December 24, 2018, issue of 'AOPA Drone Pilot'


VOL 2, ISSUE 26	December 24, 2018

Top Stories

Gatwick's nightmare before Christmas

Tens of thousands of travelers were stranded after rogue drones forced the closure of Britain's Gatwick Airport for more than 32 of the most heavily traveled hours of the year. The incident prompted outrage and concern over airport security. Read more >

Incident prompts calls for countermeasures

Flights at Gatwick Airport had barely resumed when Bloomberg opinion writer Leonid Bershidsky called for tighter control of recreational drones and The Guardian echoed that sentiment.

Awaiting word on what hit Mexico airliner

The crew of an Aeromexico Boeing 737 that landed safely in Tijuana Dec. 12 reported a loud bang during approach, and photos showed damage to the aircraft's nose. Speculation turned quickly to drones, but authorities have been tight-lipped about evidence. Read more >

Training and Safety

AirMap updates for new rules

AirMap has updated its popular app to reflect changes made by Congress in October. Recreational drone flights within controlled airspace now require authorization, and AirMap will notify users in flight if they cross a line. Read more >

Arizona high school teaches with drones

Students at South Mountain High School in Phoenix are perfecting their stick skills. Read more and watch a video >

Gear

DJI launches thermal Mavic

DJI's much-anticipated announcement of the Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual arrived Dec. 20. Highlights include side-by-side visual and thermal cameras, a spotlight, a beacon, and new safety features. Read more >

Watch this drone fold on the fly

A collaboration of university research teams in Europe produced a quadcopter that can change its shape in flight to get into tight spaces. Watch the video >

Vapor 55 completes BVLOS inspection

A Vapor 55 drone made by Pulse Aerospace flew 60 miles nonstop to inspect power transmission lines. Read more >

Airbus unveils drone tracking chip

Airbus created a satellite transceiver that tracks drones electronically in support of safe integration. Read more and watch a video >

Lifestyle

Skypixel contest opens

DJI is offering gear for the best photos and videos of 2018 as the Skypixel contest returns. The entry deadline is Feb. 18. Watch a video and enter >

India eyes food delivery

With new drone regulations in place, at least one company in India aims to deliver meals with drones. Read more >

Public Safety

Forest Service seeks fire-starting drones

The U.S. Forest Service issued a request for information seeking drones to help start controlled burns. Read more >

ScanEagle supports California wildfire response

The Insitu ScanEagle flew at night, beyond visual line of sight, gathering tactical data to support crews battling the Camp Fire. Read more >

AeroVironment scans fire damage

An AeroVironment Quantix drone quickly mapped hundreds of fire-scarred acres on behalf of the National Park Service, assessing damage from the Woolsey Fire in California. Read more >

North Carolina used drones before and after Florence

North Carolina had drones in the air before Hurricane Florence arrived, and long after. Read more >

Kansas State Polytechnic offers scholarships

First responders seeking drone training are eligible for $500 scholarships from Kansas State University's Polytechnic Campus in Salina. Read more >

Regulation and Policy

Skyward president makes 2019 predictions

Verizon subsidiary Skyward's Mariah Scott expects advances in autonomy and progress on traffic management in this interview. Read more >

Kittyhawk exec expects remote ID in 2019

Kittyhawk Director of Policy Andrew Elefant predicts remote ID and tracking rules will be "mostly complete" by the end of 2019. Read more >

FAA seeks more LAANC providers

The FAA is accepting applications through Feb. 6 from firms interested in providing Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability services. Read more >

Symposium registration open

The FAA and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International will co-host a gathering of industry leaders in Baltimore in February. Learn more and register >

News

Vaccines for Vanuatu

One in five children in this nation of small communities scattered across a remote Pacific archipelago misses at least one vaccine, so they called in the drones. Read more >

SnotBot zeroes in on whales

Ocean Alliance worked with a Texas drone technology company to improve in-flight guidance for drone pilots sampling what whales exhale. Read more >

Ghana signs with Zipline

California-based Zipline signed a four-year deal to deliver blood and other medical supplies in Ghana. Read more >

Russia has a cannibal drone

A Russian-made drone dubbed Carnivora is designed to hunt down other drones in flight. Read more >