University of North Dakota's Technology Accelerator research center is conducting a two-year study to develop unmanned aircraft technology to automate inspections for the wind power industry and others, according to director Kevan Rusk. Rusk, who worked for Grand Forks-based turbine blade manufacturer LM Wind Power for
Business
Skyward , the information management platform for commercial drone operators , announced a $4.1 million round with participation from Draper Associates , Founders CoOp , Moment Ventures , Norwest Venture Partners , Techstars Ventures , Verizon Ventures , and Voyager Capital . This round will be used to expand the engineering and product development team. Skyward powers
Commercial
AOPA is asking the FAA to close gaps in the agency’s proposed rules governing small commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The association made the recommendations in formal comments filed April 22 in response to the FAA’s notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). While AOPA called the NPRM “a good
Christopher Zappa , an oceanographer at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, wants to understand the details of exactly how sea ice breaks up and melts, and he is going to call on a quintessentially 21st century technology to help him do it. Zappa is among a small group of
Regulations
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) admits its drone regulations are out of date governing the use of drones in the UK, following feedback from drone operators and members of the public. Published back in 2008, the regulations were written when commercial and consumer drones were still very much in the
More and more the Golden Gate Bridge is being buzzed by camera-carrying flying drones, and security-conscious span officials are none too happy about it. Several times a month bridge officials notice remote-controlled drones flying around the span. “The increased presence of these unmanned aircraft is a major
Agriculture
Agricultural drones could help Tasmania's poppy industry fight the systemic mildew that has wiped hundreds of thousands of dollars from the 2015 harvest.Poppy grower and co-owner of Drone Ag, Will Bignell, from Bothwell in the Central Highlands, flew drones over poppy crops last season and saw
Targets
The US Air Force issued Boeing an order for 25 converted QF-16 full-scale aerial target drones under a $28.5 million contract option, the Pentagon announced. The sum covers Lot 3 production on Boeing's conversion line at Cecil Field, Fla., and a four-year coverage of
Russian drones will start monitoring the situation in the Arctic as well as on a part of the Northern Sea Route starting May 1, authorities announced. The vehicles can be used in navigation as well as in search and rescue missions. "The drones’ task is to maintain impartial control
Police in Japan have arrested the man who claimed to have flown and landed a drone with minute traces of radiation on top of the Prime Minister's Office. According to public broadcaster NHK, 40-year-old Yasuo Yamamoto turned himself into the Fukui Police in western Japan late
Regulations
Japanese government ministers gathered on Friday to discuss regulations to prevent the harmful use of drones after the incident sparked concerns that they could be used for terrorist attacks. “We will swiftly consider steps to strengthen the security of important facilities, rules for operation and legal regulations” concerning the use
Regulations
EASA’s recent proposed ruling that it takes regulatory responsibility for smaller unmanned air vehicles has left national aviation agencies questioning what category of small UAVs they will be left to regulate. Under the proposed ruling released in March, a new framework would “render obsolete the limit of 150kg included