Drones key to Hurricane Ian response

A photo taken in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian shows the massive destruction on Fort Myers beach. (Photo: felixmizioznikov/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images) Not to harp on an event that’s already passed out of the headlines and national coverage, but Hurricane…
Launchpad: Vehicle tracking, camera drones, e-bikes

A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the December 2021 issue of GPS World magazine. OEM Satellite-cell terminal With built-in GPS receiver Photo: OQ OQ Technology’s dual-mode satellite-cellular IoT modem and tracker is a plug-and-play,…
Boat owners use drones to create global database on plastic pollution

AnimaMundi Ocean Data Solutions, DJI and Lagoon are using drones to build a comprehensive database of plastic waste on coastlines throughout the world. Photo: Matt Cooper/AnimaMundi AnimaMundi is a not-for-profit organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. Its proprietary technology interprets photo and…

A Censys Technologies Sentaero equipped with a Verizon 4G/LTE link. (Photo: Skyward) Skyward, A Verizon company, has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to test cellular-connected drones. Cellular-connected drones could unlock complex operations…
DJI drones cleared for government use, plus more UAV news

There is a lot of UAV action taking place this month. An anti-drone defensive system is being trialed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DJI drones get the green light again for use by government agencies. The U.S.…
US Congress may move against Chinese-made drones

The FLIR M440 UAV. (Photo: Teledyne FLIR) A bill moving through the U.S. Congress would impose a five-year ban on United States government purchases of drones manufactured or assembled in China, reports The Associated Press. The measure reflects bipartisan concerns…
NCDOT initiative uses drones for COVID-19 relief efforts

Photo: Shutter2U/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is working with public and private partners to launch three projects using drones to aid in COVID-19 relief efforts. According to NCDOT, the initiative will be…
ESA funds fail-safe navigation system for drones

The European Space Agency (ESA) has funded Ampyx Power, developer of a next-generation wind energy technology, and Omnisense, developer of locating and tracking solutions, to develop a robust fail-safe navigation system. The positioning solution will be used for automated take-off…