Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen M. Nielsen, wrote in an op-ed piece in the Washington Post, that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been worrying about the dangers of drones for years; so much so, that DHS has sought legal authority in the past (and continues to do so) to protect the U.S. and … Continue Reading
Last week, in Blacksburg, Virginia, two-year old, Jack Smith—made history. Only six minutes after a technician from Alphabet Inc.’s Wing clicked the “Confirm Order” button on a smartphone app, a drone operated by the company flew from a simulated store about a mile away, hovered over Jack’s lawn and lowered the popsicle he had ordered … Continue Reading
The use of drones use has grown rapidly in recent years, especially in the commercial sector, where the Federal Aviation Administration projects that the number of units in the commercial small drone fleet will exceed 420,000 units by 2021. As businesses continue to incorporate drones into their everyday operations, they also will want to set … Continue Reading
Last weekend, in Venezuela, the Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, was attacked by two armed drones carrying explosives that were detonated while Maduro was delivering a speech on live television during a military ceremony. Although Maduro was not struck by the explosives, his administrative officials called it an assassination attempt. This drone attack was the most … Continue Reading
As of last week, more than 100,000 Remote Pilot Certifications have been issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for individuals to fly commercial and recreational (those not qualifying as “model aircraft”) drones. This number of remote pilots is only after the final Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) rule went into effect on August 29, … Continue Reading
In light of the rise in use of drones in the national airspace, there has been some confusion regarding the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) authority over navigable airspace and federal preemption for state and local drone laws. In response, the FAA released a statement regarding federal versus local drone rulemaking authority. In that statement, the … Continue Reading
It is being reported that a hacker is attempting to sell on the dark web classified U.S. Air Force documents related to the MQ-9 drone program. The reports state that a single hacker with moderate technical skills was able to infiltrate the computer of “a captain at the 432nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Reaper AMU OIC” … Continue Reading
New model legislation introduced by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (Uniform Law Commission) seeks to give property owners the right to the airspace above their property from 200 feet and below. In 1946, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the airspace belonged to the federal government; in 1962, a court decision … Continue Reading
DJI, a leading drone manufacturer, has announced its strengthened commitment to enterprise drone users with new improvements to its geofencing system. Professional drone pilots with authorization to fly in sensitive locations can now use a streamlined application process to receive unlocking codes within 30 minutes. DJI’s geofencing systems uses GPS and other navigational satellite signals … Continue Reading
A few weeks ago the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sent a questionnaire to each person who has registered a commercial drone—that is, for purposes other than recreational or hobby use. The survey also included those registered under government departments and first responders. The FAA’s goal is to collect information on drone flight activities under Part … Continue Reading
The United States government’s ability to police hobbyist drone use was upheld by an appellate court last week. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit rejected arguments by John Taylor, a drone hobbyist, who successfully overturned the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) system for registering unmanned aerial systems (UAS or drones) last year. Judge … Continue Reading
With Independence Day fireworks now coming to an end, many cities in the Western United States are talking about the wildfire liability that comes with the use of fireworks over drought-stricken land. The alternative to fireworks? Well, possibly drones. This year in Aspen, Colorado, the city put on its annual Fourth of July show using … Continue Reading
Skyward, a provider of drone operations management software and consulting services, recently released the results of a Blue Research survey indicating that one in ten U.S. companies with revenue more than $50 million are utilizing drones. Of those companies, 92 percent have realized a positive return on investment (ROI) in one year or less. Additionally, … Continue Reading
A new report issued by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine says that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) should revise its approach for safety risk assessments for the technology associated with implementation of drones into the national airspace. Specifically, the report says that the FAA’s overly conservative approach to safety risk assessments can … Continue Reading
Recently, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed a $2.8 million fine against HobbyKing for allegedly marketing to amateur drone operators non-compliant models of devices used to relay video feed from the drones. Specifically, HobbyKing, a Hong Kong-based drone distributor, allegedly markets drones that transmit video in unauthorized radio frequency bands, and operate at excessive transmission … Continue Reading
Last week, federal officials testified at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing claiming that the statutes that constrict the government’s ability to counter reckless or malicious drone use, including the ability to test and research different methods of counter-UAS technology, are outdated. From the use of drones to deliver explosives by Islamic State … Continue Reading
In the early 18th century, on June 18, 1708, the San Jose, one of the largest treasure ships in the Spanish fleet, sunk to the bottom of the ocean as a result of the battles of the War of Spanish Succession. The San Jose housed treasure valued at around $17 billion in today’s dollars. Since … Continue Reading
Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it will require recertification for those who receive a Remote Pilot Airman Certificate under Part 107 small unmanned aircraft system (UAS or drone) regulations. The certification will only have a 24 month shelf life, and then the pilot needs to recertify their knowledge through additional testing. … Continue Reading
As planned, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched its next wave of its beta Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) system, in the western north region of the United States. LAANC helps to support the integration of drones into the national airspace. LAANC allows drone operators to obtain real-time airspace authorizations from air … Continue Reading
Drones may be a relatively new technology, but artificial intelligence (AI) is already taking over. Autonomous drones are becoming more and more prevalent across all types of industries –from agriculture to construction to insurance. AI has actually started to become a force to be reckoned with in the drone industry –AI not only has taken … Continue Reading
At test sites in 10 states –Alaska, California, Florida, Nevada, North Dakota, North Carolina, Kansas, Oklahoma, Virginia and Tennessee – the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) granted local-backed drone projects special licenses to test new ways of flying. At these test sites, drone package delivery and nighttime flights will be conducted, which are typically prohibited … Continue Reading
Listed as part of the semi-annual Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, a new proposed rule will require drones registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to display a unique identifier assigned externally on the drone. As of today, drone owners and operators are required to enclose the ID on the insider of … Continue Reading
In Belleville, Illinois, drones were used as part of a law enforcement investigation into a school threat this week. Both police and fire crews used their drones to monitor the school and to help determine whether there was a credible threat. Belleville Assistant Chief J.P. Penet said, “Our job was to operate in the air … Continue Reading
Drones are becoming an everyday tool for more and more police and fire departments across the country. According to a study conducted by the Center for the Study of the Drone at New York’s Bard College, the number of public safety agencies with drones has more than doubled since the end of 2016. In fact, … Continue Reading
