sUAS News

By Gabriella Cruz gcruz@eagletribune.com ANDOVER — As nearly 10,000 runners took to the streets of Andover for the 28th annual Feaster Five Thanksgiving Day Race, the competition’s only airborne spectator didn’t quite make it to the finish line. For the last two years, aerial footage of the Feaster Five has been captured by a drone…The post Feaster Five drone crash under investigation appeared first on sUAS News.

By Bridget Fitzgerald A new study has found drones still have a way to go before they replace traditional pasture monitoring methods. University of Western Australia honours graduate Matthew Rowbottom found that the common rising plate meter (RPM) method of measuring pasture was significantly more accurate than using drones. The Western Dairy-funded research project looked…The post Drone technology still second best to traditional pasture monitoring methods appeared first on sUAS News.

New Zealand’s screen and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industries stand to benefit from technology developed by VorTech, the winner of Callaghan Innovation’s inaugural C-PRIZE competition, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce said today. Launched in April, the first C-PRIZE competition aimed to boost New Zealand’s position as world-leader in the development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle…The post Auckland team wins NZ drone competition appeared first on sUAS News.

MAVinci SIRIUS pro is a fully integrated orthofoto UAS, which delivers orthofotos and three-dimensional elevation models with a high absolute accuracy of 5 cm (depending on the GSD down to 2 cm) without using ground control points. The GSD of the single images ranges from 1.5 to 20 cm. Combining MAVinci‘s precision timing technology with…The post SIRIUS PRO Surveying UAS appeared first on sUAS News.

Team UAV have completed a series of trials working hand in hand with Hanson Heidelberg and Midland Quarry Products developing a safe system of work to accurately quantify stockpiles using dedicated drones. We’re not talking about small stockpiles either – were talking about stockpiles in the 100,000 cubic metre range. The video at the bottom of this blog…The post Team UAV Saving The Mining Industry Thousands in GBP appeared first on sUAS News.

Washington, DC – SmartC2 has released this first of its kind whitepaper to support corporations that are adding drone capabilities into their existing business. Intended to frame the issues and multiple decision points involved, this guide, entitled “7 Key Considerations Before Taking your Drone Operation to the Sky,” helps executives define the questions that their…The post SmartC2 Releases CIO Guide for Building Drone Operations appeared first on sUAS News.

Today I submitted the following Letter to the Editor of the Chicago Tribune regarding the newly passed Chicago Drone Ordinance: Dear Editor: I have a number of concerns regarding the Chicago Drone Ordinance recently passed by the Chicago City Council. By way of background, I have flown RC (“radio-controlled”) aircraft for a number of years…The post You are under arrest! Chicago’s drone ordinance – A letter to the editor appeared first on sUAS News.

Captura, an energy infrastructure inspection company has signed an exciting agreement to work with IRIS Group, a robotics Managed Services company to deliver advanced and innovative Intelligent inspection solutions to the UK energy market. The two companies will combine traditional inspection and roping techniques with state of the art sensors such as LIDAR and hyperspectral…The post CAPTURA and IRIS Group sign agreement for utilising robotics in the UK Energy market appeared first on sUAS News.

Melanie BurgessCareerOne Photographers, surveyors, the TV and advertising industry and building inspectors are all embracing the relatively new technology to make their work easier, safer or more innovative, Total RPA chief executive and chief instructor Andrew Campbell says. “Most pilots are starting their own businesses with photography or adding aerial photography to their business,” he…The post Drones are changing jobs and creating new ones appeared first on sUAS News.

COMPLIANCE AND AUTHORITY • Compliant to all SGS QOH&S and HR policies and procedure • Overall responsibility for safety and health for all people in the business line on behalf of SGS upper management, and for informing appropriate parties on OH&S issues raised • Ensure safety and health support, materials and resources are provided based…The post Canada:- Regional RPAS Safety Advisor appeared first on sUAS News.

By granting PINC Solutions’ PINC Air a Section 333 exemption, the FAA clears the product to initiate commercial operations in US Airspace. PINC Air is an aerial sensor platform that operates outdoors and indoors to efficiently inventory hard-to-reach assets using an array of sensors that include GPS, RFID, OCR and Barcode readers. “This is a…The post PINC Air Cleared for Take Off by the FAA appeared first on sUAS News.

Stefan de Villiers Flying of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for game viewing, filming, photography or any other purposes during their visit to the park this festive season or any other time is illegal. SATARA – Yet another tourist has been caught in the act of flying a drone in the Kruger National Park (KNP). This…The post South Africa :- Caught in the act appeared first on sUAS News.

UAS experts pushing forward the “green” helicopter Volocopter VC200. Ascending Technologies has been part of the development network and key technology partner from e-volo since 2013, when they significantly contributed to the maiden flight of the Volocopter VC200. Now Ascending Technologies officially becomes shareholder of e-volo to sustainably lead the development of the world’s first purely electric,…The post Ascending Technologies Becomes Shareholder of e-volo appeared first on sUAS News.

Want to create a 3D model of your property and publish it online? Map your adventure and create a 3D video animation? Need to inspect roofs, house extensions or solar installations? Produce a 3D model of architectural or landscaping project to share with clients? Create digital art and 3D content for gaming? Pix4Dmapper Mesh automatically…The post PIX4D Mapper Mesh appeared first on sUAS News.

Is there ever a time when cool trumps science? It’s a question that becomes relevant when you consider NASA’s plans to put a helicopter drone on an upcoming rover mission to Mars. Think about it. If you tell a friend that NASA’s Mars 2020 mission will have an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer on board for determining…The post Someday A Helicopter Drone May Fly Over Mars And Help A Rover appeared first on sUAS News.

DJI, the world leader in unmanned aerial vehicle technology, Friday announced the launch of a smart, crop-spraying agricultural drone. The DJI Agras MG-1 is dustproof, water-resistant and made of anti-corrosive materials. It can be rinsed clean and folded up for easy transport and storage after use. The eight-rotor Agras can load more than 10 kilograms…The post DJI Introduces Company’s First Agriculture Drone appeared first on sUAS News.

BY MARY ESCH Associated Press BLENHEIM, N.Y. U.S. utilities see great potential in the use of remote-controlled drones to do the often-dangerous work of inspecting power lines and transmission towers but strict regulations have so far slowed adoption of the technology. The remote-controlled devices make the work of linemen safer, more efficient and less expensive, according…The post Utilities see potential in drones to inspect lines, towers appeared first on sUAS News.

Amy Roberts said her son’s injured eye was “the worst thing she had ever seen” An 18-month-old boy has lost an eye after being hit by a drone flown by a family friend. Oscar Webb’s eye was sliced in half by a propeller after the operator, Simon Evans, lost control of the drone. The toddler,…The post BBC:- Toddler’s eyeball sliced in half by drone propeller appeared first on sUAS News.

By Sharon Lozano NASA recently successfully demonstrated rural operations of its unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) traffic management (UTM) concept, integrating operator platforms, vehicle performance and ground infrastructure. The next steps involve further validation through Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) test sites. “UTM is designed to enable safe low-altitude civilian UAS operations by providing pilots information needed to…The post First Steps Toward Drone Traffic Management appeared first on sUAS News.

This is a Call for Participation (CFP) in the development and demonstration of UTM Build 2. This CFP asks for partners interested and able to work with NASA in the definition and implementation of various services expected to be part of the UTM System. There will be additional CFPs for other Build 2 aspects in…The post NASA Build 2 Call for Participation: UTM Services appeared first on sUAS News.

Reuters Reporting by Steven Scheer; editing by Jason Neely Nov 26 Israeli defence electronics firm Elbit Systems said on Thursday it received a $200 million contract to supply Switzerland with unmanned aircraft systems. Under the contract with the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS), Elbit will supply Hermes 900 heavy fuel…The post Israel’s Elbit Systems wins $200 mln Swiss drone deal appeared first on sUAS News.

Following our statement on 18th November, this is an update on the course of the project and the usage of the funds during the ZANO project. Firstly, the board of directors would like to apologize for the lack of communication from the team following the last statement. We find ourselves in the position of having…The post Torquing Group breaks down collapse of Zano appeared first on sUAS News.

Jeff Taylor Our goal at Event 38 is to build products that make aerial data collection for mapping as easy as possible. For a while now, our team has been focused on creating a better autonomous landing solution. At the moment, recovery of a fixed-wing drone requires either a large area for autonomous landings or…The post Introducing the E386 Mapping Drone appeared first on sUAS News.

We are looking for a dynamic and talented Technical Sales Specialist to join our growing team in San Francisco. Within Pix4D, which is already internationally renowned for the quality of its Drone Photogrammetry Software, your task will be to follow-up on sales opportunities, consult with potential clients on how to best use our software to…The post PIX4d vacancy Technical Sales – Drone Geomatics Software appeared first on sUAS News.

Simon Morris Altus Unmanned Aerial Solutions have been manufacturing and operating superior commercial grade multirotor systems across a range of industries for some time now, with great success both domestically and internationally. With a focus on survey, mapping, photogrammetry and multispectral capture for precision agriculture we are pleased to offer our range of turn-key UAS…The post Altus UAS now offers comprehensive lease options for their industry leading UAS systems in NZ. appeared first on sUAS News.

by Jen Boyer A Robinson R22 helicopter was struck Monday night by an object while flying south through Sepulveda Pass in Los Angeles. Operated as a cross-country training flight by L.A. Helicopters of Long Beach, Calif., the aircraft sustained severe damage to the windscreen when it was struck at 2,000 feet above sea level (800…The post Vertical:- Possible drone collides with helicopter in Los Angeles appeared first on sUAS News.

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ (NBI): AVAV) announced it received a firm fixed-price order valued at $13,015,396 for RQ-20A Puma” AE small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and initial spares packages for the United States Marine Corps on October 27, 2015. United States Marine Corps places $13 million order for more AeroVironment Puma AE Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Courtesy…The post AeroVironment Receives $13 Million RQ-20A Puma AE sUAS Order for USMC appeared first on sUAS News.

Brenda Walters HARWICK, Pa. (KDKA) — It was the maiden voyage of a high-end drone, one that had a video camera mounted on it. But while it was in the air, a neighbor says she felt unsafe and took action to protect herself. This is the case of the neighborhood drone and how one neighbor,…The post Woman Downs Neighbor’s Drone With Gravel, Ordered To Pay $600 appeared first on sUAS News.

by Lisa Vaas Heft that beribboned package! Does it weigh less than 55 pounds? Does it perhaps have the mass and dimensions to be a hobby drone? Get ready to register that new toy if it does turn out to be a small, unmanned aircraft system weighing between half a pound (250 grams) – and…The post Buzz your drones over to registration, recommends FAA appeared first on sUAS News.

LightWare is delighted to announce their participation in Black Friday 2015, with significant discounts offered on selected laser rangefinder products. You can look forward to the following deals: OSLRF-01 (9m) proximity sensor – 20% discount SF02/F (50 m) proximity sensor …The post Lightware Black Friday Specials appeared first on sUAS News.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) launched a trial of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with a demonstration of the technology at the Service’s training centre in Earlswood near Swansea for Welsh Government Public Services Minister, Leighton Andrews AM. The UAV, also known as a drone, was purchased thanks to a £20,000…The post Fire Service Trials Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Thanks to Government Investment in Technology appeared first on sUAS News.

II Marine Expeditionary Force CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – Marines with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, conducted their initial qualification testing and training with the RQ-11B Raven Unmanned Air Vehicle, Nov. 20. The Raven course is a two-to-three week course that teaches Marines how to properly fly and operate the Raven. The course teaches the…The post A view from above: 3/6 Marines fly UAV appeared first on sUAS News.

A drone has shot footage less than 10 metres above the crashed helicopter on the Fox Glacier, providing mapping vital for recovering the remaining bodies and the wreckage. Seven people died when the helicopter crashed on the glacier on Saturday. Four bodies were recovered the next day, but three remain at the crash site and…The post NZ:- Fox Glacier drone survey completed appeared first on sUAS News.

Launching at a tower site near Vaughn, New Mexico, Insitu accomplished the first commercial beyond visual line of sight operation with an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) in the contiguous 48 states. The October 25th event marked the beginning of a week-long series of flights with BNSF Railway designed to show how unmanned aircraft technology can be…The post Insitu and BNSF ScanEagle first commercial BVLOS flight. appeared first on sUAS News.

Comprehensive GoPro control has arrived in the Solo App! In addition to other feature improvements, version 1.3 brings you in-flight access to GoPro camera settings. In the last release (1.2.1) you got the ability to toggle between standard video mode (shoot up to 4k w/ HERO 4 Black) and photo mode. Now you can use…The post Announcing Solo App Version 1.3: GoPro control appeared first on sUAS News.

As the founder of MLWAir (The Only All First-Class Boeing 767) and DroneData and like most ticketed flyers today, I am concerned how drones will impact air safety. Coupled with all the concerns about air safety, it appears that the FAA UAS Registration Task Force has a serious gap in its representation. With multiple retailers, drone manufacturers, and…The post How Will the FAA Task Force Prevent Drones From Entering Airspace? appeared first on sUAS News.

TEKEVER Group leads consortium that will fight a disease responsible for eliminating 250 hectares of vineyards in the north of Portugal and thousands in all Europe. This project – called PARRA – is starting next spring with a budget of €1 million supported by European Commission structural funds. Lisbon, 24 November 2015 – PARRA project…The post TEKEVER drones to detect vine disease appeared first on sUAS News.

COPENHAGEN, Phase One Industrial today announced the Phase One Software Development Kit (SDK) 8.3.3 in Linux, Windows and Mac OS versions. This SDK provides tools that enable users to build custom applications to control the way Phase One aerial cameras capture and process images. It enables users to precisely control which parameters to apply —…The post Phase One Industrial Releases Software Development Kit 8.3.3 for Developers of Aerial Systems in Linux, Windows and Mac Versions appeared first on sUAS News.

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — An Air Force Research Laboratory-sponsored X-56A unmanned air vehicle crashed Nov. 19 at approximately 9:30 Pacific Daylight Time on Rogers Dry Lakebed test range at Edwards AFB, California. The mishap occurred shortly after takeoff. Initial estimates report severe damage to the vehicle. There are no reports of injuries or property damage…The post X-56A crashes during flight test appeared first on sUAS News.

The Blade® brand and ImmersionRC have teamed up to deliver the cutting-edge Vortex 250 Pro multirotor with Spektrum™ technology. ProTuned for FPV racing, now pilots who want next-level performance can enjoy Bind-N-Fly® convenience. ImmersionRC introduced the original Vortex ARF when the FPV racing phenomena began. Now race seasoned experts across the globe have weighed in…The post Vortex 25 Pro Race Ready 250-Class FPV Quad for the Experienced Pilot appeared first on sUAS News.

Resource Group, the leading UK training organisation for unmanned aircraft has launched a 10% discount for 2016 drone training courses booked in advance of the 2015 festive season. The Remote Pilot Qualification – small (RPQ-s) course is for those who have flown a drone as a hobby and would like to fly commercially for business…The post ‘Make your new year’s resolution now, turn your hobby into a business’ says the UK leading drone training provider appeared first on sUAS News.

MUNCIE, Ind. – Dave Mathewson, executive director of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) which is the world’s largest community-based organization, today made the following statement on the recommendations released by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Task Force on UAS registration: “As a member of the task force, AMA agrees that registration of UAS makes…The post AMA reacts to DOT task force recommendations on UAS registration appeared first on sUAS News.

We like teasing, so we’ll only reveal what our Black Friday surprise package contains later this week. Wanna know? Join our Black Friday event on FB to be notified first and get your hands on the goods before everyone else. Click Here To Join And better even: we’ll give away one Hexo+ package to a…The post Hexo+ Black Friday suprise appeared first on sUAS News.

By Elizabeth A Tennyson The FAA has accepted the final recommendations of its drone registration task force and begun the rulemaking process, moving the agency one step closer to establishing registration procedures ahead of anticipated record holiday sales of drones. The task force, which included AOPA, focused on producing recommendations that would encourage compliance by making…The post AOPA – FAA releases drone registration recommendations appeared first on sUAS News.

I’m not going to cover the legal issues with drone registration that I made in the previous blog post. I will only briefly discuss (1) the recommendations, (2) a few potential problems with the recommendations, and (3) what happens next in the rulemaking process. The aviation rule making committee’s recommendations on drone registration can be…The post The Drone Registration Committee Turned in Their Recommendations to the FAA. Now What? appeared first on sUAS News.

By Robin Wauters This happened last week but seems to have been largely overlooked by non-French media: Parrot, the publicly-listed, Paris, France-based maker of drones and other consumer electronics, has increased its capital by just south of €300 million. Bpifrance, the French government-backed investment group, is injecting €33 million (PDF) into the company in exchange…The post Banking on drones: France’s Parrot increases capital by €300m; Bpifrance takes 5% stake for €33m appeared first on sUAS News.

Remote control airborne drones are becoming increasingly popular playthings for hobbyists around the world, but not in Uzbekistan. Officials in Guliston, a town some 100 kilometers south of the capital, found and confiscated four small pilotless drones during what appears to have been a major multi-departmental operation. The government’s Electromagnetic Compatibility Enforcement Service produced pictures…The post Uzbekistan Nabs Drone Ban Violators appeared first on sUAS News.

Recommendations to regulator seen as reasonable approach to accountability New York, November 23, 2015 – DJI, the world leader in drone technology, has concluded its participation on the Federal Aviation Administration Unmanned Aircraft Systems Registration Task Force. The report of the Task Force was released to the public today. We share the concerns of many of…The post DJI Concludes Participation on FAA Drone-Registration Task Force appeared first on sUAS News.

Perhaps I am missing the point as ever but any RPA might catch fire in an off. Instantly I saw something that would not fly in South Africa. No requirement for fireproof ID. Here is how its written in South Africa… Small Fireproof Identification Plate It is also required to have a small identification plate that is…The post Unmanned Aircraft Systems Registration Task Force recommendations… not fireproof appeared first on sUAS News.