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Submission + - Drone-assisted hunting to be illegal in Alaska after game board decision (suasnews.com)

garymortimer writes: A drone system allowing a hunter or helper to locate game now costs only about $1,000, said Capt. Bernard Chastain, operations commander for the Wildlife Troopers. Because of advances in the technology and cheaper prices, it is inevitable hunters seeking an advantage would, for example, try to use a drone to fly above trees or other obstacles and look for a moose or bear to shoot, he said.

“Under hunting regulations, unless it specifically says that it’s illegal, you’re allowed to do it,” Chastain said. “What happens a lot of times is technology gets way ahead of regulations, and the hunting regulations don’t get a chance to catch up for quite a while.

Submission + - World Bank flies drones in Albania (suasnews.com)

garymortimer writes: A team from the World Bank used small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) to pioneer a scalable, cost-effective approach to produce spatial data, thereby allowing local and national government, the private sector and international development projects to use the up-to-date and accurate data for multiple purposes. The initial field campaign was conducted in Albania in December, 2013

Submission + - China to test new smog-busting drone to help clear polluted skies (suasnews.com)

garymortimer writes: The vehicle will spray chemicals that freeze pollutants, allowing them to fall to the ground.

The tests would be led by the China Meteorological Administration and carried out later this month at airports and ports, Xinhua said.

The drone has been developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China and has a paragliding wing, which allows it to carry three times more weight than the fixed-wing version, making it more efficient and cost-effective.

Submission + - Facebook In Talks To Acquire Drone Maker Titan Aerospace (suasnews.com) 1

garymortimer writes: Facebook, one of the primary backers of the Internet.org initiative, which aims to bring affordable Internet access to the 5 billion people in the world who still lack connectivity, is in talks with a company that could help further that agenda. TechCrunch is hearing that Facebook is buying Titan Aerospace, makers of near-orbital, solar-powered drones which can fly for five years without needing to land. According to a source with access to information about the deal, the price for this acquisition is $60 million

Submission + - Drone pilot reports GoPro camera stolen (suasnews.com)

garymortimer writes: Lester Lechleitner, 28, was flying his quad last Friday night in Bradenton, Florida and he had a mishap. He told police that “he saw it start to fall from the sky and land on the street,”

After rushing to the crash scene Lechleitner immediately noticed that a GoPro camera that had been attached to the craft was missing!

Submission + - Force the FAA to issue an Airworthiness Certificate for Beer Drones (suasnews.com)

garymortimer writes: A great We The People for a Friday! I am willing to bet it gets more signatures than any of the ones raised by industry insiders ;-) sUAS News readers do your bit for beer! Although I am not sure why they say the FAA have revoked authorisation, they can never have had it in the first place. This story looks more like a well planned media campaign to leverage the Amazon delivery story with every post I see.

It does put yet another spotlight on the FAA who seem busy getting ready to celebrate 1976 and the Montreal Olympics rather than consider technology that is rapidly getting outside of their control.

I would love it if this beer drone really was the cause célèbre for sensible unmanned aircraft regulations for craft weighing less than 10kg in the USA. I like 10kg as a weight because I believe 99% of commercial work will be achieved with platforms of that size and less.

Submission + - DHL drone delivers medicine across the Rhine (suasnews.com)

garymortimer writes: This winter microdrones’ md4-1000 achieved something no other quadcopter had previously done.

The md4-1000 delivered parcels with medicine from a pharmacy in Bonn, Germany to the DHL-headquarter across the Rhine River.

Submission + - Flir Unveils the First Personal Thermal Imaging Device for Consumers (suasnews.com) 1

garymortimer writes: This might be a game changer or a flop, you decide.

As the first and only personal thermal imager for the consumer market under $350, FLIR ONE is compact, easy-to-use, compatible with the iPhone5 and 5s and fits on the phone like a protective case. Once mounted, the device displays a live thermal image of the world right on the phone’s screen, giving users unprecedented ability to “see” in an array of conditions, including complete darkness.

Submission + - AirMule, 287mph flying car makes test flights.

garymortimer writes: Weighing close to one ton the platform is lifted by ducted fans and is slated to have a top speed of 250 knots or 287 mph. A Turbomeca Ariel turboshaft engine powers the two ducted fans. You can certainly hear it coming!

Submission + - The Tardis flies! Fans build flying life size version! (suasnews.com)

garymortimer writes: Congratulations to Devon based multirotor operators http://www.flyonix.com/ Looks like the transition to forward flight was a bit of an issue.

Three fans built their own iconic blue police box to celebrate the show’s 50th anniversary.

Ben Whiting, 32, Rupert Brandon-King, 31, and Ben Bailey, 25, worked together on the project ahead of its maiden flight over the countryside in Hatherleigh, Devon, this week.

Submission + - DroneOn the next big thing in data delivery (suasnews.com)

garymortimer writes: Much like PrimeAir the drone delivery service from Amazon, DroneOn it is still a work in progress for the delivery of survey data.

Some interesting work going in in the labs at extending flight times and all weather capabilities.

Submission + - Navy Launches UAV from Submerged Submarine (suasnews.com)

garymortimer writes: “Developing disruptive technologies and quickly getting them into the hands of our sailors is what our SwampWorks program is all about,” said Craig A. Hughes, Acting Director of Innovation at ONR. “This demonstration really underpins ONR’s dedication and ability to address emerging fleet priorities.” The successful submerged launch of a remotely deployed UAS offers a pathway to providing mission critical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to the U.S. Navy’s submarine force. Operating under support of the Los Angeles class USS Providence (SSN 719) and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center-Newport Division (NUWC-NPT), the NRL developed XFC UAS—eXperimental Fuel Cell Unmanned Aerial System—was fired from the submarine’s torpedo tube using a ‘Sea Robin’ launch vehicle system.

Submission + - Amazon testing delivery by drone, CEO Bezos says (suasnews.com)

garymortimer writes: Amazon.com is testing delivering packages using drones, CEO Jeff Bezos said on the CBS TV news show 60 Minutes Sunday.

The idea would be to deliver packages as quickly as possible using the small, unmanned aircraft, through a service the company is calling Prime Air, the CEO said.

Submission + - Drone smugglers, lieutenant thwarts plan. (suasnews.com)

garymortimer writes: Trying to get contraband into a prison is nothing new, but there is a new method. This week, some creative crooks tried to get tobacco to South Georgia prisoners by using a remote controlled helicopter, but they didn’t get away with it.

A lieutenant from the Calhoun State prison noticed a small helicopter flying over the gates of and a search began. Sheriff Josh Hilton says about an hour later deputies noticed a suspicious black dodge car with Gwinnett County tags on Edison Street.

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