sUAS News

Caerphilly-based start-up Drone Evolution have been announced as the 2019 winners of the Sir Michael Moritz Start-Up Award at the Welsh Technology awards organised by ESTnet. The Sir Michael Moritz Tech Start-up Award (sponsored this year by GoCompare) recognises those who have achieved success in a short space of time and have the potential to grow […]

China’s largest industrial UAV manufacturer MMC (Micromulticopter Aviation) signed deal with Aeronext on joint development of 4D Gravity drone on June 20th in Shenzhen. The two companies will jointly bring into implementation the idea of 4D gravity drone which features gravity controlling technology to further the expansion of UAV-Ecosystem. The president of MMC Zhihui Lu and the CEO of […]

Nova Systems, in close collaboration with OneSky, a business unit of Analytical Graphics Inc. (AGI), currently leads a consortium that is undertaking research and development of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Traffic Management (UTM) technologies. This is one of the projects awarded under the Call-for-Proposal by the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Civil Aviation Authority […]

Commercial drone operators in the UK have today received a mass email from a directory service that has just stood up. Welcome to Discover Drones. Showcasing the very best drone operators from across the UK. Our brand new website is designed with professional drone operators, training providers and equipment suppliers in mind. Offering a dynamic online, […]

How fixed-wings outrank multicopters Multicopters like the Phantom 4 RTK are an obvious choice for entry-level drone surveying because of their lower price tag and ease of use. They do a great job surveying small areas, and they excel at vertical mapping as well as monitoring small construction sites. However, when projects scale up, multicopters […]

On 11 June 2019, a package of regulations relating to the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) within Europe was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. This ‘EU UAS Regulation Package’ consists of two separate, but interlinked regulations as follows:  Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 on the procedures and rules for […]

Develops solution for drone manufacturers to become compliant with NP-NT protocol outlined by the DGCA under the Digital Sky framework Bangalore, June 21, 2019 – Skylark Drones, a pioneer in designing and deploying drone solutions, today announced the launch of “Patang”, India’s first drone compliant with the NP-NT (No permission – No take-off) protocol as outlined […]

The external shutter ThermalCapture Calibrator- now available for FLIR UAS products (Vue Pro / Vue Pro R series) – enables consistent thermal measurements and increases the temperature accuracy for absolute temperature measurement by up to 70%. A truly unique add-on for the global thermal drone market. WILNSDORF, Germany, 20th June 2019 – TeAx Technology, an innovative, […]

Bridger Aerospace has integrated technologies from Ascent Vision Technologies (AVT) and Latitude to introduce the world’s most advanced aerial firefighting surveillance system. To tackle the country’s most extreme fires, the Gen V system will be used by Bridger’s highly skilled and trained team of operators to better support wildfire management and relief missions. The fully […]

Altitude Aerial Photography Ltd is a specialist advanced aerial filming and photography company, with a permit that allows us to fly where most drone operators can’t. We are passionate about creative media, videography and photography and love what we do. The role: We are looking for a confident and motivated UAS Pilot with passion and […]

Recently it has been announced that the FAA has granted a first-of-its-kind waiver for flying over people with a parachute and that a certain huge construction company has benefited from the ASTM 3322-18 (is there an FAA NOA?) standard and adequately addressed safety concerns at the FAA. Now, before you mom-and-pop (and sometimes daughter) operations […]

UAVs have brought photogrammetry back as a bread and butter tool for surveying. They’ve put mapping back on the map. But often we see large ambitious UAV projects undertaken, to capture long stretches of highway or vast expanses of detailed mapping, taking weeks of UAV survey crew time, hundreds of battery swaps, 10s of thousands […]

Drs. Chittayong Surakitbanharn, former executive director of the Stanford Urban Resilience Initiative (now head of marketing for Hivemapper), and Gregory Crutsinger, Founder of Scholar Farms, have coauthored a newly released white paper reviewing the use of drone mapping in major wildfires in Northern California during the 2017 and 2018 fire seasons. The white paper illustrates the potential […]

Here at Aerial Motion Pictures, we are looking for someone who can seriously multi-task and integrate into a passionate team that operates in the ever-evolving and exciting drone industry. The goal is to help customers on their journey to getting a ‘Permission for Commercial Operation’ (or PfCO) through our ICARUS course. This will involve teaching […]

‘Flock Enterprise’ will help drone fleet operators take proactive steps to reduce drone flight risk, and reward them with cheaper insurance premiums. London, 18 June 2019 – Flock, the London-based insurtech startup, unveiled today ‘Flock Enterprise’, a first-of-its-kind insurance and risk management solution for drone fleets. The product leverages real-time data to provide highly bespoke […]

3DRobotics bit the dust, Karma was a full-fledged GoPro Dharma bomb, Parrot continually posts losses (Chris Anderson makes up some informative graphs when he’s not rubbing #ChiComms in DJI’s face), and Insitu is laying folks off. DJI gave Airmap the Ike Turner treatment in public and is in desperation mode trying to wipe the sting […]

Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc. (ESAero), a leading Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) System design, development and manufacturing services provider announced today receipt of a follow-on purchase order from NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center for the X-57 “Maxwell”, the first all-electric X-plane, for Wing and Distributed Electric Propulsion System Integration. ESAero has […]

MMC (MicromultiCopter Aviation) is set to attend the 4th Shenzhen International UAV EXPO from June 20 to June 22, showcasing its brand new industrial chain products within UAV-Ecosystem including UAV frame, flight control system, payloads and motors which are now open for sale. It is notable that MMC will present a series of drone platforms with open […]

Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and Black Sage are now partnering through a formal teaming arrangement to provide an integrated drone detection and mitigation system for civil authorities, critical infrastructure and military organizations around the world. “As we saw at Gatwick and Heathrow airports, drones operating inside commercial air corridors are posing a real challenge,” said Todd Probert, […]

Spanish Police chooses Elistair tethered drone system, operated by UMILES Global Solutions, for persistent surveillance of the UEFA Champions League Final. During the UEFA Champions League Final played on 1 June 2019 at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, police forces used Elistair tethered drone system coupled with UMILES Global solution U06 Plus drone for […]

Next week, drone companies from around the world are heading to Denmark to leverage the country’s unique drone test facilities. Why? It’s one of the few places in the world where drone companies can perform BVLOS flights in urban, rural and coastal areas. And thanks to a special setup with fixed daily flight times, companies […]

The MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) – designed and developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI) – has now flown more than 100 test flights as development continues towards its first delivery to the Royal Air Force (RAF) as part of the Protector RG Mk1 programme. Since making its first flight in November […]

The new Integrated Intelligence Center (I2C) from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) presents innovative ways to improve the user experience for operators of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) using automation and user experience-based design (UX). “I2C will rapidly transform data into actionable intelligence,” said David R. Alexander, president, GA-ASI. “We see benefits to the warfighter on […]

Delair’s drones and data analytics platform will allow Eramet to develop digital twins of its mining sites and accelerate the digitalization of its operational centres to provide Cloud and artificial intelligence services. Eramet, a global mining and metallurgy group, and Delair, a global provider of end-to-end, drone-based solutions for enterprises, have signed a framework agreement […]

UMS SKELDAR, the world-leader in pioneering maritime unmanned helicopters, has completed CAA-approved certification of flight crew in Switzerland, ahead of training roll-out with Swedish flight ops as company expands across global markets Europe’s leading provider of Rotary Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms, UMS SKELDAR, has teamed up with UK CAA (Civil Aviation Authority)-approved specialist UAV […]

The French SME from Aix-en-Provence records the most important order of its history. Indeed, more than 50 NX70 micro surveillance and reconnaissance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been ordered by the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) and will soon equip soldiers deployed in operation. Each of the 27 systems acquired is composed of two UAVs, […]

Following a Freedom of Information Act request, the UK Airprox Board, the official body which collates airprox (‘near miss’) reports from pilots, described the process they use for classifying a drone airprox: The Board adopts a pragmatic approach wherein if a pilot can positively identify the object as a drone (e.g. number of rotors, recognition […]

Hyderabad-based drone startup Terra Drone India has successfully completed a multi-sensor, multi-platform scanning of internationally recognized landmark Charminar. Built in 1591, the monument, which is often called as ‘Arc de Triomphe of the East’, suffered significant damage in May 2019 when a huge chunk of lime-plaster from its south-west minaret broke and fell off. This incident made […]

5G!DRONES aim is to trial several UAV use-cases covering eMBB, URLLC, and mMTC 5G services, and to validate 5G KPIs for supporting such challenging use-cases. The project will drive the UAV verticals and 5G networks to a win-win position, on one hand by showing that 5G is able to guarantee UAV vertical KPIs, and on […]

Terra Drone Europe, a group company of Japan-based Terra Drone Corporation, has secured a framework agreement to provide unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) services to Ordnance Survey, the national mapping agency of the United Kingdom. Under the scope of this contract, Terra Drone Europe will provide different types of UAV services to Ordnance Survey. The deliverables […]

What’s that you say? The industry can’t take off until we can file and fly BVLOS? Most of the time it is really only EVLOS with VOs, unless you have some serious money and a kennel full of DC lobbyists. After this story, you might be justified in asking for a $769 refund on the […]

Sky-Futures was recently acquired by ICR Integrity, a global oil and gas integrity and maintenance business. This exciting next step in our journey has not only developed the Sky-Futures operating footprint but has spawned new opportunities to grow the business. With more work comes a need for more pilots and Sky-Futures are now recruiting for […]

UASidekick is a simple to use, mobile app that provides near instantaneous airspace authorizations (LAANC and NOTAMs) and interactive flight planning safety tools. The company’s mission is to solve a very specific set of challenges facing UAS pilots today by helping to remove the complexity of understanding and gaining access to the National Airspace System […]

James Rennie According to Goldman Sachs the drone industry will be worth US$100bn globally by 2020, and similar figures have been estimated by the other consulting firms and described as ’the next Internet’. Drones have been radically changing how businesses and government agencies operate: saving money, improving safety, and providing game-changing data and insights for the more efficient […]

Uber has today announced Australia as the first international market for Uber Air, with Melbourne being selected as the third official pilot city. Melbourne will join Dallas and Los Angeles as pilot cities for the program, with test flights due to start from 2020 and plans for commercial operations to commence from 2023. Taking Uber’s […]

You will no longer be able to upload data to PrecisionMapper as of June 15th, 2019 or access PrecisionMapper to download your data after June 30th, 2019. PrecisionAnalytics Agriculture provides a more intuitive way to process and analyze your data. You can organize multiple farms and fields in a single, easy-to-navigate portal; define custom zones […]

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for both defense and commercial applications, today announced it has acquired Pulse Aerospace, LLC, a developer and supplier of small VTOL UAS, for $25.7 million in cash, including milestone-based earn-out payments of $5 million. AeroVironment financed the transaction entirely from available cash on hand. […]

Picterra and the Flying Labs from WeRobotics are thrilled to announce a new collaboration step. Picterra adds an AI-analytic layer to support the Flying Labs in their mission of accelerating and scaling local drones-for-social good solutions in emerging economies. Flying Labs’ members currently work on a broad and diverse range of projects, from helping farmers […]

On 11 June 2019 common European rules on drones, Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 & Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, have been published to ensure drone operations across Europe are safe and secure. The rules will amongst others help to protect the safety and the privacy of EU citizens while enabling the free circulation of drones and a […]

Swoop Aero was founded to bring autonomous air transport to everyday life by revolutionising access to on-demand healthcare for everyone, everywhere. We’ve seen considerable progress at Swoop Aero over the last 6 months have successfully deployed the first inbound/ outbound airborne logistics service in the world, raising venture capital to continue our rapid growth and […]

FlyTech UAV, professional drone manufacturer recently presented the unique VTOL solution, which is un upgrade to their flagship fixed-wing BIRDIE. What makes the solution different from other VTOL drones on the market? Detachable extension modules that make it literally two systems in one. Modules can be attached and detached at any time, giving the user […]

Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc. (ESAero), a leading Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) System design, development and manufacturing services provider announced today a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II Award from NASA. The award, currently in negotiation, is under NASA Topic A1.06 for Vertical Lift Technology and Urban Air Mobility. ESAero’s […]

Deloitte announced today that it has earned a contract from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to develop a Concept of Operations (ConOps) for urban air mobility (UAM). The project is part of the NASA broader effort, which focuses on the development and introduction of new air vehicles into the air transportation system in the […]

The Fieldwork Company For some time now, VTOL drones have entered the field of aerial mapping. These Vertical Takeoff and Landing drones offer the flexibility and ease of use of a multirotor combined with the range and stability of a fixed wing UAV. At The Fieldwork Company we have been using both fixed wing and […]

Drone safety company ParaZero Technologies Ltd (ASX: PRZ), together with the Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS), has completed the testing and compliance process for ParaZero’s SafeAir Mavic in accordance with ASTM F3322-18 ASTM F3322-18 Standard Specification for UAS Parachutes was designed to enable civil aviation authorities (CAAs), like the FAA, to determine whether a […]

Aeromao from Canada is pleased to announce that the Aeromappers line of commercial grade drones has been added to the list of compliant UAV systems of Transport Canada. This distinction allows Canadian organizations using Aeromapper drones to apply for Compliant Operator status. A total of four drone system models the company produces have been added […]

Robotic Skies® Inc., the only global maintenance network for commercial UAS, announces it has been selected by Silent Falcon™ UAS Technologies to provide its customers access to a comprehensive UAS service and support package. Robotic Skies adds Silent Falcon to its growing list of commercial UAS OEMs seeking to improve customer service by providing access […]

Drone Delivery Canada Corp. (TSXV: FLT, OTC: TAKOF) (the “Company” or “DDC“) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement (the “Agreement“) with Air Canada (TSX:AC) (“AC“) effective May 29, 2019 whereby Air Canada Cargo will market and sell DDC’s drone delivery services in Canada using Air Canada Cargo’s marketing and sales platforms and resources. Pursuant […]

Terra Drone Corporation, one of the world’s largest providers of industrial drone solutions, has successfully demonstrated to Taiwanese government officials an unmanned traffic management (UTM) system developed jointly with Unifly, a leading drone traffic management provider from Europe and a portfolio company of Terra Drone. The test run of the UTM was conducted at Fukushima […]

FoxFury Lighting Solutions introduces its new Rugo™ 2 Drone & Camera Light. The newest addition to the Rugo™ series is an ultra-durable lighting tool for the on-the-go videographer, photographer, and drone pilot. Powered by a rechargeable Quick Swap® Power Pack, this 620 lumen light features a sliding Tri-Lens®, which allows the user to select between area, spot, […]