Bruce Crumley

Instant logistics and drone delivery specialist Zipline has announced a vast expansion of its operation across Rwanda – the country in which it launched an activity that has since spread across Africa and around the world.

Joby, the developer of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) planes designed for use in nearing air taxi services, says it has cleared another milestone in its push to obtain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aircraft certification by completing the second of four required System Review inspections.

Armed forces in much of the world are developing small, uncrewed aerial assets to assist larger aircraft in military operation ­– including combat situations. European aviation giant Airbus is similarly working on what it calls Remote Carrier drones, and this month successfully tested them in two different scenarios.

Government agency contractor Edgesource is leveraging its experience providing counter-drone tech for security and military clients in launching EdgesourceX – the commercial variation of its existing platforms for private business and individual use.

Less than two weeks after Swoop Aero entered the third year of its healthcare and medical operation in Malawi, the Australian logistics and drone delivery specialist earned a grant from a US humanitarian group to scale that network across the southeastern African country.

Commercial delivery drone systems developer Matternet says it has begun trials on an aerial transport route in Switzerland connecting participating hospitals and labs in what it says will be the world’s longest urban network thus far.

Swiss drone aviation tech company INVOLI has released a new range of detect and avoid transponders that will enable  safe operation of UAVs in areas where crewed and other larger craft may be in operation.

Next-generation aircraft developer Eve is finishing what has already been an eventful 2022 with a pair of deals to prepare for the introduction of future electric vertical takeoff and landing planes (eVTOL) and other advanced air mobility (AAM) services.

Pilots wishing they could be taking to the skies with their drones – and other aviation enthusiasts with George Jetson fantasies – will soon have another option to the flying car projects already under development with the nearing rollout of the home-assembled Rotor X Dragon Personal Air Vehicle (PAV).

Alphabet-owned drone delivery company Wing is lifting the veil on how it gets orders from retail and food company partners to clients faster than ground transport options with a peek into how its cutting-edge remote control centers function.

As the expected launch of air taxi and other advanced air mobility (AAM) services using electric takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) nears, excitement increases over the new transportation options and significant economic opportunities they’ll hold. But a recent report warns that unless both older and new aviation companies do a better job recruiting and maintaining their engineers, a growing shortage of those critical employees will prevent nascent aerial activity from fulfilling its potential.

Melbourne-based international drone delivery company Swoop Aero is ending 2022 on a high note in its domestic market, receiving an Australian government grant to extend its operation in Southern Queensland into what the firm says will be the world’s largest aerial logistics network of its kind.

Fans of DJI are known to be passionate and loyal to both the brand and its products, but they may also be at risk of seeming just a bit literal – possibly to the point of, if not humorless, at least over seriousness. Or at least that’s the vibe in responses to an online video trying to have a bit of fun by evoking DJI offices populated with drones working among employees.

Innovative drone, software, and artificial intelligence (AI) developer Draganfly has announced the launch of a research and test center dedicated to perfecting a variety of aerial applications – not the least of which being the company’s ongoing work with Ukraine using UAVs for the detection and clearance of Russian mines.

It’s still unknown whether Apple will one day expand its range of high performing and incomparably cool products to the not-exactly-chopped-liver world of drones, but a patent granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office takes that tantalizing prospect one step closer to imaginable.

Japan Post, the archipelago nation’s mail company, has jumped on the easing of certain drone restrictions introduced only last week to announce its plans to prepare for aerial delivery of parcels starting next year.

While successive online leaks about the Mini 3 drone that DJI is believed to be preparing for launch have left little doubt about the craft itself, information available about its pricing has generated more questions than answers on how the product will be positioned. A new alert out of Europe, however, seems to provide more clarity on that score, indicating an entry-level tag of around $530.

Leading developer of uncrewed air traffic management (UTM) systems Altitude Angel says it is partnering with military and civil aviation hardware and tech unit Saab to integrate navigational assets for safe aerial flight of both uncrewed and piloted vehicles into the Swedish company’s r-TWR Digital Tower platform.

German electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Lilium says it has secured a deal with a UK air services provider for 10 confirmed orders for the Pioneer Edition of its advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles, and an option for another 10 – nearly half of the 50 luxury planes the company plans to produce.

In a move that will have only minor effects on its own – but which could have larger consequences were it to be replicated around Europe, especially in terms of drone use – the Baltic nation of Lithuania has responded to increasing international instability by banning the purchase of tech from countries deemed untrustworthy, including China, for defense or public service operation.

In the mere two days since the last post on the topic, online leakers have provided even more images and additional specs of DJI’s Mini 3 – including a shot of the officially inexistent (or at least assiduously unacknowledged) drone on sale in a US store. Given their success in fleshing the product out over the past few weeks, it’s perhaps only logical one sleuth has now also beaten DJI to teasing a likely launch date: December 9.