April 28, 2020, issue of 'AOPA Drone Pilot'


VOL 4, ISSUE 9	April 28, 2020

Top Stories

Half-baked pandemic use cases

Food deliveries are panning out (within line-of-sight limits), but remote thermal imaging to spot people running fevers fizzled fast. Read more >

North Carolina details COVID-19 UAS utilization

UPS, Flytrex, and Zipline joined a two-hour webinar hosted by the North Carolina Department of Transportation on April 24 to detail how preexisting drone integration research is being influenced by the coronavirus pandemic. Watch the webinar >

Flying food for Grand Forks

Flytrex pioneered flying food delivery in Iceland. The drone services company will soon deliver meals in Grand Forks, North Dakota. (No pun intended.) Read more >

Offshore resupply

The British government announced plans to resupply the Isle of Wight using unmanned aircraft able to carry a 220-pound payload. Read more >

Training and Safety

Low-altitude weather info lacking

New sources of weather information will be needed to scale up drone delivery and urban air mobility, because existing products lack detail below 500 feet. Read more >

Read before spraying

Crop spraying is common for manned aviation, but anyone contemplating payload dispersal from unmanned aircraft should be aware that more than one certificate is required. Read more >

Gear

New take on wireless charging

Targeted charging of remote sensors using electricity harvested from passing drones could be a UAS use case for the future. Read more and watch a video >

Power problem

Research by a German university pokes a hole in the energy-savings presumption associated with drone delivery, at least in urban areas. Read more >

Launching in a lockdown

Leaked photos alleged to show DJI's Mavic 2 Air suggest a new product rollout is imminent. Read more >

Lifestyle

Whales of April

Watch whales create rainbows when they come up for a breath of California coastal air. Read more and watch a video >

Pittsburgh FPV

A first-person-view drone pilot gives us a new take on the now-ubiquitous empty-streets video. Watch the video >

Landing a lesson

One educator in Australia is delivering lesson plans to homebound students in an unconventional way. Read more >

Diligent deli delivery

An Indianapolis-based deli is following Part 107 regulations to deliver deliciousness from a safe distance while keeping the drone in sight. Read more >

Public Safety

Heartfelt thanks

A Wisconsin fire department used its unmanned aircraft capability and artfully arranged apparatus to create a special message of thanks for health care workers. Watch the video >

Drone maker offers gear

Skydio joined DJI in loaning drones to first responders; Skydio is also offering personal protective equipment. Read more >

Reaching people on the streets

Several law enforcement agencies are using unmanned aircraft to monitor and communicate with homeless populations during the coronavirus pandemic. Read more >

Regulation and Policy

AOPA on guard against new equipment mandate

AOPA reiterated longstanding opposition to any additional equipage mandate for manned aircraft that might be proposed in the interest of integrating unmanned aircraft. Read more >

New York drone ban back in focus

George Steinmetz, a highly respected photojournalist whose work has appeared in National Geographic, had his drone confiscated by police while capturing images of a mass burial in progress on Hart Island. Read more >

Pipeline patrol in a pandemic

An unnamed oil and gas company secured quick permission to fly beyond visual line of sight for socially distant infrastructure inspection. Read more >

News

Parrot turns to health care

Parrot has joined the list of aerospace companies building lifesaving ventilators. Read more >

Be the windmill

Anyone can inspect a wind turbine with a drone, but this company has a different idea. Read more >

Opportunity conversion

The pandemic is stirring up interest in the drone industry across the world, but the jury is out on whether interest will convert into economic growth. Read more >