January 15, 2018 – January 21, 2018
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News
A U.S. drone strike in Pakistan reportedly injured a suspected Afghan militant. The strike targeted a house in the Kurram tribal agency. If the report is accurate, it would be the first U.S. strike in Pakistan in 2018. (Long War Journal)
Commentary, Analysis, and Art
At the AOPA, Jim Moore looks at how major aerospace firms are increasingly investing in new unmanned systems.
A study by Drone Industry Insights maps out more than 1,000 companies in the drone industry. (DroneLife)
At Air & Space Magazine, John Wendle describes how the Ukrainian military is embracing small drones made by domestic startups.
In an extensive interview with Drone Wars UK, RAF Air Marshall Greg Bagwell discusses the U.K.’s ongoing use of armed drones and the various controversies surrounding the program.
At No Film School, Randall Esulto looks at the different ways that filmmakers can take advantage of drones.
A report by the U.N Institute for Disarmament Research examines issues surrounding armed drones and calls for the international community to develop standards for their use.
At the Globe and Mail, Kathryn Blaze Baum looks at how drones are aiding paramedics in Ontario, Canada.
At the Center for International Maritime Security, George Galdorisi looks at the evolving role that unmanned systems are playing in expeditionary force operations.
At LiveScience, Tom Metcalfe assembled a gallery of remotely-operated unmanned undersea vehicles.
At the Brunswick Press Herald, Chris Chase looks at a proposed policy on drones presented by the Brunswick Police Department to the city council.
At the Daily Beast, David Axe profiles a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency program seeking ways to protect cities from drones.
At the Drone Radio Show, Kelly Stratton-Feix, John Coglianese, and Capt. Barron Stone discuss how U.S. special forces are developing new drone technologies.
At Slate, April Glaser considers how advances in technology and a Trump administration pilot program could pave the way for drone deliveries in the U.S.
At the South China Morning Post, Sarah Dai writes that drone maker DJI is concerned that a deterioration in U.S.-China relations could spark a backlash against drones made in China.
At the Diplomat, Tobias Burgers and Scott N. Romaniuk consider how the Trump administration could boost U.S. military drone exports in 2018.
Speaking at the Association of the U.S. Army, Gen. Mark Milley discussed his plans for the development of new robots and unmanned ground vehicles.
At AJC.com, Omar L. Gallaga writes that a mysterious ramp outside Austin, Texas once served as a Lockheed Martin drone test site in the 1980s.
The Economist considers how high-end “drone-in-a-box” systems could eliminate the need for experienced pilots and mechanics.
At Mashable, Guy Pearce reflects on his role in Donny the Drone, a short film about artificial intelligence.
At NPR, Diane Cole speaks with some of the winners of the International Drone Photography Contest about their work.
Know Your Drone
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has successfully completed Phase 2 of its Collaborative Operations in Denied Environment program, which seeks to develop coordinated swarming drones, and will now proceed to Phase 3. (Unmanned Systems Technology)
The U.S. Navy is planning to integrate the Airborne Collision Avoidance System X aboard its MQ-4C Triton high-altitude long-endurance drone. (FlightGlobal)
A team from the University of Cambridge and Koc University has designed an energy-neutral security drone swarming system. (Motherboard)
Researchers at Harvard have developed a tiny robot capable of completing 75 motions every second. (The Verge)
Drones at Work
Lifeguards in Australia used a drone to rescue two beachgoers who were caught in a powerful riptide. (ABC News)
The New Jersey State Assembly passed a bill that prohibits a range of drone-related offenses, including operating near first responders, operating under the influence, and using a drone to circumvent a restraining order. (Aviation International News)
A group of archaeologists at the non-profit Preservation Virginia is using drones to map archaeological sites that are at risk of flooding. (Air & Space Magazine)
Meanwhile, the state of Victoria’s roads department in Australia is using drones to create 3D maps of the Great Ocean Road, which has seen a growing number of landslides in recent years. (ABC News)
A man in Reykjavík used a piece of cardboard to destroy a drone that he believed was being used to spy on his family in their home. (ICE News)
A team of researchers from Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill used drones to count large numbers of sea turtles off the coast of Costa Rica. (Science Daily)
Drone services provider SkyX Systems Corporation completed a 100 km data collection flight for a customer in the oil and gas industry. (GPS World)
The U.S. Air Force has announced that it will be basing a new MQ-9 Reaper Group at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina. (The State)
Drone Delivery Canada has announced that it will expand its drone delivery testing program to the Griffiss International Airport UAS Test Site in New York State. (Unmanned Systems Technology)
Industry Intel
Munich Re has partnered with Betterview, a California-based startup that offers drone imagery and analysis services for insurance companies. (Insurance Business Magazine)
Iris Automation, a San Francisco-based startup that develops artificial intelligence for drones, raised $8 million in a Series A funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners. (Venture Beat)
Aerospace firm PT Dirgantara Indonesia announced that it has partnered with Turkish Aerospace Industries to produce a medium-altitude long-endurance drone. (Jakarta Post)
The U.S. Air Force awarded Squarehead Technology a $760,641 contract for an acoustic drone detection system. (FBO)
APG Aero Systems, an Israeli startup that designs solar-powered drones, completed a $3 million funding round. (Globes)
Bureau Veritas has partnered with Sky-Futures to provide drones for industrial inspections. (Press Release)
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Thanks for providing the newsletter. We’re in the counter sUAS and drone airspace management areas. Looking to help bring order and support, as the proliferation of drones increases.