Drones

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United Parcel Service (UPS) announced this week that it will test electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) for package delivery. UPS purchased 10 eVTOL from Beta Technologies (Beta), which it plans to test for use in its Express Air Delivery network. These eVTOLs are set to be delivered to UPS in 2024, pending certification…

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure heard testimony from U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg this week on the Biden Administration’s priorities and plans for national transportation infrastructure.

Although Secretary Buttigieg’s testimony did not provide details specifically about unmanned aerial systems (UAS or drones), Secretary Buttigieg comes to the DOT with a…

A lawsuit filed in North Carolina claims that, under the First Amendment, surveyors cannot stop drone operators from selling photos taken from above and making maps.

Typically, a landowner contacts a surveyor to help establish a legal property line. However, what if you just want to see what your property looks like or create a…

This week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that on April 21, 2021, the final rules for remote identification (ID) of drones and flights over people and at night will go into effect.

Remote ID will require identification of drones in flight as well as at their takeoff points. The FAA hopes to increase the…

This week the Pennsylvania Drone Association, the Pittsburgh Drone Masters, and Allegheny County worked together to address Allegheny County Code § 650-2(A), which prohibits the operation of drones in areas not expressly permitted by the county. Generally speaking, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has jurisdiction of the national airspace at the state level, but Pennsylvania…

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced last week that it will be working with industry leaders and public stakeholders to develop a traffic management system for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS or drones). UAS traffic management (UTM) requires a framework for systems to safely operate multiple UAS at once. The FAA wants to first establish operating…

Last week, the Executive Order on Protecting the United States from Certain Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) expanded the U.S.-China drone controversy to North Korea, Iran, and Russia.

The Order also provides the Secretary of Commerce with the authority to designate “any other foreign nation, foreign area, or foreign non-government entity engaging in long-term patterns or…

Let’s take a look at the lessons learned in 2020 and where the drone industry might be heading in 2021. Here are some key takeaways from the past year:

  • Continued Industry Maturity: In 2020, drones are now seen as more of a tool than a novel piece of technology. That means that we will

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued final rules for unmanned aircrafts (or drones) for remote identification and the operation of drones at night and above people.

The Remote Identification Rule (Remote ID Rule)  will allow operators of small drones to fly over people and at night under certain conditions. The FAA hopes that these rules…

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an $182,000 fine to a drone pilot for multiple (continued) violations of Part 107 -at least 26 violations to be more precise. Between December 2019 and August 2020, the drone pilot flew his drone around Philadelphia in violation of FAA regulations, sometimes violating more than one part of the…