August 18, 2020, issue of 'AOPA Drone Pilot'


VOL 4, ISSUE 17	August 18, 2020

Top Stories

Obstacle avoidance may provoke bird rage

A small quadcopter was attacked and destroyed by a bald eagle in Michigan, and remote pilots can learn from this terrible tale of tenacious talons—specifically, what might have provoked the bird to flip the drone. Read more >

Possible near-midair involving drone, Air Force One

Reporters and presidential staff on board Air Force One noticed a small object extremely close to the aircraft on final approach to Joint Base Andrews and reported that it was a drone. Read more >

Training and Safety

High fliers scout mountains

Five Red Bull adventurers push the limits of drone technology to safely navigate the mammoth climbs. Watch the video >

Firefighting delayed (again)

The wildfire in Azusa, California, was only 7 percent contained when a drone incursion brought aerial firefighting to a halt. Read more and watch a video >

Drones delay games

Although Major League Baseball is playing to empty stadiums, temporary flight restrictions are still being imposed during games, and illegal drone incursions halted play recently in Minnesota and Massachusetts.

Gear

A 'deep dive' into Autel's Evo II

A camera with up to 8K video capability on a drone with up to 35 minutes of flight endurance makes the Autel Evo II worth a look. Read more and watch videos >

DJI reaches boiling point over security concerns

DJI had much to say after a second security firm questioned the company's products, prompting detailed rebuttals, assurances, and competing analysis from the Chinese drone giant. Read more >

Lifestyle

Drones find a home on the range

Australian ranchers are using drones to more quickly (and safely) round up their cattle. Watch the video >

Switching gears

Wedding photographers from Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean, are changing up their drone operations from capturing stunning venue shots to focusing on a freighter oil spill, helping to contain the hazardous substance. Read more >

Detect, respond, repeat

The University of Illinois is flying small unmanned aircraft systems to document and mitigate invasive plants. Read more >

Public Safety

Proving their worth

Two California police agencies reported success in unrelated drone operations, one that helped capture a suspect asleep in bed, and another that helped snag a suspect who fled the scene.

Study finds drone adoption continues

Amid a global pandemic, Drone Responders is citing increased drone budgets and expanded programs from public safety groups that participated in a recent survey. Read more >

Public safety webinars available

Data safety and security, law and policy, and public education plans are topics of the week in InterDrone's webinar series. Learn more and register >

Regulation and Policy

Drone retrieval leads to charges

After a wayward drone crashed into a neighbor's silo, the pilot asked the property owner for permission to retrieve it, which was reportedly granted, though trespassing charges followed. Read more >

PrecisionHawk patents unmanned traffic management system

As companies race to develop an unmanned air traffic control system, PrecisionHawk locks in a planned system that provides real-time aerial deconfliction and separation for UAS. Read more >

News

Three words: 'Nuclear bird drone'

Declassified military documents show Project Aquiline, a Cold War-era unmanned aircraft with similarities to the SR–71 Blackbird designed to fly for months and covertly gather data. Read more >

NASA looks to fly high

NASA helped Swift Engineering develop a HALE unmanned aircraft system that can fly above 70,000 feet for 30 or more days at a time, but the research it can gather is what has team members excited. Read more >

Branching into education

DJI is looking to advance science, technology, engineering, and math learning by taking its autonomous devices into the classroom, this time on the ground. Read more >

Furthering delivery and passenger drones

NASA awarded a grant to Oneida County in upstate New York to further research on ways to make drone delivery and unmanned passenger flight possible. Read more >