October 3, 2017, issue of 'AOPA Drone Pilot'


VOL 1, ISSUE 17	October 3, 2017

Top Stories

Weaponized drones prompt flight restrictions

The Statue of Liberty, Hoover Dam, and Mount Rushmore are among 10 popular landmarks and attractions that will be off-limits to drones effective Oct. 5, the FAA announced, citing security concerns. (Composite photo by AOPA includes National Park Service photo and AOPA file photo.) Read more >

Black Hawk collides with drone

A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter was damaged when it struck a small quadcopter flying at 500 feet over Staten Island, New York, one of the first conclusively documented collisions involving manned and unmanned aircraft. Read more >

Training and Safety

Embry-Riddle faculty assist hurricane response

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University worked with police in Florida to assess damage from Hurricane Irma using drones. Read more >

New York pilots respond to need in Texas, Puerto Rico

A team of drone pilots trained at the FAA unmanned aircraft test site at Griffiss International Airport in Rome, New York, were dispatched to assist disaster response and recovery in Texas and Puerto Rico. Read more >

AOPA adds drone seminars

AOPA continues to team up with flight schools around the country to offer Part 107 training seminars free of charge to members. Whether you plan to fly drones for fun or for profit, these seminars offer useful knowledge, practical tips, and, in some cases, flight demonstrations. More locations are being added each week. Find a seminar near you and register today >

CORRECTION: The Sept. 19 issue of AOPA Drone Pilot incorrectly referred to the employment status of John Meehan, who remains with the FAA working on unmanned aircraft matters. AOPA regrets the error.

Gear

Hybrid design billed as plummetproof

Egan Airships recently debuted the Plimp, an unmanned airship with a rigid, winged body that promises long range, surprising maneuverability, and a high level of safety. Read more >

Experimental drone monitors vital signs

Researchers at the University of South Australia have demonstrated that drone-portable sensors can detect human vital signs including heart rate and respirations. Possible applications include military surveillance and disaster response. Read more >

Lifestyle

Volocopter flies UAE crown prince

German company Volocopter has been testing its optionally piloted multirotor aircraft since 2015, though a more recent five-minute flight carrying Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was an exhibition with a somewhat higher profile. Read more >

Drone made for home answers to Alexa

A startup company hopes to find a market for a "self-flying robotic assistant for the home," dubbed "Aire." The drone is designed to answer to Alexa, Amazon's software-based personal assistant. Read more >

Regulation and Policy

Court overturns local drone ordinance

The Singer v. Newton case could become a precedent for others after a federal district court in Massachusetts voided significant portions of a drone ordinance passed by the city of Newton. Read more >

Documents offer insight into Standing Rock drone ban

Documents obtained by multimedia publication Motherboard under the Freedom of Information Act offer a new perspective on the drone flight restrictions imposed during protests of the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2016. Read more >

DJI pitches built-in drone ID approach

DJI, the world's leading maker of small drones, presented a proposal to use existing hardware and software to track and monitor unmanned aircraft during the International Civil Aviation Organization's Drone Enable conference. Read more >

News

Matternet to begin regular delivery

California-based drone maker Matternet will begin regular blood deliveries in Switzerland in October. The company has unveiled a ground station that will automatically load and unload payloads and swap out batteries. Read more >

Spike launches drone to test supersonic design

Spike Aerospace plans to use a scale model of its Mach 1.6 business jet design as an unmanned, proof-of-concept drone. Read more >

News station adds drone

The News Center team of WCSH6 in Portland, Maine, is among many local news operations that have added drones to their arsenals. The station's aerial program is credited with one rather unusual byproduct of drone training: the marriage of two participants. Read more and watch the video >

Disposable drone helps NOAA model hurricane

The Raytheon Coyote unmanned aircraft was designed with reconnaissance and other military missions in mind, and was adapted for deployment from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's WP-3D Orion Hurricane Hunter aircraft to probe Hurricane Maria. Read more >