Drone Safety Day, shape-changing drone, jump-start your car, Florida bans DJI, sUAS decision-making, avoiding collisions, adding VTOL to fixed-wing, farmers save water, land a drone in Red Square.

Detecting ADS-B spoofing, racing drone munitions, aerial tanking drones, self-flying F-16s, Condor heavy-lift UAV, light tactical UAS, Archer and United air taxi service in Chicago.

UAV tether, advanced drones, building designs, Martian missions, Army short-range reconnaissance program, Apple patent, birds, Ukraine drones.

Checking on the public with a “pandemic drone” and a COVID-19 inspired BVLOS exemption. Also, duck watching with drones, a BVLOS helicopter for humanitarian relief, pre-historic flying reptiles, and fuel cells for eVTOL.

Altavian and the Sinclair National UAS Training and Certification Center team up to 3D print and distribute PPE masks, coronavirus resources from Drone Girl, US anti-drone guidelines, a 360-degree detect-and-avoid system, an omnidirectional drone.

Photographs drawn with a drone, a General Atomics SkyGuardian demonstration flight, an electric flying car racing series, a proposal for a drone emoji, 5G drones and networks, using drones while on quarantine, and autonomous resupply for the military.

Drones fight the pandemic through cloud-based drone technology, spraying disinfectant, and medical deliveries. Also, a first responder drone endurance challenge, NOAA’s new unmanned systems program, and some free drone training.

FAA Request For Information from low altitude operators, drone reaction times, a European integration program, quadcopters map inaccessible historic ruins, Reaper replacements, delivery drones at UAS test site, Virginia town, and UPS and Wingcopter.

Unmanned aircraft and the Coronavirus (COVID-19), Drone Racing League Academy to teach STEM, EHang looks to Europe with autonomous aerial vehicle, a radar cross-section database for malicious drone identification, a flying car that looks like a flying car.

Study shows FAA vastly under-estimates cost of Remote ID proposal, new USAF medical standards for RPA pilots, a better communications antenna for UAVs, a draft executive order that would ban foreign drones, and building a 5G infrastructure using drones.

Holographic radar for drone detection, inspecting the Tokyo underground, good uses for drones at airports, delivery drones in China, Elon Musk has another prediction, a drone delivery proposal for Long Island Sound, an eVTOL prototype goes up in flames, and NASA’s Autonomous Navigation Demonstration Challenge.

Canada selects drone management system, BlueBird Aero Systems wins a large UAS order, North Texas educates new drone flyers, mystery drone emails, flying the Golden Gate Bridge, drones that monitor environmental changes.

Micro-drones for law enforcement, a laser C-UAS system, DJI and the Coronavirus, drone remote ID interaction with manned aircraft, airplane modelers and remote ID, and a new reality show featuring drones.

European drone strategy 2.0, Ukraine drones, wildlife investigations, three active volcanoes, UAS frequencies, consumer attitudes, hydrogen power, Dover AFB sUAS program.

The FAA proposal to type-certify UAS, autonomous EA-18G Growlers, surveillance with drones in China, no Remote ID NPRM extension, DoD counter-UAS contract, an unmanned kit for the K-Max, delivering ice cream, and an arrest for busting the Super Bowl TFR.

DJI issues statement attacking US Govt, Japan Airlines and the drone delivery business, the need for standards, drones shut down helicopter crash airspace, Army launches counter-drone office, stalking with a drone, mystery drones and mass hysteria.

A plan to deliver cannabis in Seattle with drones, flying medical specimens to the lab with UAS, a Chinese 3-engine MALE drone, taking down small drones with an F-16, a Gremlins maiden flight, and a drone solution to parasitic disease in humans.

Initial reactions to the FAA Remote ID NPRM, a high-accuracy photogrammetry solution, Apple hires a familiar face to lobby in Washington, an anti-drone system for Heathrow, a stealthy new target drone, and a fixed-wing eVTOL personal ultralight aircraft.

Uber and Hyundai team up on an air taxi, mystery drones still flying in the U.S. midwest, UK investigations of drone crashes leads to safety recommendations, a drone that can see dead people, and a drone that brews beer.

An NPRM for drone remote ID was published by the FAA, drones used by the NYPD for event security, public agencies contracting for UAS services, methanol-powered drones, a mystery swarm of drones, and delivery by UAS in the 2020s.

A new bi-copter for aerial photography, a waterproof fishing drone, a single-seat eVTOL aircraft for the GoFly competition, DOD wants U.S. designed and manufactured drones, a town grapples with public safety drones and privacy concerns, and the FAA revises the airman certificate process. UAV News V-Coptr Falcon 4K camera drone gets 50-minute flight time with just two rotors The new bi-copter from Zero Zero Robotics is called the V-Coptr Falcon, a tilt-rotor with a claimed flight time of 50 minutes. It features slower rotating propellers that are quieter, a 3-axis mechanical gimbal, 4K video and 12-megapixel photos, a controller with a flip-up mount for your phone. The bi-copter also has auto-follow, obstacle avoidance with a front-facing stereo camera and pre-programmed flight paths. Gannet’s waterproof fishing drone to launch this month Gannet offers a fairly complete range of drone fishing products including bait release systems and drone fishing rods. They’ve crowdfunded the development of the Gannet Pro waterproof drone that can release 3.5kg payloads of bait hundreds of meters away. A unique barometric pressure control system adjusts flight altitude. Video: Gannet Pro waterproof drones https://youtu.be/Z99T8htP5u4 Silverwing reveals full-scale S1 prototype The S1 is a single-seat, VTOL electric drone developed by a team from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. The S1 drone takes off and lands vertically on its tail, then tilts forward for horizontal flight. Silverwing says the S1 will be able to transport a passenger 60 kilometers (37 miles) flying at a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph). The S1 was designed to meet the requirements of the GoFly prize which is sponsored by Boeing. The competition is for innovators, inventors, engineers, and makers to design and build a personal flying device. The Final Fly Off is at Moffett Federal Airfield at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California with support from Boeing, Google’s Planetary Ventures, and Pratt & Whitney. from Thursday, February 27th through Saturday, February 29th, 2020. Pentagon Is Searching for Domestic Drone Options The U.S. Defense Department wants to see a U.S. ecosystem for sUAS and counter technologies and they are making it a priority in 2020. Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Ellen Lord said, “We see this as developing an ecosystem to have investment in areas that the Department of Defense thinks are particularly critical for providing capabilities to the warfighter, but also translate many times into commercial products. …I think you know that DJI flooded the market with low-cost quadcopters particularly, which eroded our industrial base and really altered the landscape for the U.S. government and for the small drone industry. What we want to do is reinvigorate that.” Menlo Park: Proposal for city drone program raises civil liberty questions In California at a Menlo Park City Council study session, police, public works, and community development leaders described how drones could help them. The council was open to the idea of using drones, but they did have significant concerns about privacy and civil rights. Mayor Ray Mueller said, "For me, the use cases are great. I just want to have discussion about what the guard rails are." City staff was asked to come back with a drone program expert and clearer policies on acceptable uses of the drones and relevant software applications, as well as more information about how many human-hours of work that drone use could save. FAA to Improve Airmen Certificate Testing The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Jan. 13, 2020, will launch improvements to the way it tests all applicants for an FAA airman certificate. This applies to all certified pilots of manned and unmanned aircraft. One of the most important changes is the requirement that applicants obtain an FAA Tracking Number (FTN) by creating an Integrated Airman Cer...

Rides available in the Hexa Electric VTOL, mapping a railway project, low-altitude hurricane hunting, another reported drone strike, a DHS warning for private industry, another round of financing for PrecisionHawk, and spying on hippos with drones.

Disney X-Wing drones, counter UAS technology at an air force base, drones and weed infestations, sampling water in a volcano crater, a large fine for landing a quadcopter at an airport.

Droneresponders forms a working group for public safety agencies, protestors and C-UAS, TSA and C-UAS, cannon-launched drones, the QF-16 target drone, names for different types of passenger drones, and drone light shows.

The latest Amazon Prime Air drone, XQ-58A Valkyrie tactical drones, bringing a drone on a cruise ship, a drone light show fail, and attacking a navy with uncrewed surface vessels.

Airbus funds new UAV battery technology and flys rotary wing UAV, upcoming UAS Traffic Management workshop, hydrogen-powered UAV for the Navy, a heavy-payload long-range drone, drone racing at Daytona, mosquitoes might help drones make less noise.

Drone registration requirements in the UK and Singapore, automated safe landing technology, the speed of drone technology development, package delivery progress and issues, and counter-UAS technology funding. UAV News UK Drone Operators Have Until the End of November to Register With the Government All drone owners and operators in the UK with droves that weigh more than 250g have to register them by November 30, 2019. Registration costs £9. Failure to register can result in a fine of as much as £1,000. In addition to registration, anyone flying a drone over 250g must also take an online education and test to receive a flyer ID. Users can now register as a drone operator and/or flyer at: register-drones.caa.co.uk. Drones Reunited In the UK, 26% of drone owners say they lost a drone. Drones United leverages off the new UK drone registration system to help owners reconnect with their lost drones. Singapore mandates unmanned aircraft registration Starting January 2, 2020, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) will require all unmanned aircraft over 250 grams to be registered before it can be operated. A sticker with a unique registration number must be affixed to each unmanned aircraft. The penalty for flying an unregistered aircraft could be up to S$10,000 or jail for six months, or both. Are UAVs Properly Tested, or is Development Rushed? Satellite-based drone connectivity encompasses a number of issues such as cost, weight, and power. “Validation of stable and reliable connectivity under all circumstances is paramount to the success of Beyond Line of Sight UAV operations.” Automated Emergency Safe Landing Technology Black Swift Technologies SwiftSTL (Swift Safe-To-Land) technology was developed to address catastrophic in-flight failures. It captures and segments images and autonomously identifies a safe landing location. This is accomplished through machine learning algorithms, artificial intelligence (AI), and onboard processors to identify obstacles like people, buildings, vehicles, structures, etc. To learn more, see the white paper, “AI and Machine Learning’s Role in Enabling Automated Emergency Safe Landings of UAS – A Key Enabler for Safe Beyond Visible Line of Sight (BVLOS) Flights.” [PDF] What if a delivery drone falls on your head? Thorny legal questions loom as services increase This article poses questions about airspace ownership, privacy, and liability. UPS drone makes first home prescription deliveries for CVS CVS and UPS announced the first commercial delivery of prescription medications by drones to customers. UPS’ Flight Forward drones delivered to the front lawn of a private home and a retirement center. The drones hovered at an altitude of about 20 feet and lowered the packages. UK government funds 18 projects to develop anti-drone technologies The UK government approved £2 million ($2.57 million) to fund 18 projects to develop anti-drone and drone detection technologies. In April, 2019, the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) program under the UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD) asked the private sector to come up with new technologies that could detect approaching drones, and neutralize the threat.

The Mavic Mini doesn’t require FAA registration, DOI grounds Chinese drones, more no-fly facilities, Uber Eats delivery drone, submarine resupplied by drone, drones at live broadcast events, an airport uses drones for facilities inspections.

UAS flight demonstrations in the news: the Boeing MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueler, a microturbine propulsion system, a high altitude pseudo-satellite. Also, counter-drone tech from both the Secret Service and Raytheon, and drones that study dust devils.

Ehang is flying its urban air mobility vehicle contender. Remote identification of drones is moving forward. Also, using drones to measure methane emissions, find standing water where mosquitoes breed, assess hurricane damage, explore Titan, plant trees.

Situational awareness drones for border protection, hydrogen fuel cell UAV platform, UAS Traffic Management Pilot Program, FPV drones, traffic control drone in China, all-electric helicopter UAS, teaming manned and unmanned aircraft and munitions.

Drones for activism at Heathrow, the trade war and the drone community, FAA issuing more emergency COA’s, RAAF working with the U.S. Navy on the MQ-4C Triton, a drone generates electricity, a reporting portal for drone incidents, the “drone bubble.”

The Commercial Drone Alliance wants to see regulations for large drones, sUAS are vulnerable to impacts, using AI-enabled drones to identify specific individuals (human and otherwise), drones donated to universities for precision ag, and BVLOS for the UAS Integration Pilot Program.

Aeronautical knowledge test for recreational drone pilots, UPS medical deliveries, drone technician college degree, drone flights over people, drone strikes on airliners, environmental BVLOS missions, FAA on drones and dangerous weapons.

HAPSMobile plans to fly a High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) over Hawaii, Amazon petitions for drone delivery exemptions, NASA plans to test UAS traffic management in Texas, researchers find that drones are better than people studying whales, a female drone pilot seeks to encourage women, and drones that provide medical assistance. UAV News FAA Approves Solar Drone Flights Over Hawaiian Island Japanese drone company HAPSMobile has a waiver to fly a solar-powered UAV over Lanai. The HAWK30 will act as a stratospheric telecommunications platform - a High Altitude Platform Station, also called a High Altitude Pseudo Satellite. The project is a collaboration between HAPSMobile, the University of Hawaii, and the Pan-Pacific UAS Test Range Complex which is managed by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. AeroVironment is HAPSMobile’s aircraft development partner for the HAWK30. In related news, see HAPSMobile Working Together with Facebook to Accelerate the Adoption of HAPS. Amazon requests FAA approval of delivery-drone plans Amazon has filed a 29-page petition with the FAA requesting approval to use their MK27 delivery drone before getting a certificate of airworthiness. Amazon would like to fly BVLOS and they ask for exemptions from certain aviation regulations that are more applicable to manned aircraft. The petition says delivery drones will fly autonomously but with one operator for each drone in flight. Eventually, Amazon would like to have one operator for multiple drones "subject to FAA approval based on flights and simulations that demonstrate required levels of safety."The FAA will take public comments on the petition until August 28, 2019. See Petition for Exemption; Summary of Petition Received; Amazon Prime Air in the Federal Register. NASA drone testing schedule in Corpus Christi: What you need to know NASA selected the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s Lone Star UAS Center of Excellence & Innovation as a nationwide drone testing site. Testing will focus on urban UAS traffic management and they plan to close or restrict access to several downtown streets. Tests show multi-rotor UAVs can improve cetacean behavioral studies New Zealand researchers found that small, multi-rotor UAVs are better than expert observers on research vessels. When it comes to surveying and studying humpback whales, the drones captured some social activities not detected by the observer and there was no observable effect on the whales’ behavior. See Insights into the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to investigate the behavior of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga. Introducing Derbyshire Police’s First Female Drone Pilot Victoria Atherton, Derbyshire Police’s first female drone pilot, has said she wants to inspire others and fight crime. She was recently deployed to a damaged dam that forced the evacuation of about 1,500 residents. She commented: “Personally, I think the best way to encourage women to get involved is to support each other. The future of aviation appears to be heading in the direction of unmanned aircraft and it’s important that men and women are equally represented in this field.” Also, “It’s an achievement to be labeled the first, however, I think it’s more important to ensure that I am not the last.” Drones, smartphones and sensors could provide a new solution to elderly falls Researchers from Baghdad's Middle Technical University and the University of South Australia have designed a system to remotely monitor elderly people. It detects heart rate and temperature abnormalities and provides urgent first aid via a drone if a fall occurs. UAV Video of the Week DARPA video shows autonomous drones swarming a building The demonstration took place under the agency’s OFFensive Swarm-Enabled Tactics (OFFSET) program, which “envisions future small-unit infantry forces using swarms comprising upwards of 250 unmanned aircraft systems ...

Operations Over People approval for AgEagle, UAV-dominated air forces, women drone pilots in Ukraine, autonomous Black Hawk, drone facilitates robbery, BVLOS corridor in New York, autonomous firefighting helicopter, drones celebrate a game anniversary, increasing lithium battery lifespan.

Package delivery halted after crash, AI and drones, swarming nano-drones, mesh networked drones for precision ag, drone mesh for event security, UAS for airport and public safety, reliability of drone sightings from aircraft.

Bio-inspired drones are getting attention and a general contractor receives a waiver for flights over people with a parachute-equipped drone. Also, six Israeli drone companies, a drone-mounted flamethrower, BVLOS critical infrastructure inspection, and an online drone survey.

Hybrid drone controllers from MIT, UPS drone delivery subsidiary, LAANC expanded to recreational Part 107, Australian drone registration delayed, gas detecting micro-drone, quadcopter that shrinks to get through small openings.

DJI Government Edition, public safety alliance board of advisers, a USV rescues swimmers, interim report on UAS mitigation at airports, drone operations app is launched in Australia, a de-confliction service for drone flights via API.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) performed drone market research studies, including a consumer study titled Drones: Public Perceptions & Consumer Attitudes.

Diana Cooper is the SVP of Policy & Strategy at PrecisionHawk, a company that provides training, drone consulting, and global flight services.

Princess Aliyah Pandolfi from the Kashmir World Foundation. Recorded at the Innovations in Flight Family Day and Outdoor Aviation Display, held June 15, 2019 at the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

Highlights of the FAA UAS Symposium held June 3-5, 2019 at the Baltimore Convention Center. Presented by the Federal Aviation Administration and AUVSI. Diana Cooper, PrecisionHawk SVP of Policy & Strategy, and Brendan Schulman, DJI VP of Policy and Legal Affairs. FAA UAS Symposium 2019 Over 1000 attendees from industry, the government, and academia gathered for three days of keynotes, breakout sessions, and “how to” sessions. We discuss some highlights of the Symposium, including industry/government collaboration, drone remote identification, education and outreach, urban air mobility, drone delivery, public agency use of drones, counter-UAV issues, UAS traffic management, and more. Mentioned Alliance for Drone Innovation Blue Ribbon Task Force on UAS Mitigation at Airports Flight Plan 2030 white paper on Urban Air Traffic Management from Embraer. Innovations in Flight Family Day and Aviation Display at the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, Saturday, June 15, 2019, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

DHS resources for the threat of UAS to critical infrastructure, urban testing of drone flights in Reno, using drone images as evidence, a delay for the remote ID NPRM, and a drone used by the Army Corps of Engineers.

New recreational drone restrictions, drones identify polluting ships, data security fears for Chinese drones, professional sports leagues weigh-in on drones, UAS that measure environmental conditions, states in the US actively using unmanned aircraft.

Community-based drone organizations, Navy drone swarm, Iranian drone components, FAA reauthorization, Chinese cargo drone, Bell Autonomous Pod Transport, specimen sampling with drones, Wing drone crash, Collaborative Combat Aircraft.

Embry-Riddle UAS degree, delivery drone noise, Uber Eats UAS specialist hiring, AUVSI humanitarian award winners, autonomous BVLOS patrol drones for the Australian coastline.

Professional-grade UAS components, a fuel cell system for UAVs, drone flying in national parks, the Choctaw Nation UAS Integration Pilot Program, new life for Piaggio Hammerhead, and the Northrop Grumman Firebird surveillance aircraft.

Actively tethered UAS, drone studies the atmosphere, hive drone releases swarm of smaller drones, Virgin Atlantic reports a near-hit, drone plants tree seeds, Wing receives FAA approval for delivery service in the US, a drone powered by variable buoyancy.