Feds charge drone pilot after MLB stadium no-fly violation
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New firmware update for Skydio 2 — version 5.41.77
Yesterday, I received the new Skydio 2, and after charging the batteries, I was planning to take it out for a quick flight this morning. But before I could do so, the self-flying drone informed me that a new firmware update was available: version 5.41.77.
Autonomous drones being used in IAG Cargo’s warehouse
FlytBase has teamed up with IAG Cargo to pilot autonomous drones usage in its Madrid-based warehouse. The pilot program is hoping to test and make any adjustments to the hardware and software before the program is rolled out to all of IAG Cargo’s warehouses, and possibly to the rest of the warehouses owned by IAG Cargo’s sister company, British Airways.
Making beyond visual line of sight drone operations commonplace in the UK
Slowly but surely, routing drone deliveries as once predicted by Jeff Bezos from Amazon are becoming a reality. Making beyond visual line of sight drone operations commonplace is a big step in that direction and in the UK, the Civil Aviation Authority just made a big announcement. See below for details.
Score an exclusive $50 discount on Chasing’s Dory Underwater Drone at a new low
Wellbots has teamed up with us to offer 9to5Toys readers an exclusive discount on the Chasing Dory Underwater Drone. After applying code 9TO5CHASING at checkout, you’ll be able to bring home the seafaring drone for $449. That’s $50 off the going rate, marks the first price cut we’ve seen, and is subsequently a new all-time low. Featuring an on-board camera, you’ll be able to film in 1080p or snap 8MP photos of underwater scenery. It can also stream video to a smartphone and two 1500-lumen lights help keep the drone’s surroundings brightly lit. Plus, the internal battery nets you up to four hours of usage at a time. Ratings are still coming in on this model, but Chasing is well-reviewed overall.
Audi AI Trail with drones as headlights [video]
Back in September, we wrote about the concept, electric Audi AI Trail that uses five drones as headlights. Check out this video from @supercarblondie as she shows us around this pretty awesome and radical off-road car. there’s more cool stuff than just the drones.
DJI Matrice 200 Series firmware update – v01.02.0450
Today, DJI releases a firmware update for one of its most important enterprise drones the DJI Matrice 200 series (DJI), which includes the M200 and M210. There are two firmware updates one for the battery and one for the aircraft. See below for details.
DJI partner in FAA UAS Aeronautical Knowledge and Safety Test
DJI is named as one of the partners to advise and make recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) concerning the UAS Aeronautical Knowledge and Safety Test. Together with partners such as Unmanned Safety Institute, Drone Racing League, Horizon Hobby, Academy of Model Aeronautics and others
Transform your DJI Mavic Mini into an Osmo Pocket
Maybe you’ve spent ‘all your money’ on the DJI Mavic Mini (from DJI or Amazon) when it came out a few weeks ago and now you realize you also would like to have a DJI Osmo Pocket? What do you do? First, you could ask Santa of course. I mean you never know, right? Or you could go ahead and buy this little Fantaseal Ergonomic Smartphone Holder for $13.99 and transform your DJI Mavic Mini into a handheld gimbal-stabilized camera!
DJI Aeroscope approved by UK’s Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure
DJI Aeroscope is now approved by the UK’s Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI). DJI’s drone detection system was first introduced during a DJI event in Washington DC back in 2017 as both a mobile and fixed detection system that can spot both DJI drones and their pilots within a certain range.
Seven Worlds One Planet: Drones reveal wonders of seven extraordinary continents
The crew from Seven Worlds One Planet used drones to show the wonders of the seven extraordinary continents. The unmanned aircraft were deployed in some of the most beautiful and hostile environments on earth and include the ice of Antarctica and the scorching heat of the deserts of Africa.
Draganfly — the first company to commercialize the drone
There are thousands of drone-related companies in the world, but a majority of them didn’t have any firsts, Draganfly is one of the companies that do. Draganfly was the first company to commercialize the drone along with a few other firsts we learned while interviewing the Chairman and CEO Cameron Chell of Draganfly.
IBM develops a patent to stop drones from stealing your packages
While drone delivery is just taking off, delivering everything from coffee to medicine, IBM is taking steps to prevent drones from stealing packages from you. The system uses an internet of things device in combination with the IBM blockchain, to keep the packages in the right hands.
Drone soccer — a new way to play the game we love
During the Amsterdam Drone Week, a new drone sport was brought to the spotlight, drone soccer. The new sport combines the competitiveness of soccer and the thrill and fun of flying drones. Will the sport catch on as drone racing has?
Drones monitor south coast of England for migrant boats
Along the south coast of England, drones will monitor for migrant boats trying to bring people into the country illegally. The unmanned aerial systems (UAS) will cover a large area of the Channel, from Eastbourne to Margate.
Skydio COO: “Drones are the next generation of what cameras should be”
According to Skydio’s COO, Tom Moss “drones are the next generation of what cameras should be.” Moss, who previously worked in the smartphone business for Google, joined Skydio in 2018 after realizing that “phones have gotten kind of boring.”
Fusion Flight’s jet-powered drone produces 200 horsepower
Fusion Flight has created a rather unconventional drone that uses jets as a replacement for the usual electric motors. The creators of the drone say it’s like an unmanned, scaled-down version of the Harrier Jump Jet. Can it compete with standard drones and live up to the hype?
AIR7 HD helicopter struck by object, believed to be a drone, over downtown LA
An AIR7 HD helicopter was struck by an object, believed to be a drone, at 1,100 feet over downtown Los Angeles Wednesday night. The chopper had to make a precautionary landing.
At around 7:15 p.m., as the helicopter was flying over the downtown LA area, pilot and reporter Chris Cristi said that he and the crew heard and felt a bang as an object hit the tail of the chopper. ABC7 Eyewitness News reports the incident as the helicopter being struck by a drone, even though that has yet to be proven. The initial photos show significant damage to the AIR7 HD helicopter.
Update: it seems that ABC7 Eyewitness News has changed the title of their news story to: “AIR7 HD struck by suspected drone over downtown LA, makes precautionary landing.”
Update 2: NBC News reports: “Two FAA inspectors examined the helicopter this morning, the FAA said, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) requested that affected parts of the helicopter be removed and sent for analysis. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.”
DJI joins UAS Integration Pilot Program at Memphis International Airport
When the 10 sites for the US Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP) were first announced, it always struck me as odd that DJI (and Amazon!) were not mentioned as partners in any of the test setups, even though their drones were widely used by others in the program. Finally, about one year into the UAS Integration Pilot Program, DJI officially joins it as one of the partners at Memphis International Airport.
DJI Mavic Mini firmware update released – v01.00.0300
Today, DJI released a new firmware update for the DJI Mavic Mini (DJI, Amazon). The Mavic Mini firmware update is version v01.00.0300 and it delivers a number of improvements that make the drone operate even more smoothly. DJI states that it has increased flight stability, optimized the performance during take-off at high elevation, and optimized gimbal control among other things. All the release notes are listed below as well as an additional video from Billy with his first impressions and thoughts of this new Mavic Mini firmware update.
Drones and high temperatures don’t mix — a warning
As temperatures are rising throughout the Southern hemisphere, more drones are hitting the skies to capture the beauty summer has to offer. While you might not be doing anything wrong in the sky, your drone could be struggling due to the high temperatures edging on the limits of the drone and its battery.
Drone captures a school’s close encounter with a bushfire
Chula Vista Police is the first in the world to use Skydio 2 drones [video]
The Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD) is the first in the world to use the Skydio 2 drones that are made in Redwood City, California. Eight CVPD officers have been trained, licensed, and FAA certified as pilots and have been using the Skydio 2 drones for the last four weeks. From early reports, we know that the American drone manufacturer has been targeting first responders, fire, and police departments with the Skydio 2 drone.
The Revolve Thermal MK.III based on the DJI Mavic 2 drone
Remember the modified DJI Mavic 2 Zoom with the FLIR Boson thermal camera, that we covered earlier this year? Well, that was a prototype said Sheldon Holy from UK-based Drone Doctor and now also Revolve Drones. Now they’re back with a new and production ready version, the Revolve Thermal MK.III. The Boson 320 sensor has double the resolution of the sensor in the Mavic 2 Dual (320×240 resolution vs. 160×120), and a much narrower field of view (34° vs 57°). This allows the MK.III to detect a given heat signature at up to five times the distance that the Mavic 2 Dual is capable of, according to Revolve Drones. Keep reading for all the details but this may very well be the best drone for first responders right now, although it seems that new competition may be around the corner with the new Evo Autel 2 and Skydio 2 drones.
Drone observes Greenland ice sheet fracturing in real time
On Monday, scientists said that they had used a drone to observe an ice sheet in Greenland fracturing in real time. A team of researchers witnessed the rapid fracturing and draining of a lake on the ice sheet.
It is expected that this phenomenon may become more frequent as climate change worsens. Greenland’s ice sheet is the second largest in the world, and the single largest contributor to global sea-level rise.