March 17, 2020, issue of 'AOPA Drone Pilot'


VOL 4, ISSUE 6	March 17, 2020

Top Stories

Joining forces for organ transplant

Companies from Connecticut and Ohio have teamed up to transport human organs for transplant, using unmanned aircraft as links in the lifesaving logistics chain. (Image courtesy of Aquiline Drones.) Read more >

China rebooting economy

China, the world's largest maker of drones, is bringing factories back online as the country's COVID-19 infection rate slows. Read more >

Spanish police spread the word with drones

Much as China did in the early weeks of its own COVID-19 lockdown, police in Spain deployed drones to warn people to stop gathering in public places. Read more and watch a video >

Can drones help fight this pandemic?

Remote sensing and unmanned delivery are among the ways that drones and related technologies have been pressed into service. Read more >

Canada set to commence commercial drone delivery

Weeks after China deployed drones for coronavirus-related medical deliveries, commercial package delivery flights are imminent—in Canada. Read more >

Opinion: Clear airspace for unmanned aircraft

As commercial aviation grinds to a halt, sUAS News editor Gary Mortimer suggests that now is the time to accelerate unmanned aviation. Read more >

Training and Safety

Lost at sea

North Carolina rescue teams learned a hard lesson about battery life when their $26,000 drone ditched and sank in the ocean. Read more >

AUVSI postpones Xponential

Due to the coronavirus epidemic, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International has postponed its annual conference, previously scheduled for May in Boston. Read more >

Gear

Futuristic touchdown

Matternet's drone delivery system will soon feature a pod-like landing structure, designed to keep drones out of reach and packages a simple badge swipe away. Read more and watch a video >

Mavic Air 2 inbound

DJI seems to be about ready to release the Mavic Air 2. Read more >

Lifestyle

Follow the flying ball

A drone racer provides a unique perspective on golf, following the ball through its flight. Read more and watch a video >

Above-average tour

An FPV pilot tours the National Museum of the United States Air Force with a drone; no exhibits were dented in the making of this video. Read more and watch a video >

Public Safety

Foreign-made drone ban looms large

Just as public safety drone adoption is ramping up, a federal ban could drastically curtail access to foreign-made equipment. Read more >

Saving time, staff

Houston police report one remote pilot can do the work of 10 officers on foot in a third of the time. Read more >

Regulation and Policy

Balancing drone integration opportunity and risk

As the FAA considers allowing more freedom for drones to maneuver, AOPA urges the agency not to expect manned aircraft owners to add new equipment to facilitate safe separation. Read more >

Mixed views on remote ID

The FAA received more than 53,000 comments on proposed rules for remote identification and tracking of drones, with strong opinions both pro and con. Read more >

Contraband drops bring charges

Federal authorities charged two New Jersey men with making multiple drone deliveries to a federal prison. Read more >

News

Watching it melt

A high-altitude UAS and a team of researchers set out to determine why Peru's glaciers are melting faster than ever Read more >

Tech-less tribe embraces flight

This indigenous Brazilian tribe in the Amazon rainforest relies on hand-delivered hard copies to read their email, but they quickly embraced drones to protect their home from illegal logging. Read more >

The new croc hunters

Drone pilots bored by filming and photography might envy these Australian park rangers, whose drones dangle bait in front of crocodiles. Read more and watch a video >