Drone delivery services may prove too noisy for some in Australia
Numerous companies are lining up to deliver stuff by drone, but the machines still make quite a racket when they fly nearby. In Australia, where Google sister company Wing recently launched a drone delivery service, locals complained about the noise. And now the government is getting involved.
Watch this drone dodge an incoming soccer ball autonomously
Most drones aren't very good at avoiding incoming objects. Even the most advanced drones struggle to react to dynamic objects and adjust their trajectories accordingly. But now a team from the University of Zurich has developed a drone which can dodge, swoop, and dive to avoid an incoming object.
Drone delivers lifesaving kidney for transplant patient in world first
A medical facility in Maryland has become the first to use a drone to deliver a kidney for transplant into a patient. The specially built drone is capable of maintaining and monitoring a viable human organ during flight. The transplant operation was deemed a success and the female patient left hospital this week.
New task force to take on rogue drone pilots flying near airports
A new task force has been set up to tackle the problem of drone incursions at U.S. airports, with the Federal Aviation Administration saying it now receives as many as 100 such reports a month. Up to now, rogue drone flights have forced a number of airports to suspend operations over safety fears.
Hawaiian botanists’ drone discovers a plant thought to be lost forever
In what may be a world first, botanists in Hawaii have used a drone to find a species of plant that scientists believed was extinct. The camera-equipped flying machine was used to get close to a sheer cliff face on the island of Kauai, where the plant was first spotted in 1991.
U.K. launches $2.5M contest for tech to counter threats from rogue drones
The U.K. government has launched a $2.5M contest to encourage the development of technology designed to counter threats posed by rogue drones at places such as airports, as well as on the battlefield. The contest comes several months after drone sightings at one of the U.K.’s biggest airports caused massive disruption.
Be prepared to bug out over this insect-inspired winged drone
A French inventor took to Kickstarter to raise funds for an insect-inspired winged drone called MetaFly. It generated quite a buzz. As of the time this article was published, more than 1,850 people have pledged over $187,500 to bring the drone to market. It's expected to ship in September 2019.
The USAF’s new combat drone is an A.I. fighter jet that flies itself
The U.S. Air Force celebrated the successful test flight of its new stealth fighter drone, the XQ-58A Valkyrie releasing a brief 15-second clip that captured this milestone maiden flight. The "loyal wingman" drone is designed to provide reconnaissance and weapons support for piloted jet fighters.
SoftBank’s solar-powered drone could dispense 5G internet from the skies
An experimental, solar-powered drone capable of beaming internet down to Earth is set to take off. The drone is the product of a tightlipped partnership between Softbank and AeroVironment, an American aerospace company, aimed at delivering 5G and Internet of Things connectivity from the skies.
How a drone flight in Myanmar landed a French tourist in jail
Of course you want to fly your drone on vacation — exploring a new place from the sky and capturing video is all part of the fun of owning a quadcopter. But better make sure you check out the local drone rules first. A French tourist in Myanmar failed to do the proper research on a recent trip and ended up in jail.
This unique quadcopter helped a SWAT team nab an armed suspect
A unique quadcopter that can stay in the air for up to two hours on a single charge recently helped a California SWAT team nab an armed suspect. A cop involved in the case said the drone was able to provide the team with important intelligence that it previously couldn't access.
A New York man has been arrested after allegedly shooting down a Mavic drone
Two folks on Long Island were recently using a Mavic 2 Zoom quadcopter to help search for a missing dog. When the drone's signal went blank, they assumed a bird had attacked it mid-flight. But police there have now charged a man with using a shotgun to knock it out of the sky.
China’s new robotic submarine doesn’t just chase typhoons, it dives into them
Scientists in China really have developed an unmanned submarine that’s designed to travel into potentially deadly typhoons and other extreme weather types and fire off weather-monitoring rockets. Here's how it works, and what could make it such a useful weather-monitoring tool.
Drones: New rules could soon allow flights over people and at night
The U.S. government is looking to loosen restrictions on drone flights with a set of proposals that would allow the machines to fly over populated areas and also at night. The news will be welcomed by commercial operators keen to use the technology for a range of tasks.
Rogue drones prompt major airports to spend millions on protection
Drones are great fun, but the occasional ne'er-do-wells do their best to ruin it for anyone. An incident in December 2018 that brought one of the world's busiest airports to a standstill for 36 hours has prompted two U.K. hubs to invest millions of dollars in tech to prevent drone flights in restricted areas.
British Army tests autonomous glider drone for transporting supplies, soldiers
The British Army is currently testing out an unorthodox glider-based drone that could one day be used to resupply troops or deliver humanitarian aid in locations that would ordinarily be inaccessible. It could even be used for transporting wounded soldiers from the battlefield.
Thrill-seekers will be able to pilot themselves in a giant drone as soon as 2019
Want to hitch a ride on a giant drone? The startup Lift Aircraft is gearing up to let paying customers fly its 18-rotor giant drone over assorted scenic landscapes across the U.S. The best part of it? The company hopes to launch this service as soon as the middle of 2019.
NYPD has added a bunch of quadcopters to its crime-fighting kit
The New York Police Department is to start using quadcopters in its crime-fighting work. Trained cops will have access to various models — all made by DJI — for use in particular situations such as search-and-rescue missions, hostage situations, and hazardous material incidents.
Russia goes all-in on buzzwords, builds solar-powered blockchain drone boat
A new Russian solar-powered drone boat is designed to take smart sensor readings and save them to the Ethereum blockchain. That might sound like buzzword bingo, but it's doing it for a good reason: To keep tabs on water pollution in one of the world's largest reservoirs.
Dangle no more: Window-washing drone for towers could replace human cleaners
The maker of a window-washing drone for tall buildings claims it can do the job 20 times faster than humans and is much safer than using workers in cradles. The 12-rotor flying machine draws power and water from sources on the ground, and is tethered to the top of the building for safety.
Aussie teen bags $24,000 top prize at World Drone Racing Championships
A 15-year-old Australian lad has been crowned the world's best drone racer after finishing top among 127 other competitors from 34 countries. Rudi Browning also picked up a $24,000 cash prize for his victory at last weekend's FAI World Drone Racing Championships in Shenzhen, China.
Uh-oh. Somebody taught drones how to team up so they can open doors
These diminutive Flycrotug microdrones can open doors or move objects 40 times their weight -- and all they need are a pair of adhesive, insect-inspired feet, and an onboard lasso. They could one day be used as a valuable tool for search and rescue missions. Here's how they work.
Flir’s stealthy drones will help Army vehicles spot enemies in the distance
Like modern day military scouts, Flir's Black Hornet Vehicle Reconnaissance System is an unmanned nano-drone which can be deployed by military vehicles to spot threats up ahead. Here's how the Black Hornet drones work -- and why they could soon be found on battlefields across the world.
This is the result when a quadcopter strikes the wing of an aircraft
Responding to increasing concern over drone flights near airports, researchers in the U.S. have conducted lab tests to see what happens when a quadcopter collides with an aircraft wing at high speed. Launching a DJI Phantom drone at the wing of an airplane, the results of the experiment may surprise you.
Disney takes to the air with an autonomous paint-spraying drone
Look what has just flown out of Disney Research's workshop. It's an autonomous spray-painting drone that can apply colorful designs to 3D objects as well as flat surfaces. The PaintCopter, as Disney is calling it, offers "accurate and fast painting results" and could be useful in industrial settings.
7 ambitious DARPA projects that could revolutionize the armed forces
With a multibillion dollar annual budget and access to some of the sharpest minds around, few research labs can dream of matching DARPA. Here are 7 of the amazing projects they're creating. It seems that tomorrow's U.S. military is going to have access to some pretty amazing tech!
7 drone crashes that will make you fly your bird more carefully
Whether you're a rookie drone pilot or experienced pro, sooner or later you're bound to slam your flying machine into a hard surface or get it tangled in a tree. To help you avoid such a calamity, we've pulled together some videos of spectacular drone crashes and tips on how to avoid them.
This quadcopter is a ‘flying battery’ that can stay in the sky for 2 hours
While most of today's drones can stay airborne for around half an hour tops, Impossible Aerospace's US-1 drone can fly for up to two hours. The feat was achieved by building the machine around a larger-than-usual battery, and the company says that if the design is scaled up, it could transform the aviation market.
This autonomous drone ambulance concept won its creator a $20,000 prize
An Italian creator has won a $20,000 prize for his unique drone ambulance design that could one day become a reality. The large autonomous quadcopter would be capable of carrying a person to safety using its built in pod, and be powered by special technology giving it a range of up to 95 miles.
It flies and floats! The Spry drone wants to master both the sky and sea
Can't decide between an aerial drone and an underwater drone? The Spry does a little bit of both, navigating like a helicopter, boat or even short stints like a submarine under the water. The floating quadcopter uses a 4K camera and in manual mode, can hit speeds up to 43 mph.
Bizarre stork robot uses a drone to compensate for its weak, twig-like legs
Developed by engineers from Japan’s University of Tokyo, Aerial Biped is a robot whose top half is comprised of a flying quadrotor UAV that's rooted to the ground by thin, stork-like legs. The unusual design means that, at least in theory, it should be incapable of taking a tumble.
Mavic 2 leaked specs reveal two versions, one with a Hasselblad camera
When DJI released the nifty little Mavic Air at the start of the year, there seemed few reasons to fork out for the older Mavic Pro. But a leak from a British retail store suggests DJI is prepping two new versions, one with a better quality camera and one with a zoom lens, among other new features.
Explore the deep blue sea with these awesome underwater drones
This underwater drone revolution is underway thanks to a handful of ambitious drone manufacturers willing to push the limits on drone technology. Check out our list of the best underwater drones available currently for purchase or pre-order.
Did a drone help a notorious French gangster escape from prison?
A gang that helped one of France's most notorious gangsters escape from prison over the weekend may have used a hobby drone for reconnaissance missions in the months leading up to the jailbreak. The audacious escape involved an armed gang, gas canisters, and a power tool, and was over in just "a few minutes."