The City of Dallas is officially putting drones on the front lines of emergency response, and in some cases, they may arrive before police officers or firefighters do.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has slapped a major lawsuit on Anzu Robotics — the very company that just announced its flagship Raptor drone has been discontinued because of component shortages. What looked like a supply-chain stumble has now blown up into a full-blown national security story.
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Air travelers in West Texas went to bed Tuesday night with no warning, and woke up to find a major American airport effectively shut down. In a move that stunned local officials, airlines, and even parts of the federal government, the Federal Aviation Administration abruptly halted flights in and out of El Paso International Airport late Tuesday, citing “special security reasons.” The 10-mile airspace restriction — stretching up to 18,000 feet — was initially set to last 10 days. Instead, it lasted about seven and a half hours. By sunrise Wednesday, flights were back on schedule. But the questions were just beginning.
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In a moment when the world’s biggest drone maker faces an uncertain future in America, one Texas border city is proving just how critical the technology has become. El Paso is using DJI’s drones not just to watch the skies, but to reshape how police, firefighters, and airport crews respond when seconds matter.
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Arlington, Texas is stepping up its crime-fighting game from the skies.
The Arlington Police Department (APD) has announced a major expansion of its Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program, designed to get officers real-time information before they even arrive on scene. The idea is simple but powerful: when a 911 call comes in, APD drone pilots can instantly launch a drone to the location, giving officers a live aerial view of what’s happening while they’re still en route.
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In a dazzling display of holiday spirit and technological prowess, Sky Elements Drone Shows has set a new Guinness World Record for the “Longest Animation Performed by Drones.” The North Texas-based company orchestrated a 30-minute aerial narrative featuring 2,500 drones, surpassing the previous record of 26 minutes and 26 seconds held by a Chinese firm.
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Texas is leading the charge in intelligent infrastructure with a 92-mile stretch of State Highway 130 (SH130) transforming into an autonomous drone hub.
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Like the state itself, everything is really, really big in Texas – including the distances separating remote towns from teeming urban areas. Now Texas Tech University is moving to bridge those gaps that often undermine healthcare in more isolated locales by testing drone deliveries using Australian UAV company Swoop Aero craft.
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The Texas city of Arlington is preparing to launch a trial using drones and robotic ground vehicles to deliver packages from a local food bank to recipient homes in a bid to reduce the number of vans – and emissions those produce – in transporting the vital parcels where they’re needed.
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German advanced air mobility (AAM) company, Lilium, is making its luxury Pioneer Edition electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) jet available to private US customers for the first time ever, through an accord signed with Texas aviation brokerage and management company EMCJET.
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A Texas man has been charged for allegedly flying a DJI Inspire drone loaded with drugs and other contraband into a Fort Worth prison.
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The Odessa Police Department in western Texas says it has received authorization from the FAA to launch the largest public safety Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program in the United States. The department is now ready to conduct a year-long pilot program, exploring the advantages of an eye in the sky during public safety initiatives.
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A federal court has ruled a Texas law considerably limiting the use of drones to be unconstitutional, particularly articles restricting images collected by journalists using UAVs in their reporting.
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Drone management software company DroneSense has announced it has been awarded a contract by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DoPS). The contract will allow DroneSense to provide its software and support to agencies looking to use drones within Texas.
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The Greenville City Council in Texas has given the local fire and police departments the go-ahead to purchase six drones to improve safety and efficiency. The money needed to purchase the new high tech equipment comes from seized funds and the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS).
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The Irving Police Department just launched their new drone program. 22 police officers in Irving, Texas will be fully trained Part 107 drone pilots. At least four officers will have a drone ready to fly, in their vehicles during their shift at all times. The drones will be used during searches for missing persons, suspects, to investigate crime scenes and more. The drone program was paid for in part by a city grand.
Less than two weeks ago we reported on the NYPD adding 14 drones to their police force.
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The use of drones is becoming more prevalent among police forces and SWAT teams around the world as well as here in the US. Today, we learn that in tracking down the suspected Austin bomber, authorities used drones to fly over the suspect’s house in Pflugerville, TX. Even though it is not known at this point what kind of drones were used and for what purpose, it seems likely that drones outfitted with infrared cameras may have been used to scan for any people inside the building.
Now a few weeks after Hurricane Harvey hit the Houston area, the cleaning operation is in full swing. Take for instance flooded cars. There is an estimated 30,000 of them, all of which need to be processed by insurance agents. Now, 30,000 sounds like a lot of cars but actually seeing a drone video of all these damaged cars parked at the Texas World Speedway south of College Station, gives you an idea of the magnitude. As far as your eye can see there are cars parked that sustained water damage during Hurricane Harvey.