Drones can get to areas that aren’t exactly safe or accessible by humans. That’s why watching quadrocopters assembling a rope bridge that’s sturdy enough for a person to walk across is so awesome. The video below was filmed at RTH Zurich Flying Machine Arena in Switzerland, and, according to the YouTube description, aside from the scaffolding on either side of the bridge, the structure is “entirely realized by flying machines.” (Video)
Continue reading… “Building a rope bridge with drones”
The Swarm is a manned superdrone, so named because it looks like a herd of little drones all strapped together to make one big flying machine. There’s a seat at the center for the operator to sit and control the device. Continue reading… “Will you be willing to fly off in a 54-propeller superdrone”
A bill in North Dakota is aimed at making sure that police didn’t put weapons on drones has turned into a bill that accomplished exactly the opposite. North Dakota police can now put Tasers, pepper spray, and all types of non-lethal weapons on their drones.
Continue reading… “North Dakota police can now weaponize their drones”
For construction workers at the site of the new downtown stadium for the Sacramento Kings in California there won’t be any thoughts of slacking off. The construction site is being monitored by drones and software that can automatically flag slow progress.
Continue reading… “Construction sites use drones to monitor progress”
In Colorado, 15 of the first 500 FAA exemptions were granted to permit commercial drones to fly. But enabling those and other waiting businesses to spur an estimated $232 million in economic impact — and create more than 1,190 jobs — in Colorado by 2017 hinges on long-delayed rules based on a 1946 U.S. Supreme Court case filed by a poultry farmer.
Continue reading… “MIA federal rules stall Colorado’s ready-to-fly dronemakers”
Raytheon is moving into the next generation of surveillance, while most of the country is still focused on the growing number of drones in this country – both military and civilian. Continue reading… “Goodbye drones, hello disposable satellites”
Last week the comprehensive local regulations for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or as more commonly referred to, drones, went into effect. Drone technology has far-reaching benefits for many industries despite that most of the media coverage has focused on what regulated drone usage will do for “dramatic shots” in film. Continue reading… “Drones: more than ‘dramatic shots’”
Futurist Thomas Frey: Having just returned from a trip to Alaska, it occurred to me that most of the 660,000 sq miles of this beautiful state will never be habitable until a more complete off-grid solution is found. In Alaska, they’ve already figured out how to turn every one of their 3 million lakes into a landing strip, so transportation is far less of an issue than power, heat, lights, water, and communications.
Continue reading… “Engineering the Secret Engines of Off-Grid Living”
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos caused quite a stir in December 2013, with the announcement of his company’s plans to offer 30-minute product deliveries via unmanned aerial vehicles (more commonly referred to as “drones”). Continue reading… “Ambulance drones on the rise”
It is exactly the kind of drone that scares people about drones, the Black Hornet is small, fitting easily into the palm of a hand or a pouch pocket, its name is similar to Black Hawk, an iconic military helicopter that features prominently in conspiracy theories, and is exclusively a military device. Continue reading… “Hummingbird-size drone tested by special forces”
A group of investors plans to play SimCity in real life, using a 15 square mile stretch of desert land in New Mexico starting later this year. Continue reading… “A peopleless city is being built in New Mexico, to test new tech”
With someone able to fly a drone onto the White House lawn, it is apparently time to discuss where you can (and cannot) fly drones—and, more importantly, how to track and enforce those boundaries. Bringing together government authorities, industry professionals, and amateur enthusiasts to chat about drones, NASA and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International are hosting a conference at the end of July in Moffett Field, California. Continue reading… “NASA needs your ideas on managing skies filled with drones”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
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