March 6, 2018, issue of 'AOPA Drone Pilot'


VOL 2, ISSUE 5	March 6, 2018

Top Stories

Guessing when your drone will die

Every unmanned aircraft contains several mission-critical parts and components, the failure of any one of these likely to cause a crash. A former U.S. Navy pilot and engineer has created a tool to compile the numbers and found that the actual longevity of some parts might surprise you (not in a good way). Read more >

Training and Safety

DARTdrones offers grants

DARTdrones, which has offered training discounts for AOPA members since we created memberships for unmanned aviators in 2017, has now pledged $100,000 to help public safety organizations launch programs. Read more >

Lessons learned from search

North Carolina firefighter and drone pilot Steve Rhode reflects on a recent search-and-rescue mission in a detailed after-action report. Read more >

The sky has limits

A new public safety campaign backed by a variety of industry groups (including AOPA) seeks to educate newcomers on drone rules. Read more >

Kansas State trains first responders

Kansas State University will offer a training course tailored for first responders in April. Read more >

Gear

DroneDeploy on the farm

DroneDeploy CEO Mike Winn talked to TechRepublic about how the mapping software (which is now capable of creating real-time maps on a tablet) is helping farms increase productivity. Read more >

Sentera adds gimbal

Sentera announced Feb. 23 a gimbal upgrade for NDVI sensors, a rig compatible with DJI Phantom 4 models. Read more >

Vodafone begins drone tracking trial

Mobile network operator Vodafone is using a 4G mobile network to track drones for safety. Read more >

Lifestyle

Fashion statement

A drone on a runway might not sound unusual, but this one was carrying a handbag. Read more >

Hunting for safe steps

Hunters in an Alaska town where the sea ice is not as solid as it once was have turned to drones to help them step around the soft spots. Read more >

Public Safety

Police drone spots crash victim

A drone helped police in the United Kingdom find an unconscious victim who had left the scene of a car crash. Read more >

Drone finds airplane parts after crash

Crews responding to a Piper Seneca crash in Minden, Nevada, were able to locate scattered parts a half-mile away using an unmanned aircraft. Read more >

Searchers find missing girl

An 11-year-old girl missing in North Carolina was found quickly with a flying thermal camera March 1. Read more >

Drones now part of federal fire response

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management estimates unmanned aircraft have already saved $50 million in fire losses. Read more >

UAS aid hazmat response

Florida firefighters can now inspect hazardous materials incidents from a safe distance. Read more >

Regulation and Policy

NASA hosts airspace workshop

NASA will host a conference in California April 10 through 12 to continue the conversation about safe integration of unmanned aircraft. Read more >

Opinion: Don't overreact

A recent video taken by a drone flown illegally and dangerously close to an airliner approaching Las Vegas prompted calls for tighter regulation, but Christopher Koopman and Michael Kotrous of George Mason University urge caution on clamping down. Read more >

Industry can help prevent disaster

David Silver, vice president for civil aviation at the Aerospace Industries Association, looks at how collaboration can promote safety. (Article from Aviation Week and Space Technology, free with registration.) Read more >

CDA sets priorities

The Commercial Drone Alliance has published its 2018 legislative wish list. Read more >

News

Chew on this

Windhorse Aerospace, based in England, continues to develop drones for disaster relief that don't just deliver food—they are the food. Read more >

Drones are working on the railroad

BNSF Railway and Bihrle Applied Research have automated drone inspection and expanded the envelope for flight beyond sight. Read more >

Swiss police eagles target drones

The Dutch tried it and scrapped it, but police in Switzerland still hope trained eagles will prove effective at drone interdiction. Read more >

Bringing power back to Puerto Rico

Months after the devastating hurricanes of 2017, hundreds of thousands of residents in Puerto Rico are still waiting for power. Drones are helping. Read more >

Counting animals

Ecologists have found that drones improve accuracy in wildlife counts. Read more >