Though moves to ease the operation of drones in New York City only date to last July, municipal authorities are already so habituated to deploying UAVs when occasions arise that they immediately turned to their fleet in response to Friday’s 4.8 magnitude earthquake.
Expand Expanding Close
UK companies Skyports Drone Services and environmental protection maintenance specialist Ground Control are pairing up to help railroad infrastructure owner Network Rail in spotting and organizing its track clearing activities with greater attention to ecological protection.
Expand Expanding Close
As predicted when policies and budgets were passed to mend long neglected infrastructure across the US, the deployment of drones for inspection and restoration of public assets has increased dramatically. Yet another example of that is the work the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will do in surveying its aging rail system using a newly-issued Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) waiver for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operation.
Expand Expanding Close
How bad is the reputation of California utility Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)? Poor enough that it’s conspicuously displaying the sight and sounds of its drone flights to endear itself to the public (that’s a joke, kind of – read on).
Expand Expanding Close
UK-based Skyports Drone Services is pursuing its international business growth and geographical expansion through a new partnership with Norway’s Field, offering specialized, cutting-edge aerial infrastructure inspection and monitoring activities.
Expand Expanding Close
Surging automated drone tech company Percepto has added another Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) achievement to its growing list, which in this case allows the company to remotely operate up to 30 of its UAVs using only one pilot.
Expand Expanding Close
The advanced air mobility (AAM) infrastructure unit of UK-based drone services specialist Skyports has been chosen for the second phase of a concept of operations (ConOps) project by the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB), to prepare for the arrival of air taxi operation in the country.
Expand Expanding Close
Diversified drone hardware and services company Volatus Aerospace is expanding on what had already been a steady stream of new business contracts in its domestic Canadian market with a deal in the US worth up to $60 million providing aerial infrastructure inspections for a major utility firm.
Expand Expanding Close
Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) have proposed new legislation to increase the use of US-made drones in infrastructure projects. The bipartisan bill would authorize $100 million in competitive grants to help local governments leverage American drones in critical infrastructure inspections, maintenance, and construction activities.
Expand Expanding Close
Drone data-gathering company Phoenix Air Unmanned (PAU) has received a nation-wide waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration to use Flyfree’s Alta X UAVs during beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) powerline infrastructure inspection missions for clients.
Expand Expanding Close
The US House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill today that aims to earmark up to $200 million in spending for drones use in wide-ranging inspections of the nation’s aging infrastructure.
Expand Expanding Close
A bipartisan bill has been introduced in the Senate that seeks to create the mechanisms and allot $100 million in funding for the deployment of drones in infrastructure inspections overseen by local, state, and US government entities.
Expand Expanding Close
The New York State Thruway Authority, which manages New York’s 570-mile toll highway system, says it will begin testing drone technology for infrastructure inspections in partnerships with UAV nonprofit organization Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR).
Expand Expanding Close
Saudi Arabia is seeking to establish itself as a global center of new drone technology by focusing on development of heavy-lift drone design, production, and operation. The push is being led by the country’s Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), in partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Expand Expanding Close
British telecom operator BT is leading a consortium of businesses prepared to test the UK’s first commercial drone corridor. Dubbed Project XCelerate, the initiative is receiving government backing as part as the country’s push to boost drone-based business delivery, transport, and other services.
Expand Expanding Close
