2024 promises to be a banner year for retail drone deliveries across the United States.  A handful of US-based  drone companies, having acquired FAA approval to conduct flights on a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) basis, are poised to begin making long-distance deliveries at scale without the need for ground observers or special safety checks.  Of these companies, South San Francisco-based Zipline, founded over a decade ago, and boasting some $500 million in total investment, has emerged as the first among equals. The company first cut its teeth with medical supply deliveri ..read more

Indoor drone flying is a special commercial niche that few UAV companies have mastered.  One of the leading pioneers is Switzerland-based Flyability, designer of the state-of-the-art Elios indoor mapping drone – currently in service inspecting mine shafts, construction sites, warehouses, ship hulls and nuclear waste facilities. The Elios 3 was introduced early last year featuring significant modifications to earlier models.  Key upgrades have included the addition of LiDAR sensors for stabilized mapping in GPS-denied areas (with volumetric measurements that are accurate to within 1 ..read more

Most of the nation’s police forces are eager to acquire drones to bolster their crime-fighting capabilities.  Those that cannot convince their local government to approve a special budget request to purchase a UAV sometimes turn to private foundations for support. But one local law enforcement department has found another source of support –  the proceeds collected from drug busts. The Sheriff’s Office in Campbell County, Wyoming – population 47,028 – tried for years to convince the local government to approve its annual drone budget request – and was turned down every time.  T ..read more

Another country – another drone delivery service.  This time it’s Sweden, and the drone service is a three-way partnership.  The players are all Swedish companies:  Tele2, a mobile connectivity firm; Foodora, a restaurant and grocery delivery company; and Aerit, a delivery drone manufacturer. Together, they’re planning to make food deliveries in Värmdö, a suburb outside Stockholm, starting in May. That’s for starters.  The next stage will be groceries, general store items and medicines from pharmacies and hospitals; the three players then hope to serve Stockholm proper – a ..read more

A South Africa-based drone company is helping fruit and nut farmers worldwide to maximize their crop yield with the help of sophisticated aerial mapping and data collection systems enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI).  The 9-year old drone firm is already operating in 18 countries.  Its largest market by far is the United States, primarily California, followed by Australia, Spain and Portugal. Its customers produce tens of millions of tons of fresh produce every year; with the help of AI systems they’ve seen their yields – and their profits – skyrocket. Aerobotics is part of ..read more

When electric power transmission lines become coated with ice, the risk of malfunctions, breakages, cracking, decreased performance and even system breakdowns increase dramatically.  China has faced this problem for years, with provinces like Hunan witnessing power outages lasting two weeks or more due to iced power lines.  Hundreds of thousands of local residents trapped in the dark and the cold have seen their lives placed at risk while lost economic revenues typically run into the billions.  Finding a solution has become an urgent national priority. Aerial drones, especially ..read more

Law enforcement agencies across the nation have turned to unmanned aerial vehicles to track down and capture fleeing criminal suspects.  But some agencies have also found their drones useful for capturing a different kind of fugitive:  escaped zoo animals. Last month, zoo officials in Scotland were searching for a rare Japanese macaque monkey that managed to escape from Highland Wildlife Park in Kincraig, about 120 miles north of Edinborough.  The monkey was spotted in the backyards and gardens of nearby residents, scrounging for food and generally enjoying life outside of capt ..read more

North Carolina, like Texas, is fast becoming one of the nation’s leading drone “hubs.”  The Tarheel State is already tied for 4th place on the Mercatus Center’s 2023 scorecard ranking the “readiness” of US states to promote drone commerce.  Part of its high ranking is due to a new program office in the Division of Aviation whose sole mission is to promote drone activities by government agencies across various niches.  The state’s transportation department is especially active in welcoming fledgling drone companies to test their services at Washington-Warren airport, fueling the ..read more

 2024 could prove to be a banner year for the US drone industry.  While various sectors, including construction and real estate, are experiencing a dramatic expansion in their operations and sales, it’s the retail delivery sector that may be poised for the greatest take-off. A good example is Virginia beach-based Drone Up, one of Walmart’s partners in the company’s “last mile” deliveries to its store customers in 7 states nationwide.  Drone Up has helped pioneer these deliveries, which typically feature short-distance point-to-point flights between individual store outlets and the h ..read more

A rare earthquake in New York City measuring 4.8 in magnitude has the residents of all five boroughs on edge.  The quake was powerful enough to rattle the city’s bridge infrastructure and though no injuries were reported in its immediate aftermath, concerns are growing about possible future damage to vehicles and pedestrians from crumbling and falling debris. In response, the NYPD has decided to deploy a portion of its recently expanded drone fleet on a citywide inspection mission.  The drones are flying over all of the major bridges as well as most of the city’s tallest buildings t ..read more