[ad_1] Normally, the drones would be used for less urgent situations like mapping terrain and tracking resources. The Interior Department hasn’t responded to a request for comment. DJI, which built about 121 of the drones, said it was eager to look at the Department’s drone program review and point out the “lack of credible evidence” […]
Category: Drones
The FAA wants to track all drones flying in the US
[ad_1] UAVs only flying within 400 feet of their operators don’t have to broadcast that information but will still have to transmit it to the system via the internet. To note, operators can choose between their drone’s serial number or a randomly generated alphanumeric code to use as their machines’ ID, if they want to […]
Engadget readers can get an exclusive discount on the DJI Mavic Mini
[ad_1] We loved the pocket-sized Mavic Mini when we reviewed it, and we were impressed by its solid camera performance and outstanding battery life. It’s also lightweight, weighing in at exactly 249 grams which puts it below the 250 gram threshold requiring registration with the FAA. Along with the drone, in the box you’ll get […]
UK introduces mandatory drone registration and pilot test
[ad_1] The registration system is a way to connect drones to their owners, both to return drones which get lost and to ensure that operators are flying their drones responsibly. The registration is cheap, at just £9 ($12), but operators will need to take an online education course and test as part of the process. […]
Interior Department grounds drone fleet over security concerns
[ad_1] It isn’t clear if any particular behavior or network activity from the drones set off alarms at the Department of the Interior or if they were grounded due to the fact that DJI hardware is made in China. The company’s drones have been in the spotlight for years. As The Wall Street Journal points […]
Alphabet’s Wing starts drone deliveries to US homes
[ad_1] The Federal Aviation Administration has granted Wing an expanded Air Carrier Certificate. It has permission to “allow multiple pilots to oversee multiple unmanned aircraft making commercial deliveries simultaneously to the general public.” UPS also received FAA certification for commercial deliveries this month, but it will stick to hospitals and medical campuses for now. Folks […]
Recommended Reading: The ICE surveillance playbook
[ad_1] How ICE picks its targets in the surveillance ageMcKenzie Funk,The New York Times Through the lens of officers operating in the Pacific Northwest, The New York Times explains how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) collects information on possible targets. That includes monitoring social media accounts and tapping into “the world’s largest privately run database […]
Researchers are using drones to study the Amazon rainforest’s health
[ad_1] Every plant emits a different volatile organic compound (VOC) signature, or fingerprint, which can change based on factors like drought or flood. By monitoring these signals, scientists can study how forest ecosystems adapt to stressors. Despite that valuable info, the Amazon’s VOCs were previously monitored by just a handful of towers built in one […]
‘Flying fish’ drone actually explodes out of the water
[ad_1] According to IEE Spectrum, the AquaMAV combines combustible power and water in order to propel itself. The drone contains calcium carbide powder. When mixed with water, the drone creates acetylene gas, which then gets funneled into a combustion chamber along with air and water. When ignited, the mixture then explodes, forcing the water out […]
FAA’s new B4UFLY app makes it easier to know where drones are allowed
[ad_1] Currently, most hobby drone pilots are forbidden from flying drones near special use airspace, controlled airspace (unless you get prior approval), critical infrastructure, airports, national parks and military training routes. Temporary flight restrictions can also apply in certain situations. The sheer number of restrictions makes regularly checking the FAA website a necessary — though […]