In support of America's first responders, Skydio Inc. has launched two initiatives to provide first responders with drones and personal protection equipment (PPE). Through the first initiative, known as the Skydio Emergency Response Program (ERP), Skydio will donate dozens of its Skydio 2 drones and associated equipment to public safety agencies across the country. Participating agencies will also have access to Skydio's in-house experts for training and support at no cost.  Skydio says that it had planned to release the ERP to help with disaster relief later this year, but the company decided to make the program available immediately to meet the needs of public safety agencies dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic. 

UPS has announced that starting in May, its subsidiary UPS Flight Forward and CVS will use drones to deliver prescription medicines from a CVS pharmacy to The Villages, Florida, which is the largest U.S. retirement community, home to more than 135,000 residents. Utilizing Matternet’s M2 drone system, the service will operate under the FAA’s Part 107 rules, with authority to operate through the Coronavirus pandemic and explore ongoing needs as they arise after that period. The operation could expand to include deliveries from two more CVS pharmacies in the area.

As part of a seabed monitoring campaign at the giant Ormen Lange field offshore Norway, Sonardyne International Ltd. and XOCEAN recently used a USV to successfully complete a pioneering live seabed-to-shore data harvesting mission for A/S Norske Shell. Believed to be one of the largest data harvesting missions using a USV to date, the project was completed without a single person having to travel offshore or from their home office. According to Sonardyne, the project was achieved with “significantly less emissions, health and safety risk and cost” than could be done with a manned vessel.

SkyeBrowse, a 3D modeling software for UAS, is partnering with first responder and firefighting equipment manufacturer and supplier W.S. Darley, which will result in W.S. Darley providing first responders and public safety agencies with SkyeBrowse 3D modeling software, as well as its own UAS offerings. The partnership comes at a time when it is especially crucial for first responders to spend as little time as possible on scene gathering information and evidence. “W.S. Darley brings over 100 years of experience and a deep foothold in the public safety industry,” says Bobby Ouyang, CEO of SkyeBrowse.