AALTO HAPS Ltd., which designs, manufactures and operates the stratospheric, solar-powered Zephyr High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS), announced that it has secured its Design Organisation Approval (DOA) from the UK Civil Aviation Authority. This is the first DOA to be issued to a HAPS company in the UK, marking AALTO and the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s leadership in the development and regulation of HAPS technology. Continue reading
Category Archives: Regulatory Matters
UK Civil Aviation Authority Launches Delivery Plan for Full-Scale Modernisation of UK Airspace
Plans to modernise the UK’s airspace by 2040 has taken a significant step forward, with the UK Civil Aviation Authority outlining how the motorway of the skies could change over the next seven years. Continue reading
How Subaru Maneouvered to Set Global Safety Rules for Drones
Rules preventing drone collisions drawn up by Subaru have become the global standard, with the Japanese company building relationships through the approval process to attain that distinction. Continue reading
EASA Approves ETSO Certification Basis for Veronte Autopilot
EASA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, has approved the certification basis for the Veronte Autopilot, making it the first guidance and flight control system for UAS and eVTOL to undergo an ETSO-C198 certification process Continue reading
Thales Obtains First Design Verification Report for a Complete Drone System Ever Granted By EASA
Thales received the first full DVR ever granted by EASA to operate light UAS in medium risk, SAIL III. This DVR process set in place in April 2021 by the Agency aims at ensuring safe drone operations. Design Verification Report (DVR) is a new process set up by EASA1 to grant UAS design approvals for medium risk drone operations, today under the Specific Assurance Integrity Level (SAIL) III and IV. Continue reading
Countering CCP Drones Act Passes in US House
The United States House of Representatives passed a ban on the future sale of DJI drones in the U.S. on Friday, making the DJI ban more likely than not. The ‘Countering CCP Drones Act’ is part of the United States’ 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (FY25 NDAA), a major piece of yearly legislation allotting defense spending for the coming year. Continue reading
AUVSI and DIU Publish Secure Drone Procurement Guidance for Government Agencies, Public Safety, Industry
The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) has announced the publication of a memo, with validation from the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), with procurement guidance and recommendations for federal government agencies; state, local, and tribal government agencies; public safety agencies; and private industry conducting sensitive missions using drones. Continue reading
Amazon Prime Air Drones Get FAA BVLOS Approval to Expand Deliveries in Texas
The approval will allow Prime Air to further expand drone deliveries and lays the foundation to safely scale operations to more locations in the U.S. We’re excited to share that the FAA has given Prime Air additional permissions that allow us to operate our drones beyond visual line of sight, enabling us to now serve more customers via drone and effectively expand and scale our drone delivery operations. Continue reading