sUAS News

Event 38 is today announcing the release of a Companion Computer to the Sony QX1 camera. The companion computer is a fully integrated solution for streamlining the mapping and geotagging process on the E384, E386, and other Pixhawk-powered drones. It allows users to completely bypass the normal geotagging post-processing step. This relieves a burden on operators […]

QuestUAV offer “Just For June” with any UAV package from their group of mapping drones – the Q-100 DATAhawk, DATAhawk Ag, Q-200 Surveyor Pro, Q-200 PPK, Q-200 AGRI Pro and the Q-200 Water Resource Management. Purchase any of the packages and receive £1000 discount on Pix4D’s professional photogrammetry tool – Pix4Dmapper Pro. Pix4Dmapper Pro […]

A May 19 meeting convened by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) confirmed there is broad-based support among key stakeholders from the private and public sectors for ANSI to establish an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Standardization Collaborative (UASSC). The UASSC will work to coordinate and accelerate the development of the standards and conformity assessment programs […]

Circuit Scribe announced the release of their revolutionary DIY electronic kits, made with just printer paper, a Circuit Scribe pen, and a circuit. A progression from education use to application, the paper kits are currently available exclusively on their Kickstarter campaign. “Our new DIY kits emphasize the creativity and power that Circuit Scribe can have […]

All the way from New Zealand, Bruce brings us Part 2 of his refresher on the aerodynamics of flying wings. Check out more of Bruce’s videos over on his YouTube channel, RCModelReviews. Also catch Bruce on our weekly YouTube live show, Drone Stuff This Week, every Tuesday at 21H00 GMT.

Surrey Search & Rescue has now incorporated drones into their life-saving arsenal, thanks to advice dispensed by leading drone experts Consortiq. Consortiq has a long and productive partnership with Surrey Search & Rescue, and continue to support them in the development of new and improved methods of finding vulnerable people faster and more effectively. As […]

Kittyhawk, the drone management platform of choice for enthusiasts and commercial pilots, is today announcing the integration of FAA sectional charts into its Flight Deck app and Web Dashboard for all Plus, Commercial and Enterprise customers as part of their subscription (at no additional charge). This new feature was rolled out due to overwhelmingly popular […]

RTE and Delair-Tech have set a new distance record when they flew a civilian drone 30 miles (50 kilometres). This official purpose of the flight, which took place in France, was to inspect by remote camera RTE’s power lines as well as recording data that would allow it to build models of its European power […]

The diminutive, but increasingly useful, quadcopter was put to another challenge June 2 when it flew over a small building near Edwards Flightline to give members of 412th Civil Engineer Group an idea of its capabilities as a building inspection tool. With some assistance by the 412th CEG, the Emerging Technologies Combined Test Force here […]

The Drone Racing League (DRL), the global leader in professional drone racing, today announced a partnership with Betfair to offer race betting at the final race of the Allianz World Championship circuit next Tuesday, 13 June at the iconic Alexandra Palace. The championship race will be the UK’s first professional drone race and will be […]

Yesterday Project Wing took part in a set of nationwide tests convened by NASA and the FAA to explore how to manage the growing number of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the sky. Within a few years, Wing and other companies are likely to have fleets with thousands of UAS in the air at any […]

A manufacturer of refinery infrastructure was about to finish the assembly of a radiant box when a quality control concern arose around some components in the project. The need for visual inspection at height in a complex environment, where scaffolding would only make the situation worse, led the customer to entertain the value and benefits […]

Drone Delivery Canada Corp. (DDC) has reached a pivotal milestone towards commercialising its drone logistics platform after becoming the first and only company of its kind in Canada to successfully achieve beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) test flights. The success of these flights, which took place in Foremost, Alta., after DDC received a Special Flight Operating […]

DARPA and BAE are developing technology aimed to enable unmanned aerial systems to conduct multiple functions. Today, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) typically require multiple payloads with dedicated components, including antennas, radio frequency (RF) circuitry, and processors, to conduct communications, radar, and electronic warfare (EW) missions. These single-function payloads can’t be installed on a compact UAS […]

SPH Engineering’s update for UgCS adds profound data import and processing features for UAV professionals and brings improvement for overall mission planning features. Android application UgCS for DJI is upgraded adding support for some newest DJI drones and features like camera zoom and improving video stream quality. Update adds support for DJI Inspire 2, Mavic […]

DEME, a leading premier Belgian dredging, hydraulic engineering and environmental solutions group, provides solutions for global challenges – overpopulation in coastal areas, increasing seaborne trade, and the rising global demand for energy and strategic resources – worldwide, daily. “We are considering drones to improve the safety of our crews on our construction sites.” Says Lorentz […]

Regular inspection and preventative maintenance of oil, gas and other energy or petrochemical -related infrastructure such as gas tanks, pipelines and smoke stacks; is necessary to minimize corporate liability, ensure safety of staff and the public, protect the environment, and maximize profits. However, managing these infrastructures incurs both cost and risk. Why utilize UAV […]

Set off into the great outdoors and discover new horizons with the limited edition Parrot Bebop 2 and Parrot Disco Adventurer packs. Both packs are tailor made for adventurers and designed to meet the demands of a new generation of explorer, equipped with lightweight, ergonomic backpacks that include all of the flying essentials. This includes: […]

When Chinese President Xi Jinping and 29 other heads of state agreed to an open economy and a policy of free and inclusive trade last month, the announcement rippled across industries. But China’s “New Silk Road” – the multi-billion dollar initiative which will build new infrastructure and trade links across the globe – may boost […]

Pilots of unmanned aircraft systems, also known as drones, can participate in essential training with industry experts this summer. Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus, Salina, is offering several training options in June for UAS pilots to expand skills and certifications, including a course in night operations. “The courses offered this summer further our objective of […]

Reno-Stead Test Range — On May 25, 2017, the FAA-designated Nevada UAS Test Site and its NASA Partners flew five different Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or drones) demonstrating multiple operational scenarios, including parachute, initiated emergency supply deliveries and aerial survey operations. In addition to flying the specific NASA Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Traffic Management (UTM) […]

Datumate, provider of the innovative, aerial photogrammetry solutions that are digitizing traditional construction and land surveying, announced today that its DatuSite™ suite – an aerial mapping and 3D modeling solution for field construction sites – will be offered at Datumate’s online store. DatuSite™ will be available for purchase worldwide beginning this week, with a range […]

Three teams of NASA researchers who have dreamed up potential solutions for pieces of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) puzzle have received the nod to officially begin formal feasibility studies of their concepts. The trio of investigations are part of NASA’s Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) project and are expected to take between 24 and to […]

Wirth Research releases more details and first images of its new Tilt Rotor, Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL), hydrogen fuel cell powered, advanced terrain mapping drone. The all-new Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) will be VTOL capable for its long-endurance missions, carrying its primary mission payload of a sophisticated suite of terrain-mapping sensors and on-board […]

Hello World! We are Drobotron – creators of the Flying Billboard Drone. We have created Drobotron to help customers promote their businesses in a completely new way like never before. Drobotron was designed to bring the world of digital content to the skies. Our Patent Pending technology seamlessly integrates a simple drone platform with a […]

The Netherlands Ministry of Defence (NMOD) has awarded the Short Range Tactical UAV (SRTUAV) contract to Insitu for its proposed Integrator offering. The baseline offering is for three Insitu Integrator systems that will replace the ScanEagle systems currently in use by the NMOD defence forces, which have been in service since 2012. Integrator is a […]

Workhorse Group Inc. (NASDAQ: WKHS), an American technology company focused on providing sustainable and cost-effective solutions to the electric transportation sector, today announced it will unveil its SureFly™ helicopter concept at the Paris Air Show on June 19. “The helicopter has been around for 78 years and is finally being reinvented,” said Stephen Burns, CEO […]

The European Commission (EC) has launched an initiative to develop Copernicus Data and Information Access Services (DIAS) that facilitate access to Copernicus data and information from the Copernicus services. By providing data and information access alongside processing resources, tools and other relevant data, this initiative is expected to boost user uptake, stimulate innovation and the […]

Frontier Precision, a leading provider of geospatial and construction equipment and services in the western United States, has announced they are now offering Microdrones unmanned aerial mapping solutions. “We’re very excited about this technology and our partnership with Microdrones,” said Steve Richter, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Frontier Precision. “We know this is […]

One of the most innovating and exclusive features of Veronte Autopilot is its curve-based navigation capacity in UAVs operations, becoming the pioneer autopilot to incorporate this technology. This kind of navigation allows to define missions made of an unlimited quantity of points and lines, either curved or straight, replacing the traditional “Waypoints”. Curve-based navigation allows […]

Sherbrooke University Water-Air VEhicle (SUWAVE) performing takeoffs, flights and dive landings during the summer of 2016. Presented at ICRA 2017, Singapore. More information can be found in the following article: Peloquin, R. A., Thibault, D., & Lussier Desbiens, A. (2017). Design of a Passive Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aquatic UAV. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, […]

Next generation unmanned aircraft company Olaeris has signed a contingent Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with Chinese government officials to build a manufacturing facility in the central Hunan Province of China. The project is planned to be a state-of-the-art aviation engineering and production facility that meets U.S. safety standards and FAA Production Certification requirements. Chinese Hunan […]

New Zealand company X-craft (www.x-craft.co.nz) has signed a deal with the Ukrainian company UKR Spec (www.ukrspecsystems.com) for reciprocal distribution of their full catalogue of aircraft and gimbal systems. This is the first time X-craft, primarily a Research and Development focused organisation, has secured the opportunity to export its systems to Europe. The deal also opens […]

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for both military and commercial applications, today announced the selection of the company’s Wasp AE small unmanned aircraft system by the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The ADF Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract calls for the delivery of Wasp AE systems over a three-year period, […]

U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have introduced a bill, S.1272, in the 115th Congress called the “Drone Federalism Act of 2017”. This bill proposes to give power to state, local, and tribal governments to create restrictions on drone use — the bill suggests example restrictions […]

UAS and drone experts, Consortiq, have officially become part of Assure, the FAA’s center for excellence in UAS research. The move marks a significant step for Consortiq, already established as a premier partner for UAS-ready solutions, with consultants bringing years of industry knowledge to the fore to help build comprehensive, sustainable solutions for modern businesses […]

HAZON Solutions (“HAZON”), the national leader in drone inspection services, announced today the launch of the latest version of the HAZON Drone Management System (HAZON DMS). Only four weeks after initial release HAZON has added two new features, Lessons Learned and Incident Reporting, further promoting safety and FAA compliance for drone operations. HAZON DMS is […]

Time to buy PING units if you are in South Africa, but make sure the antenna points up. South Africa will use space-based ADS-B. A service provided by Aireon the customer facing interface is by Flightaware. The reason South Africa is using space-based ADS-B is quite simple, most of the FIR (Flight Information Region) is blue, […]

Drone-mapping software developer Pix4D announces the opening of a research and development office in Berlin, Germany. Pix4D products rely on advanced principles of photogrammetry, computer vision, and machine learning. “By opening this office, we’re showing in a very physical way how seriously our products are connected to research and development”, says Pix4D founder and CEO […]

Drones in a box, will be a thing fast. At the moment DroneGrid uses freelance pilots to drive their own equipment to the site and fly jobs sourced by DroneGrid. They check the weather, regulatorily compliance even timing the flight for the best light. DataDrone aims to make more data more of the time for utilities to […]

We are looking for a talented UI developer to join our growing team in Lausanne. Pix4D develops drone mapping and photogrammetry software that enable thousands of professionals around the world to produce 3D models and maps purely from images. You will join the development team that takes care of our flagship product, Pix4D Desktop. You […]

Chinese-based commercial drone manufacturer MMC has increased their business by over 500% in the last two years. Since introducing the first hydrogen fuel cell drone last year, the company’s orders have skyrocketed to over $10 million. Their power line stringing solutions, tether systems, and unique plug and play payload system are moving towards the top spots […]

Every time I heard the word drone, I became more annoyed. As a remote sensing professional, married to a Land Surveyor, we were buried under news about drones changing the face of the mapping industry. Magazine covers, endless articles, webinars, it seemed as though the media surrounding our professions had become one giant mouthpiece for […]

European consortium Neva Aerospace continues to emphasise its aeronautical engineering lead with the announcement that it is ready to deliver all-electric Eole turbo-drones for payloads from 6 – 50kg. This follows successful indoor and outdoor flights for its test rig. Neva has demonstrated the use of its electric turbofans indoors and outdoors. Turbines have been tested […]

Edgybees, an augmented reality technology company, today announced the first-ever AR gaming application for DJI drone pilots using the Epson Moverio BT-300 Drone Edition smart glasses. Downloaded onto the Moverio glasses, the Drone Prix AR app enables pilots to fly their DJI drones through a virtual obstacle course “in the sky” layered on top of a crystal […]

u‑blox (SIX:UBXN), a global leader in wireless and positioning modules and chips, today announced that its NEO‑M8P high precision RTK GNSS module is featured in HEX Taiwan’s new drone navigation kit: Here+. HEX is the world’s leading open source hardware manufacturer which produces one of the best open source drone autopilots in the world. The […]

Critical infrastructure is a term to become familiar with. Texas House Bill 1643 has been sent to Gov. Gregg Abbot and he is expected to sign it, and for it to take effect in September. On the face of it Critical Infrastructure sounds like it should be big stuff like nuclear power stations and hospitals. […]

At KU Leuven we have been developing a new generation of drones to double the speed and range of conventional multi-rotor drones. For quite some years already, multi-rotor drones are the preferred type of drone for typically applications such as filming or inspection, in which the drone flies at low speeds and usually stays rather close […]

The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today unveiled an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) safety video as part of Volume 2 of the popular Climber Connection series. The UAS Operations video was showcased by NATE during a main stage presentation at the 2017 Drone Focus Conference in Fargo, North Dakota. The 2017 Drone Focus Conference […]

SKELDAR V-200’s capabilities across Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Search and Rescue (SAR) applications to be showcased through major contract announcements at Le Bourget Möhlin, Switzerland: 31st May 2017: For immediate release: UMS SKELDAR, the innovative unmanned technology solutions business formed through a joint venture between UMS AERO Group and Saab will be making […]