May 26, 2020, issue of 'AOPA Drone Pilot'


VOL 4, ISSUE 11	May 26, 2020

Top Stories

Virtually invisible and dangerously close

U.S. Navy Blue Angels pilots—and the rest of the world—might never have known how close the F/A–18 formation came to striking a quadcopter over Detroit had the video not been posted online. (Image courtesy of the U.S. Navy.) Read more >

FAA aims to launch RID in 2021

FAA documents suggest the agency is working to have remote identification and tracking of drones implemented sooner than later. Read more >

Training and Safety

You might need a privacy policy

Posting privacy policies for public perusal has been mandatory for all who fly for hire under Part 107 since 2018. Read more >

Air Force base halts flight ops after drone sighting

A U.S. Air Force T–38 pilot reported a drone at 1,500 feet, illegally close to Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma. Flight operations were temporarily terminated due to the danger. Read more >

Felony charges filed in UAS shoot-down

A Minnesota man faces criminal charges after he admitted shooting down a drone that was flying over a food production facility. Read more >

Gear

Into a tree with Mavic Air 2

A TechCrunch writer got his hands on DJI's newest consumer quadcopter, and promptly put it in a tree. But he loved this drone nonetheless. Read more and watch a video >

Patent ruling signals possible turbulence

Observers are skeptical about Autel Robotics' legal team's prediction that various DJI models could be yanked off the market as soon as July. Read more >

All thumbs

Taking a note from Atari's single-joystick playbook, Shift Red unveiled an inexpensive consumer drone that can be controlled with a pivot of your thumb. Read more >

Lifestyle

Skeleton crew means more drones

Fox Sports had to figure out how to film a NASCAR race with fewer people, putting the high-speed drone cam front and center. Read more >

Virtual symposium not cheap

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International announced dates for this year's virtual version of the FAA UAS Symposium, and some eyebrows shot up after seeing the price of a full-conference pass.

EagleHawk wants to drone Broadway

Bringing people back to Broadway theaters will require some disinfectant, and possibly an air traffic controller for every theater. Read more >

Public Safety

Defibrillators on the double

Drone-delivered defibrillators will be landing soon in Sweden. Read more and watch a video >

Donations spark distrust

DJI donated 100 drones to public safety agencies across the United States. They've become political footballs as DJI faces accusations of Chinese spying notwithstanding the firm's assertions to the contrary.

Another option for public safety

Parrot and DroneSense joined forces to provide lifesaving tools for first responders. Read more >

Panel to discuss COVID-19 UAS applications

An InterDrone panel will discuss public safety drone applications related to COVID-19 during a webinar on May 27 at 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Read more and register >

Implementation updates

Commercial Drone Professional takes an in-depth look at public safety drone use in Europe, while Pew looks at pandemic-related operations, including failed attempts, in the United States.

Regulation and Policy

Major milestone in the offing

Matternet hopes to be the first drone maker to gain FAA airworthiness certification, a precursor to scaling up drone delivery. Read more >

Pondering limitations

Wake Forest, North Carolina, is the latest municipality eyeing local limits on drone use. Read more >

News

Shifting gears

Amazon's drone engineers have turned from designing drones to making protective face shields for health care workers treating COVID-19 patients. Read more >

Aerial deployment

The U.S. Army successfully launched a fixed-wing drone from a Black Hawk helicopter. Read more >

Armed response

A drone originally designed for agriculture has been armed with a grenade launcher in India. Read more >

Predicting a flood

Falling ice and rising waters have put Alaskan communities at risk for flash floods, but researchers are taking flight to better prepare for the dangerous waters. Read more >