Read or listen to all of the headlines in one place: excerpts from the DRONELIFE drone news of the week, September 9. Click on the titles below for the full story.
Continue reading below, or listen:
Zipline and E-Commerce Platform Jumia Begin Retail Drone Delivery in Africa
Africa led the world in medical drone delivery. Now, instant logistics leader Zipline announced a partnership with African e-commerce platform Jumia that will see the integration of Zipline’s delivery system with Jumia’s distribution network for the deployment of automated, on-demand delivery for e-commerce in Africa.
Six New Autel Drones: New EVO II V3 Series
Aviation and aerospace company Autel Robotics will be announcing a range of new drones and related accessories at electronics trade show IFA 2022. Autel’s products to be revealed include the new Autel EVO II V3 Series, a Live Deck video streaming accessory, and two smart controllers for the new line of drones.
American Robotics FAA Exemption: Scout System May Operate Without Limits
Ondas Holdings subsidiary American Robotics announced that it has been issued a new exemption by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Officially granted on August 19, the exemption frees the company from a set of previously established Conditions and Limitations pertaining to an earlier exemption, which had limited operations to “research and development, crew training, and market surveys.” This new Exemption, combined with an accompanying BVLOS Waiver, enables American Robotics to deploy its autonomous Scout System drone commercially with no limitations on use.
Hi Rise Window Washing and More: Lucid Spraying Drones Solve an Age-Old Problem
Charlotte, North Carolina Lucid Drone Technologies employs custom-built unmanned aerial vehicles to wash the exteriors of buildings, replacing the need of having workers get to tether themselves onto suspended platforms to perform that dangerous job. Lucid CEO Andrew Ashur said the founders of the company discovered Lucid’s mission almost by accident.
Teledyne FLIRs New Drone: SIRAS™ Fills a Gap in the Industry
As Commercial UAV Expo gets started in Las Vegas, Teledyne FLIR, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY), today launched SIRAS™, “a professional drone that includes a quick-connect dual radiometric thermal and visible camera payload.” SIRAS fills a major gap in the industry right now – a professional drone with some of the best imaging available, from a major US company with services and support, offered at a compelling price.
Toni Drummond on Dawn of Drones, September 7: Live from Commercial UAV Expo!
Join Dawn and special guest Toni Drummond, Partner at Prestige Air Group and Founder/CEO Global Aerial Management Group (GAMG), our sponsor-of-the-month as we kick off September and our “Market Use Cases” series on the Dawn of Drones podcast. The two will be LIVE from the Commercial UAV Expo in fabulous Vegas!
The ROI of Commercial Drone Programs: Skydio’s Adam Bry at Commercial UAV Expo
At this morning’s Commercial UAV ExpoKeynotes, Commercial UAV Expo Editor Jeremiah Karpowitz and Skydio Co-Founder and CEO Adam Bry discussed how the concept of automation and reliability inform the ROI of commercial drones. Skydio’s platform is known for their ground-breaking autonomy, and Bry says that autonomy is key to maximizing the ROI of commercial drones. “We’re at a place in the drone industry where people who are experts in drones have figured out to do all kinds of useful stuff,” said Bry, “but you still need someone who is an expert to do that stuff.”
What Does the FAA Plan for Drone Regulations? From the Keynotes at Commercial UAV Expo (and the FAAs Surprise Announcement)
Commercial UAV Expo is hosting a record-breaking crowd in Las Vegas this year. At the first keynotes of the show this morning, a lineup of important industry figures gave attendees the insights they’ve been waiting for – including the FAA plan for drone regulation in the coming year. Lisa Ellman, Executive Director of the Commercial Drone Alliance, explained that the CDA is working to encourage the administration of the US to make it a government-wide policy to support U.S. leadership and competitiveness in the commercial drone industry. In a fireside chat with David H. Boulter, FAA Acting Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety, Ellman asked Boulter to discuss how the FAA was working with the drone industry to move regulation forward.
Draganfly Launches New Products: Two New Aircraft, and Long Range LiDAR [DRONELIFE Interviews CEO Cameron Chell]
At Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas, commercial drone company Draganflyunveiled three new products: a Long Range LiDAR system which can be used as a mobile LiDAR system on drones, manned aircraft, or mounted to another vehicle or backpack; a North American-made Heavy Lift Drone, and the smaller “Swiss Army Knife” Commander 3 XL Drone. In an interview, Draganfly’s CEO Cameron Chell says the new offerings reflect the current needs of their customers.
Matternet M2 Drone Receives First FAA Type Certification for a Non-Military Drone
Today, leading commercial drone delivery system developer Matternet announced that its Matternet M2 drone has been granted Type Certification by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The M2 is the first ever non-military unmanned aircraft to receive Type Certification in the US, providing Matternet with an edge in the drone delivery market. The completion of the FAA’s thorough evaluation process showcases the M2’s safety and reliability, a milestone for scaling US commercial drone operations.
Flyability Funding: More than $22 Million for Makers of Elios Indoor Inspection Platform
Flyability funding got a major boost this week as the company celebrated a 15 million Swiss Franc (CHF) Series C funding round, augmenting their previous CHF 7 million. (CHF 22 million is currently about $22, 645,000 USD.) The companies unique Elios 3 collision safe platform for indoor inspection was on display this week on the floor of Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas.
Pitch the Press from the Floor of Commercial UAV Expo: The 3 Winners
It’s always a favorite event: Pitch the Press at Commercial UAV Expo, where new companies get only 2 minutes to impress a panel of journalists, who choose the most innovative and interesting products. This year I was honored to be on a panel with a group of esteemed colleagues: Abe Peck of Inside Unmanned Systems, Gene Roe from Lidar News, and Jeff Thoreson, Editor-in-Chief of xyHt. Seeing such a talented group of innovators is always exciting – and having the opportunity to connect with other drone media is always fun.
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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