airspace. Continue reading
DJI Enters Agriculture Market with $15K Octocopter
China’s SZ DJI Technology Co. is setting its sights on the agriculture industry with the launch of a crop sprayer that will test whether farming is fertile ground for drone technology. Continue reading
Heron 1 Chalks Up 25,000 Flight Hours in Afghanistan
Following this year’s 410th flight on 16 November 2015, the Heron Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), which is jointly operated by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) and Airbus Defence and Space, successfully landed in Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan, bringing the total number of flight hours it has completed in the country up to 25,000. The occasion was celebrated at Camp Mazar-e-Sharif together with the Luftwaffe.
US Air Force Hires Civilian Pilots for Combat Patrols
The US Air Force has hired civilian defence contractors to fly MQ-9 Reaper drones to help track suspected militants and other targets in global hot spots, a previously undisclosed expansion in the privatization of once-exclusively military functions. Continue reading
Minnesota DoT Testing Drones for Bridge Inspections
“We do underneath rope access inspections,” said Barritt Lovelace, a regional manager for Collins Engineers Inc., an agency headquartered in Chicago with offices throughout the country. “Basically, we rock-climb bridges. It’s a lot of fun.” In Duluth recently, Lovelace stood with a host of others below the Blatnik Bridge to participate in a demonstration of the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s ongoing study of using drones for bridge inspection purposes.
Elbit Systems Gets $200M Hermes 900 HFE Contract for Switzerland
Elbit Systems Ltd. announced that it was awarded an approximately $200 million contract from the Swiss Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport (“DDPS”), for the supply of Hermes 900 HFE (Heavy Fuel Engine) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and an advanced ground segment for command, control and communications. Continue reading
FAA Issues Notice on Unmanned Aircraft Operations in the National Airspace System (NAS)
The FAA has just issued an update to its notice on ‘Unmanned Aircraft Operations in the National Airspace System (NAS)‘ which provides information and guidance on air traffic policies and prescribes procedures for the planning, coordination, and services involving the operation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the NAS. Continue reading
Songbird Hybrid UAS
Aerolution, a Berlin-based company specialising in developing and marketing UAS for professional purposes, has recently launched the Songbird 1400. This UAS combines the pros of both the fixed wing and the chopper in one and the same aircraft. Continue reading