Category: drones

DroneDeploy announced last week that it has received nationwide approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) inspections of critical infrastructure. This FAA waiver grants the company’s customers the ability to remotely deploy and monitor autonomous drones for inspection purposes, a significant development in the drone technology sector.

The company’s platform is already used by more than 80% of the top 50 U.S. general contractors, with leading hyperscale data center developers relying on DroneDeploy’s drones for aerial monitoring and analysis of construction and infrastructure projects. DroneDeploy’s technology provides targeted data analysis, ensuring that critical infrastructure projects, including those driven by the ongoing AI boom, are delivered efficiently and within budget.

Seoul, South Korea, Sept 25 – South Korean firm Hogreen Air has introduced a groundbreaking hydrogen fuel cell drone capable of high-speed, long-range flight at the H2 Mobility Energy Environment Technology (MEET) conference, held in Seoul from September 25 to 27. The drone, designed for extended surveillance and reconnaissance missions, boasts a flight duration of up to 14 hours and is equipped with both radio frequency and LTE/5G communication systems.

One of the key features that sets this hydrogen-powered drone apart from traditional models is its operational range. In a recent demonstration, the drone was remotely flown in Germany while its operators controlled it from South Korea—5,778 miles away. Similarly, it completed an autonomous flight in the United States, 5,618 miles from its operators. This capability significantly expands the potential for long-range drone operations, allowing drones to be controlled from virtually anywhere in the world as long as they are connected to a mobile network.

When Svilen and Konstantin Rangelov founded Dronamics in 2014 in Bulgaria, they aimed to revolutionize cargo deliveries across Europe. Their vision was to democratize next-day deliveries, ensuring even the remotest regions were connected to reliable, affordable air freight services.

The Rangelov brothers identified a significant gap in global trade: the lack of rapid, reliable cargo transportation to inaccessible areas. They believed drone technology could fill this void. “We set out to build a next-generation cargo aircraft to accelerate trade and enable same-day delivery for everyone, everywhere,” said Konstantin Rangelov, an aerospace engineer passionate about drones.

DroneUp LLC, a leading innovator in drone delivery services, recently announced a significant milestone by completing 500 deliveries in a single day. This achievement highlights the company’s ability to scale operations while enhancing the safety and efficiency of its delivery system.

“We are excited about this achievement, but it’s only the beginning of what’s possible,” said Tom Walker, CEO of DroneUp. “Our ongoing efforts focus on driving volume while ensuring the reliability and safety of our system.”

DroneUp has not only increased the number of flights but has also optimized the pilot-to-drone ratio necessary for safe and efficient operations. “Coordinating package loading, energy management, and safety are critical and challenging to scale,” Walker added. “Our team has optimized ground logistics to maintain high delivery volumes without compromising on safety or efficiency, and most importantly, to drive costs down.”

In a groundbreaking development, Danish energy giant Ørsted has launched the world’s first heavy-lift cargo drone operations at an offshore wind farm. The drones are being deployed at the Borssele 1&2 Offshore Wind Farm, where they will transport cargo from a vessel to all 94 wind turbines, marking a significant leap in operational efficiency and safety.

The heavy-lift cargo drones (HLCD), capable of carrying up to 100 kg, will play a pivotal role in reducing both costs and time associated with maintenance and logistics at the wind farm. This initiative follows successful concept testing last year at the Hornsea 1 Offshore Wind Farm in the UK, and now sees the 70 kg drones fully operational in a live campaign.

Researchers at Beihang University in Beijing have developed an ultralightweight solar-powered drone, named ColumbFly, capable of unlimited flight during daylight hours. Weighing only 4 grams, ColumbFly utilizes a solar cell to generate electricity, creating an electric field between oppositely charged plates arranged in a circle. These opposing charges act like repelling magnets, producing enough force to turn the rotor blades and generate the torque needed to lift the robot off the ground.

The drone boasts a high lift efficiency of 30.7 grams per watt and a power system that requires just 0.568 watts. This allows it to fly continuously using solar power under natural sunlight, which provides 920 watts per square meter. The Beihang University team claims that each component of ColumbFly has been meticulously designed to balance efficiency and lightweight, enabling remote monitoring tasks for extended periods.

In a groundbreaking step towards modernizing mail delivery, the Orkney Islands off the coast of Scotland have inaugurated the UK’s inaugural permanent postal drone delivery service. Commencing on Tuesday, this innovative initiative is set to redefine mail transportation by employing drone technology for seamless deliveries.

The Forward Leap: Enhancing Connectivity Through Drone Deliveries

The pioneering drone service, initiated by Royal Mail, is set to revolutionize mail delivery across the islands. The journey begins at the Kirkwall delivery office, where mail items will be dispatched to Stromness, serving as a central hub for onward drone deliveries to the neighboring islands of Graemsay and Hoy. This streamlined process aims to facilitate the continuation of traditional postal routes while optimizing efficiency and connectivity.

Arrive, formerly known as Dronedek, a leading drone delivery mailbox manufacturer based in Indianapolis, has successfully raised more than $1.3 million from 428 investors in its recent crowdfunding campaign. This marks the second time the company has surpassed the $1 million milestone in fundraising through crowdfunding.

With nearly 5,000 individual investors on board, Arrive has amassed a total of over $9 million in funds since its inception in 2014 as Dronedek. The company specializes in manufacturing secure, temperature-controlled mailboxes designed to accept traditional mail and accommodate food and package deliveries via drones. These innovative mailboxes are equipped to keep packages at optimal temperatures, notify users of package arrivals and pickups, recharge drones and other electronic devices, and even act as a signal for emergency response services when needed.

According to a report by PwC, robots and drones could replace human workers in as many as 20% of jobs in Australia by 2030. The report suggests that automation and artificial intelligence (AI) will have a significant impact on the workforce over the next decade, with some jobs becoming entirely automated and others requiring workers to adapt to new technology.

The report identifies several industries that are likely to be affected by automation, including transport, manufacturing, and retail. In the transport industry, for example, self-driving vehicles and drones could replace human drivers and delivery workers. In manufacturing, robots could take over repetitive and dangerous tasks, while in retail, automated systems could handle inventory management and customer service.

However, the report also suggests that automation could create new job opportunities in industries such as healthcare, education, and creative industries. For example, AI could be used to develop new drugs and medical treatments, while robots could assist with elderly care.

Zipline drones that deliver prescription medication will be utilized by Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor starting in 2024.

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A team of researchers from the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) has developed a Robot for Intelligent Harvesting (RIH) that can pick fruit with high precision.

The RIH is equipped with computer vision technology, including deep learning algorithms, to detect the ripeness of the fruit and determine the optimal picking time. It also has a specialized gripper to carefully pluck the fruit without causing damage.

‘Zips’ have a range of 10 miles, carry 8 pounds of payload, and delivery time can be tracked to the second.

Zipline, the drone delivery company known for its medical supply delivery service in Africa, has developed a new delivery drone that is practically silent. The new drone, named Zip, uses a hybrid system that combines electric and gas power, allowing it to fly for longer distances and carry heavier loads.

According to Zipline, Zip can fly up to 80 miles per hour and carry up to 1.75 pounds. The company says the drone can make deliveries in as little as three minutes, even in adverse weather conditions.

One of the most unique features of Zip is its practically silent operation. Unlike traditional drones, which emit a loud buzzing sound, Zip produces almost no noise. This makes it ideal for delivering goods in urban areas, where noise pollution can be a major concern.