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.
Notre Dame fire: How drones and a robot called Colossus helped limit the damage
The fire that devastated France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral on Monday shocked many around the world. As part of its efforts to contain the blaze, firefighters deployed drones and a robot called Colossus — a move that almost certainly helped to prevent even worse damage to the structure.
Watch the fearsome DroneHunter X3 pluck rogue UAVs out of the sky
How do you stop enemy drones in their tracks? DroneHunter X3 is a new autonomous anti-drone technology which outruns and captures rogue drones in midair. Check it out as it does its thing during a recent outdoor showcase test run at Utah State Capitol building in Salt Lake City.
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.
U.S. Marines are testing single-use delivery drones for dropping off supplies
Move over, Amazon! The U.S. Marines are testing a drone delivery program of their own -- only this one involves disposable drones designed for dropping off supplies wherever they're required. Here's how the surprisingly primitive drones work and why they're built that way.
Dublin Airport has a novel idea for tackling rogue drones
A growing number of technology-based solutions are providing airports around the world with various options when it comes to dealing with rogue drones, but officials at Dublin Airport have come up with an altogether different solution aimed at keeping the skies safe: Human plane spotters.
Professional drone racing is flying onto Twitter this summer
Professional drone racing is coming to Twitter for the first time this summer. Organizers hope the deal with the social media platform will help the growing sport to further broaden its audience. The races will see skilled pilots maneuvering their machines at speeds of up to 90 mph along challenging obstacle courses.
Drones locate fuzzy friends in Australian koala-spotting mission
Counting koalas is a challenge requiring expert spotters that can give unreliable results. Now researchers have demonstrated drones which can detect heat signatures, use an algorithm to hone in on areas where koalas live, and count the animals even through the foliage of the eucalyptus trees they live in.
How to register a drone with the FAA
Before you take to the skies with your new drone, you need to make sure it has been properly registered with the U.S. government. Check our guide for registration requirements and easy, step-by-step instructions on how to complete your drone registration with the Federal Aviation Administration.
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.
Makers of the AK-47 assault rifle have built a kamikaze drone as their sequel
Russian weapons manufacturer Kalashnikov, the company behind the world famous AK-47 assault rifle, has developed a smart kamikaze drone. Here's how the autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle works -- and how it could potentially change the face of modern warfare as we know it.
Delivery drones: NASA to test advanced traffic control system for cities
NASA is organizing demonstrations of its advanced drone traffic management system designed for urban settings. The final phase of testing could be a big step forward for drone delivery services with companies such as Amazon keen to incorporate the technology into their shipping operations.
Own a drone? New rule means you have to change the way IDs are displayed
Registered drone owners will need to place their machine's ID number on the outside of their aircraft from February 23 in accordance with a new rule from the Federal Aviation Administration. Terror-related concerns mean the ID can no longer be placed inside the drone's battery compartment.
Forget police helicopters, California cops are using drones to spot suspects
In a joint venture involving California’s Chula Vista Police Department and drone cloud platform Cape, police drones were used to aid in the arrest of 20 suspects over the course of three months. Here's how the drones were used and what this means for their future in law enforcement.
This insect-sized drone can fly without any moving parts. How? Physics
Researchers from UC Berkeley have built one of the smallest flying robots ever made. Not only does the insect-scale robot boast no moving parts whatsoever, but its atmospheric ion thrusters allow it to move completely silently. Could it be coming soon to a sky near you?
The best drone photos
Drone technology has advanced exponentially over the last few years, and costs have dropped substantially. Most drones come equipped with high-end cameras, which are quickly changing photography as we know it. Here are some of the best drone photos from around the world.
Drone pilots are already getting caught ignoring Super Bowl flight ban
A restriction on drone flights is already in place around Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl, but cops have already confiscated six quadcopters from those ignoring the temporary ban. Those responsible could face hefty cash fines, and even jail time.
Swarms of drones will soon keep tabs on our aging city infrastructure
Could drones one day be used to inspect aging infrastructure? Researchers from Sweden's Lulea University of Technology have been testing how teams of autonomous drones could be used to keep tabs on wind turbines, potentially alerting authorities of any impending problems.
Shark attack: Drone-based research may help ease swimmers’ fears
Researchers in Australia used drones to learn more about what kinds of sea creatures come close the shore, and their findings may go some way to easing the fears of swimmers worried about shark attacks. Fact is, that mysterious creature you saw glide by is far more likely to be a dolphin.
Drones dispense rat poison to help rid islands in Galapagos region of rodents
If you’re trying to get rats off an island without damaging the native animals or plants, what’s the best way to go about it? If you’re anything like the brains behind a recent initiative on Ecuador’s Galapagos archipelago, the answer is simple: Use rat poison-dispensing drones.
Did Newark airport incident really involve a drone? DJI isn’t so sure
New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport was forced to suspend operations for a while on Tuesday after reports of drone sightings made by pilots on two incoming aircraft. But now questions are being raised over whether the objects, spotted at an altitude of around 3,500 feet, were in fact drones.
Once again, a drone has reportedly caused a shutdown at a major airport
Reported drone sightings near New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport forced flights to be halted early Tuesday evening. One drone reportedly came within 30 feet of an aircraft. The incident comes a month after drone sightings at one of the U.K.'s busiest airports led to a 36-hour shutdown.
Want to know which drones are flying near you? There’s an app for that
Want to know what that mysterious drone buzzing over your head is up to? A new system developed by AirMap, Google Wing, and Kittyhawk.io could soon be able to tell you -- by showing you a map of all local drone activity on your smartphone. Here's how the technology works.
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.
Where are they now? A look back at last year’s Top Tech of CES winners
What happened to the 14 prize-winning products we singled out as the coolest things we saw at last year's CES 2018? Join us as we take a look at what the past 12 months has meant for each one. Spoilers: They're still as awesome as they were on the day that we first met them.
Forget security cameras — this drone will watch over your house from the skies
Sunflower Labs' innovative smart security system involves a series of outdoor sensors, capable of dispatching an autonomous camera drone to check up on any unusual disturbances. It sounds pretty wild -- and it's on display at CES 2019 for anyone who wants to go check it out.
A DJI quadcopter gets the horror-movie treatment in ‘The Drone’
"The Drone" is an upcoming horror flick about a DJI quadcopter that becomes possessed with the spirit of a serial killer. Yes, it does sound a bit bonkers, but with all those spinning blades and a camera for a roving eye, it was about time someone got around to making such a movie, right?
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.
Rain ruined the NYPD’s first chance to use security drones at a major event
The NYPD had been hoping to use its camera-equipped quadcopters as part of its security operation at Times Square on New Year's Eve, but rain and wind forced it to cancel the plan. The NYPD unveiled its crime-fighting drones in December 2018, and plans to use them for a range of operations.
NYC police to use camera drones for security at Times Square NYE party
For the first time, New York City police will use drones to keep an eye on Times Square for the NYE party, which is expected to attract as many as two million attendees. The drones will be used in addition to traditional anti-terrorism tools like police airplanes and helicopters.
Drone delivery testers reveal their main gripe about such a service
Anyone who's been within earshot of a drone won't be surprised to learn that people are concerned about the noise associated with drone delivery services. Alphabet's Wing project, which is testing a service in a community in Australia, says it's looking at ways to make its drone quieter.
Baby in remote village is first person to receive a vaccine delivered by drone
A 1-month-old baby on a remote island in the South Pacific country of Vanuatu recently became the first person to receive a vaccine delivered by a commercial drone. The drone was flown across 40 kilometers of rugged mountains, which would otherwise have taken hours to cross.
From drones to smart pills, 2018 saw significant tech advances in medicine
Robots, A.I. algorithms, and drone deliveries are increasingly found in just about every industry and profession, Why not the medical world, too? Here are 2018's most significant landmark events where cutting-edge technology met medicine -- for better or, in one case, for worse.