January 22, 2019, issue of 'AOPA Drone Pilot'


VOL 3, ISSUE 2	January 22, 2019

Top Stories

FAA prepares more permissive drone rules

Draft revisions to FAA drone regulations released on Jan. 14 represent an incrementally more permissive approach to flying unmanned aircraft at night and over people, along with a shift from recurrent testing to online training that could save remote pilots millions of dollars. None of this will happen before drones can be tracked and identified remotely. Read more >

Training and Safety

Give your drone videos a cinematic touch

Flying smoothly and planning your shots in advance make for better drone videos. Understanding your equipment and settings, and knowing a bit about editing, will also help. Read more >

Vanderbilt issues plea for safety

Close calls involving drones and Vanderbilt University's LifeFlight medical helicopter prompted a plea for responsible flying. Read more >

Gear

Smart Controller reviewed

Newsshooter put the new DJI Smart Controller for Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom models through its paces. Read more and watch a video >

DJI completes battery investigation

DJI has wrapped up its investigation of TB55 battery failures, and pronounced the firmware fixed. Read more >

Rainproof drone sports thermal camera

Chinese drone maker GDU brought its SAGA drone to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Read more >

Indemnis tests parachute

Alaskan drone parachute maker Indemnis took a road trip to Rome, New York, to test its system. Read more >

Low-cost options for easy selfies

AirSelfie rolled out three new systems at the Consumer Electronics Show, all priced below $230. Read more >

Lifestyle

Aussie teens head to drone camp

It's summer Down Under, and drone racing has drawn Australian teenagers to camp. Read more >

Humanitarian awards open

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International and DJI are sponsoring the second edition of the XCELLENCE Humanitarian Awards, with submissions due Feb. 6. Read more >

Public Safety

LAPD posts SWAT response video

The Los Angeles Police Department SWAT team used a tiny drone to search for a suspect believed to be barricaded in an apartment, and posted footage of the operation. Watch the video >

North Carolina responders train with drones

With a new policy in place, first responders are learning the ropes in Lee County, North Carolina. Read more >

Police blimp may have broken law

Using a tethered blimp appears to have put police on the wrong side of the law in Miami Beach, Florida. Read more >

Lighting the way

A drone assisted in the rescue of a hiker stranded on a cliff in Utah, but not in the way you might think. Read more >

Regulation and Policy

Canada tightens the leash

Canadian regulators have issued tough new regulations on drone use, including mandatory registration and pilot testing. Read more >

Symposium postponed

The federal government shutdown prompted postponement of the annual unmannned aircraft symposium hosted by the FAA and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. A new date will be announced after the government reopens. Read more >

FAA reauthorization drone provisions explained

Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. James Poss explains the drone-related provisions of the 2018 FAA reauthorization, and why they're in the new law. Read more >

The 'new flying saucers'

Reported drone sightings are not always reliable, and one writer wonders if mass hysteria has set in. Read more >

Heathrow closed after drone sighting

The busiest airport in Britain was briefly closed after a drone was reported Jan. 8. Read more >

State Farm granted expanded drone permission

State Farm can fly drones out of sight, though the FAA still wants human eyes watching for traffic. Read more >

News

Remote ID demonstration

Knowing where the drones are will be a key element of advanced operations to come. AirMap, Kittyhawk, and Wing demonstrated one version of what that might look like. Read more >

Hydrogen power

Hydrogen fuel cells may one day become the power source of choice for long-endurance drone flights. Project Rachel recently reported a successful test flight. Read more >

This drone digs in

A small drone digs in for science, placing sensors in the soil in this University of Nebraska project. Read more >

Defenses wanted

With airport incidents raising alarm, Popular Mechanics looks at the state of counter-drone technology. Read more >