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NASA successfully flies first Large Unmanned Aircraft in public airspace without chase plane (Video)

large unmanned aircraft

NASA successfully flies first Large Unmanned Aircraft in public airspace without chase plane (Video)

NASA’s remotely-piloted Ikhana aircraft, based at the agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, successfully flew its first mission in the National Airspace System without a safety chase aircraft on Tuesday. This historic flight moves the United States one step closer to normalizing unmanned aircraft operations in the airspace used by commercial and private pilots. Continue reading “NASA successfully flies first Large Unmanned Aircraft in public airspace without chase plane (Video)”

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Airbus collaborates with Wilhelmsen to develop unmanned aircraft systems for maritime deliveries

Airbus collaborates with Wilhelmsen

Airbus collaborates with Wilhelmsen to develop unmanned aircraft systems for maritime deliveries

Airbus and Wilhelmsen Ships Service have entered into a strategic collaboration to drive the development of an end-to-end service for safe deliveries of parcels with an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), in the maritime industry.

The announcement was made today at the biennial Posidonia maritime exhibition taking place in Athens, Greece, with the MoU signed by Airbus’ and Wilhelmsen’s representatives. Continue reading “Airbus collaborates with Wilhelmsen to develop unmanned aircraft systems for maritime deliveries”

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Federal Aviation Administration approves 10 new drone projects

Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Aviation Administration approves 10 new drone projects

The Federal Aviation Administration, after soliciting proposals for drone testing, has approved 10 of them. These tests should start to help the agency lay the framework for how and where the technology will be used.

On this episode of Industry Focus: Energy & Industrials, host Sarah Priestley is joined by Motley Fool contributor Daniel Kline to talk about a few of the drone projects that have been approved for testing. These include a test in bad weather in Alaska, two that involve delivery, and another that tests the precision agriculture application.

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Sarah Priestley: The FAA has given the go-ahead to ten proposals from local state and tribal governments, which they then partner with private sector participants to safely explore further exploration around how drones will operate, as we’ve talked about. Apparently, they were inundated with projects.

Kline: This is an absolute hand-holding process, and you have to understand why. If I’m going to test a drone in a remote field, that’s one thing. If I’m going to test a drone in a busy FedEx warehouse, and some pilot error or something goes wrong, these aren’t small. Let’s pretend it’s a 54-pound drone. You could cut someone’s head off with that. Having been around these things, they’re not toys — I mean, some of them are toys, but these aren’t.

Source: www.fool.com

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Drone-based Vaccine Deliveries in Vanuatu – Submit your tender by June 20

Drone-based Vaccine Deliveries

Drone-based Vaccine Deliveries in Vanuatu – Submit your tender by June 20

The Republic of Vanuatu is a Y-shaped archipelago consisting of 83 relatively small islands of volcanic origin that run 1600 kilometres north to south. 65 islands in the archipelago are inhabited and only 20 of them have functional airfields and established roads. Many islands and villages are accessible only by boat, and the roads on the major islands only connect the most important towns and villages. Roads are in bad condition, and they are flooded or washed away quite often due to the predominant climate conditions..

Due to these limitations, vaccine and health supply logistics are expensive, risky, and unreliable. Mobile teams are frequently required to walk to villages and communities in remote areas.carrying temperature-sensitive vaccines and equipment. If the cold chain is disrupted, vaccines rapidly degrade and do not provide the children the required immunization. The challenges faced to access remote communities and support the vaccine supply chain also contributes to the frequent lack of stock within health facilities. Continue reading “Drone-based Vaccine Deliveries in Vanuatu – Submit your tender by June 20”

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Drone with contraband package crashes on roof of elementary school in Canada

Drone

Drone with contraband package crashes on roof of elementary school in Canada

Police have discovered a drone with a package containing contraband on the roof of an Ahuntsic elementary school in Montreal, Canada. The unmanned aerial device was found with a package containing marijuana, tobacco, cell phones, SIM cards, lighters and glue. The package was attached to the drone with a cord.

The police believe that the drone was on its way to nearby Bordeaux prison to deliver the contraband to inmates. According to Montreal News, the prison is a little more than a mile away from the Ahuntsic elementary school, which is located near the intersection of Henri-Bourassa and St. Laurent in Montreal. Continue reading “Drone with contraband package crashes on roof of elementary school in Canada”

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US set to announce participants in new slate of drone tests

drone

US set to announce participants in new slate of drone tests

(Reuters) – Major technology and aerospace companies including Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O), Apple Inc (AAPL.O), Intel Corp (INTC.O), Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) and Airbus SE (AIR.PA) are vying to take part in a new slate of drone tests the United States is set to announce on Wednesday, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The wide interest in the U.S. initiative, launched by President Donald Trump last year, underscores the desire of a broad range of companies to have a say in how the fledgling industry is regulated and ultimately win authority to operate drones for everything from package delivery to crop inspection.

The pilot program will allow a much larger range of tests than are generally permitted by federal aviation regulators, including flying drones at night, over people and beyond an operator’s line of sight. Continue reading “US set to announce participants in new slate of drone tests”

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NASA & Amazon are researching traffic between drones and airplanes

NASA & Amazon

NASA & Amazon are researching traffic between drones and airplanes

NASA and Amazon.com Inc. are tapping experts in France to figure out how to coordinate drone traffic, bolstering the country’s role as a hub for evolving regulation of unmanned aircraft.

While Amazon hired a team in a Paris suburb, NASA headed closer to plane-maker Airbus SE’s home in Toulouse, calling on drone designer Delair-Tech to test prototypes for air traffic management software. It’s a key part of convincing regulators unmanned vehicles are safe to fly higher and further out of sight from their operators, such as while delivering goods.

“Coordinating traffic between drones, as well as with planes, it’s the end-goal that’s mobilizing a lot of people across the industry,” said entrepreneur Michael de Lagarde, chief executive officer of Delair-Tech. “Today, we’re collectively at level zero of traffic management, we just segment the air space.” Continue reading “NASA & Amazon are researching traffic between drones and airplanes”

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US pilot unions receive approval to conduct study into single-pilot cargo aircraft

single-pilot cargo aircraft

US pilot unions receive approval to conduct study into single-pilot cargo aircraft

US pilot unions have hit out at Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to conduct a study into the use of single-pilot cargo aircraft.

Contained within the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 is a programme that would see the FAA, in consultation with NASA and other relevant agencies, establish a research and development programme in support of single-piloted cargo aircraft assisted with remote piloting and computer piloting.

Initially the parties will conduct a review of FAA research and development activities in support of single-piloted cargo aircraft and, within six months of the enactment of the act, will file a report on the possibility.

The study, listed in section 744 of the act, was opposed by pilots on safety grounds. Continue reading “US pilot unions receive approval to conduct study into single-pilot cargo aircraft”

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Project Wing’s drone delivery system moves forward with testing

Wing’s drone delivery system

Project Wing’s drone delivery system moves forward with testing

In a suburb of Canberra, in Australia’s Capital Territory, Project Wing’s drone delivery system is facing its toughest test yet. The project team wants to find out how well unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) will compete with other modes of home delivery.

That testing has not only moved from the countryside into the suburbs but is gathering real-world data on the value to users is a sign of the maturity of Project Wing’s delivery system. And its drones are not the only ones serving customers, with pilot projects underway in several countries and coming to the U.S.

Amazon continues testing in the countryside in Cambridge, England, but publicly is talking more about its work on the UAS traffic management (UTM) system required to enable drones of all stripes to make safe and efficient use of low-altitude airspace. Continue reading “Project Wing’s drone delivery system moves forward with testing”