sUAS News

Retired Fire Chief Will Help Police, Fire And Rescue Agencies Develop Drone Programs November 5, 2019 – DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, welcomes retired fire chief Wayne Baker as its new Director of Public Safety Integration, enhancing the company’s support for the police, fire and rescue personnel across America […]

The company is releasing three new Integrated UAV Systems and an updated aerial methane inspection package while announcing a forthcoming software environment Rome, NY – Microdrones is releasing three new Integrated UAV Systems based on the heavy lifting power, resilience and efficiency of the Microdrones md4-3000 aircraft: the mdMapper3000DuoG VHR, the mdMapper3000DuoG and the mdMapper3000 […]

New, double-vetted research from DRONERESPONDERS names key issues facing first responders while also exploring commercial UAS vendor landscape MIAMI, FL – The lack of standardized training and certification is the top issue hampering public safety drone operations, according to DRONERESPONDERS – the world’s fastest growing non-profit organization supporting public safety UAS. The determination stems from a […]

SENSYN ROBOTICS, Inc. (Head Office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo / President: Takuya Kitamura; hereinafter “SENSYN ROBOTICS”), a company which is aiming to fully automate operations with drones focused on the areas of facility inspections, disaster countermeasures and security, has added a function (tower scan function) that makes it possible to easily automatically navigate tower-like structures (e.g., steel […]

Counter-drone technology company releases updated software platform, providing the most reliable and actionable airspace activity data for organizations to instantaneously assess and defend against sUAS threats SAN FRANCISCO, November 5, 2019 – Dedrone, a market leader in counter-drone technology and airspace security, today announced the release of DroneTracker 4.1, building in critical advancements to the company’s software platform. DroneTracker 4.1 […]

Excellent work as ever from Ian Hudson, gardening and anamorphic lens aficionado. Another FOIA request to the Civil Aviation Authority in England. The much-touted drone and model aircraft registration scheme goes live today and we know the CAA spent £4.1 million pounds (5.2 USD) to set it up, with a projected annual running cost of […]

Following the launch CRS Strategic deconfliction – a world-first – in July, Tactical deconfliction breaks new ground in UTM services London, UK; Altitude Angel, the industry-leading UTM (Unmanned Traffic Management) technology provider, today announced the launch of the ‘second phase’ of its revolutionary Conflict Resolution Service (CRS) with the introduction of Tactical deconfliction. Following the […]

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), today announced it received a firm-fixed-price contract valued at $6,408,542 from an existing Southeast Asian military customer on September 17, 2019, for additional Raven® unmanned aircraft systems. Delivery is anticipated within 12 months. “With nearly two decades of combat-proven effectiveness, Raven is a mainstay workhorse for […]

Simactive and Wingtra online training. The use of GCPs has been for a long time the only way to achieve high-accuracy in mapping. New technologies such as PPK can eliminate the need for ground control. This training session will discuss how to use higher-end drones to collect such precise data as well as how to […]

I’m going to insert a big, bold, stunning, and brave “I TOLD YOU SO” right here! God knows I wish it were just good old-fashioned frustration talking here. Still, it is hard to write things off to failure when supposed visionaries, high-dollar “experts,” and lobbyists can be so inept. On September 5, 2018, in a […]

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA –The City of Huntsville’s GEOHuntsville in cooperation with the UAS Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (ISAO) just completed the 2019 Southeast Regional UAS RODEO™ held over two days, October 9-10 at the Public Safety Training Academy in Huntsville, Alabama. How do we spell RODEO? Regional Ongoing training for Drone Emergency Operations. This two-day […]

The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) and the Office of Commercial Space Transportation of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are seeking to identify the data that may need to be exchanged between United States and European Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) prior to, during and after a space launch or re-entry operation […]

Bozeman, MT, Ascent Vision Technologies (AVT) continues to experience rapid growth with the awarding of several large defense contracts for its counter UAS (CUAS) and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance(ISR) technologies. The growth is complemented by the company’s significant expansion, both of its workforce and its office and production facilities. The expansion is part of AVT’s […]

SAN CLEMENTE – The Government of Bahamas recently engaged Swift Engineering’s Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Team to support the country’s post-hurricane relief efforts. Following the Category 5 Hurricane that caused damage along with parts of its archipelago, the government engaged Swift to conduct 98 day and night mapping missions over two weeks. The team utilized […]

DroneMapper Rapid and Remote Expert Version 20191028 has been released. Please download the latest version here. This release has the latest UI modifications, back-end API performance enhancements and features. See the full change log below: Fixed tooltip bug and license display Pre-generate 3 channel images (multi-threaded) Add “GCP Tool” to Operations menu New color preview orthomosaic […]

Three Alberta-based SMBs partner with Peraton Canada to advance the use and development of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System technology. (Ottawa, ON) – Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) is a critical component of the advancement in unmanned commercial and defence applications of UAS technology. Although testing of BVLOS drone applications is underway in many countries, […]

A developing story with far-reaching implications. Appearing across multiple outlets the DOI seems to have grounded all Chinese RPAS in its care. Department of the Interior spokesperson Melissa Brown issued the following statement. “Secretary Bernhardt is reviewing the Department of the Interior’s drone program. Until this review is completed, the Secretary has directed that drones […]

Altitude Angel, the industry-leading unmanned traffic management (UTM) technology provider, is to provide Drone Safe Register with map data which will support a new function on the UK’s no. 1 UAV directory. The UK company received financial backing in 2018 from Peter Jones, telecoms tycoon & investor, after appearing on the BBC programme Dragon’s Den. […]

The ultra-light Mavic Mini makes drone flight easier and safer than everOctober 30, 2019 – DJI, the global leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, today opens a new frontier in drone possibilities with the DJI Mavic Mini, an ultra-light folding drone designed to be the everyday FlyCam. Weighing just 249 grams, Mavic Mini […]

Allow me to regale you with a retelling of a story from 2013. https://www.suasnews.com/2013/12/how-did-the-u-s-fall-so-far-behind-on-uas-integration/ Seasoned readers will recognize many of the same old trite and obtuse “it is all about safety” and “we need data” platitudes, how integration is hard, etc. Those giddy with the promise of unmanned technology were beguiled by the tried and […]

New solution integrates the real-time Kongsberg IRIS UxS airspace management picture into the AiRXOS’ Air MobilityTM Platform to provide integrated unmanned traffic management services around critical infrastructure Ottawa, CA: Kongsberg Geospatial, an Ottawa-based air traffic management company, and AiRXOS, part of GE Aviation, announced today that AiRXOS has fully integrated the real-time airspace picture from the […]

While the fast-approaching ADS-B Out mandate does not apply to drones, there’s still a strong case for integrating the technology in both manned and unmanned operations. AOPA members can purchase uAvionix solutions for both kinds of aircraft at a discount. Manned aircraft owners have just a few weeks left to equip before January 1, 2020, […]

We’re expanding and looking for experienced, technically minded and passionate sales staff to join the ALTI team, full time here at our head office in Knysna, South Africa. Applicants are required to be experienced and sales driven, aviation background and technical skills and knowledge a plus. Please send CV to hireme@altiuas.com or get in touch […]

VILLEPINTE, FRANCE — Drone Volt, an embedded artificial intelligence expert and manufacturer of professional civil drones, announced today new partnerships with U.S.-based companies Robotic Skies Inc and Metatron Unmanned Solutions to expand commercial UAS business opportunities in the U.S. The partnerships combine Drone Volt’s professional-grade drone technology with Robotic Skies’ maintenance, manufacturing,and regulatory expertise and Metratron’s […]

For fixed-wing UAVs operating from traditional runways, the landing manoeuvre is usually the most challenging and critical stage of any flight. Primoco, a Czech company, has been testing the latest version of UAV Navigation’s Flight Control System (FCS) on its 150kg fixed-wing UAV. During the tests, Primoco noted a number of improvements, including more efficient […]

Terra Drone India’s new product portfolio includes Trinity90+, the UAV which India’s elite government organization, Survey of India, is using in various nonpareil projects for Large-Scale Mapping. Terra Drone India, a leading provider of industrial drone solutions, has entered into a partnership with Ansari Precision Instruments Pvt. Ltd., part of the Roter Group of Companies, […]

What companies come to mind when you think of drones? Perhaps it’s one of the many online retailers exploring drone delivery to transport purchases to your doorstep. What may not come to mind is the railroad. Believe it or not, BNSF has been a leader in employing drones for a variety of uses. BNSF started […]

LiDAR vegetation penetration capability enables concentration camp visualisation The island of Alderney, a British crown dependency located 10 miles off the coast of France, was once home to a German SS concentration camp. Professor of Conflict Archaeology and Genocide Investigation at Staffordshire University in the UK, Caroline Sturdy Colls travelled with her team to the […]

A Strawman Paper by Airspace4All Executive Summary Within the UK there has been a steady growth in the volume of airspace restrictions at lower levels where the impact is felt particularly by the recreational General Aviation (GA) pilot. As the volume of such airspace increases, the volume of un-restricted airspace obviously decreases. Whilst much of these […]

Those of you lucky enough to be off the Strip in Las Vegas this week will find that you’ll be in the company of most of the alleged under contract and freelance “advocates,” “experts,” “visionaries,” flim-flamers, con-artists, forecasters, grifters, hucksters, and swindlers. The only delegation missing will be AUVSI as they run their own purported […]

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada – AirMarket Inc (AirMarket) and TELUS today signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) that underpins their new strategic alliance, which aims to accelerate the development and deployment of Unmanned Traffic Management services for the global drone market. Utilizing the power of Canada’s largest and fastest network, AirMarket and TELUS are combining efforts […]

Since the CAA finally announced details of its Drone Registration and Education Scheme (DRES) last week we have published several explanatory notes both on the BMFA website and directly to members by email. However, the flurry of correspondence and comments on various forums and groups suggests that there is still a considerable misunderstanding of the […]

Imagine an Africa with low mobility costs and just-in-time delivery or with massive amounts of new imagery available for mapping and monitoring – what new business opportunities could exist in e-commerce and data services? The African Drone Forum (ADF) asks African entrepreneurs to envision new commercial use cases that may emerge resulting from this new […]

RTL-400 captures precision agriculture at its finest Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology is a new and exciting innovation that has increasingly been used for commercial, government, and scientific applications. The 3D images produced by a LiDAR system have changed the way individuals, businesses, researchers, and government regulators assess the world in which we live. […]

A recent experimental flight proves that unmanned aircraft can be used not only for short round trips but also for long-distance operations from airfield to airfield. This opens up brand new possibilities for long-range drone applications such as surveillance, monitoring, search and rescue operations and applications within transportation. In the morning of June 5th, a Maritime […]

Based in Somerville, Alabama, LiDARUSA a global leader in the design and integration of economical LiDAR sensors announced a partnership with Innoflight Technology, a manufacturer specializing in UAV systems for surveying, mapping, and inspection. As a result of the partnership, LiDARUSA is offering the LiDARUSA platform to carry any of its sensors while consistently providing […]

IN-FLIGHT Data, a Canadian leader in advanced drone operations, in concert with senseFly – the global leader in fixed-wing drones, local geomatics experts Benchmark Geomatics, and the Okotoks Air Ranch Airport successfully teamed up for a first at a Canadian airport: conducting a midday, GNSS RTK drone survey of the airport and surrounding residential community, over […]

RoboMaster, the annual robotics competition created by DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and creative imaging technology, is now open for registration. RoboMaster is open to universities and college students from around the globe who are passionate about engineering and robotics. Interested teams can learn more about RoboMaster 2020 and sign up here:https://www.robomaster.com/en-US/robo/rm?djifrom=pr. The […]

CHIRP has rolled out a drone safety reporting programme to provide a reporting channel for drone remote pilots similar to that provided for manned aviation. Drones should be treated as just another sector of aviation; safety/hazard reporting processes should mirror those used in manned aviation as closely as possible to foster a cooperative ethos of […]

Program will provide turn-key capability to conduct offshore drone flight testing across a wide variety of terrain and operating environments for all classes of aircraft MIAMI – Airborne Response, the premier provider of Mission Critical Unmanned Solutions® for industry and government, today unveiled their new AirborneBeyond™ program designed to provide UAS manufacturers and enterprise customers concierge-style, beyond […]

Hitting Indiegogo with lots of compelling design considerations, the Gannet Pro fishing line dropping drone. Fishing for large fish beyond the breakers by first looking for them and then dropping the bait and a hook in front of them is quite popular here in South Africa. I have heard it can be a commercial opportunity. […]

One of our helicopter crews put their training to the test today in the rescue of a crashed aircraft – well a crashed model aeroplane – which had become lodged on top of a Cornish mine chimney. A few days before, the owner of the radio-controlled aeroplane watched in disbelief as his model aircraft hit the […]

Global leader in construction industry products implements delair.ai in France to increase operational efficiency and optimize safety at its production sites Industry’s most comprehensive platform for mining and quarrying industry includes 3D modelling, artificial intelligence and cloud-based model Delair, a leading provider of enterprise visual data management solutions, has signed an agreement in France with CEMEX, […]

AERIUM partnership saves time, money on runway inspections (Edmonton, AB) – A different kind of aircraft landed at Edmonton International Airport this past weekend as a highly specialized drone was used to conduct runway safety inspections as the airport continues to be a leader in the growing technology. On Sunday, AERIUM Analytics, on behalf of […]

Lausanne, Switzerland, October 23rd, 2019 – Pix4D, the industry leader in professional drone mapping and photogrammetry software solutions, today is launching Pix4Dreact, the essential 2D fast-mapping software tailored specifically to the needs of public safety personnel and first responders. Year on year, an increasing number of natural disasters, man-made conflicts and other crises are affecting […]

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), received a $5,254,912 firm-fixed-price contract award for PumaTM 3 AE systems and support equipment on August 8, 2019, for the U.S. Border Patrol, part of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Delivery is anticipated by January 2020. AeroVironment’s Puma 3 AE small unmanned aircraft system is designed […]

Robotic Skies Inc, the first and only global MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) network for commercial UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems), and SqwaQ, a global SD-WAN network company offering a powerful new redundant comm-link that enables drones to fly unlimited-range BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight), have signed an agreement that grants the Robotic Skies Service […]

The UK’s new Drone and Model Aircraft Registration and Education Scheme will go live on 5 November 2019 (please note that you cannot register before this date). There will be two elements to the online system. Anyone responsible for a drone or unmanned aircraft (including model aircraft) weighing between 250g and 20kg will need to […]

Airports Council International (ACI) World and its global aviation industry partners have addressed the pressing need for standards and guidance to address unauthorised drone operations to the 40th International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly. ACI World, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA), International Federation of Air Line […]

Blue Bear has recently completed the second phase of the 18-month 5GRIT project, culminating in drone flights on an arable farm in Yorkshire and a livestock farm in Cumbria, controlled over 5G from hundreds of miles away in London and Bedford. The UK’s 5G Rural Integrated Testbed (5GRIT), supported through the Department for Digital, Culture, […]