Explore every episode of the podcast UAV News Talk – Drone News, eVTOLs, UAS Policy & Air Mobility

Amazon’s expanding drone delivery operations are beginning to collide with an increasingly important issue: the people who have to live underneath them. In UAV News Talk #453, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof examine Amazon’s proposal for as many as 1,000 daily drone deliveries in Connecticut and complaints from a Texas neighborhood experiencing dozens of overflights each day. They also discuss that Belvedere, California is considering restrictions on where drone-delivery facilities can operate and what hours deliveries can occur.

The episode begins with the Video of the Week with an unusual rescue in Squamish, British Columbia, where two drones helped deliver a rope to a climber stranded about 250 feet up the Stawamus Chief.

Max and David also examine Archer and BETA’s plans for an eVTOL charging network in Texas, the U.S. Army’s challenge of training soldiers to operate tens of thousands of new small drones, and a Boston Police Drone as a First Responder aircraft that crashed onto a parked car days after the program launched.

Later, they discuss Anthropic’s discovery that Claude was being used to assist development of autonomous drone swarm technology, unauthorized drones interfering with CAL FIRE firefighting aircraft, and two extraordinary prison-drone stories—including a drone carrying $31,000 worth of meth that returned toward its launch site and a Korean drug lord's planned jailbreak by drone

Can you build a real business around drones? Michael Parziale has done it in more ways than one.

Michael, founder and team leader of the U.S.A.R. Drone Team, explains how thermal imaging has helped him locate more than 150 missing pets. We talk about how he conducts a nighttime search, identifies animals with thermal cameras, chooses altitudes and search patterns, and what owners pay for a professional drone search.

But pet rescue is only part of Michael's operation. He's trained police drone pilots, worked with agricultural spraying drones, provided free career training for veterans, started a youth drone school, and is now investing heavily in drone light shows.

That last topic leads directly into a major drone-safety story. The NTSB has released its final report on the 500-drone holiday show in Orlando where dozens of drones collided and fell from the sky and one struck a seven-year-old boy, seriously injuring him.

We examine how an incorrect show center, a seven-degree heading error, inconsistent programming among the drones, geofence settings, and inadequate cross-checking combined to produce the accident—and the major safety changes implemented afterward. It's a look at both the opportunities and responsibilities that come with operating drones professionally.

Max and David also discuss a Zipline Drone that came down under a parachute, and a Drone possession ban in Beijing.

The U.S. military has used a high-energy laser to shoot down three drones allegedly operated by drug cartels along the southern border. Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof discuss what the drones may have been doing, the growing use of counter-UAS technology, and the risk of identifying the wrong target.

Video of the Week: Shark Superhighway” Off a North Carolina Beach

Then, a German military counter-drone exercise creates the very kind of aviation hazard it was intended to prevent. A small drone operating near Cologne/Bonn Airport passed only about 92 feet vertically and 30 feet horizontally from a landing Ryanair 737 after a breakdown in coordination between the military and air traffic control.

Amazon is also moving quickly to expand Prime Air drone delivery, with new plans involving Tracy, California, and Richmond, Virginia. The hosts examine Amazon’s enormous MK30 drone and the economics and logistics of drone delivery.

Other stories include SiFly raising $20 million to manufacture its record-setting Q12 quadcopter, DJI maintaining overwhelming dominance among construction-industry drone users, Wing evaluating Nvidia’s newest onboard AI hardware, and a new autonomous-aircraft vertiport at Hollister Municipal Airport.

Finally, Max and David examine what could become a major eVTOL bottleneck: getting enough electrical power to vertiports to recharge multiple aircraft during peak operations.

Drone delivery may finally be moving from an interesting experiment to a mainstream business. Amazon is preparing a major expansion into 500 new locations, while Alphabet’s Wing plans hundreds of delivery locations of its own and Walmart is already delivering by drone from dozens of stores. Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof discuss why 2027 could become a breakout year for drone delivery—and why suburban neighborhoods are likely to see it long before dense urban areas.

Video of the Week: Epic Amazon Drone Delivery Fail

But as drone operations expand, states are starting to see another opportunity: fees. Washington State has increased its commercial drone registration fee and added an aircraft excise tax, bringing the annual cost to roughly $150 per drone. Max examines which other states already impose similar requirements and why operators with large fleets should pay attention.

Also in this episode: Florida develops a massive eVTOL testing and manufacturing hub at SunTrax; Archer plans a downtown Los Angeles vertiport; CoolFly proposes a standing single-person eVTOL; Motorola Solutions spends $1.5 billion on counter-drone company Defend Solutions; the Pentagon tests directed-energy counter-UAS systems; drones seed clouds at 15,000 feet; and rescuers use a drone to locate a dog stranded on a Tennessee cliff.

Uber is making its biggest drone-delivery bet yet, partnering with Zipline as it works toward an extraordinary goal: one million drone deliveries per day. Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof trace Uber Eats' long and sometimes surprising history with drones and discuss why Uber's latest strategy may be to provide the customers while companies such as Zipline, Flytrex and Manna provide the aircraft.

Video of the week: Sports camera drone discovers that hurdles really are obstacles

Then it's on to DARPA's Lift Challenge, where competitors attempted to build aircraft capable of carrying four times their own weight. AVIDrone won with a 3.84-to-1 payload-to-weight ratio, while an unusual DefendTex design demonstrated an astonishing 9.63-to-1 ratio but failed to complete a scored run.

Max and David also examine new U.S. tariffs on imported drones, a Florida program delivering whole blood to emergency scenes by drone, and a Swedish AED drone that arrived before the ambulance and helped save a man's life.

In eVTOL news, Joby makes a $500 million defense acquisition, Eve achieves an important transition-flight milestone, a Pivotal BlackFly carries a paramedic to real 911 calls, and Florida redirects EV-charging funds toward an aerial-highway network.

Archer Aviation has agreed to acquire Boeing’s Wisk Aero, Insitu and SkyGrid businesses in a transaction that could transform Archer from primarily an eVTOL startup into a diversified drone, defense, autonomy and aviation-AI company.

In this special single-topic episode, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof examine why Insitu may actually be the jewel of the deal. The longtime military UAS manufacturer has fielded more than 3,500 aircraft in roughly 35 countries, accumulated approximately 1.6 million operational flight hours and, according to Archer, generates more than $200 million in annual revenue while operating profitably.

That revenue is particularly noteworthy as Archer continues spending heavily while its Midnight eVTOL moves toward certification. Max and David discuss Archer’s latest financial results, its remarkable ability to raise capital, and Boeing’s decision to take a significant equity position rather than simply walk away from these businesses.

They also explore the unanswered future of Wisk’s autonomous Gen 6 eVTOL, Archer’s ZEE aviation AI effort, SkyGrid’s airspace-management technology, Archer Defense and the possibility that all these pieces could eventually form an integrated autonomy ecosystem.

Finally, they consider integration risks, industry consolidation and one unavoidable question for Archer’s biggest eVTOL rival: Joby, what’s your next move?

Max reports from EAA AirVenture’s new Vertical Lift Center, where he gets an up-close look at Joby’s surprisingly large air taxi, the hybrid-electric DTA JP1, SkyFly’s winged personal eVTOL, and Zipline’s steerable delivery pod. His biggest takeaway: advanced air mobility is no longer merely theoretical, and hybrid propulsion is emerging as an important industry trend.

Video of the Week: NYPD drone captures teen subway surfers on video

In the news, two enormous established companies make potentially transformative moves into drones. DoorDash has received an FAA Part 135 certificate and is developing its own delivery aircraft through DoorDash Labs. Max predicts that the company’s restaurant relationships, customer base, logistics network, and increasing vertical integration could eventually make it a dominant force in U.S. drone delivery. Meanwhile, Motorola is using its decades-long relationships with police and fire agencies to enter the Drone as First Responder market.

The episode also examines Archer and Anduril’s military Thunder aircraft, BETA Technologies’ hybrid MV250, Joby’s expanded Virgin Atlantic partnership, and Electra’s planned Ohio manufacturing facility. Federal actions may further accelerate drone delivery and domestic manufacturing. Finally, James City County, Virginia, begins a trial using drones to deliver automated external defibrillators, demonstrating how unmanned aircraft could reach cardiac-arrest patients before conventional emergency responders arrive when every second truly matters.

Buy an AED (automated external defibrillator) for your home.

EAA AirVenture 2026’s new Vertical Lift Center will feature Joby Aviation, Beta Technologies, Wing, Zipline, and other drone and eVTOL innovators. Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof preview the aircraft, demonstrations, and companies bringing advanced air mobility, drone delivery, personal flight, public-safety systems, and agricultural UAS technology to Oshkosh. Beta is scheduled to fly, while Wing, Jetson ONE, and agricultural-drone operators are also expected to demonstrate their aircraft.

The Video of the Week examines a dramatic drone wire strike after a pilot flies beneath a bridge and encounters nearly invisible wires on the far side. Max and David explain why wires remain a serious hazard for drone, helicopter, and low-flying aircraft pilots.

They then discuss a security failure that exposed San Francisco Police Department drone video through a publicly accessible link. The conversation covers privacy, data protection, Skydio’s approval for one operator to supervise four drones, and Minneapolis City Council’s rejection of a free drone-as-first-responder trial.

Another story features an experimental drone that becomes difficult to see by spinning 25 times per second. Finally, Max and David consider whether one serious eVTOL accident could damage public confidence, restrict operations near major airports, and reshape the future of electric air taxis.

The FAA’s proposed framework for routine beyond-visual-line-of-sight drone operations moves closer to publication, raising a controversial question: Could some BVLOS drones receive presumptive right-of-way over crewed aircraft? Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof examine the proposed Part 108 rules, UAS traffic management, detect-and-avoid technology, and the risks posed by low-flying agricultural aircraft and helicopters that may not be electronically visible.

DJI appears throughout the episode. For the Video of the Week: In China, a heavy-lift DJI agricultural drone rescues two people trapped on top of a nearly submerged tanker truck during severe flooding. DJI also tests its winged EV50 electric aircraft near Mount Everest and introduces a parachute system, the Matrice 400, that shuts down the rotors before lowering the drone under canopy.

In eVTOL and advanced-air-mobility news, Electra receives an FAA Part 23 certification basis for the nine-passenger EL9 ultra-short-takeoff aircraft. Vertical Aerospace, however, postpones anticipated certification of its Valo eVTOL from 2028 to 2029.

Additional stories include Zipline prescription deliveries for Cleveland Clinic, an LAPD helicopter collision with a drone, Australian shark-patrol drones, FAA approval for drone-assisted avalanche control, and DJI FlyCart operations carrying supplies and removing more than 20,000 pounds of waste from Mount Everest.

In episode 444 of UAV News Talk, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof announce that the show is returning to a weekly schedule, then dive into a packed week of drone and eVTOL news.

Video of the Week: Max taxiing by the Archer Midnight during testing at Salinas, CA.

They begin with how aerial robotics supported Venezuela after devastating earthquakes, including bridge inspections, thermal imaging for search and rescue, medical supply delivery, communications relay, LIDAR scanning, gas-leak detection, and traffic management.

They then discuss the Pentagon’s move to appoint a drone czar to coordinate drone programs across the military services, followed by the UK’s major new counter-UAS investment to protect British bases after drone surveillance incidents linked to Russian activity.

On the eVTOL side, Max covers Archer Aviation’s new Salinas manufacturing and test hub, plus a proposed four-airport California test corridor linking Salinas, Marina, Hollister, and Watsonville. David highlights Beta Technologies’ electric aircraft demonstration work in Hawaii with Surf Air Mobility and Hawaiian Airlines, and the two discuss Joby and Toyota’s new manufacturing joint venture.

The episode wraps with Sora Aviation’s subscale 30-seat eVTOL demonstrator and a fun final story: drones dropping one million baby oysters in Galveston Bay.

Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof open episode 443 with their Video of the Week. It's a remarkable Sacramento Sheriff’s Office video showing a drone carrying a magnet into a cluttered house to remove a knife from the hand of an apparently unconscious armed suspect. They discuss the flying challenges of carrying a suspended load indoors and whether the magnet could affect the drone.

The episode then turns to eVTOLs, where a new Valour Consultancy forecast projects a much smaller future fleet than earlier air taxi predictions. Max compares the hype to the very light jet boom that never fully materialized, while David points out the continuing problems of infrastructure, regulation, and public acceptance. They also discuss growing eVTOL litigation involving Joby, Archer, Vertical Aerospace, and Wisk, and compare it to historic patent fights in early aviation and other emerging industries.

Drone stories include the FAA breaking ground on an advanced air mobility research facility in Oklahoma City, hundreds of unauthorized drone flights around World Cup-related TFRs, and NASA’s drone transport test using a non-viable human kidney. Both encourage listeners to register now to become an organ donors at RegisterMe.org. They also discuss a drone flown into a tornado, Flock Safety adding drones to license plate camera systems, Irvine police using a drone to find a shoplifter, and Ohio’s first commercial drone-delivered deli lunch.

Can American drone technology compete with DJI? In this episode of UAV News Talk, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof talk with Mike Horton, CEO and co-founder of HYFIX Spatial Intelligence, about U.S.-made drone chips, AI drones, RTK GPS, and the HYFIX H1D drone module.

Mike explains that one of DJI’s biggest advantages is deep electronics integration. Many American drone manufacturers still build drones from separate components: flight controllers, companion computers, radios, IMUs, motor-control boards, GNSS receivers, and AI processors. That approach can work, but it adds weight, cost, complexity, power consumption, and time to market. Mike says DJI’s integrated drone technology helps explain why small, capable DJI drones are so difficult for U.S. companies to match.

The conversation then turns to HYFIX’s H1 chip family, including the H1P positioning and flight-control module and the H1D, which Mike describes as a more complete drone module supporting long-range video, RTK precision positioning, dual-antenna GNSS heading, AI capability, PX4, ROS 2, and GPS-denied visual inertial odometry.

They also discuss U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, drone-in-a-box systems, LEO satellite tracking, FCC rules for tiny Chinese toy drones, and how large drone shows use RTK corrections.

In this episode of UAV News Talk, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof cover a wide range of drone, UAS, counter-drone, and eVTOL stories. They begin with their video-of-the-week: an unusual drone-assisted police story from Louisiana, where officers used a drone to locate a fleeing suspect after he was bitten by an alligator in a swamp.

The show then turns to Wing and Walmart, which are adding seven new drone delivery markets, including Philadelphia and the San Francisco Bay Area. Max and David discuss why dense urban areas and apartment deliveries may be harder than suburban drone delivery.

They also look at the Pentagon’s reported $54 billion drone push, including interest in low-cost, disposable drones from former hobbyists and small companies. Motorola’s $1.5 billion counter-drone acquisition leads to a discussion of rogue drone threats around major events.

Safety takes center stage with Shield AI’s V-BAT after two reported finger-injury incidents involving rotating blades. The episode also covers Vancouver police using Skydio drones linked to body cameras, Honda’s first full-scale eVTOL flight, Volocopter’s light-sport eVTOL plans, BETA’s CTOL strategy, and a feel-good Ukrainian drone rescue of a cat and four kittens.

Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof cover a packed week of drone and eVTOL news, starting with Eve Air Mobility’s latest hover and low-speed flight testing. They discuss how Eve’s Embraer connection and fixed-lift-rotor design differ from Archer and Joby, and why eVTOL certification, infrastructure, and public acceptance may be harder than the aircraft technology itself.

The episode also looks at Archer and Joby’s plans to begin commercial air taxi operations, including the challenge of moving from flight-test success to real-world passenger service. Max and David then shift to drones, including FAA no-drone zones for the FIFA World Cup, possible $100,000 fines, and New York City’s $6.5 million investment in drone mitigation equipment.

They also discuss DJI’s independent security assessment, the potential impact of U.S. restrictions on public safety agencies and drone businesses, and the Department of Defense’s directed-energy counter-drone program using lasers and high-powered microwave systems.

The episode wraps with two unusual drone stories: the Vivid Sydney drone show failure that sent dozens of drones into Darling Harbour, and a Reddit story about a drone returning with a swarm of bees.

David Vanderhoof returns to UAV News Talk after a six-month medical hiatus, joining Max Trescott for a wide-ranging discussion of drones, counter-UAS challenges, and the future of eVTOL air taxis.

Max and David begin with David’s kidney transplant story and his return to the American Helicopter Museum, then move into the Air Force’s planned retirement of the MQ-9 Reaper and the military’s shift toward cheaper, attritable drones. They discuss Shahed-style drones reportedly heading to Cuba, their potential range, and why that raises uncomfortable echoes of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The episode then turns to counter-drone security, including FBI preparations for the 2026 World Cup, the difficulty of protecting stadiums, and a drone report near the Dumbarton Bridge at 4,200 feet near San Francisco arrival traffic. Max and David explain why detecting a drone is often easier than safely stopping one.

On the eVTOL side, they discuss Archer and Joby air taxi predictions, powered-lift pilot training, New York vertiport infrastructure, and the estimated $16.6 billion advanced air mobility infrastructure gap. The episode closes with a Florida couple accused of burning a neighbor’s DJI drone, proving once again that drone privacy disputes can get expensive fast.

Max Trescott talks with David Hall, founder and CEO of Velodyne Space, about a new approach to counter-UAS defense that focuses on capturing drones using LiDAR, nets, and parachutes instead of destroying them.

Hall begins by explaining LiDAR—Light Detection and Ranging—and how it measures distance by timing how long it takes for pulses of light to travel out and return. While LiDAR has existed for decades, Hall describes how his work during the DARPA Grand Challenge helped transform LiDAR from slow, single-beam mapping tools into spinning, multi-beam systems capable of real-time 3D perception. Those systems made it possible for autonomous vehicles to reliably understand their surroundings and plan motion in real time.

Initially, Hall experimented with camera-based vision systems for self-driving vehicles, but he found they were easily confused by reflections, shadows, and visual artifacts. Writing software to compensate for every failure mode quickly became impractical. LiDAR offered a fundamentally different solution by providing direct distance measurements rather than inferred depth. By stacking dozens of laser beams vertically and rotating the entire sensor to achieve 360-degree coverage, Hall created a top-down, real-time view of the environment that proved autonomy was achievable.

That experience—combining sensing, computation, and mechanical systems—eventually led Hall into the world of counter-UAS. Roughly a decade ago, he began exploring electromagnetic launch technology as an alternative to rockets for space launch. While studying high-power coil-based systems, Hall realized the same technology could be applied to a much more immediate problem: stopping drones.

As drones have become more capable and more accessible, they’ve also become harder to defeat. Hall explains that many counter-UAS systems rely on electronic warfare techniques such as RF jamming, GNSS interference, or cyber takeover. These approaches can fail against autonomous drones or drones controlled via fiber-optic cables, which are increasingly common in conflict zones. Kinetic approaches, on the other hand, risk sending heavy debris falling into populated areas.

Hall’s solution is a capture-based counter-UAS system. Instead of disabling a drone and letting it fall, the system fires a net that physically entangles the aircraft. Once captured, a parachute deploys, slowing the descent so the drone can fall safely even in populated environments. This makes the system particularly attractive for airports, cities, and other civilian infrastructure, where safety and liability are critical concerns.

The system relies on a layered sensing approach. Cameras combined with AI identify drones and distinguish them from birds, while LiDAR provides precise range information needed to time the net deployment. Hall explains that LiDAR doesn’t need millimeter-level precision in this application; knowing distance within a few feet is sufficient to ensure the net opens at exactly the right moment. This combination allows the system to engage drones at distances approaching a thousand feet or more.

A key advantage of the electromagnetic launcher is its rate of fire. Because the launcher can fire multiple low-cost nets per second, it can repeatedly engage a drone until one net successfully captures it. This capability also makes the system viable against drone swarms, which Hall believes represent one of the most serious emerging threats. Instead of relying on a single, high-value interceptor, the system overwhelms the problem with volume and repetition.

Hall discusses the markets most likely to adopt capture-based counter-UAS systems, including airports—where a single drone sighting can shut down operations at enormous cost—prisons facing contraband delivery by drone, border security operations, and large public venues vulnerable to coordinated drone attacks. He also notes that visible counter-UAS defenses can act as a deterrent, discouraging drone operators from attempting incursions in the first place.

The current system is vehicle-mounted, with a turret that deploys from the roof and draws power from an onboard electric battery system. Hall estimates that a fully equipped system could cost under one million dollars, with ongoing costs driven primarily by the expendable nets rather than the launcher itself.

This episode explores why capturing drones with LiDAR, nets, and parachutes may fill a critical gap between electronic and kinetic counter-UAS systems—and why civilian-safe drone defense is becoming an urgent priority.

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Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof tackle an unexpected reversal in global drone production and a growing crisis for the hobbyist drone community. The show opens with a headline few would have predicted a decade ago: Ukraine negotiating to produce drones for the U.S. military.

David explains that after years of battlefield innovation, Ukrainian engineers have become world leaders in low-cost first-person-view (FPV) and kamikaze drone design. The proposal, reported by The War Zone, envisions a five-year, $50 billion program to produce up to 10 million drones annually. These aren’t large Predator-style aircraft but lightweight, single-use drones capable of swarming and overwhelming defenses. Max notes that instead of replacing airplanes, these weapons replace artillery shells, changing the economics and tactics of warfare. Both hosts see the deal as a remarkable symbol of Ukraine’s technical maturity—and a reminder that the U.S. may now be learning from a nation at war rather than supplying it.

The second story turns domestic and controversial. Several California cities used drones to catch illegal fireworks, leading to fines exceeding $300,000 for one homeowner whose show produced 300 explosions. Each was recorded and counted by a city-operated drone at $1,000 per violation. David raises constitutional questions about warrantless aerial surveillance, while Max points out the state’s wildfire risk that motivates strict enforcement. They compare cities such as Brea and Anaheim, which issued much smaller or even zero citations, and wonder how long it will take before courts define what’s legal when drones are used for neighborhood enforcement.

Next, Max introduces a topic from his home state of Pennsylvania. A local hunter used a drone to locate a wounded deer, prompting fines that were later dismissed. A state senator now proposes changing wildlife regulations to permit drone searches for downed game. David, also from Pennsylvania, notes that under current law, using “artificial means” such as a drone for tracking is prohibited. Max jokes that a drone large enough to lift a hundred-pound deer out of the woods would certainly attract attention—but admits it could save hunters’ backs and even lives.

The duo then contrasts Pennsylvania’s reform effort with Kentucky’s new ban on using drones for any hunting or fishing activity. Kentucky allows UAVs only for research, enforcement, or removing invasive carp. David observes that ranchers in Texas and Oklahoma already use drones to herd cattle, highlighting how every state is creating its own patchwork of rules. Max predicts that, just as right-on-red traffic laws eventually became standardized, federal guidance will probably harmonize drone-wildlife laws within a decade.

Humor keeps the conversation lively—Max quips that the FAA’s jurisdiction over fishing would only apply to “flying fish.” But their closing story is no joke. They discuss an article warning that the American drone-hobby industry faces an accessibility crisis. With DJI products banned from federal use and dwindling retail stock, newcomers are finding it harder to buy affordable, high-quality drones. The lack of alternatives, combined with strict FAA rules, could shrink the pipeline of young pilots and engineers who might otherwise build future aerospace systems.

Max reads data showing that high-school drone programs help students master UAV systems within hours once they enter military service. David adds that at his local helicopter museum, “Learn to Fly a Drone” classes remain their most popular STEM offering, teaching kids to handle quadcopters safely and even take one home. Both agree that restricting hobby drones doesn’t just affect weekend flyers—it threatens STEM education, workforce development, and national innovation.

By episode’s end, David’s cold has nearly silenced him, but the discussion leaves listeners energized about the future of drones—from Ukraine’s mass-production lines to the next generation of American technologists. Max and David signs off and remind listeners why UAV News Talk remains the go-to podcast for drone technology, policy, and the people shaping the sky ahead.

Episode 436 of UAV News Talk dives into global security, emerging automation, and the effects of Washington’s budget stalemate on the future of flight. Hosts Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof examine how nations, defense contractors, and innovators are redefining drone policy and autonomy at the same moment that the FAA’s own progress is slowed by the ongoing government shutdown.

The show opens with the news that Germany has approved new counter-UAS authority allowing police to neutralize unmanned aircraft threatening airports and public safety. Max and David debate whether “shoot down” literally means gunfire or refers to electronic jamming and interceptor drones. Max notes that rogue drones have forced multiple Munich Airport closures—172 incidents in 2025 alone—leaving thousands of passengers stranded. David links the policy to Germany’s proximity to the Ukraine conflict, where drone incursions have heightened sensitivity across Europe. The hosts agree that while the measure feels drastic, persistent incursions make formal counter-drone rules inevitable.

Next, the discussion turns to a futuristic retail-security concept: autonomous drones that pursue shoplifters once they leave a store. The hosts describe how “drone-in-a-box” platforms—similar to systems now deployed for school-campus emergencies—could track suspects until police arrive. Max imagines Apple Stores or high-end jewelers using such tools, while David questions cost and privacy implications. They joke about criminals splitting up so a single drone can follow only one thief. The takeaway: aerial surveillance is extending from military to consumer sectors, and regulation will soon need to catch up.

In one of the episode’s most popular segments, Sikorsky unveils the U-Hawk, an autonomous variant of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The cockpit has been removed entirely, replaced by cargo-bay clamshell doors for vehicles or supplies. David calls it “a major step beyond optionally piloted,” while Max compares it with Skyryse Aviation’s SkyOS, which retrofits existing aircraft for unmanned flight. Drawing from his own visit to Skyryse’s Southern California facility, Max explains how their flight-automation suite can be adapted to both helicopters and fixed-wing platforms. The hosts discuss potential missions—resupply, firefighting, and hazardous evacuations—and note that Boeing is exploring similar automation for the CH-47 Chinook. The ability to deploy heavy-lift helicopters without pilots, they say, could transform both logistics and combat operations.

A long-running puzzle also gets closure: the mysterious nighttime drone sightings over New Jersey that drew public complaints and congressional attention. New reports reveal that a private defense contractor conducted classified U.S. Army UAS demonstrations, accounting for many of the sightings. The hosts appreciate finally having an answer but point out that such secrecy fuels conspiracy theories and misidentifications. Still, it’s a reminder that rapid testing is happening just beyond public view.

From defense to commercial innovation, the conversation shifts to Archer Aviation’s new partnerships. In Korea, Archer and Korean Air will run urban-air-mobility (UAM) trials, marking one of Asia’s most advanced eVTOL collaborations. In the U.S., Archer becomes the official air-taxi partner for the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission, aligning the company with the 2026 World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl LXIX, and 2028 Olympics. Max notes that Los Angeles—with vast geography and hundreds of heliports—offers better infrastructure for eVTOLs than compact, high-rise cities like New York. David recalls the 1984 Olympics’ traffic gridlock and imagines VIPs flying above the congestion in Archer’s Midnight aircraft by the time the next Games arrive.

Then comes a lighter story: the Janus 1, a foldable, man-portable tandem-rotor helicopter weighing 70 kilograms (154 lbs). You can watch a video of it flying here. It’s essentially a “flying lawn chair,” says David, but one that could aid isolated troops or appeal to experimental aviators. Max dissects its teetering two-blade rotor—similar to Robinson helicopters—for its simplicity and low cost, while speculating that its symmetrical design inspired the name Janus, after the Roman god who looks both forward and back. The hosts agree that even if it never goes commercial, it showcases the creative energy surging through small-scale VTOL design.

Finally, Max explains how the ongoing U.S. government shutdown is affecting aviation oversight. Essential safety functions continue, but rulemaking and certification for new aircraft have slowed. FAA engineers, committees, and inter-agency partners are furloughed, delaying type certificates, airworthiness approvals, and BVLOS waivers. David warns that Europe and Asia could gain a competitive edge if the backlog persists. Even after reopening, he says, catching up could take months. Both hosts remain optimistic that Congress will resolve funding soon, allowing innovation to resume.

Episode 436 captures the global pulse of UAVs and advanced air mobility in late 2025—Europe tightening laws, the U.S. pushing autonomy, Asia expanding UAM, and Washington’s gridlock slowing progress. With equal parts insight and humor, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof continue to make complex drone news accessible for pilots, engineers, and enthusiasts worldwide.

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Max talks with David Vanderhoof in Episode 435 of UAV News Talk about an especially busy week in drone, eVTOL, and military UAV news. The episode covers new FAA certifications, autonomous launch systems, solar-powered endurance flights, Chinese technology in Africa, U.S. counter-drone readiness, and even a domestic security case involving explosives and drones. Together, these stories paint a vivid picture of how fast the unmanned aviation sector is evolving — and where the biggest opportunities and threats lie.

The first headline is the Israeli company AIR receiving an FAA experimental airworthiness certificate for its AIR One eVTOL. This isn’t the final approval needed for commercial operations, but it marks a critical milestone. The certificate allows AIR to expand its flight envelope testing in Florida — flying higher, faster, and with more maneuvering limits than before. Max explains that with this certificate, companies can begin validating systems under real-world conditions and build marketing buzz through legitimate flight footage.

However, limitations remain: only essential crew can be onboard. No journalists, investors, or passengers are allowed until type certification and a production certificate are granted. David points out discrepancies in reported pre-orders — one source cites 150, another 2,500 — and the hosts remind listeners that early order numbers in this industry often need to be taken with caution.

Max ties the discussion to the FAA’s MOSAIC rules for light-sport aircraft, which broaden certification pathways. These rules may make it easier for eVTOL manufacturers like AIR to secure final certification. For UAV enthusiasts and future pilots, this means the barriers to entry are slowly lowering, even if the process is still measured in years rather than months.

The second story introduces a “drone in a box” platform from Germany’s Skycar. This portable autonomous launch and recovery system can be mounted on trucks, ships, or rigid-hulled inflatable boats. Inside the box: a drone, charging system, and comms suite. Two models are supported, including the R70 SkyRanger, which can fly at up to 100 km/h.

Max and David highlight how this technology, initially aimed at military markets, could quickly spill into commercial applications. Imagine delivery companies like UPS or Amazon mounting these on vehicles, enabling drones to launch, deliver, and recharge without human intervention. First responders could also benefit, deploying drones at wildfire scenes, active shooter incidents, or rescue operations. Even lifeguards or cruise ships might one day use such systems for rapid deployment of flotation devices or surveillance.

The takeaway is that “drone in a box” technology represents a turnkey UAV ecosystem — plug it into any vehicle, and suddenly it’s drone-enabled.

Next, the hosts discuss the U.S. Navy and SkyDweller Aero’s successful high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) UAV test at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Powered by solar energy, the UAV stayed aloft for more than 73 continuous hours. Max compares this to Solar Impulse’s world-circumnavigation, noting that daytime solar climbs and nighttime battery descents make such endurance possible.

David emphasizes the military significance: persistent surveillance over a battlespace for three days straight. Unlike satellites, which pass overhead only periodically, HALE UAVs can loiter over a target area for extended periods, making them invaluable for ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance).

Challenges remain: the huge wings required for solar panels limit where the UAV can operate, and structural fragility makes turbulence a risk. But the Navy’s test demonstrates that solar endurance UAVs could fill roles once reserved for P-3 Orions or P-8 Poseidons — at a fraction of the cost.

The show then turns to China’s EHang, which completed its first autonomous passenger eVTOL demonstration in Rwanda. Government officials, including Rwanda’s president, observed the flight. While it was largely symbolic, it underscores China’s push to expand its low-altitude economy influence beyond Asia and into Africa.

Max notes that although EHang claims over 73,000 safe flights, questions remain about how many involved passengers. Still, it’s clear EHang is ahead of U.S. companies in terms of international demos. David adds that Rwanda’s relatively uncongested airspace may make it easier to adopt pilotless eVTOLs than in places like New York or London.

Both hosts admit they’d eventually like to ride in one — but only after many others have tested it first.

The next topic is sobering: a new report says the U.S. military is not prepared for large-scale low-cost drone threats like those seen in Ukraine and the Middle East. Expensive systems like Sidewinders aren’t cost-effective against $2,500 quadcopters.

Fortunately, innovations are underway. At Eglin AFB, the Air Force tested the APKWS (Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System) on F-15s. By converting unguided Hydra rockets into guided weapons, each fighter can carry dozens of low-cost munitions instead of only a handful of high-end missiles. Max calls this a smart adaptation for asymmetric warfare, where cheap drones can overwhelm even the most advanced aircraft.

The final major story covers a chilling domestic case. A 24-year-old man pled guilty after plotting to use a C-4-laden drone to attack power substations. The FBI, using undercover operatives, allowed the plan to progress to the point where the drone was powered up before stepping in. Thankfully, no attack occurred, but the case highlights how dual-use UAV technology can be weaponized.

David reflects on how easily hobby drones can be repurposed for harm, echoing lessons from Ukraine where small quadcopters wreak havoc. Max recalls seeing early RC drone battles and feeling uneasy about technology designed to destroy itself rather than innovate for good.

The episode ends with lighter anecdotes: an RC plane accident at a California airshow and the benefits of AMA membership for insurance. Max shares how his wife encouraged him to take up RC flying — the hobby that led him into drones and, eventually, UAV News Talk itself.

Max and David reunite for UAV News Talk episode 434, bringing listeners a wide-ranging discussion on the latest UAV, eVTOL, and rotorcraft developments.

FAA Advisory Circular on Powered-Lift

They start with the FAA’s release of AC 21-17-4, the long-awaited certification guidance for powered-lift aircraft. Max explains how this 64-page document emphasizes performance-based outcomes rather than prescriptive design rules. Much of the content resides in Appendix A, covering equipment from cockpit voice recorders to flight data recorders. The standout requirement: aircraft must withstand impacts from a four-pound bird—a test historically performed with frozen chickens fired from “chicken guns.” David points out that eVTOLs, operating at lower altitudes, will likely encounter more bird strikes than traditional aircraft, making the requirement especially relevant.

Joby Acquires Blade Passenger Business

The hosts then dive into Joby Aviation’s $125 million acquisition of Blade’s passenger business. Blade, known for helicopter and charter flights around Manhattan, gives Joby an existing customer base, operational infrastructure, and valuable experience. Max and David consider how quickly wealthy corporate travelers might switch from Sikorsky and Bell helicopters to Joby’s quieter eVTOLs. They expect a mixed fleet for years, with pricing likely used as an incentive to encourage adoption. The acquisition excludes Blade’s medical transport division but secures its premium commuter routes.

China’s Two-Ton eVTOL

China’s aviation industry stunned observers with the unveiling of a two-ton eVTOL. Although the aircraft carries 880 pounds of payload—comparable to a Robinson R44—Max notes the figure is underwhelming relative to the aircraft’s size. David highlights its 124 mph cruising speed and one-hour endurance, branding it part of China’s new “low-altitude economy.” Max contrasts U.S. and European reserve requirements for electric aircraft, noting that European operators can fly with only a 10-minute reserve, boosting usable endurance. They also reference the FAA’s MOSAIC rules, which propose pilot certificates requiring just 20 hours of training for simplified eVTOL controls—though both hosts believe real-world training times will be closer to 40 hours.

Ukraine’s Drone Bicycle Rescue

In a dramatic wartime innovation, Ukraine used drones to deliver electric bicycles to a soldier trapped behind enemy lines. After multiple attempts, including one foiled by a landmine, the soldier finally escaped thanks to the unusual delivery. Max appreciates this rare “good news” drone story, contrasting it with the common use of UAVs as weapons. David likens the aerial surveillance role to Vietnam-era A-1 Skyraiders providing overwatch during rescues.

Boeing Lawsuit and Startup Dispute

The discussion shifts to Boeing’s legal troubles with Zunum Aero, a Seattle-based hybrid-electric startup. After bankruptcy, Zunum sued Boeing for intellectual property theft. Though the case has bounced between rulings, the Ninth Circuit reinstated a $72 million verdict against Boeing, highlighting concerns about the aerospace giant’s corporate practices.

Waterfall Rescue with Drones and Helicopters

Finally, the hosts cover a California hiker who spent days trapped behind a waterfall in the Sequoia National Forest. Drones first located him before a sheriff’s helicopter hoisted him to safety. David jokes about future quadcopters equipped with hoists, while Max cautions hikers about the Seven Teacups Trail. The story reinforces the growing synergy between UAVs and helicopters in rescue operations.

Please check out these other podcasts in the Aviation News Talk Network:

Aviation News Talk

Rotary Wing Show Podcast 

NTSB News Talk 

BVLOS rules, school safety drones, NASA’s Mars helicopters, and Michigan’s 40-mile drone research skyway take center stage in UAV News Talk episode 433, hosted by Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof. The discussion begins with the newly introduced LIFT Act—short for Leading Innovation in Flight Technology Act—proposed by Representative Jen Kiggans of Virginia on July 24, 2025. The bill would compel the Department of Transportation to accelerate FAA rulemaking for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations. The hosts explore how AI could be used to speed approvals, contrasting deterministic AI rule-checking with generative AI’s potential for errors, and weighing how this fits—or clashes—with the FAA’s traditionally deliberate safety-first approach.

Next, the conversation shifts to Florida’s plan to trial armed drones for school security. Developed by Campus Guardian Angel, these drones would be stored on-site in protective boxes and launched within seconds to engage an active shooter—potentially firing powder pellets to incapacitate the suspect. Max and David raise practical questions about launch authority, piloting, targeting in chaotic conditions, and operational control from a central dispatch center. They note the program’s $1,000-per-month cost and early deployments in four Florida school districts and one Texas university.

Video of the Week: A vivid example of drones aiding law enforcement—a Scottsboro, Alabama thermal video showing the nighttime capture of an attempted murder suspect hiding beside railroad tracks. The video’s bright, detailed imagery stands out from typical black-and-white thermal feeds, illustrating drones’ growing value in search and apprehension.

From terrestrial policing to interplanetary exploration, the episode dives into NASA’s ambitious proposal to send six helicopters to Mars. Building on the Ingenuity mission’s unexpected 72-flight success, the new fleet could haul 11 pounds each, operate autonomously, and even act as communication relays to extend range. The hosts discuss rotor speed adjustments for Mars’ thin atmosphere, coaxial rotor benefits, and lessons from Ingenuity’s final hard landing caused by a rotor strike.

Back on Earth, Michigan unveils its M Air Research Skyway—a 40-mile-long drone corridor enabling BVLOS operations, swarm testing, and drone traffic management (UTM) development. The University of Michigan’s engineering programs, private partners, and state agencies will collaborate to test delivery drones, advanced operations, and multi-drone coordination in a controlled yet realistic environment. Max notes the unique scale compared to most U.S. university programs, and David speculates on potential eVTOL or medical delivery applications.

The episode wraps with a look at China’s booming “low-altitude economy” and its newly recognized profession: drone flight planner. With over 247,000 licensed drone operators and 2.17 million drones registered, China sees structured planning roles as key to safety and efficiency. Max compares these figures with the United States’ 460,000 Part 107 pilots and 822,000 registered drones, and the hosts discuss differences in regulatory pace and industry growth.

Packed with policy developments, technology advances, and global industry insights, UAV News Talk 433 delivers essential updates for drone pilots, UAS professionals, and anyone tracking the future of unmanned aviation.

In Episode 432 of UAV News Talk, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof explore the evolving role of drones in public events, law enforcement, and emergency response—highlighting both their growing utility and the risks of poor coordination. Titled "Drone Fireworks, Police UAVs, and a Black Hawk Crash in Texas," this episode covers breaking drone news from California and Texas, trends in UAV policing, and innovations in helicopter autonomy from Sikorsky and Skyryse.

The episode opens with Max sharing a personal story about diving back into ham radio and noting the crossover with FPV drone pilots who use amateur radio frequencies for extended range. It’s a humorous but insightful segue into the broader theme: drones are becoming essential tools in unexpected places, from backyard hobbies to high-stakes public safety operations.

🎆 Drones Replace Fireworks in San Jose

The first major story is about San Jose, California, where a last-minute shift from traditional fireworks to a July 4th drone light show occurred following a major fireworks factory fire in the Central Valley. With pyrotechnics canceled, city officials quickly pivoted to a drone display. The mayor noted that the cost of drone shows is “comparable to fireworks,” depending on the number of drones used. Max and David discuss how drone shows have grown increasingly sophisticated, but viewers should be aware that real-time transitions between drone formations are slower than what’s shown in sped-up YouTube clips.

Drone light shows are not just a visual marvel—they’re also a safer and more sustainable alternative to traditional fireworks. This switch is becoming part of a national trend, particularly in fire-prone areas like California. But San Jose’s drone integration didn’t stop at entertainment.

🚨 Police Drones Monitor Illegal Fireworks

San Jose also deployed police UAVs to monitor for illegal fireworks across the city, joining another California municipality doing the same. Max shares how drone surveillance is increasingly used to spot unlawful activity on holidays like the Fourth of July. David warns hobbyists against the temptation to fly drones into fireworks displays for viral footage, noting that it’s both dangerous and illegal.

These developments tie into a larger trend: law enforcement agencies across California are embracing drones as essential tools for first response. Max and David detail programs in San Jose, Alameda County, Elk Grove, and Los Angeles, where drones are now dispatched to emergency scenes—sometimes arriving before officers 74% of the time, as was the case in Elk Grove.

Drones are being used to safely observe volatile situations like domestic disputes and fleeing suspects. In one example from San Leandro, UAVs tracked a suspect hiding under a box in a backyard, guiding officers to the location with minimal risk. Applications also include search and rescue, missing persons, and real-time crowd monitoring.

👁️ Privacy Concerns and the Future of Police UAVs

While the benefits are clear, David raises privacy concerns, such as whether UAV-collected evidence is admissible in court or if warrants are required. The discussion highlights future scenarios where drones equipped with AI and facial recognition technology could misidentify individuals, leading to false arrests.

Max compares this to helicopters used by NYPD during 9/11, which had long-range surveillance capabilities. The same tech is now migrating to drones, which are cheaper to operate and able to hover closer to the action.

🚁 Black Hawk vs. Drone: Collision in Texas Flood Zone

The most serious story in the episode comes from Kerr County, Texas, where a drone collided with a Bell 206 helicopter during a search-and-rescue mission in flood conditions. Thankfully, no one was injured, but the collision underscores the risks of deploying UAVs without coordination. The drone was reportedly operating without proper integration into the rescue efforts.

Max and David stress the importance of respecting Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) and coordinating with emergency services. Unauthorized drones have repeatedly grounded firefighting aircraft during wildfires and now threaten helicopter rescue crews in flood zones. The hosts remind licensed drone pilots to fly responsibly, especially during emergencies.

🤖 Sikorsky’s AI-Powered Black Hawk: Autonomy in Rotorcraft

From disaster to innovation, the episode turns to Sikorsky’s announcement about advancing AI-driven autonomous flight for their H-60 Black Hawk helicopters. David explains how the Black Hawk is now being tested as an optionally piloted aircraft—capable of flying with or without a human pilot. This would allow military operators to use the aircraft in dangerous or high-tempo environments without risking human lives.

Max highlights how companies like Skyryse are also transforming helicopters. He shares insights from his FLYING Magazine article on Skyryse's retrofitted autonomous R66 helicopter, controlled via a single joystick with all traditional flight controls removed. Max had the opportunity to fly the simulator and compares it to a standard R66 experience.

The appeal of retrofitting existing, certified platforms like the Black Hawk or R66 is that it fast-tracks deployment. Instead of waiting years for eVTOL aircraft to be certified, these aircraft already have flight-proven designs and infrastructure.

🧩 From Kitty Hawks to Flying Cars at the Helicopter Museum

David wraps up with an inside look at the American Helicopter Museum near Philadelphia, which recently acquired two Kitty Hawk Flyers, early eVTOL prototypes meant for recreational use over water. Though commercially unsuccessful, they’re now hands-on exhibits for the public. He also previews upcoming museum displays focused on Naval and Marine Corps rotorcraft history and encourages listeners to visit helicoptermuseum.org.

Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof dive into the future of drone delivery in Episode 431 of UAV News Talk. Max shares his firsthand experience receiving multiple packages via drone as part of a pilot program from Matternet, a Mountain View, California-based drone logistics company. After visiting Matternet’s headquarters and observing the behind-the-scenes operations, Max witnessed the packaging, pre-flight procedures, and live flight operations, including the dispatch and precise delivery of chocolate bars and snacks.

Matternet’s program currently serves residents in Mountain View and Sunnyvale, delivering small items such as chocolates and drinks for free as part of a test initiative to gather feedback and flight data. Max details how customers apply to join the program, undergo a home site survey, and then place orders via a website. Deliveries are tracked in real time, and drones use tethers to gently lower packages into designated clear areas, where they automatically release the payload and return to base.

Listeners hear live audio from Matternet staff explaining how deliveries are prepared, packaged, and executed under the watchful eye of a remote pilot monitoring telemetry and airspace conditions. Max describes the system’s precision and automation—including launchpads, a “mushroom-shaped” autonomous docking hub for future point-to-point missions, and how flight plans are uploaded for mostly autonomous execution.

The drones, significantly larger than consumer quadcopters, are equipped with carbon fiber propellers and make a lower-pitched, deeper noise due to their larger rotors spinning at lower RPMs. The box itself, constructed of cardboard with padded interiors, is pristine upon arrival, having avoided the rough handling common in traditional delivery systems.

David questions the economics of drone delivery, especially for low-cost items like chocolate, and Max suggests the long-term potential lies in delivering high-value or time-sensitive items, such as medical samples. They discuss how drone delivery is expanding, with Amazon, DoorDash, and companies like Flytrex, Zipline, and Alphabet’s Wing offering services in cities like Phoenix, College Station, and Dallas-Fort Worth.

While drone delivery is advancing, both hosts acknowledge challenges remain—including weather, regulatory hurdles, noise concerns, and public perception. Max’s takeaway: while drone delivery isn’t yet widespread, real-world operations like Matternet’s signal that UAV logistics are finally reaching the cusp of mainstream adoption.

Mentioned in the Show

Matternet

390 Electric Airplane Test Flight: Max Trescott Reviews the Bristell B23 Energic

In episode 430 of UAV News Talk, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof return from vacation with urgent news and safety concerns in the drone industry. The episode opens with a major headline: the DJI Mavic 4 Pro is not available in the United States. Although the drone boasts high-end specs—including a 6K camera and improved flight performance—it’s currently unavailable in the U.S. due to concerns about data security and alleged ties between DJI and the Chinese government.

The ban stems from a long-standing effort by U.S. government agencies to restrict the use of DJI drones, especially after reports emerged that some DJI models were transmitting sensitive data back to China. The Pentagon, in particular, flagged DJI as a national security risk. In light of this, many online resellers and websites claiming to sell the Mavic 4 Pro may be scams. Max warns of fake DJI websites offering steep discounts, unauthorized sellers providing units without warranty coverage, and used drones that are “bricked” due to being locked to previous owners' DJI accounts. Buyers are urged to verify the source before purchasing any DJI drone—especially when new models are not officially available.

Next, the discussion shifts to drone battery fires, a serious issue affecting both hobbyist and commercial UAV operators. Max highlights a recent vehicle fire in Mountain View, California, caused by a drone battery left charging on the passenger seat of a truck. Though the fire was extinguished quickly and injuries were minor, it serves as a critical reminder of the dangers associated with charging LiPo (lithium polymer) batteries in enclosed or flammable environments.

In a separate and more devastating incident, a house in Kenosha County, Wisconsin was completely destroyed by a fire linked to drone batteries charging unattended. Tragically, several pets were lost in the blaze. According to reports, the batteries were connected to a newly purchased six-foot drone, and the homeowner had left them charging for hours while away from home. The episode underscores the importance of charging drone batteries only in safe, monitored locations—preferably on a non-flammable surface such as concrete and never inside unattended vehicles or homes.

From fire hazards to electric flight innovation, Max and David then explore the historic cross-Atlantic flight of Beta Technologies’ Alia electric aircraft. The Beta Alia CX300, a fixed-wing eVTOL aircraft, is currently touring Europe and made headlines for flying across the Irish Sea under VFR rules. Its final destination is Bristow Helicopters in Norway, a company known for operating offshore flights to oil platforms.

The Alia’s 250-nautical-mile range—significantly farther than most other electric VTOL aircraft—positions it as a promising alternative to traditional helicopters. Max notes that replacing helicopters for short regional missions is one of the most realistic and cost-effective early use cases for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The Beta Alia also features fixed wings to improve lift and efficiency during cruise, giving it a hybrid profile that blends characteristics of both airplanes and helicopters.

In defense-related drone news, the episode also covers the U.S. Department of Defense’s recent unveiling of two “loyal wingman” drone programs—the QF-42 and QF-44. These autonomous fighter drones are designed to fly alongside manned aircraft like the upcoming F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance fighter, providing added firepower, surveillance capability, and operational safety. David notes that these aircraft are in the pre-production phase and may be deployed in the coming years as force multipliers in high-risk combat zones.

The rise of autonomous military drones is reshaping battlefield tactics, and even U.S. ground troops are training to evade detection from enemy drones. A recent report reveals that the U.S. Army is now showing new recruits how they appear to enemy UAVs during surveillance missions, emphasizing the importance of movement discipline and cover when drones are overhead.

On the civilian side, Max discusses a new product from uAvionix called SkyAlert—a wearable aircraft detection system designed for drone pilots and visual observers. The compact device receives dual-band ADS-B signals and gives real-time audio and visual alerts when manned aircraft are nearby. This enhances safety during drone operations, especially in mixed-use airspace near airports or urban areas. SkyAlert integrates with several popular electronic flight bag (EFB) apps like ForeFlight, SkyDemon, and OzRunways. Although still on pre-order, its $499 price point may appeal to commercial operators and professional drone pilots seeking an added layer of situational awareness.

While wearable drone safety tech shows promise, Max and David debate whether alarm fatigue or sensory overload could diminish its effectiveness. Drawing parallels to over-complicated aircraft cockpits, they emphasize the need for smart filtering and possibly automated drone responses, such as auto-landing when a threat is detected.

The episode closes with a tease for next week: Max received two drone deliveries to his front lawn—not deliveries of drones he purchased, but actual drones lowering deliveries into place and flying off. This real-world experience with drone delivery services will be the focus of the next episode.

From DJI drone bans and battery fire safety tips to electric aircraft innovation and military UAV trends, episode 430 offers a comprehensive look at the evolving landscape of drone technology. Whether you fly drones recreationally, operate commercially, or are simply fascinated by aerospace innovation, please tell your friends about UAV News Talk, and encourage them to listen.

Episode 429 marks a major milestone for the podcast formerly known as The UAV Digest, soon to be relaunched as UAV News Talk. Max Flight and David Vanderhoof return to the mic after a long hiatus to introduce new co-host Max Trescott, known for his work on the Aviation News Talk podcast and expertise in both fixed-wing and helicopter flying.

The episode opens with a nostalgic look back to 2013, when Max Flight and David launched the show to cover the then-emerging drone landscape without overwhelming their other podcast, Airplane Geeks. They describe how the show evolved as they educated themselves and listeners about drone technology, regulations, and culture—sometimes even poking fun at questionable UAV behavior in their humorous “Grounded Files.”

Max Trescott shares his excitement for the relaunch and the evolving UAV and eVTOL landscape near his home in California. He describes spotting test aircraft like Joby and Archer’s eVTOLs during recent flights and highlights how the focus is now shifting from promise to actual operations, citing companies like Matternet that are actively making deliveries.

Please take our listener survey by going to theuavdigest.com/survey

We greatly appreciate your feedback!

UAV News Stories Covered

1. SciFly’s novel UAV design, which mimics helicopter performance using large, overlapping rotors, airfoil-shaped arms, and variable-pitch blades. The team praises its engineering and endurance (a two-hour hover test), while noting it depends on government contracts and future funding.
2. Lyten’s lithium-sulfur battery technology, which promises lightweight, cobalt-free energy solutions better aligned with national defense needs. They discuss the geopolitical implications of battery sourcing and the importance of secure U.S.-based supply chains.
3. Jetson ONE, a personal eVTOL dubbed the “flying motorcycle,” boasting joystick controls, 63 mph speeds, and 20 minutes of flight time. Max Trescott raises safety concerns, emphasizing the need for operational limits and robust pilot training—even for intuitive aircraft.
4. Abu Dhabi’s hybrid heliport initiative, designed to accommodate both helicopters and eVTOLs. The group agrees that infrastructure development is essential for advanced air mobility, especially in cities like New York where vertiport space is scarce. They praise the UAE’s leadership and view it as a model for global adoption.

Throughout the conversation, the hosts reflect on how UAV imagery has shifted over the years—from predator drones to quadcopters to today’s sleek eVTOLs. They also touch on persistent challenges, such as restricted flight zones, FAA registration, and airspace integration.

The episode wraps with Max Flight officially passing the baton to Trescott and offering encouragement: stay curious, have fun, and involve the community. The team announces a listener survey at theuavdigest.com/survey and a new website at uavnewstalk.com. Max Flight exits with gratitude, and David signs off looking forward to the show’s exciting future.

If you’ve been a longtime listener, you know it’s been a while — actually, a couple of years — since our last episode. But the good news is: The UAV Digest is coming back!

Since we last released an episode, the world of drones, UAVs, and advanced air mobility has evolved dramatically. And with so many exciting developments in technology, regulations, and industry trends, we want to make sure that the new version of the show stays in step with what matters most to you.

When we return, the show will still have the spirit you remember, but there will also be some new and exciting changes. And that’s where we need your help.

We’ve created a quick listener survey to hear your thoughts on what you’d like to hear in future episodes. It’ll only take a few minutes, and it will help shape the direction of the podcast as we move forward. You can find the survey at theuavdigest.com/survey.

Now, you might be wondering why there haven’t been any new episodes for the past few years. David and I will be back in the next episode to explain the story behind the break, and what you can expect as we relaunch the show.

In the meantime, please take a moment to visit theuavdigest.com/survey and share your thoughts. We’d really appreciate hearing from you.

Drone Safety Day is April 29, a drone that changes shape, jump-starting your car with a drone, Florida bans DJI from government agencies, decision-making for small UAVs, drones that work together without colliding, adding VTOL to a fixed-wing drone, agave farmers saving water, land a drone in Red Square.

Drone Safety Day is Saturday, April 29, 2023. The annual campaign is dedicated to educating the drone community on the importance of flying safely. You can download the 2023 Drone Safety Day Playbook  and 2023 Drone Safety Day Flyer. You can also visit the Drone@Home page to find ideas to participate at home. Register your event. 

University of Tokyo graduate students created drone prototypes that can rearrange into different structural shapes midair. The drones have individual segments with multi-axis gimbal systems. Each segment has its own propulsion unit, that can thrust in any direction. The drones can change their configuration to hold or move objects. They’ve also developed the SPIDAR quadruped robot that has joints in each leg and can fly.

This patent contemplates drones that assist motorists stranded with a dead battery. The Ford vehicle would transmit a “dead battery” signal and its location then a drone would fly to the vehicle, open the hood, connect to the battery, and jump-start the vehicle.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is forbidding government agencies from using drones manufactured by DJI. Only drones made by a small number of “approved manufacturers” can be purchased. Agencies have until January 1, 2023, to stop using drones not on the list. Many departments have already grounded their fleets. They told lawmakers that the Florida-approved drones are far more expensive and much less capable.

Sen. Tom Wright, R-New Smyrna Beach said, I’m not going to let one officer risk his life or her life because somebody thinks that these things talk to China. I cannot imagine what China would really want to see when we pull over a DUI, when we stop a speeding car, when we arrest somebody for an outstanding warrant.”

University of Notre Dame computer scientists and engineers are developing an automated decision-making system for small drones under a $5.3 million 3-year NASA grant. Notre Dame will enhance NASA’s current drone traffic management system and develop decision-making software that permits or denies flight requests by evaluating a drone’s safety track record, equipment readiness, operator preparedness, and maintenance procedures.

The Robust MADER system lets drones work together without collisions. Each drone calculates its own trajectory and checks with nearby drones to be sure it won’t collide with any of them. The system is an asynchronous, decentralized, multiagent trajectory planner. By broadcasting both the newly optimized trajectory and the committed trajectory, and by performing a delay check step, RMADER is able to guarantee safety even with communication delays. The new system has been validated through simulation and hardware flight experiments. A 100% success rate of collision-free trajectory generation was achieved.

The Flying Launch and Recovery System (or FLARES) turns a fixed-wing drone into a VTOL. The FLARES aircraft is a multicopter drone with four propeller arms. A mechanism on the underside clasps onto the body of a fixed-wing drone. The pair then rise vertically. At altitude, FLARES releases the fixed-wing drone. FLARES is manufactured by Hood Tech and was primarily designed for use on ship decks.

Boeing’s Insitu subsidiary offers a package that includes its Integrator fixed-wing drone and Hood’s FLARES system. Integrator flight time is reportedly up to 16 hours with a maximum payload of 40 lb (18 kg). Insitu says that payload capacity would be lower if Integrator had its own integrated VTOL system.

Video: Integrator VTOL joins Insitu’s best-in-class products & technology

https://youtu.be/rFUdDBs4r3o

Tequila producer Diageo started using drones in 2022 to identify agave plants that need pesticides, fertilizer, and water. The 2022 pilot developed the flying skills of the agave planters and introduced more efficient farming practices with environmental benefits.

The drones work in pairs: One identifies plants that need attention and collects agave growth data while the other dispenses a water, fertilizer, and pesticide mix. Water use is dropping by two-thirds.

Video: Society 2030 | Introducing drones to drive efficient tequila farming | Diageo

May 9, 2023, marks Victory Day in Russia and parades celebrate the Soviet victory in World War II. To help “celebrate,” a competition with a cash prize was launched for landing a UAV in Red Square that day. A bank co-founder who is also the developer of the Dovbush drone said, “I am officially awarding a prize to a Ukrainian UAV manufacturer, whose aircraft, with the help of the military, of course, will fly and land on Red Square in Moscow on May 9”. The prize fund is currently £440,000 and there is an open invitation for those who would like to contribute to the fund.

uAvionix detects ADS-B spoofing, racing drones are delivering explosives, an aerial tanker that autonomously guides and controls multiple drones, self-flying F-16s that test loyal wingmen, the Condor heavy-lift UAV wins its first customer, a new mini light tactical UAS, and Archer Aviation and United Airlines plan air taxi service in Chicago.

uAvionix offers its SkyLine UAS BVLOS service to manage the command and control infrastructure and assets across diverse frequency and radio types. Now the company is introducing truSky ADS-B spoofing detection for Skyline. It validates that a particular ADS-B signal is actually coming from an aircraft, and not being broadcast to spoof the signal.

ADS-B spoofing can be used for nefarious purposes and interferes with ATC and detect and avoid systems. It compromises airspace awareness and risks airspace safety and security.

uAvionix truSky works with a network of low-cost dual-frequency ADS-B ground receivers. The aircraft’s signal is confirmed to come from the aircraft’s position. With multiple sensors, truSky backward calculates the aircraft’s position and compares it to the position stated in the ADS-B transmission. When used with the uAvionix SkyLine platform, aircraft are color-coded based on confidence scores.

The war in Ukraine seems to be demonstrating the use of drones in a conflict like never before. Ukraine is even using racing drones as loitering munitions. In a video released last year, a racing drone dives through an open doorway into a building occupied by Russian troops and explodes. There is even a Ukrainian military drone team called Angry Birds. They say they carry out half a dozen racing-drone attacks a day.

Airbus Defence and Space has autonomously guided and controlled drones using an A310 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) flying testbed. The technology is called Auto’Mate, which cuts down on crew fatigue, human error, and training costs. This is seen as a milestone on the way to fully Autonomous Formation Flight and Autonomous Air-to-Air Refueling (A4R). 

The Air Force plans a fleet of at least 1,000 collaborative combat aircraft, or CCA. But you can’t have loyal wingmen without trusted autonomy, so the service has asked for $50 million to start Project Venom (Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model). The project would let the Air Force experiment with six F-16s to test and refine the autonomous software.

Drone Delivery Canada sold their first Condor heavy-lift UAV to the Transport Canada agency. The sale was valued at CAD $1.2 million ($880,000) and the company will provide operating and testing support. Air Canada was the sales agent brokering the deal. The Condor is 22 feet long, five feet wide, and seven feet tall with a cargo capacity of 400 pounds. The range is just over 124 miles and the operating speed is nearly 75 mph.

At the SOFINS Special Forces exhibition, SURVEY Copter presented a new light tactical UAS called the CAPA-X [PDF]. It features a modular design: Propulsion can be configured for VTOL or HTOL and the payload bay can integrate different types of sensors. Either short or long wings can be configured for hovering at high cruising speeds, or for increased flight autonomy. SURVEY Copter has been an Airbus subsidiary since 2011. They design, produce, and provide operational support for light tactical UAS.

The companies announced their plans to launch an air taxi service in Chicago in 2025. Passengers will fly a 10-minute trip between O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Vertiport Chicago. Archer Aviation has flown its prototype, the “Maker” and the production aircraft is the “Midnight.” Archer plans to deploy 6000 aircraft By 2030.

Video: United and Archer Announce Next UAM Route: Chicago

Alphabet’s Wing subsidiary wants a drone delivery network, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces consider using drones to intercept aircraft, DJI is reportedly dropping AeroScope, U.S. Senators want an assessment of DJI security risks, cardboard drones from Australia are going to Ukraine, the USAF has plans for 1,000 loyal wingmen drones, Zipline’s next-generation aircraft, and Russian Su-27 fighter jets intercept a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper.

Alphabet’s Wing subsidiary is delivering up to 1,000 packages a day in Australia, but to scale up to millions of deliveries daily, Wing says it needs to develop a network service. The Wing Delivery Network would enable the management of large numbers of drones. This would consist of three hardware elements:

• The delivery drones.
• Pads where drones take off, land, and recharge their batteries.
• Autoloaders that allow companies to leave packages for collection.

Delivery drones would travel from pad to pad (or node to node) rather than use fixed routes that return to a “home base” after each delivery.

Video: The Wing Drone Delivery Network

Chinese military flights in the East China Sea have increased and scrambling jets is expensive for Japan. So the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JDSF) are thinking about using drones instead, either the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 or the MQ-9 Reaper. It’s estimated that scrambling manned jets costs 40 times more than sending drones. The JSDF will first train its forces to use drones to identify foreign warships. If that proves successful, drones would be used to identify fast-approaching aircraft. Then if the threat is significant, the JSDF would send manned aircraft.

According to The Verge, the DJI AeroScope product page displays a pop-up that reads: “The Aeroscope is no longer in production. For the latest in DJI technology, please view our product recommendations below.” AeroScope is a drone detection platform that identifies UAV communication links and gathers information in real time like flight status, paths, and other information.

A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators is asking the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to conduct an investigation and evaluate potential risks associated with DJI drones. In its letter, the Senators say, “Identification of this relationship between DJI and the PLA [People’s Liberation Army] suggests a range of risks to U.S. operators of the technology, including that sensitive information or data could wind up in PLA hands.”

SYPAQ announced it is shipping its Corvo drones to Ukraine. The drones come in flatpack form and the bodies are made of waxed cardboard. The autonomous Corvo PPDS has been shown to be simple to construct using only a glue gun, knife, pen, tape, and perhaps rubber bands. Only one tool is needed to attach the propeller. Corvo Autonomous Systems provides a family of autonomous systems for both military and commercial applications.

The USAF has big plans for loyal wingmen drones – perhaps 1,000 of them. The Air Force plans to ask Congress for funding for the collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) program in the fiscal 2024 budget, as well as the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. The Air Force estimates two CCAs for each of 200 NGAD platforms, and two CCAs for each of 300 F-35s.

Zipline is showing their next-generation aircraft, called the Platform 2 or P2 Zip with an eight-pound payload and a ten-mile radius. It can land a package on a space as small as a table or doorstep. The original P1 Zip has a greater range but requires more space for takeoff, landing, and package delivery. The P2 has both lift and cruise propellers for quiet operation and better maneuverability. It can dock at a charging station and power up autonomously. Zipline says they’ve flown more than 38 million miles with its autonomous delivery drones.

Two Russian Su-27 Flanker fighter jets intercepted a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper, dumped fuel on the drone, and struck and damaged the MQ-9s propeller.

Another personal eVTOL, cops flying BVLOS, military drones with facial recognition, a lethal drone designed in Australia, the Lilium Jet eVTOL, and moving air quietly.

ZEVA Aero designs and builds electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles. The company’s flagship product is the Argon, based on a pre-existing airframe. But their Zero is a personal eVTOL for one person. It launches with the pilot standing, but the position is prone in horizontal flight. The 8-foot-wide flying saucer-shaped aircraft uses 8 propellers and is expected to cost $250,000.

A one-eighth-scale model has been flight-tested and tethered tests are underway with a full-sized prototype. Zeva says the prototype should be ready for remote-controlled flights within a month, and tests with a pilot could take place in three to six months.

Video: ZEVA 1/8 Scale Model flying

The Chula Vista, California police department operates 29 drones. The program runs 10 hours a day, seven days a week using four launch sites. Officers routinely request aerial reconnaissance. More than 1,500 U.S. police departments use drones, mostly for search and rescue, to document crime scenes, and to chase suspects. About 225 police departments have FAA waivers to fly BVLOS. Privacy and civil liberty groups are taking notice.

The U.S. Air Force plans to deploy facial recognition technology on drones. RealNetworks LLC has the contract to supply its SAFR technology on small drones used for special operations missions. RealNetworks says SAFR Scan is “the first full-featured intelligent biometric access controlled edge solution.”

BAE Systems Australia unveiled the armed STRIX VTOL at Avalon 2023. It’s a hybrid, tandem wing, multi-domain and multi-role UAS that could be used for air-to-ground strike, persistent ISR, and as a loyal wingman for military helicopters. It can carry up to a 160kg payload over 800km with a variety of munitions. The collapsed footprint is only 2.6m x 4.5m (roughly 8.5 x 15 feet).

Vertical flight takes a lot of energy and most eVTOL designs have significant aerodynamic drag. These limit, l eVTOL range. The Lilium Jet is designed to overcome those obstacles. The wing and canard aircraft have a good lift-to-drag ratio, and power requirements are low at cruise speed. Power for both vertical and horizontal flight comes from many small electric motors pushing air through variable nozzle ducts. Electric power comes from 330 Wh/kg density batteries. Service entry will be in the premium sector.

Whisper Aero has been working on quiet propulsion technology for two years, looking for a noise reduction of about 20 dB for drones and electric fixed-wing aircraft. The company has provided no specifics but is expected to reveal details about its propulsors “toward the end of March or early April.” They’ve built a 55-pound demonstrator drone to test the concept. Reportedly, the company plans to offer different propulsion system models with different power outputs.

Ameriflight plans to purchase cargo drones from Natilus and Saberwing, a plan for autonomous wind turbine inspections and repair, the American Security Drone Act, an arrest made for flying a drone at Dublin airport, a new hydrogen-powered octocopter drone, and Green and Blue UAS.

Ameriflight is a regional cargo airline (Part 135) that operates 156 turboprop twins for customers such as FedEx, UPS, and DHL. They recently signed a tentative agreement with Natilus for pilotless cargo planes. Now Ameriflight has signed a Letter of Intent to purchase 35 VTOL cargo drones from Sabrewing Aircraft Co.

Ameriflight has 15 bases across the Western Hemisphere with 200 service destinations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as the Caribbean and South America. They typically experience over 1,500 weekly departures.

The Natilus agreement to purchase is for the Kona aircraft, a 3.8-ton payload, short-haul feeder uncrewed aerial vehicle. Nautilus says the Kona planes will be operated by remote control and have the ability to be fully autonomous at some point in the future. 

The Flexible Offshore Drone for Wind (FOD4Wind) project envisions a system that can conduct autonomous wind turbine inspections and repair as well as package deliveries from service operation vessels to offshore turbines.

mFOD4Wind illustration, courtesy University of Southern Denmark.

Drones would take off from service operation vessels and carry gear and tools to the nacelles of Siemens offshore wind turbines. The Upteko partner says “If we can replace sailing with drone flights from larger ships, then many of the trips around the wind farm will be saved. There is great potential in that – both in terms of time and CO2 emissions.”

The project, which runs until the end of 2024, is first working with payloads of 12 kilograms, with a long-term goal for the drones to be able to carry a cargo of up to 100 kilograms.

The FOD4Wind project is being undertaken by Siemens Gamesa (produces wind turbines), ESVAGT (operates the service operation vessels), Upteko (developer of the automated UAS), and the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) with Energy Cluster Denmark managing FOD4Wind.

The American Security Drone Act of 2023 was introduced by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Rick Scott (R-FL)

Senator Warner: “…the purchase of drones from foreign countries, especially those that have been deemed a national security threat, is dangerous. I am glad to introduce legislation that takes logical steps to protect our data from foreign adversaries and meanwhile supports American manufacturers.”

Senator Scott: “I’ve been clear for years: the United States should never spend taxpayer dollars on anything made in Communist China, especially drones which pose a significant threat to our national security. Xi and the Communist Party of China are on a quest for global domination and whether it’s with spy balloons, TikTok or drones, they will stop at nothing to infiltrate our society and steal our data.”

The American Security Drone Act:

• Prohibits federal departments and agencies from procuring certain foreign commercial off-the-shelf drones or covered unmanned aircraft systems manufactured or assembled in countries identified as national security threats, and provides a timeline to end the current use of these drones.
• Prohibits the use of federal funds awarded… to state or local governments from being used to purchase [these drones].
• Requires the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report to Congress detailing the amount of foreign commercial off-the-shelf drones and covered unmanned aircraft systems procured by federal departments and agencies from countries identified as national security threats.

The legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Josh Hawley (R-MO).

They charged the man under section 43 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act, 1988. He is accused of knowingly flying a drone into the critical area of Dublin Airport which interfered with the operation of an aerodrome on July 2nd, 2022. The 41-year-old was remanded on bail to appear again on March 21, 2023. Meantime, he’s banned from flying drones and going within two kilometers of the airport.

Israel-based Heven Drones unveiled its H2D55 hydrogen octocopter drone. It can fly for over 90 minutes with a 15-pound payload. This is the first in a series of hydrogen-fueled drones to be released. The others will have longer flight times and greater payload. The drones are built to spec and take two-three months to complete. The price is not announced

The drones are built in-house, in a 20,000 sq. ft. production facility adjacent to R&D and administrative offices in the North of Israel. Up to 200 fully customizable drones per month can be built at the current capacity.

AUVSI Green UAS: Expanding the Pool of Trusted Drone Options

Green UAS is part of AUVSI’s Trusted Cyber Program, which seeks to verify a greater number of commercial UAS in line with the highest levels of cybersecurity and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) supply chain requirements.

AUVSI launched the Trusted Cyber Program in August 2022 in collaboration with cybersecurity firm Fortress Information Security.

Green UAS is an industry-standard assessment process that mirrors the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)’s Blue UAS certification program. It is administered by AUVSI to vet drones that are seeking Green UAS certification. Green-compliant drones that have a DoD customer/sponsor willing to sponsor and fund a DoD Authority to Operate (ATO) will have the opportunity to transition from the Green UAS cleared list to Blue UAS cleared list. 

Green UAS builds on the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)’s Blue UAS certification program, an approach to rapidly prototyping and scaling commercial UAS technology for the DoD. Green UAS is meant for customers without an immediate need for Department of Defense (DoD) authority to operate and provides a​ more straightforward ​pathway to the Blue UAS 2.0 cleared list.

A global drone market report, aircraft control with artificial intelligence, a slow start to Amazon drone deliveries, drones disrupt flight operations at Dublin Airport, a testing service for microgravity research.

A report by Drone Industry Insights says: the global drone market was $30.6 billion in 2022 and it is expected to grow to $55.8 billion by 2026. DJI holds 70% market share. Global Drone Market Report 2022-2030 says that drone services will remain the biggest segment, but hardware will grow the fastest. Energy is the Industry with the highest adoption of drones. Cargo, courier services, intralogistics, and warehousing have the highest CAGR. Mapping and surveying is the top drone application, followed by inspection as well as photography and filming.

The Lockheed Martin VISTA X-62A training aircraft flew for more than 17 hours with artificial intelligence software, marking the first time AI operated a tactical aircraft. The VISTA is based on the F-16. Software allows it to mimic the performance characteristics of other aircraft.

Amazon has been making deliveries by drone in Lockeford, California, and College Station, Texas. But not many. According to The Information, as few as seven houses had received Amazon packages by drone – two in California and five in Texas. The report says the FAA has safety concerns since Amazon’s drone weighs around 80 pounds (and carries a five-pound payload) and they fly over roads and people. FAA said Amazon must ask for permission on a case-by-case basis and Amazon employees had to act as spotters.

However, Amazon successfully argued last November that the new MK27-2 drone is safer and more autonomous and didn’t need as many humans or safeguards. See: Amazon Prime Air revised limitations 2023 (Corrected Copy) [PDF], a 64-page letter from FAA to Amazon Prime Air informing Amazon that FAA has partially granted their Nov 2022 petition to amend the Exemption (No. 18601).

Confirmed drone sightings caused six incoming flights to be diverted, three to Belfast Airport and three to Shannon Airport. Operations were suspended for 38 minutes on runway 28R for departures and 44 minutes on Runway 28L for arrivals.

Gravitilab provides testing services for microgravity research. They offer seven proprietary, reusable launch vehicles. One is “the world’s first commercial UAV microgravity testing platform.” The LOUIS UAV system and drop pod flew to an altitude of 2,000 feet and then released the drop pod carrying scientific experiments. The pod payload experienced over five seconds of weightlessness. Gravitilab says they “deliver up to 180 seconds of microgravity with a significant cost saving per kilo per second and short campaign lead times.” They offer “dedicated and rideshare launch capabilities, and the option to transport launch services to customers.”

DRONE | Animated short film about drones, AI, and live-streaming on YouTube

A 15-minute animated film about a malfunction at a CIA press event that causes a Predator drone installed with an ethical AI personality to go rogue as it attempts to understand its purpose in the world.

A large autonomous blended-wing cargo drone and a smaller electric cargo drone, the Eaglet takes flight, taser drones at public schools, the GAO recommends the FAA create a comprehensive strategy, the Dronut for inspections, two MQ-9 Reapers for a Dollar, and a BVLOS autonomous inspection solution.

The Natilus Kona cargo drone looks a lot like the NASA X-48B blended-wing prototype. It’s autonomous so no need for pressurization and the blended wing design is efficient with up to a 50% reduction in emissions. It has a claimed 4.3-ton cargo capacity with a 900 nautical mile range. Natilus says they have “designed and developed” the aircraft. The patent-pending ‘Diamond’ cargo bay allows for 60% more volume. It’s designed for cargo and can hold a large configuration of standard pallets and outsized cargo. A remote pilot watches over.

Pyka unveiled a large, zero-emission autonomous electric cargo plane. The second-generation Pelican Spray is an autonomous electric aircraft designed for complex agricultural operations on farms. The Pelican Cargo features an extended range, increased payload capacity, and maximized cargo volume. A payload of up to 400 lbs can be carried in 66 feet of cargo space for a range of up to 200 miles (with a 20 min reserve). 

Video: Pyka Pelican Cargo Unveil – Large Autonomous Electric Cargo UAS

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) conducted a flight demonstration of the Eaglet Air-Launched Effect (ALE) at the Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah. The Eaglet was launched from a U.S. Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER) UAS. The Eaglet is a low-cost survivable UAV that can be launched from a Gray Eagle, rotary-wing aircraft, or ground vehicles.

There was some talk about the ethics of putting tasers on small UAVs to subdue dangerous people and using “shock drones” to protect schools. Several years ago, law enforcement company Axon asked its ethics board for input on the idea. After a year-long study, the board said it was not a good idea. Then the mass shooting at the school in Uvalde, Texas happened. Axon may be rethinking the idea.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) says the FAA has developed planning documents to manage efforts to integrate drones into the national airspace, but it does not have a comprehensive strategy. According to the GAO, a comprehensive strategy includes seven elements and the FAA has only four of them. The FAA’s documents do not identify drone integration goals and objectives and they only partially include milestones and performance measures for all activities. The GAO recommends that the FAA address this as well as some other process deficiencies.

The Cleo Robotics Dronut® X1 is a small bi-rotor ducted drone with no exposed propellers. It fits in the palm of your hand and is powered using bi-rotor thrust vectoring technology. Applications include inspections in dangerous and confined spaces and an ISR solution for GPS-denied environments.

According to The Wall Street Journal, General Atomics is offering Ukraine two Reapers for $1.00. But Ukraine has to pay about $10 million to prepare and deliver them, and about $8 million for maintenance and support. The Pentagon would have to approve of the sale.

Percepto has FAA authorization to execute unmanned drone-in-a-box operations 200 feet above ground level without a pilot or visual observer on site. The FAA authorization is only for a large Texas solar power plant but Percepto will use this as a model for other industries, including oil and gas, mining, and utilities.

Toroidal Propellers offer a solution for multirotor noise, layoffs at Prime Air, Valkyrie drones for the US Marines, regulating advanced air mobility in Utah, mapping a radioactive environment with a collision-tolerant drone, and a cargo drone that can carry 100 pounds for 600 miles.

MIT might have a solution for the noise produced by multi-rotor propellers. The Structural and Thermal-Fluids Engineering Group at MIT Lincoln Laboratory is experimenting with toroidal propellers. [PDF] The toroidal propeller consists of two blades looping together so that the tip of one blade curves back into the other.

Key Features:

• Decreases signals in the frequency range to which humans are most sensitive
• Reduces noise without requiring supplementary components that add weight and increase power draw
• Lessens the likelihood that the spinning propeller will cut, catch, or clip objects or surfaces in the drone’s path 
• Achieves thrust comparable to that of a multirotor drone propeller
• Allows reliable fabrication with additive manufacturing techniques that make it possible to customize the propeller for various multirotor models and types

It’s been a decade since Amazon’s Jeff Bezos unveiled the company’s drone project on 60 Minutes. Prime Air now has drone delivery operations in two small markets, but corporate cost-cutting is rampant in the tech industry. Amazon plans to cut 18,000 jobs and Prime Air is not immune. The company won’t say how many layoffs affect the program. Sources said employees in the design, maintenance, systems engineering, flight testing, and flight operations units were part of the layoffs.

The Marines have a $15 million contract with Kratos for two XQ-58A Valkyrie drones. These large aircraft weigh about 6,000 pounds and have a 27-foot-wingspan. Likely missions include strike, intelligence gathering, and electronic warfare. Possible other applications are a “mothership” for small drones and the deployment of munitions.

The Utah Legislature has been working on drone regulations and in 2022 a study group was formed to look at updating regulatory laws. A bill is now working through the state legislature that is described as a framework for regulation. Topics being discussed include tracking software for near-ground air traffic, noise concerns, and State supremacy over local jurisdictions

A Flyability Elios 3 drone has successfully completed a 3D LiDAR mapping operation of a storage vault holding radioactive waste. The vault is planned to be removed and the data collected by the drone will aid in planning the project. The operation was conducted last November at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center at the Idaho National Laboratory Site. A team of about 50 people was involved, the top of the vault was covered with a plastic tent (thus creating an “indoor mission), and a crane lifted the vault’s lid and hatch. Flyability specializes in confined space inspections.

The MightyFly Cento autonomous VTOL drone is a hybrid with electric propulsion and a hydrocarbon combustion engine that charges the battery in flight. The carbon-fiber airframe weighs 355 lb when fully loaded with a payload of up to 100 pounds. For vertical flight, eight props provide lift while a pusher prop on the back is used for cruise flight.

Video: MightyFly, the future of logistics, testimonials

UAV Video of the Week

Drone shows moose shedding antlers in forest

A wildlife enthusiast’s drone captured the moment a moose shed both its antlers in a forest in Canada.

An autonomous drone that collects environmental DNA, a robotic wing that measures flapping performance, a Wyoming bill to outlaw drone flights over prisons, flying drugs into the U.S. with drones, and an ex-drone manager sues Amazon.

If you want to find out what creatures live in an area, you can observe them or you can collect the “environmental DNA” they leave. Examples of external DNA include dead skin or feathers, waste, and fluids. These can be found in the soil, in water, or on rocks and tree branches. Collecting environmental DNA can be difficult and expensive. It can be unsafe if you have to climb up into the forest canopy to get the DNA samples

Now a special drone is being developed that can autonomously collect samples on tree branches. Collaborating are ETH Zurich, the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, and environmental DNA (eDNA) specialist Spygen. (A French biotechnology company created in 2011 and specializing in molecular ecology.) The drone lands on a branch and adhesive strips collect the samples. DNA is extracted in the lab.

Video: Special drone collects environmental DNA from trees

A recent study led by Lund University in Sweden found that birds fly more efficiently by folding their wings during the upstroke. This might have implications for flapping drones and could increase their propulsive and aerodynamic efficiency. In order to study the different ways that wings could flap, the research team constructed a robotic wing that can flap the way birds do but can also flap in ways birds don’t. Wind tunnel measurements record the performance of the wing. Biology researcher Christoffer Johansson says “Flapping drones could be used for deliveries, but they would need to be efficient enough and able to lift the extra weight this entails. How the wings move is of great importance for performance, so this is where our research could come in handy,”

The Wyoming Department of Corrections says just two incidents have occurred in Wyoming that involve drones and prisons. (Those were attempts to deliver tobacco.) But other prisons have seen drone incidents. The Wyoming Corrections Director fears that drones could be used to spy on prisons and identify guards, inmates, and specific facility details. After the Senate vote, the legislation goes to the state House.

Nobody seemed to live there at the $650,000 property in upstate New York. The grounds were unkempt and expensive-looking cars came and went. Law enforcement decided to investigate and border patrol came up with a surveillance tool that could “recognize drone signatures, map their flight path, and identify starting and stopping points via GPS.” At night, a UAV flew in. Police arrived and the pilot and two others were taken into custody. The drone held a package with $110,000 (street value) of MDMA, 3,4-Methyl​enedioxy​methamphetamine, commonly called Ecstacy. At this time, only the alleged drone pilot has been charged.

The former manager is suing Amazon in King County Superior Court in Seattle, claiming racial discrimination in promotions and retaliation for raising safety concerns. He notes the lack of safety protocols in drone testing, the large number of crashes, and restrictions on employee access to flight information, videos, and pictures.

Using drones for weather prediction, tracking warehouse inventory with an autonomous drone, an FCC NPRM for the UAS communications spectrum, Walmart delivery drone statistics, underwater drones to detect ocean carbon, hardening the electric grid from aerial attacks, and cargo delivery to moving ships.

Researchers are using DJI Mavic 2 drones to measure Arctic wind speeds. The only modification required was the addition of an inexpensive, lightweight thermal anemometer. The Japanese National Institute of Polar Research is flying drones from a research vessel.

Video: Using small drones to measure wind speeds in the polar regions

The Vimaan StorTRACK Air autonomous warehouse drone can automate inventory control functions. It scans warehouse racks, delivers accurate inventory status to the warehouse management system, and doesn’t just read barcode labels – it includes optical character recognition and captures the entire contents of warehouse racks.

Video: Cycle Counting Autonomous Warehouse Drones track inventory accuracy and warehouse utilization

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed new spectrum rules for unmanned aircraft systems. This is necessary to accommodate the increasing number of drones, which require wireless communication. The NPRM addresses the 5030-5091 MHz band, which was previously allocated to support terrestrial control links for UAS without adopting service rules. This proposal is the first step to developing those service rules for UAS operations.

Ref: FCC Starts Rulemaking on Licensed Spectrum for Unmanned Aircraft Use

Thirty-six Walmart stores in the U.S. have drone delivery hubs operated by DroneUp, Flytrex, and Zipline. 6,000+ drone deliveries were completed in 2022. The top five customer favorites delivered by drone were cookies, ice cream, lemons, rotisserie chicken, energy drinks, and paper towels. Drone delivery is operating in seven states: VA, NC, FL, AR, TX, UT, AZ.

The underwater drone, or “glider,” nicknamed Migaloo is 1.5 meters long and measures CO2 and pH ocean parameters to understand global carbon sink. The Atlantic Carbon Observatory Pilot Program (ACOP) utilizes moored bottom observatories and gliders that provide mobile pH and CO2 sensors. Real-time data collected is collected via Iridium and Fiberoptic links. The Slocum Underwater Glider is designed and manufactured by Teledyne Webb Research.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation is set to review the physical security standards of the electric grid, but that doesn’t address airborne threats. Defensive options need to be investigated, leveraging the progress that National Laboratories and the Department of Defense (DOD) are making in counter-UAS (C-UAS) technologies and systems. Current statutory restraints limit the ability of utilities to defend their facilities from drone attacks.

A UAV tether for choppy seas, four advanced (and expensive) drones, drones changing the way buildings are designed, a drone (and rover) for simulated Martian missions, the Army’s short-range reconnaissance program with Skydio, an Apple patent for pairing UAVs and controllers, kites that take down drones, Ukraine drones that take down Russian drones.

The Naval Information Warfare Center in San Diego designed a smart winch tether system with an autonomous winch that keeps proper slack in the tether. A UAV can hover at a specific altitude while the ship pitches and rolls with the waves. The winch autonomously adjusts the spool motor by measuring the tether-departure angle. Adding a tethered quadcopter to the uncrewed Seahawk ship would allow it to elevate cameras and expand the line of sight.

The Aerwins Xturismo is a flying motorbike with a maximum range of 40km that can carry up to 100kg. The Airborne Drones’ Vanguard is a long-range surveillance drone with a 94-minute flight time and 4K video. The Lockheed Martin Indago 3 is rugged and “whisper quiet,” taking only two minutes to get airborne. The Volocopter 2X is a personal helicopter targeted to prospective air taxi operators.

1. Creating 3D digital models of buildings with accuracy to within a centimeter. 2. Heritage simulations where drones help planners to visualize the final impact of restoration or construction work on a damaged or partially finished building. 3. Drone delivery including roof-top landing pads and recharging stations. 4. Drones mounted with 3D printers that could construct emergency shelters or repair buildings. 5. Agile surveillance with drone systems like biometric indicators and “face recognition.”

The Skypersonic rover and drone system will be used by crew members to remotely explore Martian-like terrain. NASA’s Simulated Mars Missions will run for a year and operate from a 1,700-square-foot simulated Martian habitat at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The rover and drone will be controlled by the crew in the Habitat, but they’ll actually be exploring Martian-like terrain remotely on Earth.

The Skydio RQ-28A is a short-range reconnaissance quadcopter UAS. It’s the Army’s first program-of-record quadcopter drone. Fielding of the RQ-28A was completed in early November 2022 by the Army’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Project Office with the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning in Georgia. The Army’s short-range reconnaissance (SRR) program seeks to develop an inexpensive, rucksack-portable, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) small unmanned aircraft that provide rapidly deployable intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.

Apple has been granted a patent for “a system and method for pairing/unpairing UAVs to/from UAV controllers.” Based on a triggering condition, a UAV or a controller may initiate a paring or unpairing of the UAV to or from a host controller and receive a configuration update from a network to confirm the paring or unpairing.

Apple initially filed the patent in Singapore in May 2020 (10202004252X). In November 2021, Apple filed the same patent in the U.S. and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple that patent on December 6, 2022. (US 11523323 B2, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle And Controller Association.)

Here, a “kite” refers to a bird of prey in the hawk family. The Indian and US Armies conducted an exercise to publicly demonstrate how birds of prey are being trained to attack drones. The program started in 2020 and training is continuing

Aerial footage from a Ukrainian drone shows what appears to be that drown taking down a Russian DJI Mavic. The video doesn’t show this with certainty, but it looks like the Ukrainian rammed the Russian Mavic, causing it to veer away suddenly. A few months ago, a video surfaced that shows a similar battle between Russian and Ukrainian quadcopters.

Drone: Snoqualmie Pass snow

Fly over a snow-covered Snoqualmie Pass, a mountain pass for Interstate 90 through the Cascade Range in Washington state.

European drone strategy 2.0, armed drones for Ukraine, drones used for poaching and other wildlife investigations, drone videos of three active volcanoes, dynamically assigning frequencies for UAS command and control, a survey of consumer attitudes on home drone delivery of goods and food, liquid hydrogen power, and the Dover AFB sUAS program.

The European Commission adopted the European Drone Strategy 2.0 which offers a vision for the further development of the European drone market. The Commission wants to ensure that society supports drones. By 2030, the Drone Strategy envisions a number of services, including emergency services, mapping, imaging, inspection and surveillance; the urgent delivery of small packages, such as biological samples or medicines; Air Mobility services, like air taxis that provide regular transport services for passengers, initially with a pilot on board, but ultimately fully automated operations.

The Commission’s strategy includes operational, technical, and financial actions:

• Adopting common rules for airworthiness, and new training requirements
• Funding the creation of an online platform to support local stakeholders and industry implementing sustainable Innovative Air Mobility.
• Developing a Strategic Drone Technology Roadmap to identify priority areas for research and innovation, to reduce existing strategic dependencies and to avoid new ones arising.
• Defining criteria for a voluntary cybersecurity-approved drone label.

See: A Drone Strategy 2.0 for a Smart and Sustainable Unmanned Aircraft Eco-System in Europe [PDF].

After some reports that the Pentagon had decided to not send armed drones to Ukraine, sixteen Senate Republicans and Democrats sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin objecting. In the letter, the Senators say, “This particular [Unmanned Aerial System] will increase Ukraine’s unmanned capabilities in the near term and demands careful reconsideration. Most importantly, armed [Unmanned Aerial Systems] could find and attack Russian warships in the Black Sea, breaking its coercive blockade and alleviate dual pressures on the Ukrainian economy and global food prices.” The General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones can hold up to four Hellfire Missiles.

The five Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) drone law enforcement officers have been trained and have their FAA pilot licenses. The drones will assist officers in their investigations through increased documentation of crime scenes and locating evidence.

Watch videos of three active volcanoes: Mauna Loa in Hawaii, the Villarrica volcano in Chile, and Russia’s Shiveluch volcano.

uAvionix won a contract from the FAA for end-to-end demonstrations of a Frequency Assignment Manager (FAM) as a component of the uAvionix SkyLine™ Command and Control Communications Service Provider (C2CSP) management platform. The system will dynamically assign UAS C-Band Command and Non-Payload Control frequencies to UAS with CNPC radios. uAvionix teamed with the Northern Plains UAS Test Site to develop command and control concepts.

The contract demonstrations include:

• Managing a pool of frequencies in a geographic area.
• Allocating available frequencies to a specific CNPC radio for a specific mission.
• Receiving assigned frequencies for the designated mission.
• CNPC radios operating on the assigned frequencies.
• Non-interference when multiple aircraft are operating in the area.

Auterion surveyed 1,000 Americans to get their perspective on drones. 94% view drones as having a potential positive purpose in the world. 67% view drones as more environmentally friendly than trucks. 57% think the adoption of small-quantity drone deliveries is a good thing for the environment. 47% said they would make a purchase from a specific retailer due to the option of a drone delivery program. 64% believe drones are becoming an option for home delivery now or will be in the near future. Press release: Drones set to make the future of holiday shipping greener. Download the report: Drone Delivery in the United States.

Since 2016, the German company H2Fly has been flying an airplane powered by a hydrogen gas fuel cell. The Hy4 is a four-seat aircraft and in April it set a record for the highest zero-emission flight, at 7,230 feet. H2Fly plans to switch from Hydrogen gas to liquid. That would double the range. Testing is scheduled for 2023. The company has entered into a partnership with Deutsche Aircraft to develop a fuel-cell-powered aircraft that will hold up to 40 passengers, with a range of 1,200 miles.

Video: Präsentation der sechsten Wasserstoff-Antriebsgeneration in der Hy4

The 436th Airlift Wing Plans and Programs office at Dover AFB has an sUAS program jointly run with the Bedrock Dover AFB Innovation Lab. Recently, a Skydio X2D Small Unmanned Aerial System drone was tested during its first operational flight around a static aircraft at Dover on Nov. 4, 2022. The X2D was selected from other Department of Defense-approved systems due to its advanced obstacle avoidance system and other possible capabilities.

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.

Amazon has continued to develop its delivery drone. The new MK30 drone has increased range, expanded temperature tolerance, and the capability to fly in light rain. It’s lighter and smaller than its predecessor and has redesigned propellers with 25% less perceived noise.

The 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida has taken delivery of the first of two Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie tactical drones. They’ll test the ability of the drone to autonomously operate over vast distances. The Squadron will figure out the logistics and infrastructure needed to house and operate the Valkyrie.

Using a drone to capture your cruise ship experience seems like a great idea, but can you do it? Of the eight major cruise lines, only three allow passengers to bring drones on board and you can’t fly the drone from the ship.

As thousands of onlookers watched a nighttime drone show in Perth, 50 of the 500 drones fell from the sky into the river. The reason for the failure is unknown and under investigation by Drone Sky Shows, but GPS signal interference is being cited as a possibility.

On October 29, 2022, Ukraine attacked the Russian Navy at Sevastopol with seven maritime drones. What these uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) accomplished might be considered historically significant. Not so much for the damage they inflicted, but for the way naval warfare will be viewed from now on.

Drones eye view of Hendrick Motorsports’ Campus

Operations Over People approval for AgEagle, transitioning to UAV-dominated air forces, women drone pilots in Ukraine, an autonomous Black Hawk helicopter, a drone facilitates a robbery, a BVLOS corridor in upstate New York, an autonomous firefighting helicopter, 500 drones celebrate a game anniversary, and how to increase lithium battery lifespan.

AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. announced that the eBee X series of UAS comply with Category 3 of the Operations Over People rules for sUAS. These are the first and only drones on the market to comply with the rules published in March 2021. eBee drone operators will no longer need an FAA waiver for OOP or Operations Over Moving Vehicles. Testing was conducted by the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (“MAAP”). The family of eBee fixed-wing UAS includes the eBee X, eBee GEO, and eBee TAC.

The eBee is currently approved for use by the U.S. Department Of Defense under the Blue sUAS 2.0 program, for BVLOS operations in Brazil, and Operations Over People and BVLOS operations in Canada. It is also the first drone to receive European Union Aviation Safety Agency (“EASA”) C2 certification and a Design Verification essential for these operations from EASA.

This opinion piece argues that manned military aircraft have issues and unmanned aircraft, or drones, can address some of them. This is not to say that manned combat aircraft should be abandoned. Rather, supplementing manned with unmanned should be the focus and the military should plan to “transition toward UAV-dominated air forces.”

The Female Pilots of Ukraine school opened recently to teach Ukrainian women to operate drones. Most Ukrainian drone pilots are men and this school focuses on training women – civilians and military student pilots.

In a demonstration to the U.S. Army, Sikorsky and DARPA showed how an autonomous Black Hawk helicopter could perform internal and external cargo resupply missions, as well as a rescue operation. The demonstration shows that in the future, optionally piloted utility helicopters could fly complex missions safely.

The incident took place in broad daylight in France with security footage showing a drone flying into the air vent. The drone subsequently pushed a button that opened a door allowing the thieves to enter.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the New York Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site (NUAIR) received approval from the FAA to fly uncrewed aircraft systems BVLOS across the 50-mile airspace of New York’s Drone Corridor. NUAIR can fly civilian drones from Syracuse International Airport to Griffiss International Airport in Rome without the need for visual observers.

The Governor also announced that New York will be providing NUAIR with an additional $21 million in funding to cultivate the UAS industry hub along the corridor in Central New York.

Also, NUAIR has entered into an agreement with Quebec-based VPorts to develop an international Advanced Air Mobility Corridor between Syracuse International Airport and Quebec, Canada.

Video: New York UAS Corridor – Flying 50-Miles Beyond Visual Line of Sight

Rain Industries says, “Every Wildfire Starts Small” and “The Rain System contains ignitions within 10 minutes to prevent catastrophic wildfires.” Rain announced their next-generation MK2 autonomous firefighting demonstrator aircraft, an uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) that carries about 30 gallons of payload.

A swarm of 500 drones performed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Candy Crush game. Not everyone was happy.

Video: 500 Drones Take Over NYC Skies, Twitterverse Outraged “Shoot them down”

Beijing University of Chemical Technology researchers say a new technology could triple the lifespan of lithium batteries and decrease the risk of battery fires. They do this by replacing the liquid battery electrolytes with gel-polymer electrolytes.

Video: 10 Fastest Military Drones And Unmanned Vehicles In The World

FAA issues guidelines for community-based drone organizations, large Navy drone swarms, Iranian drone components, the 2023 FAA reauthorization bill, a large Chinese cargo drone, the Bell Autonomous Pod Transport, Russians with drones in Norway, plant specimen sampling with drones, a Wing drone comes to a fiery end, and Collaborative Combat Aircraft.

Recreational drone flyers are required to follow the safety guidelines of FAA-recognized community-based drone organizations. These organizations develop safety guidelines in coordination with the FAA. The FAA has issued guidance on how to become an FAA-recognized community-based organization for recreational drone flying. The FAA Advisory Circular 91-57C Exception for Limited Recreational Operations of Unmanned Aircraft provides a list of recommended safety guidelines. Applications for community-based drone organizations can be made through the FAA’s DroneZone website.

According to budget documents, the US Navy wants to use thousands of small drones that flock together and overwhelm anti-aircraft defenses. Israel became the first nation to use swarming drones in combat in 2021. Other nations are working on swarms, including China, Russia, India, the UK, and Turkey.

The examination of drones that have been shot down shows the international components they contain. The Iranian Mohajer-6 reconnaissance drone was powered by a Rotax engine. Rotax is investigating and said the company “have not authorized and has not given any authorization to its distributors to supply military UAV manufacturers in Iran or Russia.” Previously, microprocessors from South Korea and Malaysia, bought in violation of sanctions, were found in the Shahed-136 kamikaze drone. Both drones are used by the Russian military in Ukraine.

Hearings for the 2023 FAA reauthorization bill are underway and the Senate Commerce Aviation Subcommittee is looking at “new entrants” into the airspace. eVTOL aircraft (Advanced Air Mobility – or AAM) will likely get a lot of attention this time.

The Twin-Tailed Scorpion D is claimed to be the world’s first large-scale, four-engined uncrewed aircraft system. The 18-minute test flight was deemed to be “trouble-free.” The Scorpion D is 10.5 m (34.4 ft.) long with a 20 m wingspan and a height of 3.1 m. The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 4.35 tons. The Scorpion D will be exhibited at Zhuhai Airshow 2022, which begins November 8, 2022.

Bell brought its Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) eVTOL to the 2022 Air Medical Transport Conference in Tampa, Florida. The APT has been flying for several years and Bell hopes for a production version that will deliver 100 pounds, 100 miles, at 100 knots per hour.

oAutonomous Pod Transport (APT). Courtesy Bell.

The 51-year-old man was arrested after flying over the Tromso Airport in northern Norway. Police seized a “large” amount of photography equipment, including the drone and memory cards. Police also found photos of the airport in Kirkenes, near the Russian border and of a Norwegian military helicopter. In February 2022, Norway’s Civil Aviation Authority banned Russians from flying or operating aircraft (including drones) in Norway. 

Drones are being used in Hawaii to capture specimens of rare and endangered plants in places that would be dangerous for humans. Historically, botanists would rappel down sheer rock faces to collect samples. A commercially available drone carries a second robotic machine named Mamba. The Mamba remote-controlled robotic arm was custom-built from scratch. It’s suspended from the hovering drone and picks the plant samples.

Subtitle: An Alphabet-owned Wing drone “incinerated itself” after it became entangled in power lines in Brisbane, Australia. On the bright side, the food stayed hot.

Danny Donald, a spokesperson from utility provider Energex, said: “We didn’t actually have to get the drone off, as such, it actually caught fire and incinerated itself.”

With adversary aircraft and air defense systems improving, many are predicting a future with a mix of manned and unmanned aircraft. A new type of aircraft is emerging: the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is proposing the Gambit CCA family of aircraft built off a common Gambit Core.

Video: How a hive of 3D-printing drones could change construction | Mashable

A team of researchers at Imperial College London and Empa have been developing collaborative aerial drones that can 3D print buildings from a single blueprint. The drones are fully autonomous once in flight and have so far successfully completed tests with lightweight cement mixtures.

Nano drones in Ukraine, cloud seeding with drones in China, bots that clean beaches and waterways, a STEM program for young girls, new technologies from Draganfly, and patrolling the airport perimeter.

The British Prime Minister announced that 850 Black Hornet nano drones would be given to Ukraine under a joint U.K.-Norway program. The Black Hornet was designed by Prox Dynamics in Norway and became part of Teledyne FLIR. The nano drone is about the size of a tennis ball, has three high-definition cameras, a maximum range of about 1.2 miles, flight time up to 25 minutes, and an 11 MPH top speed. They are designed to be quiet to avoid detection.

China has been experiencing record-breaking heat and drought. In response, the country has been cloud seeding with drones and rockets. Eight cloud-seeding flights were planned over the Guizhou province in southwest China. Drones over the Sichuan province brought rainfall to more than 600 sq/km of land. A drone was recently sent to Henan province to bring artificial precipitation to that area. The photograph in the article appears to be the Wing Loong 2 military drone.

It’s estimated that millions of pounds of plastics go into the Great Lakes every year. Now two “litter bots” are tackling the problem. The Searial Cleaners “PixieDrone” and “BeBot” remove litter in the water and in the sand, such as bottle caps, cigarette butts, straws, cups, and bottles.

A group of women of color who call themselves Hers-torians are working to empower ethnic minority girls aged 14-17 in STEM. The girls will get their drone licenses and map some historic sites in the San Diego area with LiDAR-equipped drones. The one-year Our Genetic Legacy program is free for the girls, but they get paid for it as a workforce development project. The organization was formed to address the lack of recognition and the disenfranchisement of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) in American history.

This article describes three technologies that Draganfly has added this year:

The Heavy Lift Drone can carry up to 67 pounds of payload with a 55-minute flight duration. It can fly automated or manual missions and has been used in Ukraine to deliver medical supplies and humanitarian aid.

The Commander 3 XL Drone is a high-endurance, weather-resistant, multirotor UAV designed for easy assembly and rapid deployment. It was modeled after Draganfly’s X4-ES drone. The drone packs down into a transportable case with quick-release arms and propellers. It carries up to 26 pounds of payload for a maximum flight duration is 50 minutes.

Applications for the Long Range LiDAR System include mapping and surveying forests, cities, real estate, energy infrastructure, and telecommunications infrastructure. It has been used in Ukraine by de-mining teams.

A few weeks ago, Draganfly announced its 2022 Q2 results. Q2 revenue was $2,370,115, an increase of 19.6% year-over-year. Gross profit was up 39.1% to $284,996. Gross margins are around 40%

The São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) is using drones to monitor and protect the perimeter. This is part of the airport’s Security Work Plan to identify threats such as fire outbreaks, animal incursions, and trespassing, as well as some maintenance tasks, like runway inspection and logistics and traffic guidance. The airport is using two UAVs from Dahua Technology with thermal and optical cameras. Dahua Technology is a security company that provides video-centric IoT solutions and services.

Automated inspection of solar panels, the NUAIR Public Safety Summit, USAF interest in supersonic target drones and the Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat, the Pixy selfie drone goes out of production, drones and rural law enforcement, and UAVs that can land on steep roofs.

Percepto announced it has completed the proof-of-concept phase for its automated system that will be used for inspection and data analysis of a giant floating solar power farm in Thailand. The solar power farm includes a grid of 145,000 panels floating over an area equivalent to about 70 soccer fields. The Percepto artificial intelligence-enhanced, automated UAVs will conduct regular inspection flights and use the company’s Autonomous Inspection and Monitoring software package to identify panels that need maintenance or repair.

NUAIR (the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance) recently hosted the fourth annual UAS Public Safety Summit at Griffiss International Airport in upstate New York. Drone developers exhibited their aircraft and some companies performed flight demonstrations. Aircraft exhibitors included Ascent Aerosystems, Skydio, BRINC, senseFly, and Inspired Flight.

Video: Spirit | All Weather UAV

The U.S. Air Force has long used target drones for training purposes, most recently with the QF-16 Viper Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) drones. Now the Air Force wants aerial targets that mimic supersonic Chinese and Russian stealth fighters and they’ve posted a request for information (RFI) for a supersonic-capable Next Generation Aerial Target (NGAT).

Preliminary discussions are underway on the possibility that the USAF could purchase the Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat under the NGAD (Next Generation Air Dominance) program. The MQ-28 was known as the Boeing Airpower Teaming System and the Loyal Wingman project developed by Boeing Australia for the Royal Australian Air Force.

Snap says it will sell the little selfie drone from its limited existing inventory. The company is shifting its focus and priorities.

Rural law enforcement is increasingly seeing drones used for criminal activity, and at the same time recognizing that UAVs are a valuable resource. The South Carolina Public Safety Drone Pilot Association was organized as a nonprofit in 2020 and has trained more than 100 personnel as public safety drone pilots.

These small UAVs can land on inclined surfaces of up to 60 degrees using adaptive friction shock absorbers and reverse thrust. The legs compress during impact and dissipate energy through friction. A small DC motor controls the friction in each leg by compressing disks. Reverse thrust is applied at contact to increase friction and prevent flipping. This is described in a paper published in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters.

Video: Fast Multirotor Landings on Steep Roofs using Friction Shock Absorbers and Reverse Thrust

…the Mars Sample Return campaign will no longer include the Sample Fetch Rover or its associated second lander. The Sample Retrieval Lander will include two sample recovery helicopters, based on the design of the Ingenuity helicopter, which has performed 29 flights on Mars and survived over a year beyond its original planned lifetime. The helicopters will provide a secondary capability to retrieve samples cached on the surface of Mars.

Women and drones documentary film, Chinese drone submarine, unmanned surface vessels, drone tech to India, portable ATM system, mapping with multiple drones, Ford patent.

D.C. court rules on drone Remote ID case, reconnaissance drones for Ukraine, more drones going to Mars, fried chicken coming by drone, lifeguard drones meet U.S. resistance, mapping a mountain with a UAV, NASA and Zipline partnership, and United Airlines sends a pre-delivery payment to Archer.

RaceDayQuads and drone operator Tyler Brennan sued to vacate the FAA’s drone Remote ID rule saying the rule amounted to “constant, warrantless governmental surveillance in violation of the Fourth Amendment.” The D.C. Circuit’s U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled and upheld the constitutionality of the FAA’s Remote ID requirement saying “drone pilots generally lack any reasonable expectation of privacy in the location of their drone systems during flight.” Also that the rule was properly developed.

Included in the purchase are two control stations and 20 Fly Eye drones, 78 Matrice multicopters, and two ground systems for 20 Warmate kamikaze attack drones. The Fly Eye drones are designed and built by WB Electronics in Poland, can fly up to 160 kilometers per hour, have fully autonomous take-off and landing capability but can be launched by hand.

Indian multinational English news channel WION says NASA is not going to scrap their original plan of sending another rover to Mars and instead send two new helicopter drones to would retrieve the samples from the Perseverance rover, then transport them to a rocket that will return them to Earth.

See also, Mars Sample Return Mission, and NASA, ESA to Discuss Mars Sample Return Mission.

Drones are being used by lifeguards at some European beaches with 22 of them in Spain using the General Drones Auxdron LFG, which costs 40,000 euros. A monthly fee of 15,000 euros pays for a trained pilot. In the US, there is a lifeguard shortage as younger Americans found other, higher-paying jobs during the pandemic. US lifeguard officials recognize the value of these drones but say widespread adoption is limited by their high cost.

KFC is partnering with Wing in Queensland in a trial to deliver fried chicken. The drone can carry up to 1.5 kilograms, not enough for the full bucket of chicken. But it can carry smaller orders.

A new study by Carnegie Mellon University says drones carrying small packages emit 84% less greenhouse gas emissions than a diesel truck and use 94% less energy. Researchers used small quadcopter drones carrying packages weighing no more than half a kilogram to a single destination. Data from almost 200 flights were used to measure drone energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

See also: Rodrigues and Samaras Suggest Drones for Efficient Last-Mile Deliveries and Drone flight data reveal energy and greenhouse gas emissions savings for very small package delivery published in Patterns.

A FIXAR 007 drone is being used to inspect a cable car route and to map the area for the potential future cable car extension The FIXAR 007 is a fully autonomous, VTOL fixed-wing drone for commercial and industrial applications. At 18,510 feet, Mount Elbrus poses some environmental challenges that were not met by previous systems.

Video: FIXAR conquered Elbrus!

NASA announced it signed a Space Act Agreement with Zipline “to pursue a future vision of U.S. aviation that includes delivery drones and air taxis.” m:N operations refers to the ratio of multiple operators (m) controlling multiple vehicles (N). The Zipline m:N operations model for medical drone delivery is already being used at scale in Africa. As well as operations in the U.S., Japan, Ghana, and Rwanda.

A Space Act Agreement (SAA) is a legal instrument that formulates partnerships with NASA. In March 2021, NASA formed the Multi-Vehicle (m:N) Working Group “…to bring together a broad collective of interested stakeholders from government, industry, and academia to identify and reduce barriers to m:N operations…”

In 2021, United Airlines conditionally ordered 100 Archer eVTOL aircraft. Now United has made a $10 million cash pre-delivery payment which signals that the airline is serious. The Archer production aircraft Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been completed and establishes aircraft specifications and manufacturing requirements.

Watch how Amazon is preparing for safe drone delivery

Archer Aviation planning full transition flights of their Maker aircraft, drone shuts down Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, protecting sporting events with drones, using lasers for drone communications, RQ-4 Global Hawk end-of-life, alligator attacks drone, a Remote ID device from Aerobits, and the Zephyr UAS flies for 26 days.

Archer Aviation Inc. announced it is confident it will achieve its goal of flying full transition flights with its Maker aircraft by year-end. Flight tests of the full-scale 12-motor eVTOL demonstrator aircraft with a Tilt Propeller System (TPS) have been successful.

Maker successfully completed its first hover test flight in December 2021 and since then the engineering team has focused on the development and testing of the systems needed for a full transition to horizontal flight.

Air traffic was shut down at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport for 45 minutes. There is no information about who was operating the drone, if it was taken down, or if it was retrieved. 

The DHS told Congress that TSA has reported nearly 2,000 drone sightings near U.S. airports since 2021. Pilots had to take “65 evasive actions” after drones came too close or disturbed aircraft.

Utah-based Fortem Technologies has reached an agreement with Qatar’s interior ministry to provide the interceptor drones at this winter’s Fifa World Cup in Qatar. Fortem’s “DroneHunters” that shoot nets will be able to bring down small rogue drones. These are autonomous, radar-guided drones.

The counter-drone technology that physically attacks rogue drones with a net or a projectile requires that you track the drone’s movement. On the other hand, signal jamming doesn’t require such precise tracking. But now British company QinetiQ has a way to remotely operate drones without the communication signals that can be jammed. The new system uses lasers or Free-Space Optical Communications (FSO, or FSOC) signals.

The US Air Force plans to phase out all remaining RQ-4 Global Hawk reconnaissance drones by fiscal 2027. Northrop Grumman was informed they should expect that the fleet will reach its end of life by that date. In a statement, an Air Force spokeswoman said, “Our ability to win future high-end conflicts requires accelerating investment in connected, survivable platforms and accepting short-term risks by divesting legacy ISR assets that offer limited capability against peer and near-peer threats.”

A Brazilian man was testing his new drone and had seen some alligators, so he flew back to the spot. The drone hovered over one of the alligators who eyed the drone for a few seconds. The gator then lept out of the water, grabbed the drone, and swam away.

Video: Alligator leaps out of Brazilian river and snatches drone in mid flight

Aerobits has launched an advanced version of the idME PRO device that can broadcast on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It provides enhanced identification and tracking for UAS and works with MAVLINK devices. The Wi-Fi can connect to the Pixhawk drone controller via a JST connector. The Bluetooth Low Energy (or BLE) provides surveillance and drone operator identification capability via smartphones or tablets. 

The U.S. Army wants to implement ultra-long endurance stratospheric UAS capabilities. During a June 2022 test flight, the Airbus-developed Zephyr UAS flew for 26 days, breaking its own record set in 2018. The Zepher achieved a number of firsts, including the first flight into international airspace, first flight over water, longest continuous flight utilizing satellite communication controls, and the farthest demonstration from its launch point while carrying a commercial, off-the-shelf payload.

The Army Futures Command is conducting stratospheric experimentation at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona by the Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing/Space (APNT/Space) Cross-Functional Team (CFT), which is based in Huntsville, Alabama.

Inside look at Amazon’s top secret drone testing facility

NBC’s Erin McLaughlin reports for TODAY on when you could see them in your own backyard.

Video: Inside Look At Amazon’s Top Secret Drone Testing Facility

Microsoft announces a new AirSim platform to train drone AI systems, Amazon Prime Air eyes deliveries in Texas, Russia looks at Iranian drones, DJI pushes back against the American Security Drone Act, a UK drone superhighway, and new drones from Alphabet’s Wing.

In 2017 Microsoft created the open-source AirSim simulation platform for AI research and experimentation, but a lot of technical machine learning knowledge was needed to use it. Now Microsoft has announced a new Project AirSim platform for teaching autonomous drones to fly. Microsoft is talking with regulators about how AirSim could be used for aircraft certification.

Video: Introducing Microsoft Project AirSim for aerial autonomy

Amazon says they’ll ask College Station residents if they are interested in drone deliveries with plans to start later this year. Mayor Karl Mooney said: “Amazon’s new facility presents a tremendous opportunity for College Station to be at the forefront of the development of drone delivery technology. We look forward to partnering with Amazon and Texas A&M and are confident that Amazon will be a productive, conscientious, and accountable participant in our community.”

US intelligence says Russia is interested in obtaining Iranian military drones. Satellite images show Russian officials visiting Iran twice with Shahed-191 and Shahed-129 drones on display and in flight.

The Financial Times reports the DJI has been pushing back at the American Security Drone Act (ASDA). That act would prohibit U.S. federal funding from being used to buy Chinese drones, broaden the bans, and make it difficult for a ban to be rescinded. Notably, the bill was not retained in the National Defense Authorization Act passed by the House. Nevertheless, several Republican representatives vowed to make the ASDA law in a final version, or on its own.

Project Skyway is the UK plan to build a 165-mile (265 kilometer) “drone superhighway” up to 10 km wide connecting the airspace above Reading, Oxford, Milton Keynes, Cambridge, Coventry, and Rugby. The project consortium is led by Altitude Angel, a UTM (Unified Traffic Management) solution provider.

Video: Project Skyway 150722

New delivery drones from Wing are tailored to be efficient for different delivery missions. The largest drone can carry 7 pounds while the smallest can carry up to 0.6 pounds. These use common motors, controllers, batteries, and the materials and processes to build them.

Video: The Aircraft Library | Wing

A company holds a patent for coaxial drone multirotors, locals push back on Amazon’s delivery plans, autonomous battery swapping, transforming battlefield medicine, drones in sports, saving elm trees, and investigating environmental polluters with drones.

Video: Why coaxial configuration of drones is a brilliant invention

Nordic Unmanned has a patent for coaxial configuration on a drone. (Where two motors operate on the same axis, rotating in opposite directions.) The company will license the concept as a product. For more, see Nordic Unmanned – Coaxial Configuration Patent.

Amazon recently announced they would begin delivering packages by drone in the United States. Six months ago the company notified local authorities in unincorporated Lockeford, California. The drone facility is under construction, but residents are just hearing about it now and are not all supportive.

Airrow is an LA-based startup developing an autonomous device that swaps drone batteries and payloads. They say, “The biggest problem with drones today is the manual labor behind each drone’s ground operation.” Airrow believes that up to 80% of the daily operational costs for drones can be eliminated by “removing human labor from the mundane job of servicing a drone’s routine operation.” They call their solution Dronehub.

In combat operations, one significant way to save lives is to provide blood products to forward-deployed medics and corpsmen quickly. Blood loss (or “bleeding out”) is reported to be the leading cause of preventable death on the battlefield. Drones could offer a way to deliver blood products quickly.

Indian sports company KreedOn looks at how drones impact sports:

• Training and game analytics
• Get food delivered to your seat
• Pre-game and halftime entertainment
• Drones in sport – Security and sanitation
• Broadcasting
• Refereeing
• Aerial mapping
• Drones in sports- Drone racing and drone soccer

Dutch elm disease has devastated elm trees in a number of countries. Volatus Aerospace wants to use drones to identify the disease earlier than is usually the case. The drones can fly through an area and use a machine-learning algorithm to identify suspect trees. The traditional ground-based assessment is slow and costly.

The non-profit Waterkeeper Alliance is a global network of clean water groups. They are training activists to use drones for storytelling and evidence collection while investigating suspected violations of the Clean Air Act.

The Dufour Aerospace CCO tells us about the manned and unmanned tilt-wing eVTOL platforms being developed by the company.

Sascha Hardegger is the Chief Commercial Officer at Dufour Aerospace, a Swiss-based eVTOL startup developing manned and unmanned tilt-wing platforms. The company is currently focused on the Aero2 VTOL drone aircraft and the Aero3 next-generation 8-seat emergency medical service VTOL. Both aircraft feature tilt wings.

The remotely-piloted Aero2 has a maximum takeoff weight of 150 kg (331 lbs), a payload of 40 kg (88 lbs) in standard configuration, and 20 kg (44 lbs) in long-range configuration. Cruise speed is up to 170 km/h (92 kts). Propulsion comes from four wing-mounted motors powering four propellers and two tail fans. A prototype is flying and Dufour is progressing toward a hybrid-electric propulsion system. Aero2 use cases include critical cargo transport, cargo to remote locations, and remote sensing.

Find Dufour Aerospace on Twitter @DufourAero and be sure to see the company’s YouTube channel.

Sascha is responsible for the commercial activities of Dufour Aerospace. He’s the former ops director of Swiss REGA, the largest HEMS operator in Switzerland. Sascha led their initial foray into drone operations for Search and Rescue. He has worked as a journalist, a media spokesperson for the Swiss federal department of justice and police, and on peace-keeping missions abroad for the military. He is also an aviation enthusiast with time spent flying planes, gliders, paragliders, RC models, and drones.

Video: Dufour Aerospace: Combining the best of airplanes and helicopters

The Navy says they were drones not UFOs, an air assault experiment with a drone swarm, drone deployment planned for Africa, a drone that kills wasps, flying in the wind with deep learning, the unique view from above, and Walmart drone delivery service expansion.

The U.S. Navy says the objects detected in 2019 off the California coast were drones. This comes from statements by Department of Defense officials at the recent House hearing on UFOs.

At the 2022 Experimental Demonstration Gateway Exercise (EDGE 22) in Utah, the U.S. Army conducted an experiment where one operator controlled a swarm of 28 drones controlled through a mesh tactical network. The swarm searched for simulated enemy positions and sent back tactical data. The swarm was overseen by a surrogate for the Army’s Future Attack Recon Aircraft (FARA).

German drone delivery company Wingcopter and Continental Drones, a subsidiary of Ghana- and Dubai-based Atlantic Trust Holding, announced a partnership where they plan to build a network of 12,000 Wingcopter 198 drones in Africa. They’ll deliver health care products such as medicine, vaccines, and laboratory samples. The drones will be deployed over five years, starting in 2023 and the network will span 49 sub-Saharan countries.

AeroPest has created a precision spraying drone called the Hummingbird. It can be used to control elevated pests like wasps with an articulating nozzle. Other applications can apply liquid at any height, including de-icing fluid and industrial machinery lubrication. The system should be available 3rd quarter of 2022.

California Institute of Technology (Caltech) engineers have created Neural-Fly, which uses deep-learning technology to allow drones can react to unexpected wind conditions in real-time. Research scientist Soon-Jo Chung explained: “The issue is that the direct and specific effect of various wind conditions on aircraft dynamics, performance, and stability cannot be accurately characterised as a simple mathematical model.” So they employ a technique called “separation” where the neural network is “pre-trained” and only a small number of parameters need to be altered in real-time.

Aerial photographs reveal things that cannot be appreciated from the ground. This article presents photos including the Pegasus Airlines plane that went off the runway in Turkey, a 200-foot rabbit that was an art installation in Italy, a selfie from the top of a wind turbine, and many others.

Walmart intends to offer drone-delivered packages from 34 stores by the end of 2022 from stores in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. Items must weigh less than 10 pounds and orders will be taken between 8 AM and 8 PM. A $3.99 delivery charge will be applied to the service provided by DroneUp.