drones

In yet another sign of the swiftly increasing use of UAVs around the globe, Spain’s national air traffic control company Enaire reports the number of drone flights it managed last year increased by a whopping 70% over 2021.

It appears global drone giant DJI may be readying its first 2023 product launch earlier than expected, with leaked evidence suggesting a new UAV in the works could be a Mini 2 SE positioned toward the lower end of the company’s pricing scale, and currently being readied for a February 9 introduction.

Ukraine is doubling down on its deployment of drones in its efforts to oust invading Russian forces, pledging nearly half a billion dollars’ worth of spending for the production and procurement of UAVs – many to be made by domestic companies.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has delivered its report on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) efforts to integrate drones into the national airspace and its methods of processing requests for operations not covered by Part 107 rules. The main conclusions of the audit are the regulator needs to do better in both establishing and communicating a comprehensive strategy for broader UAV use, and in defining a uniform procedure for issuing waivers.

Dedrone, a leader in smart space air monitoring, safety, and counter-UAV technology, is broadening its international reach through a new partnership with G4S, a unit of global security group Allied Universal that will integrate drone detection, tracking, and identification solutions into its broader offer to clients.

Officials in Ukraine have announced the updated tally of the nation’s Army of Drones campaign, reporting over 1,600 UAVs have been bought and deployed for defensive purposes using funds donated to the aerial cause since its launch seven months ago.

A man in the UK is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty this week to having endangered a World War II-era Royal Air Force plane by flying his drone near the craft during an historic airshow event last July.

During the eleven months it has been battling Russia’s invasion, Ukraine has demonstrated remarkably effective military deployment of consumer, enterprise, and even DYI-built drones for a variety of purposes, including reconnaissance, intelligence collection, and munition drops. Now officials say the country will take that aerial innovation to another level by developing a UAV created to intercept and destroy the explosives-laden craft Moscow has relied on in its unrelenting attacks.

Original Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill has extended his support for Ukraine beyond raising money for the nation’s Army of Drones campaign to now lending a hand (or more like a throat) to helping Ukrainians keep safe from aerial strikes through their use of an app called Air Alert.

Virginia-based long-endurance tilt-wing drone specialist Advanced Aircraft Company (AAC) has been tapped by NASA to develop a UAV it has designed that pivots the propellers to shift from vertical liftoff to horizontal flight thrust in a more effective manner than existing methods used on most air taxis being developed.

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.

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.

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.

The European Commission is moving to accelerate the use and diversification of UAV services across the European Union (EU) with the adoption of its Drone Strategy 2.0, which, in addition to tapping into what’s expected to be a vigorous growth area, seeks to reduce the opportunities for malevolent actors to abuse the technology.

So much for the abide-no-rules rock and roll attitude. Whoever said UAVs produced some of the world’s loudest whining hadn’t heard Guns ‘N Roses singer Axl Rose complain about drone flights at the group’s recent concerts for having distracted him, rather than for posing potential (and illegal) danger to his fans.

French officials have echoed concerns expressed last week by the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) about the emerging threat of drones in attacks by terrorists or other malevolent forces against major events like the US Super Bowl, World Series, or the World Cup of soccer whose current edition opened Sunday in Qatar.

It’s been a spell since DroneDJ looked in on aerial DIY maestro, engineering whiz, and geek genius supremo Nicholas Rehm, who of late has been working new scientific magic developing a bodyless multi-rotor drone that uses 300% less battery power when the entire craft starts spinning like a detached helicopter blade – and remains aloft with two of its three motors shut down.

European drone research and promotion organization AiRMOUR has released the results of its large opinion survey of sector stakeholders and members of the public on attitudes toward use of UAVs in different activities – particularly in response to medical emergencies. While not necessarily surprising, the findings bode well for increased acceptance of the craft operating in European Union skies in future.

The executive body of the European Union (EU) has introduced draft regulation that would make it easier for individuals and organizations to sue companies whose products – including drones – caused prejudice, damage, or injury due to malfunctioning or misuse of integrated artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

California drone maker Inspired Flight says two of its UAV systems have been added to the Blue sUAS 2.0 list by the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), clearing the way for their procuration and use by US government and military agencies.