A coffee grower in Minas Gerais, the state that produces more than half of Brazil’s coffee crop, commissioned an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) from researchers at Dallas Autonomus, a startup based in Jacareí, in the neighboring state of São Paulo. Continue reading
Category Archives: Non-Military & Commercial UAS
Amazon’s Delivery Drones Won’t Fly In Arizona’s Summer Heat
Amazon plans to start flying delivery drones in Arizona this year — but don’t count on them to bring you a refreshing drink on a hot day. The hexacopter can’t operate when temperatures top 104 degrees Fahrenheit, or 40 degrees Celsius, the company says, and average daily highs exceed that for three months of the year in Tolleson, the city outside Phoenix where Amazon is preparing to offer aerial deliveries from inside a 7.5-mile radius. Continue reading
Axon to Acquire Dedrone
Axon, the global public safety technology company, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Dedrone, a global airspace security company. Axon’s mission to Protect Life finds a powerful ally in Dedrone, whose innovative technologies provide immense value to public safety and national security entities worldwide by protecting against increasing drone threats and advancing the use of Drones as First Responders (DFR). Continue reading
Wing to Carry Blood Samples between London Hospitals
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS)is to use Wing’s autonomous drones to fly blood samples between London hospitals in an effort to speed up medical tests. Wing, the drone operator owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, has been chosen to deliver high-priority samples between Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals in south London. Continue reading
BRINC and Skyfire Partner to Expand Public Safety Drone Programs Across the United States
BRINC, an American public safety technology developer, has partnered with Skyfire Consulting, an advisor on drone solutions for security and public safety. Together, they aim to establish best practices for agencies implementing drone-as-first-responder (DFR) programs in the US. Continue reading
Delivery Drones are Getting Bigger — Much Bigger
Next-gen aviation startup MightyFly says it’s the first company developing a large, autonomous electric vehicle takeoff and landing (eVTOL) cargo drone that’s been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration for a flight corridor. Continue reading
Graffiti Drone Pilot Program Takes Flight in Washington State
A drone that paints over graffiti has been launched in Washington state under a new pilot program, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced. And if the new spray drones succeed, one could easily imagine other municipalities across the country embracing drones for graffiti removal in hard-to-reach places. Continue reading
Nepal to use Drones to Transport Garbage from Mount Everest
The Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, which hosts the 8,848.86 metre-tall Everest, is piloting heavy lifter drones that will bring back garbage from the mighty mountain. Continue reading