Bruce Crumley

Climate change researchers have used a range of drone technologies to confirm fears that southern Europe’s largest glaciers in the Pyrenees mountains are rapidly melting amid rising temperatures – and may soon disappear altogether.

South Korea is shifting preparations for passenger drone transport into higher gear with plans to launch air taxi service by 2026, and autonomous urban air mobility (UAM) operations within the following decade.

Government administrations and researchers in Australia are teaming to use drones and facial recognition technology in an effort to count, monitor, and protect the nation’s beloved koala bears.

Interpol took its global police cooperation mission to the skies during a three-day series of tests at Oslo’s Gardermoen airport, part of its effort to develop a set of international counter-drone systems that member countries can draw from to protect restricted zones from small craft intrusions.

Backyard barbeque drone fliers in Britain may want to have a designated pilot standing by before long. UK authorities are now studying a proposal to set legal limits on alcohol for drone operation even tighter than the DUI thresholds for drivers.

Japanese automotive giant Honda Motor Co. has announced continued diversification of its wide-ranging manufacturing activities with plans to develop electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) craft as part of its pursuit of renewable-powered advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles.

Leading European unified traffic management (UTM) specialist Altitude Angel has gotten the nod from authorities in Sweden to deploy its GuardianUTM Enterprise system during trials at the country’s largest drone operations testing area.

The Welsh coppers at the sticks have really hit the, er, air soaring. The recently formed North Wales Police drone unit has racked up a series of successful operations that has earned them plaudits from the region’s top law enforcement official as “high-flying heroes.” 

Onboard navigation systems are not the only thing in the aerial world increasingly benefitting from automated capacities. Now Part 107 certified drone pilots requesting approval for commercial night flights in restricted zones can receive quasi-real-time authorization from providers of Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) processing services.

New York officials have announced the state’s 50-mile drone corridor will be equipped with 5G technology, making it the first in the US to test the cutting-edge communications capabilities for navigation purposes. The decision adds heft to the state’s claim of being a leading force in applied use and development of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and related technologies.

College students in Cambodia have produced the prototype of single-passenger drone they hope to develop for eventual use as air taxi transportation and an aerial asset for firefighters. Though only backed by limited funding, the aspiring engineers say their project was driven by the simple desire to solve a few of society’s problems.

Fast-moving UK drone delivery and infrastructure developer Skyports has obtained authorization to operate beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) missions in Ireland that don’t require any additional clearances – purportedly the first open-ended approval ever granted in the country or Europe.

It’s been nearly a year since the Ring’s Always Home Cam was unveiled at Amazon’s hardware event, and the reasons to love or hate the household security drone have been unrestrainedly shouted ever since. Now consumers are finally getting the chance to adopt the aerial watchdog, and either adore or detest it in their very own abode, sweet abode.

Here is a tale of drones for good, wrapped inside a wider effort to protect and preserve some of the world’s most endangered plants. Over the summer, botanist and drone pilot Ben Nyberg flew his craft while surveying flora in otherwise inaccessible locations on Kaua‘i, and discovered a species thought to have been wiped out apart from a single spot far across the island. Now he’s looking to expand use of drones from not only discovering the hidden survivors of threatened plants like those, but also in harvesting their seeds to ensure they’ll never die off.

It’s been nearly two weeks since the popular topic was refreshed on the pages of DroneDJ, so herewith a brief update on that gift that keeps giving: people pursuing the truly lousy idea of using drones to deliver contraband to prisons. Cue the Benny Hill theme, but keep the one from The Sopranos ready just in case.

Tech-savvy immersive close-combat specialist 4GD has struck a partnership with leading European drone manufacturer Parrot to integrate ANAFI USA drones into its synthetic training courses, allowing participating pilots to fly missions in exactly replicated battle situations.

Delaware-based autonomous electric takeoff and landing (eVTOL) delivery drone developer Airlogix is making its way into that increasingly crowded segment convinced it has found the sweet spot that established rivals have left unoccupied.

English uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) medical services startup Apian is overseeing yet another series of UK tests transporting medical supplies to remote destinations – this time aiming to trial drone deliveries of chemotherapy treatments to the Isle of Wight.

One of the most common knocks against the rising number of uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) in the skies are the threats to privacy the camera-packing craft pose. Last week provided an unexpected (and, it must be said, non-protested) example of such aerial peeping when a drone videoed an enormous group of male humpback whales battling each other for the right to mate with the only female among them.

Leading urban air mobility (UAM) company Volocopter has taken a major step toward establishing itself as a future air taxi presence in China. It’s finalized a joint venture agreement with an affiliate of Chinese automotive heavyweight and Volvo owner Geely. The deal also seals the sale of 150 of the German manufacturer’s aircraft.

During much of this summer, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) have been flying investigative missions over the Straight of Gibraltar, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. What the air-sniffing drones have learned is about 10% of the passing vessels violate sulfur emission limits in force since last year.