In the beginning, man created model aircraft, and they had no cameras. So man created MIL-SPEC manned and unmanned aerial systems with a broad range of image capture and sensing devices. And those were expensive. So man crafted silicon from sand, and from silicon was born digitization, miniaturization, wireless communication, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and a generation of creative technologists. And Gordon Moore declared Moore’s Law, not in that order, and with a few steps in between.
UAS
UAS
Kansas State Polytechnic introduces UAS to the world of professional indoor football
Kansas State Polytechnic's Applied Aviation Research Center is collaborating with the Salina Liberty, a professional indoor football team in Salina, Kansas, to bring UAS technology to the team’s home games this season.
Through the collaboration, the research center is using a UAS to perform a 35-foot ball drop to the head referee before opening kickoff. The research center is also using UAS to capture aerial footage of the games to livestream on the team's Facebook page.
“We see drones as a way to enhance the in-game experience for the fans, giving them a unique view of the action on the field, so we're excited that Kansas State Polytechnic was so receptive to the idea,” says Ricky Bertz, Salina Liberty CEO and co-owner.
Drone Delivery Canada successfully completes first test flights in U.S.
During the week of March 5, Drone Delivery Canada (DDC) successfully completed its first UAS test flights in the United States at the Griffiss International Airport in Rome, New York.
Testing was conducted using DDC's Sparrow cargo delivery UAS, which has a lifting capacity of five kilograms. DDC also tested its mission control operations, its proprietary FLYTE management system, and its proprietary DroneSpot Technology, which provides “secure and controlled take off and landing area for users to interact with.”
Oceans Unmanned's freeFLY program uses UAS for large whale entanglement response efforts
In partnership with NOAA Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (HIHWNMS), Oceans Unmanned, Inc. has launched the freeFLY Program, which is a new initiative that uses small UAS to provide aerial support for large whale entanglement response efforts off of Maui, Hawaii.
The freeFLY Program provides training, equipment, and management oversight to a network of local, Maui-based volunteer UAS operators that are available to support the Hawaiian Islands Entanglement Response Network, led by HIHWNMS.
The goals of the Network are to safely free endangered humpback whales and other marine animals from life threatening entanglements, while also collecting crucial information that will lower entanglement threats in the future.
Weekend Roundup
This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World
From April 19 to 20, the UAS/Drones for Disaster Response conference will help key stakeholders that are responsible for responding to disasters better understand how UAS and other unmanned systems can enhance their efforts during missions. The conference will be held at the Biscayne Bay Campus of Florida International University. (PR Web)
Airspace Systems raises $20 million
Airspace Systems Inc., which manufactures comprehensive drone defense systems, has announced that it raised $20 million from a Series A funding round led by Singtel Innov8, the venture capital arm of Singtel.
As part of its investment, Jeff Karras, Managing Director of Investments at Singtel Innov8, will join Airspace’s board of directors.
“Demand for protecting stadiums, commercial buildings, power plants and, for that matter, any other public venues from potential drone threats is growing rapidly,” Karras says.
U.S. Department of the Interior adding up to 50 VTOL fixed wing UAS to its fleet
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has announced that it will soon have the use of up to 50 Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) fixed wing UAS.
The new UAS are a result of an extended process to develop mission performance requirements and select the most useful type of aircraft to meet the needs. Andover, New Hampshire-based startup company Birdseyeview Aerobotics was awarded a contract to produce and train on the new UAS.
The new UAS weigh less than 10 pounds and are capable of carrying a variety of modular sensors. They have a service ceiling of 12,000 feet, and are operable in winds up to 25 knots.
Oakland University professor uses UAS to combat ill effects of climate change on crops in Africa
Oakland University professor Jon Carroll, Ph.D., is part of a team of scholars that is using UAS technology to “promote sustainable agriculture in Africa.”
Recently, Carroll, who is also an FAA-licensed UAS pilot and a Registered Professional Archaeologist, traveled to Liwonde, Malawi to work on a research project called “Precision Agriculture for Smallholder Systems in Africa,” which is helping farmers boost crop production in the face of emerging threats posed by climate change.
Kansas State Polytechnic offering Part 107 prep course in Denver area just ahead of XPONENTIAL 2018
Right before the start of AUVSI’s XPONENTIAL conference, which will be held in Denver, Colorado from April 30 to May 3, Kansas State University's Polytechnic Campus will offer its Part 107 preparation course in the Denver area from April 27 to 29.
Designed to prepare professionals for the FAA’s written exam—which is required for anyone who wants to operate a commercial small UAS, who does not already hold a manned pilot certificate—the course will focus on areas covered in the FAA written exam, including “adherence to FAA rules and regulations pertinent to small unmanned aircraft operations, how to set up sUAS within FAA regulations and the application of safety practices in flight.”
Sinclair Community College partners with Consortiq to increase UAS safety
The Sinclair Community College National UAS Training and Certification Center has announced a partnership with Consortiq that will result in Sinclair incorporating Consortiq’s UAS fleet management software, CQNet, to support the management of the college’s UAS missions.
CQNet, which is a comprehensive fleet management system that also captures crucial platform and pilot data, provides a critical element of safe UAS missions.