Pentagon says UAP videos are real – here’s how to spot more of them

The DoD has confirmed that videos and still images of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) released in April 2020 are real. The videos can be found here:  https://www.navair.navy.mil/foia/documents (FLIR.mp4, GOFAST.wmv, GIMBAL.wmv). Can…

Pipistrel And Its 1 Patent Forced To Partner With Honeywell (Which Has Hundreds)

Honeywell is providing its next-generation Attitude Heading Reference System and Air Data Module to Pipistrel, the cargo UAV manufacturer. Pipistrel will add this critical navigation and motion-sensing data to its Nuuva V300 cargo UAV,…

UAV 2020 Annual Update – No Signs of Fatigue from DJI

DJI did not slow down their patent filings in 2019 as shown by the publication of patent applications in 2020 continuing unabated. IBM appeared to slow some, but LG Electronics has come to an almost complete stop.  Is LG just taking a…

Wing Does Not Like the New Drone ID Rule. Who Owns that Space?

Wing Aviation said the FAA’s new rule for UAVs to radio broadcast remote ID messages for tracking will have “unintended negative privacy impacts for business and consumers.” The rule replaces the requirement that the UAVs transmit location…

Uber divests another company for $100M+. Good thing it had lots of patents…in ride-hailing

As part of its profitability strategy, Uber is turning over its unmanned aerial vehicle unit, Elevate, to Joby Aviation, which is developing eVTOLs. Uber has now invested $125M total in Joby and is transferring assets.  A few days…

Amazon Leads in Home Security Drones. Should Alarm and Qualcomm Assert?

Home surveillance drones are coming of age and major home security system providers are gearing up to provide them, but only Amazon is delivering. Amazon also has multiple patents to protect the drone.  Alarm.com appears committed but…

No GPS? No Problem!

Worried about GPS going down? Planck AeroSystems has the answer - not just a GPS-free landing system - but one that can land a drone on a moving target.  Based in San Diego, Planck's vision-based system uses computer vision,…

Your First Air Taxi Ride Might Be in a Batplane

Pipistrel, a Slovenian aircraft manufacturer, has chosen Honeywell's Compact Fly-By-Wire system for its Nuuva V300 cargo unmanned aerial vehicle.  Honeywell's decades of experience with airliners went into the new compact system,…

Drones Highways for Covid

Covid stimulates new demands. Drone highways is one suggestion.

Wildlife Conservation Utilizing Drones

Recently there have been several articles in the news of conservationists utilizing drones to aid their efforts in protecting wildlife, including this article about utilizing a drone to feed an endangered griffon vulture chick in Israel.…

Flirtey Granted New Patent on 5 Year Anniversary of First Commercial Drone Delivery

Flirtey was recently granted a new patent to add to its growing portfolio of UAV related intellectual property.  5 years ago, Flirtey successfully completed the first commercial drone delivery in the US with the FAA's blessing. Since…

Skydio Raises $100 Million and Launches X2 Commercial Drone

Skydio, a drone company formed in 2014, has recently raised $100 million in support of its expansion into the commercial enterprise drone sector. Skydio has a number of patents and patent applications, including smart navigation and flight…

Samsung Integrating UAVs and 5G Technology

Samsung recently unveiled new technology that utilizes drones for 5G network optimization. By using a UAV, a smartphone, and deep AI learning, Samsung is able to optimally position the antennas on cell towers in as little as 15 minutes,…

Is Medical Monitoring and Assistance the Next Frontier for UAVs?

With the proliferation of drones in society, it is unsurprising that new uses for the devices are being dreamed up.  In an interesting recent publication, IBM has filed an application for a drone that can alleviate movement disorders…

Progress in Drone-Based Communication Networks

Veniam and other corporations appear to be making progress in developing drone-based communication networks. Utilizing drones as mobile nodes for wireless network architecture has been on the drawing board for a while, and with the…

Blackberry and DeDrone Partner for UAV Security

Blackberry and DeDrone have announced a partnership that will allow DeDrone to leverage Blackberry's communication software with DeDrone's drone detection and counter-measure technology.  DeDrone currently holds patents for both drone…

Cutting Cell Tower Costs with Drones

As mobile networks move towards 5G, the demand for telecom towers is expected to increase. For example, CTIA forecasted that small cell production in the US will grow from 86,000 in 2018 to over 800,000 by 2026.  The cell tower…

Home Security Service with Amazon Drones

Amazon's UAV-based surveillance service seems more desirable since package theft is at an all time high with 1.7 million packages lost or stolen daily in the U.S., along with the growing demand for contactless delivery due to social…

LG Moves Smartly Into Drone Market

With a number of recent patent application published by the USPTO, LG appears to be making a move into the drone business, but doing it "smartly" by incorporating artificial intelligence into its drone control software.  LG has had…

Feel Secure With Robots

The physical security market is predicted to reach nearly $119.4 billion in 2023. Security robots are an innovative new tool in the industry that have the potential to deliver a range of safety and commercial benefits. Cobalt Robotics has…

Digital Global Systems Advancing Counter-Drone Technology

Digital Global Systems (DGS) is an industry leader in RF-based security technology utilized to combat ever more ubiquitous and technologically advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). DGS was recently issued a patent for a new system and…

Parrot gets some DroneSense

French UAV giant Parrot is partnering with Austin-TX-based DroneSense for the public-safety/first-responder drone market.  Parrot's ANAFI quadcopter will be endowed with DroneSense's public-safety software suite. The Texas…

Parrot and RIIS Partner to Develop AI Applications

RIIS and Parrot have partnered to develop AI programs for Parrot drones. RIIS, an IT consultancy and mobile app development specialist, has previously used Google’s machine learning platform, TensorFlow, and a DJI drone to count sheep.…

New combo satellite/cell communication provider coming. No rockets or towers required.

Alphabet’s Loon LLC and HAPSMobile, a partnership between SoftBank and Aerovironment, have announced the development of a communications payload for the HAWK30, HAPSMobile’s solar-powered, stratospheric, unmanned aircraft system…

9 Ways to Use a Drone in an Epidemic

Scold people for not using a maskBreak up a majong gameDisperse crowdsInspect hospitalsMeasure body temperatureDisinfect areasDisinfect vehiclesEnforce curfewTrack fugitives  

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