dronelife

Transforming GIS with Cloud-Based Flexibility and AI-Driven Insights The geospatial industry is undergoing a transformation as GIS software integrates cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance data processing, visualization, and analysis. Blue Marble Geographics, a long-standing innovator in the GIS space, has taken significant strides in 2024, introducing two cutting-edge solutions that mark a […] The post Advancing GIS Software: Blue Marble Geographics Expands Cloud and AI Capabilities appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Tests Highlight Potential for Home-Based Healthcare and Emergency Response The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Aeronautics Division has announced the successful completion of three drone medical delivery demonstrations. The tests, conducted between August and October 2024, evaluated the potential for drones to transport small packages for healthcare applications. Three companies participated in the trials, carrying […] The post MassDOT Aeronautics Completes Successful Drone Medical Delivery Demonstrations appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Collaboration Expands Domestic Production of UAV Recovery Solutions Fruity Chutes Inc., a global provider of drone parachute recovery systems, has announced a partnership with High Energy Sports, Inc., a company specializing in precision engineering and manufacturing. This collaboration enhances the availability of scalable, U.S.-made parachute solutions for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturers, ensuring reliable recovery […] The post U.S.-Made Drone Parachute Systems Now Scalable with Fruity Chutes and High Energy Sports Partnership appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

DRONELIFE is please to publish this op-ed from Tom Walker, CEO of drone services provider DroneUp. DRONELIFE neither accepts nor makes payment for guest posts. America’s Airspace Crisis—Why We Need a National Drone Strategy NOW By Tom Walker, founder and CEO of DroneUp The U.S. Is Flying Blind Into the Drone Era Let’s cut to […] The post America Is Flying Blind: Why We Need a National Drone Strategy Now appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Percepto, Chevron team on autonomous drone inspections By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill Israel-based Percepto is combining artificial intelligence (AI) and drone technologies to conduct safety inspections across Chevron’s far-flung assets in the western U.S., limiting the need for human-led inspection trips. The two companies recently announced the successful completion of the first six months […] The post The Inside Story on Chevron’s Autonomous Drone Inspections with Percepto appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

New Jersey Drone Incursions: Lessons Learned in Public Safety UAS Operations The National Public Safety UAS Conference in Busch Gardens, VA, on March 11-12, sponsored by DRONERESPONDERS, featured a critical session on drone incursions in New Jersey. The discussion, led by experts from law enforcement and counter-UAS operations, shed light on the extensive efforts made […] The post When Everything’s a Drone: How Law Enforcement Dealt with the Crisis in NJ appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

On this episode of The Drone Radio show with host Randy Goers: Kevin Hernandez and Dutch Alessi of Virtual Realty Rehab talk about VRR’s journey, the revolutionary HellHive and HoloWarrior systems, and how they’re bridging military prowess with commercial potential. Listen here: Drone Radio Show · How Drone Swarms Can Bring Value to the Commercial Sector […] The post How Drone Swarms Can Bring Value to the Commercial Sector appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Emission-Free, High-Speed UAV Logistics Transforms Global Healthcare and Commerce by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb California-based autonomous drone delivery company Zipline recently revealed that they had achieved a major milestone in their efforts to bring UAV logistics to the masses, announcing that that they had reached 100 million commercial miles flown. “That’s the same […] The post Zipline Hits 100 Million Miles: A New Milestone in Autonomous Drone Delivery appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Drone as First Responder (DFR) programs are evolving rapidly, with agencies across the United States refining their use of drone technology to enhance public safety. At the National Public Safety UAS Conference, sponsored by DRONERESPONDERS, law enforcement leaders discussed “DFR Next Generation” or “DFR 2.0,” which emphasizes remotely piloted drone dock systems to expand operational […] The post The Future of Drone as First Responder (DFR) Programs: Insights from the National Public Safety UAS Conference appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

The National Public Safety UAS Conference, sponsored by DRONERESPONDERS in Busch Gardens, Virginia, saw a significant announcement in the advancement of UAV training for public safety professionals. Chief Donald Shinnamon (Ret.), Vice President of Operations at the Unmanned Safety Institute (USI), and Chief Charles Werner (Ret.), Director of DRONERESPONDERS, introduced the first ASTM standards program […] The post ASTM Standards Program Established for Public Safety UAV Training appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Former NJUASTS Executive Director Joins WarrenUAS as Consultant and Instructor to Advance Large UAS Integration and Research by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb WarrenUAS, the New Jersey-based drone training program from Warren Community College, recently announced they have added Ed Celiano, the former executive director of the New Jersey Unmanned Aviation Systems Test Site, […] The post WarrenUAS Expands Expertise with Addition of Ed Celiano appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Flying Lion, Inc., a leading drone service provider, has launched FLI Town, the nation’s first dedicated Drone as First Responder (DFR) training center. This facility offers a secure, vendor-agnostic environment designed to support public safety agencies in training, testing, and collaboration on drone operations. Located in a remote area with minimal crewed aircraft interference, FLI […] The post FLI Town: A Dedicated Training and Testing Hub for Drone as First Responder (DFR) Operations appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Ciconia’s Collision Avoidance System: Enhancing Airspace Safety for Crewed and Uncrewed Aircraft The safe integration of drones into national airspace is one of the biggest challenges facing the aviation industry today. Israel-based Ciconia, founded in 2016, is addressing this issue with its Coordination & Collision Avoidance System (C&CAS). Led by co-founder and CEO Moshe Cohen, […] The post Preventing Drone and Helicopter Collisions in Dense, Low-Altitude Operations appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

The response to Hurricane Helene demonstrated both the challenges and opportunities of using uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) in disaster management. As a Category 4 hurricane, Helene caused massive devastation across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and other southeastern states, leaving more than 230 dead and causing an estimated $200 billion in damages. The storm’s record-breaking rainfall […] The post Lessons from Hurricane Helene: How UAVs Supported Emergency Response in Western North Carolina appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

New Boson+ and Hadron 640R+ Cameras Provide Real-Time Temperature Data with Industry-Leading Sensitivity Teledyne FLIR OEM has announced the release of radiometric versions of its high-performance Boson+ thermal and Hadron 640R+ dual thermal-visible camera modules. These new models provide pixel-level temperature measurement, expanding their capabilities for unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), security, […] The post Teledyne FLIR Introduces Radiometric Thermal Camera Modules for Defense and Industrial Applications appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

At the National Public Safety UAS Conference, hosted by DRONERESPONDERS, a panel of FAA officials provided critical updates on new waivers, regulatory processes, and efforts to improve access to airspace for public safety drone operations. The session, moderated by industry expert Michelle Duquette, a veteran of MITRE Corp’s UAS program, featured insights from Tim Arel, […] The post FAA Panel at National Public Safety UAS Conference Highlights New Waivers and Process Improvements appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Key Developments in Public Safety UAS Integration The National Public Safety UAS Conference, hosted by DRONERESPONDERS at Busch Gardens, Virginia, featured a keynote fireside chat between Tim Arel, Chief Operating Officer of the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization, and Chief (Ret.) Charles Werner, Director of DRONERESPONDERS. The discussion underscored the FAA’s evolving approach to integrating drones […] The post FAA Chief Operating Officer ATC Highlights Public Safety Drone Advancements at National Public Safety UAS Conference appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Ariz. bill would shield police from liability for shooting down drones near border By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill A bill pending in the Arizona state legislation is proposing to grant immunity from liability from any damages caused by a drone falling from the sky after being shot down or disabled by state and local […] The post Arizona Bill Seeks to Shield Law Enforcement from Liability for Shooting Down Drones Near Border appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

New Pilot Program to Evaluate Commuter Demand and eVTOL Readiness Blade Air Mobility, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLDE) and Skyports Infrastructure have announced a partnership to expand Blade’s existing by-the-seat helicopter transfer service. The pilot program will connect the Downtown Manhattan Heliport with John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), offering a faster travel option for commuters and […] The post Blade Air Mobility and Skyports Partner for Manhattan to JFK Flights appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

In this episode of Weekly Wings, Paul Rossi and Terry Neff dive into the latest developments in drone technology, global policy, and market shifts. They start by analyzing BYD’s groundbreaking EV-drone integration, where the world’s largest EV manufacturer has partnered with DJI to incorporate a docking system for autonomous drones in its vehicles. They debate the practicality of this […] The post BYD’s Drone Integration, Ukraine’s Drone Industry & U.S. BVLOS Push on Weekly Wings! appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Drone mapping technology has advanced significantly in recent years, with Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) and Post-Processed Kinematic (PPK) positioning emerging as game-changing technologies. These methods enhance mapping accuracy and efficiency, reducing reliance on traditional Ground Control Points (GCPs). SimActive, a leading provider of photogrammetry software, offers powerful tools for geospatial professionals, including its flagship product, Correlator3D. […] The post Enhancing Drone Mapping with RTK and PPK: Insights from SimActive’s Eric Andelin appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

DRONELIFE is honored to feature this op-ed from Oivier Defawe, Director at VillageReach, an organization pioneering the integration of drones into public health. DRONELIFE neither makes nor accepts payment for guest posts. All images credit Henry Sampangi Sanyulye, used with permission. Unlocking Africa’s Skies: Bridging the Infrastructure Gap with Drones By Olivier Defawe Africa’s infrastructure […] The post DRONELIFE Exclusive Op-Ed: Unlocking Africa’s Skies – Why Drones Need More Than Innovation to Bridge the Infrastructure Gap appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Latvia strengthens its defense capabilities with high-speed interceptor drone development Latvia has awarded a research and development (R&D) contract to Origin Robotics, a defense technology startup, for the development of a high-speed interceptor drone. The initiative is part of the country’s broader strategy to build a multi-layered counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) and enhance national security […] The post Latvia Awards R&D Contract to Origin Robotics for Counter-Drone Technology appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

The U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has selected Pierce Aerospace’s B1 Remote ID Beacon for inclusion in the Blue UAS Framework. The selection marks a significant step in the verification process for National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) compliance and cybersecurity, paving the way for the B1’s Authority to Operate (ATO) under the […] The post Pierce Aerospace B1 Remote ID Beacon Selected for DIU’s Blue UAS Framework appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article

Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flight is widely recognized as a key enabler for the commercial drone industry. With the ability to fly drones over long distances without direct human oversight, BVLOS operations unlock new possibilities for industries such as delivery, infrastructure inspection, and defense. However, one of the biggest challenges to BVLOS adoption […] The post DRONELIFE Exclusive: Elsight CEO on How Halo Connectivity Enables Reliable BVLOS Drone Operations appeared first on DRONELIFE. View the full article