A US-made drone the company describes as “military-grade” is now available for direct purchase by companies or the public. It’s the Vantage Robotics Vesper, and it’s one of five UAS that have been selected as a Blue sUAS, meaning it’s considered a favored choice for US government departments.
FAA awards first-ever waiver to CNN to fly over crowds
CNN has another exclusive as it received the first waiver of its kind from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly drones over crowds. The news network announced on Wednesday that it received approval to fly a Vantage Robotics Snap drone up to 150 feet in the air over crowds and groups of people. Up till Wednesday, this was strictly off-limits, but it seems that the FAA has changed its mind. The safety features of the Snap drone may have played an important role in acquiring the approval as this drone comes with cages over its rotors to prevent injuries. The drone only weighs 1.37 pounds and recent research has indicated that weight is an important factor in reducing the risk of injury.