January 8, 2019, issue of 'AOPA Drone Pilot'


VOL 3, ISSUE 1	January 8, 2019

Top Stories

Drones deliver pollen, better fruit

Precision pollination with drones produced an abundance of "king blooms" that make bigger, better apples. This New York company is now working in orchards around the country. (Photo courtesy of Dropcopter.) Read more >

Training and Safety

Sharpen your drone stills

The best aerial photography comes from a combination of practiced skills and good planning. Read more >

Kansas State offers free webinar

Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus has assembled experts to deliver a free webinar on unmanned aircraft operations Jan. 15. Read more >

Ohio high school drone program approved

Emmanuel Christian Academy in Ohio will offer high school students a chance to earn college credit and remote pilot certification. Read more >

Gear

Mavic 2 improved

DroneDJ looks at improvements to DJI Mavic 2 models since their initial release. Read more and watch a video >

CES preview

The 2019 Consumer Electronics Show kicks off Jan. 8 with a few new drones. Read more >

Samsung files more drone patents

Samsung has filed more than a dozen drone-related patents, but it remains unclear that the firm will build any drones. Read more >

Lifestyle

Drones save big dollars in construction

Suzanne El-Moursi's startup gained a foothold in the construction industry by saving dollars on job sites. Read more >

DIY farm drone

A farmer in India spent a year designing and building a drone that can fertilize acres in minutes. Read more >

Public Safety

Weather grounds drones during ball drop

The New York City Police Department planned to use drones during the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square, but the winds kicked up. Read more >

Drones used in tsunami response

Rescue crews in Indonesia deployed drones and dogs to find tsunami victims. Read more and watch a video >

Regulation and Policy

Awaiting technology for drone accountability

Recent incidents have made clear that stopping rogue drones remains a challenge. Read more >

UK airports buy drone defenses

Britain's biggest airports are spending millions on counter-drone technology. Read more >

Snow talks drone tech

Analyst Colin Snow looks at three factors that influenced the drone industry in 2018. Read more >

Near midair could prompt new regulations

A close call involving a police helicopter in New Zealand could prompt more restrictive drone rules. Read more >

Europe eyes drone delivery

European aviation authorities are considering what technology and new regulations are needed to make package delivery a reality. Read more >

News

BVLOS network tested

The University of North Dakota worked with Harris Corp. and others to test a system to track drones flown beyond visual line of sight. Read more >

Solar drones to patrol in New Mexico

Silent Falcon UAS Technologies is working with another New Mexico firm to test and train flight crews with an eye on landing surveillance contracts. Read more >

Ice rescue

After a deer fell through the ice in upstate New York, teens used a drone to herd it to safety. Read more and watch a video >

The... horror

Your drone has murder on its mind. Sound far-fetched? It's a horror film. Read more and watch a video >