June 23, 2020, issue of 'AOPA Drone Pilot'


VOL 4, ISSUE 13	June 23, 2020

Top Stories

Are pandemic response drones on target?

Debate continues about whether drones are really helping mitigate the coronavirus pandemic. WeRobotics contends many use cases are over-hyped, while Reason makes a case for expanding drone logistics. Drone Delivery Canada will soon provide new COVID-19 service.

Social distance policing

Airspace Systems' software can monitor your personal space and whether you are wearing a mask. Read more >

Drone pilot filmed protest on assignment

An Oregon drone pilot helped The New York Times provide a unique perspective during recent race relations protests. Read more >

Training and Safety

What a drone in hand is worth

A shiny new drone is always exciting, but ask yourself: Will it really do any new tricks once you bring it home? Read more >

Flying club turns to drones

A New Jersey flying club has been flying Cessnas and Pipers since 1985, and more recently added an unmanned aircraft to the mix. Read more >

Tips for your flying club drone

The AOPA Air Safety Institute reminds new unmanned aircraft pilots to apply the same care and common sense to drones as they do to flying other kinds of aircraft, and offers helpful resources. Read more >

Your pain could inform others

North Carolina firefighter, certificated commercial pilot, and AOPA Drone Pilot contributor Steve Rhode created a website to collect reports from unmanned aircraft operators about incidents and accidents because there is little public information about system malfunctions to inform safety decisions, including whether a UAS is fit for flight. Read more >

Managing the data you don't use

Images captured by drones do not always make it into a project, but that does not necessarily mean "delete" if you're part of a large operation. Read more >

Gear

New parachute protects expensive UAS

Drone Rescue Systems unveiled a parachute system to provide DJI's Matrice 200 series UAS a softer landing in case of malfunction. Read more >

No evidence DJI misused data

As federal lawmakers call for bans on DJI equipment, independent consultants found no evidence that the manufacturer is providing customer data to the Chinese government. Read more >

Patents suggest new look coming

New patent filings in China may signal an entirely new folding drone design approach by DJI. Read more >

Lifestyle

How about a nice flying book?

A school librarian is packing books into drones for personal delivery to keep kids reading in Virginia. (Editor's note: Aviation books make spectacular summer reading.) Read more >

Let sleeping lions sleep, too

Conditioning a lion to get used to drones is not easy, but researchers were able to collect valuable data. Read more >

Extra hot sauce, please

A Buffalo Wild Wings franchise owner in Mobile, Alabama, is working with a drone operator to make the restaurant's menu items more mobile. Read more >

Public Safety

Mustard gas bust

The largest multi-agency response of its kind ended with three people arrested for dumping mustard gas bombs into a British lake. Read more and watch a video >

Fire crews struggle with illegal drone flights

Unauthorized drone flights are disrupting efforts to contain growing wildfires in Arizona. Read more >

Hurricane hunting with UAS

The hurricane season has begun, and this year the U.S. Air Force plans to deploy unmanned aircraft to improve storm forecasts. Read more >

Regulation and Policy

Drone Advisory Committee holds virtual meeting

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao addressed the June 19 meeting of the FAA Drone Advisory Committee, plugging pandemic deliveries and urging further development of a "safety culture." Read more >

Disclosing drone use

The New York City Council approved a bill that would force more technology transparency by the New York Police Department. Read more >

Law enforcement excluded from invasive species drone bill

Florida lawmakers approved legislation allowing the state to use UAS to control invasive wildlife species, but not to target poachers. Read more >

News

Artificial intelligence, real aerobatics

Sophisticated autonomy is allowing drones to perform aerobatic maneuvers including barrel rolls and loops without human help. Read more and watch a video >

Falsely accused couple prevails in lawsuit

British police paid a couple they had wrongfully accused of shutting down an airport with illegal drone flights (and held for 36 hours) about $250,000 in damages and legal expenses. Read more >

New links in supply chains

There's more business being done with drones than you may know. Read more >