The MassDOT Aeronautics Division hosted their first public-facing Drone Safety Day, showcasing the innovation, technology and safety culture that the department has developed to deliver a wide variety of drone services across the state. Held at the agency’s UAS training field, the event featured speakers and pilots discussing the broad range of applications that MassDOT addresses. From counting gulls with the Department of Conservation and Recreation to infrastructure inspection or the development of counter UAS programs at airports across the state, MassDOT has taken a leadership role in using uncrewed systems to manage and maintain a complex transportation infrastructure. The FAA developed the annual Drone Safety Day to educate drone fliers about safety and regulations. MassDOT has an impressive safety record, with a program developed by former Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Robin Grace and now led by veteran pilot and Director of UAS Operations Chris Grazioso. The program combines a strong safety culture with an approach that balances communication, technology, and a respect for regulations. Robin Grace explains that the safety culture she learned in the Air Force was centered on the open sharing of information, without reprisals or blame. This focus on accurate incident reporting allows the agency to…
Advancing Drone Safety: How NASA’s Weather Research Supports BVLOS Operations by DRONELIFE Contributing Editor Paul Rossi As the aviation industry expands into increasingly automated technologies, the need for precise weather data becomes undeniably crucial, particularly for drone operations. During the recent AUVSI Xponential 2024, I had the opportunity to sit down with Nancy Mendonca, Deputy NASA Advanced Air Mobility Mission Integration Manager, to discuss the strides NASA is making in this vital area. Our conversation offered profound insights into how weather research is becoming a backbone for safe drone flights, particularly those beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). Exploring New Frontiers in Weather Data Utilization Mendonca began by outlining the new methods NASA is exploring to enhance weather data capture and integration for drone operations. “Our approach involves identifying and supporting companies that could potentially complete the processes the FAA is developing while also complying with ASTM standards,” she explained. This strategy is central to advancing the integration of new weather data, which is pivotal for the operational safety and efficiency of drones. This endeavor aligns with NASA’s broader goal to support the development of technologies that enable unmanned aircraft systems to fly safely in national airspace, especially in adverse…
Expansion Includes Partnerships with Panera Bread, Memorial Hermann Health System, and Jet’s Pizza Update: the milestone was hit at 6:18 AM EST 19 April: see company blog post here. According to a Zipline announcement, the company, known as the world’s largest autonomous delivery system, will today reach a historic milestone by completing its one millionth commercial drone delivery. This achievement marks Zipline as the first company globally to reach such a scale in drone delivery operations. Zipline’s autonomous drones, which operate with zero emissions, have collectively flown over 70 million miles and delivered more than 10 million products across four continents. The company reported a significant increase in demand, leading to the recent expansion of its Platform 2 (P2) system in the U.S. This system will now deliver for new partners including Panera Bread, Memorial Hermann Health System, and Jet’s Pizza in various metropolitan areas such as Seattle, Houston, and Detroit. The expansion comes on the heels of substantial growth in the last two years, where Zipline made 70% of its deliveries. These were facilitated by expanding services to new sectors such as retail with Walmart, agriculture, animal health in Africa, and food delivery in Japan. In the U.S., Zipline…
Amsterdam Drone Week continued Wednesday with a keynote address by Dan Dalton, Vice President of Global Partnerships at global AAM provider Wisk, now a fully-owned subsidiary of global aerospace giant Boeing. Wisk believes that they are building the very first certified autonomous air taxi. It’s a huge milestone for the AAM industry: the majority of passenger eVTOL players plan to launch first with a piloted model. But Dalton says that Wisk is focused on addressing both of the dominant trends in aviation: sustainability and automation. “Not only do we believe that there are safety benefits to be gained from autonomy, but for air mobility to scale, we need to take advantage of not having the pilot, aircraft, and passenger all on board,” he points out. What the First Wisk Rides Will Feel Like Wisk is designed (and priced) to be a commuter type aircraft: like taking an Uber when you need to get ther a bit faster. Most flights will be 20-30 minutes long, and the system fits in to existing helipads and heliports. “We believe that air taxis and air mobility really need to be accessible to everyone,” says Dalton. That means delivering a vehicle that is not only…
Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) systems, commonly referred to as U-Space in Europe, are a critical piece of the ecosystem that will enable commercial drones and eVTOL to integrate safely and seamlessly with existing air traffic. UTM is not a single system: it’s a complex structure of regulations, technologies, and relationships working together to provide new levels of airspace awareness to all participants. At Amsterdam Drone Week today, a global group of stakeholders took the stage to discuss how UTM is being implemented in different regions. The panel included thought leaders in the space from around the globe: Jeffrey Vincent from the FAA, Huy Tran from NASA, Amit Ganjoo from ANRA Technologies, Stéphan Vaubourg of EASA, Amanda Boekholt from the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation, Elwin van Beurden of the Dutch Ministry of Water and Transportation, and Matthew Satterly of global drone delivery provider Wing all took part in the session. U-Space in Europe U-Space is dedicated airspace for drones, making it easier for executing complex operations. EASA’s Vaubourg says that the key pillars of U-Space, the concept for UTM in the EU, are clear: To enable complex operations at scale; Safety: to provide the services, tactical information, and deconfliction…
Osprey with Raptor Osprey Drone to Enhance Infrastructure Inspection and ISR Capabilitie Skyfish, a Montana-based American drone manufacturer, has announced the release of the Osprey, a new lightweight drone designed for professional use in infrastructure inspections and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). The drone will be introduced at the upcoming AUVSI Xponential 2024 event, where it will be displayed at Booth #4350. The Osprey is distinguished by its ability to integrate with compact, high-performance third-party sensors, including the Sony LR1 61-megapixel camera for detailed inspection and photogrammetry, as well as the NextVision Raptor for ISR applications. Weighing approximately 14 pounds, the drone boasts an impressive flight time of up to 60 minutes and a communication range of three to five miles. One of the key features of the Osprey is its portability. The drone is designed to be easily transported in a backpack, making it an ideal choice for on-the-go operations in various environmental conditions. It also includes advanced capabilities such as collision avoidance, automated in-flight geotagging, and Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) positioning for centimeter-grade location accuracy. US-Manufactured, Engineering Grade Made in the USA and compliant with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the Osprey meets stringent certification standards, including the…
New platforms combine advanced hardware with US-developed software to meet diverse industrial needs. Anzu Robotics, LLC has announced its new Raptor and Raptor T drone platforms, marking the company’s entry into the competitive drone market. These platforms are distinguished by their combination of advanced hardware and secure, sophisticated software developed in the United States, in partnership with Aloft Technologies, Inc., providers of the FAA’s B4UFly App and drone fleet management solutions. The venture is led by well-known drone industry figure Randall Warnas, a veteran of drone companies including DJI, Teledyne FLIR, and Autel. The new market entry offers a novel approach to the problem of providing capable, affordable aircraft that meet security requirements and are manufactured by a US-based company. Randall Warnas, CEO of Anzu Robotics, expressed enthusiasm about the new offerings: “We are thrilled to be bringing the Raptor and Raptor T to the industrial drone market, and the timing couldn’t be better. These platforms meet the highest standards of quality, reliability, and innovation.” All software development for the Raptor series is conducted domestically. This move is aimed at providing users with a high level of data protection and privacy, critical in today’s technology landscape. The Raptor drones are…
Enterprise version of Skydio X10 The following article is based upon research by SkySafe. This article is intended only as general information, as Remote ID technology is a critical building block of larger unmanned traffic management systems (UTM). Find more information on the FAA’s Remote ID policy here; and see the official list of Remote ID compliant aircraft here, where pilots can look up aircraft by make and model number. The FAA is the authority on Remote ID compliance, aircraft listed on the FAA website may operate under the Remote ID regulation. Five out of seven drone manufacturers studied do not meet published Remote ID standards: SkySafe By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill As the FAA’s deadline for drones in the U.S. to be equipped with Remote ID draws near, a study by SkySafe, a drone tracking and intelligence company, found that five out of seven drone manufacturers tested failed to have developed their technology in accordance with the published standards, regardless of Declarations of Compliance. In a report issued March 14, SkySafe found that U.S.-based drone manufacturer Skydio scored the highest on a five-point readiness scale of being “fully ready” for remote ID compliance. Industry-leading drone company DJI, the only…
