February 5, 2019, issue of 'AOPA Drone Pilot'


VOL 3, ISSUE 3	February 5, 2019

Top Stories

Drones defend, entertain at Super Bowl

When 150 Intel drones flew inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium for a first-ever live Super Bowl halftime performance on Feb. 3, another team was perched on a rooftop flying security overwatch. (Photo courtesy of Skyfire Consulting.) Read more >

Training and Safety

Preparing to pass another test

Remote pilot certificates don't expire, but the FAA still requires all drone pilots to prove they know their stuff every two years. Read more >

Prison reports illegal drone flight

Drone restrictions are virtually universal around state and federal prisons, but that didn't stop somebody from spying on one notorious inmate. Read more >

Gear

Yuneec adds RTK option

Yuneec International now offers real-time kinematic precision GPS for the H520 hexacopter. Read more >

FLIR buys Aeryon Labs

FLIR Systems reportedly paid $200 million to acquire Canadian drone maker Aeryon Labs. Read more >

Controllers for a crowd

DJI's new Multilink wirelessly connects as many as three remote controllers to an Inspire 2 master controller, allowing film crews more flexibility. Read more >

Lifestyle

UND leading the way

University of North Dakota aviation professor Paul Snyder pitches his school as uniquely positioned to shape the future. Read more >

Indemnis CEO puts safety first

Amber McDonald, president and CEO of drone parachute maker Indemnis, talks to Forbes about raising capital and building the business. Read more >

Public Safety

Drones responding first

Police in Chula Vista, California, are dispatching drones as first responders, though there are limits. Read more and watch a video >

Mistakes being made

Many public safety agencies don't realize what they're in for when they decide to build a drone program. Read more >

Ontario police enforce snow rules

A drone helped police catch speeding snowmobiles in Canada. Watch the video >

Emergency delivery test coming

The University of Alaska, K2 Dronotics, and Unmanned Systems Alaska are collaborating to test drone delivery of emergency medical supplies. Read more >

Regulation and Policy

Flights disrupted after drone reports

Airline pilots reported drones at 3,500 feet over New Jersey, and air traffic disruption followed. Read more >

Advice for airmen with temporary certificates

The federal government reopened in January, but a 35-day shutdown left some airmen holding temporary certificates that would expire before the FAA issued a permanent certificate. Here's what to do if you're in that bind. Read more >

News

Remote flights approved in Australia

Airobotics has secured approval from regulators in Australia to operate drones remotely. Read more >

DJI responds to employee theft

An investigation into $150 million in employee fraud prompted DJI to issue an open letter Jan. 31, pledging changes to come. Read more >

Focus shift for DJI

The South China Morning Post reports that DJI sees its future in high-end enterprise systems. Read more >

'Death from above'

Invasive rats are a scourge of the delicate ecosystem of the Galapagos archipelago. Hexacopters armed with rat poison set out to counter the threat in January. Read more >