Altitude Angel, the world’s most trusted UTM (Unified Traffic Management) technology provider, is to release a new and improved version of the UK’s most popular flight planning tool, Drone Assist, bringing a host of new features which will give users an even greater understanding of the sky above them and access to it. Already established as the flight planning app for professional and recreational drone pilots alike, the updated Drone Assist is the foundation stone on which the UK can build a £40billion drone economy, now features direct connection to Altitude Angel’s UTM platform ..read more

Nokia announced a first-of-its-kind contract with Belgian telecom operator Citymesh to supply its Nokia Drone Networks platform with 70 Drone-in-a-Box (DiaB) units. This is enough to blanket Belgium with a 5G automated drone grid that informs and speeds resource mobilization in emergency events. Branded SENSE by Citymesh, the 70 drones are deployed in 35 emergency zones across the country and will gather information in the critical 15-minute period immediately following a call. This ensures that first responder teams are fully apprised of and equipped to respond to each unique situation. Belg ..read more

DroneUp, a Walmart – backed startup competing alongside Amazon and others in the nascent drone delivery market, is cutting jobs across the company, CNBC has learned. The Virginia-based company began informing staffers of the layoffs on the morning of May15th, according to two people who lost their jobs and asked not to be named because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Founded in 2016, DroneUp has a fleet of quadcopter-style drones that are designed to handle the last-mile portion of the delivery process, ferrying things like clothing, medication and food from warehouse ..read more

The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, conducted a demonstration, April 5, 2023, of its high-power microwave counter drone weapon, the Tactical High-power Operational Responder, or THOR, as it engaged a swarm of multiple targets at the Chestnut Test Site, Kirtland Air Force Base.  “The THOR team flew numerous drones at the THOR system to simulate a real-world swarm attack,” said Adrian Lucero, THOR program manager at AFRL’s Directed Energy Directorate. “THOR has never been tested against these types of drones before, but this did not stop the system from dropping the targets o ..read more

A groundbreaking aircraft being designed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency now has an experimental designation—the X-65. DARPA announced the “X” designation on its social media accounts May 15, a little less than five months after announcing its selection of Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences to produce a detailed design for DARPA’s Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors (CRANE) program. The X-65, shown by DARPA in an artist’s rendering, seeks to enable active flow control using bursts of air rather than moving flight surfaces on the exterior of the wings ..read more

Obstacle avoidance sensors are beneficial for new drone pilots, but not everyone will be able to afford expensive drones with anti-collision sensors. What are the best budget drones with obstacle avoidance? Autel EVO Nano Plus, DJI Mini 3 Pro, and DJI Air 2S are currently the best-balanced budget drones with obstacle avoidance. In this article, I’ll share more information about the best budget drones with obstacle-avoidance technology and answer a few more questions. 1. Autel EVO Nano Plus Autel EVO Nano Plus (Premium Bundle) 249g Mini Professional Drone with 4K RYYB HDR Camera, 50 MP ..read more

Whether you want to acquire a drone as a hobby or for professional work, many new pilots can benefit from obstacle avoidance sensors to avoid unwanted crashes. What are the best beginner drones for obstacle avoidance? The best consumer drones with obstacle avoidance systems are the new DJI Mavic 3 Pro, DJI Mini 3 Pro, DJI Air 2S, and the Autel Evo Lite Plus. On top of excellent obstacle avoidance systems, these drones also pack a few more unique autonomous features. There is much more to learn about obstacle avoidance or anti-collision systems. We also want to share with you why we have chos ..read more

XTEND Acquires Drone Inspection Specialist Performance Rotors by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby Human-guided autonomous machine system developer XTEND has acquired drone inspection specialist Performance Rotors, allowing XTEND to improve its ability to offer human-guided, remote interactive operations in various inspection scenarios, as well as grow its global business. Continue reading below, or listen: “Our acquisition of Performance Rotors marks the latest step in furthering XTEND’s vision of making remote interactive operations accessible to everyone, in a range of scenarios, includ ..read more

The Department of Transportation (DOT) is seeking public input on the development of a national strategy for Advanced Air Mobility as required by the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act. DOT has formed a team composed of multiple executive agencies that is seeking input on a variety of topics as outlined below. The DOT, working with its federal interagency partners, wishes to hear from the public and any stakeholders on the critical issues of importance in drafting a national AAM strategy. DOT will share and discuss this information with the other federal agencies participat ..read more

Chinese drones are leading the global market, but hidden “watchdog” technology is in place to limit their use in attacks on China. A source close to the military said all Chinese combat and reconnaissance drones had been designed and developed to recognise an “electric geofence” encircling the borders of China’s territory. “This is the so-called watchdog tool, which is a simple technology aimed at making sure Chinese exported drones are not used by enemies as weapons to attack our country,” said the source, who asked for anonymity because of the issue’s sensitivity. The func ..read more