September 5, 2017, issue of 'AOPA Drone Pilot'


VOL 1, ISSUE 15	September 5, 2017

Top Stories

Amid warnings, drones respond to Harvey

While the FAA, first responders, and other officials pleaded to keep untrained drone pilots from flying their unmanned aircraft in the disaster area after Hurricane Harvey, drone response crews from Texas A&M University’s Center for Robot Assisted Search and Rescue were deployed at the request of Fort Bend County’s Office of Emergency Management to monitor ongoing flooding. (U.S. Coast Guard photo with TFR graphic.) Read more >

Drones interfere with Harvey response

In the first days after Hurricane Harvey's Aug. 25 landfall, drones were much more of a problem than a solution. Read more >

FAA updating flight restrictions

A series of temporary flight restrictions implemented to protect rescue helicopters and other authorized responders in the greater Houston area will be updated. Notices to airmen are essential preflight reading for any pilots operating near the Texas and Louisiana coasts. View the current TFRs >

Training and Safety

AOPA drone seminars draw pilots

Manned-aircraft pilots comprised most of the audience at the AOPA Part 107 Drone Seminar Aug. 26 in Simsbury, Connecticut, and it has been the same at other locations. Whether you plan to fly drones for fun or for profit, these seminars offer useful knowledge, practical tips, and, in some cases, actual flight demonstrations. More locations are being added, and flight schools are finding that drones also can bring a few new customers in the door. Find a seminar near you and register today >

Massachusetts trains workers for drone careers

A workforce development specialist in Worcester, Massachusetts, spotted DARTdrones (a provider of drone training offered at discounted rates for AOPA members) on the ABC television show Shark Tank, and instantly saw the career potential. Classes scheduled in September and October will prepare students for drone careers. Read more >

Gear

DJI updates Phantom, Mavic

DJI chose IFA 2017, Europe’s version of the Consumer Electronics Show, to unveil updates to its Mavic and Phantom drones, and new capabilities for the Spark. The new Mavic is quieter; the Spark gets added features with a software update; and the new Phantom 4 Pro Obsidian has a new look. Read more >

New tether option

While a tethered drone must abide by the same FAA regulations as a drone without a tether, the ability to fly well beyond battery limits has many uses, including surveillance, news gathering, and infrastructure monitoring. Drone Aviation Holding Corp. has teamed up with Drone Nerds to bring a new system to the commercial market. Read more >

Drone wish list

Photographer Jordan Bush is a fan of the DJI Phantom 4 Pro, and has a few thoughts about the features a Phantom 5 ought to include. Read more >

Lifestyle

Stunning drone photos

Pilots around the world are capturing images that captivate from above. The editors of Business Insider collected 50 of their favorites. Read more >

And the Emmy goes to...

The world market leader in camera drones for consumers and photography professionals has another feather in its cap: an Emmy award for Technology and Engineering. Read more >

Regulation and Policy

Rapid authorization on the way

As the FAA prepares to implement the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability this fall, a North Dakota pilot looks forward to what it will mean for drone operations in controlled airspace. Read more >

Iceland approves drone delivery

It's a debatable point whether depositing burritos on your doorstep is the highest and best use of unmanned aircraft technology, but Iceland is giving drone food delivery the green light. Read more >

News

Rewards offered for drone bugs

With much attention now focused on drone data security, Bloomberg Businessweek looks at what steps DJI has taken to respond to customer concerns, including a bounty of up to $30,000 for those who find software vulnerabilities. Read more >

Drone buzzes grizzly, officials unamused

Authorities in Wyoming would like to find the pilot of a drone that buzzed a famous grizzly bear in Grand Teton National Park, breaking several rules in the process. Read more >

Bitter battle

A Long Island teenager and a New York City jail official are making headlines once again in their long-running feud over privacy. Read more >

Mother of all drone cages

Drone cages have become a familiar sight at airshows and aviation events, but they're nothing like what's being built in Virginia. Read more >