Photo above – Mark Lang; Territory Account Executive, BRINC; sUAS 107 Certified – Retired LEO. North Texas Innovation Alliance (NTXIA) – a 501(c)3 regional consortium of more than 40 municipalities, agencies, corporations and academic institutions across North Texas with a mission to build the most connected, smart and resilient region in the country – has […]
Unmanned Systems
Unmanned Systems
Finally: Clearer FAA Guidance on State and Local Airspace Restrictions
by BRENT SKORUP I stumbled across a surprising drone policy update in the FAA’s Aeronautical Information Manual (Manual) last week. The Manual contains official guidance and best practices to US airspace users. (My friend Marc Scribner reminds me that the Manual is not formally regulatory, though it often restates or summarizes regulations.) The manual has […]
Carilion Clinic and DroneUp Explore Use of Drone Technology to Enhance Healthcare
Carilion has teamed up with DroneUp to investigate how drones could be used to improve health care delivery in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Carilion and DroneUp are conducting a proof-of-concept study to see if delivering crucial medical supplies can effectively be done using drone technology. This three-week trial ending June 22 will explore the ways […]
NARTP Signs Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with USTRANSCOM, USAF Air Mobility Command, and ACEA
An agreement to create a test and evaluation corridor for the development of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) and automated Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technologies was recently signed by officials representing U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), Air Mobility Command (AMC), the National Aerospace Research & Technology Park (NARTP), and the Atlantic County Economic Alliance (ACEA). “This agreement […]
Dronamics Cargo Drone Takes First Flight, Paving the Way for the Future of Deliveries
Photo above – Credit to Dronamics – Veliko Balabanov Dronamics has announced the successful completion of the first flight of its flagship aircraft, the Black Swan, at Balchik airport in Bulgaria; demonstrating the potential for the logistics industry to enhance efficiency in the transportation of products. Born out of two brothers’ desire to find a […]
AUVSI Praises Legislation Supporting Use of Drones for Infrastructure Inspection
Michael Robbins, Chief Advocacy Officer for the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), praised H.R. 3593, the Drone Infrastructure Inspection Grant Act of 2023. “Drones are being relied on as indispensable tools for critical operations, including infrastructure inspections — and that role will only continue to grow as the technology advances further. The future […]
Airwayz Partners with FlightOps to Provide State-Of-The-Art Drone Management Systems
Airwayz, a dynamic UTM/USSP provider, announced a partnership with FlightOps, a company specializing in advanced UAVOS (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operating Systems) solutions. The integration between FlightOps flight automation software and Airwayz’ dynamic and robust UTM system will allow drone operators to automate drone management and will be used for the first time during the second […]
Congressmen Yakym, Menendez Introduce Legislation to Support Integration of Drones into Airspace
Last week, Congressman Rudy Yakym (IN-02) and Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08) introduced the Increasing Competitiveness for American Drones Act. This comprehensive, bipartisan legislation is a much-needed step towards streamlining the approvals process for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flights and bringing the regulation of drones in the United States up to speed with […]
Pearland PD Expands DFR Operations to Include BVLOS Without Visual Observers
Pearland Police Department has been awarded a certificate of authorization (COA) to operate its drone as first responder (DFR) program beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operation, eliminating the need for human visual observers (VOs). This was achieved using Iris Automation’s Casia G ground-based air surveillance system. The City of Pearland is a rapidly growing […]
Oakland-Based Pyka Awarded $7 Million California Tax Credit to Expand Manufacturing of Zero-Emission Autonomous Aircraft
Pyka has been awarded a $7 million California Competes Tax Credit with the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), approved last week by the California Competes Tax Credit Committee. The California Competes Tax Credit is an income tax credit for businesses that locate or grow in California. Pyka, headquartered in Oakland, California, […]