UAVOS Inc. together with MP3 International, a Grade One Group member company, are presenting a number of products for the UMEX Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference to be held February 20 – 23 at the National Exhibition Center, Abu Dhabi.  UAVOS and MP3 are located in Hall 5, Booth No. A-12 and will be showcasing their key security and defense products with a focus on their command and control integration expertise.  UAVOS and MP3 are showcasing their comprehensive operational solutions – unmanned systems for a wide range of uses in the air, sea, and land:  The converted UVH-500 UAV, is based on a piloted Heli-Sport Italian CH7 helicopter. The UVH-500 UAS is a long-range, heavy-lift unmanned helicopter capable of carrying up to 160 kg with a range of up to 840 km. The unmanned helicopter is designed for heavy-lift operations in remote and hard-to-reach areas.  “We believe that remote locations and austere environments can impede the delivery of critical parts or supplies in theatr...

Photo courtesy of Wisk. Wisk, a leading Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company and developer of the first all-electric, self-flying air taxi in the U.S., has secured $450 million in funding from The Boeing Company, making it one of the most well-funded AAM companies in the world. Combined with previous funding, this investment reinforces Wisk’s strong position as a privately-backed AAM leader and highlights the strength of Wisk’s strategic partnership with Boeing and their collaboration on critical technology development. This investment will further advance the development of Wisk’s 6th generation eVTOL aircraft, a first-ever candidate for certification of an autonomous, all-electric, passenger-carrying aircraft in the U.S. The funding will also support the company as it enters an intensive growth phase over the next year, its preparations for the launch of scale manufacturing, and the company’s Go-to-Market efforts. Within five years following the certification of its 6th generation air...

HAMR hybrid fuel-electric UAV to be developed for tactical ISR missions for the United States Air Force Advanced Aircraft Company (AAC), a developer of long-endurance hybrid-electric unmanned aircraft systems designed for a wide range of commercial, defense and public safety applications, has been selected by the United States Air Force (USAF) AFWERX program for the development of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS) as part of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program Open Topics 21.2/B Cohort. AFWERX, in partnership with the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) and the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), developed the SBIR Open Topics to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and transition rate of the SBIR program. Through a competitive awards-based program, the SBIR program enables small businesses to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. AAC’s highly versatile HAMR incorporates a multi-rotor configurat...

The Drone Racing League, the world’s premier, professional drone racing property, announced today a massive expansion of their global footprint and fandom as the league wrapped their 2021-22 DRL World Algorand Championship Season yesterday on NBC and Twitter. As a leading tech-enabled sport widely regarded for disrupting the sports industry, DRL’s scale underscores how technology-based competition has reached a fever pitch. DRL has more than doubled its broadcast reach from last season, bringing high-speed drone racing to six continents with 13 sports networks including NBC Sports, Sky Sports, FOX Sports and FOX Sports Australia, ESPN in Brazil, StarTimes, Sony TV, Eleven Sports, beIN SPORT, TrueVisions, O2 TV, eGG Network, ran.de, and Viaplay, totaling more than 250 million households in over 140 markets worldwide. DRL expanded its existing media partnerships with NBC Sports and Twitter, securing 30 hours of original 2021 programming during primetime slots, including a race on Christm...

Spright and Interpath Laboratory Launch Medical Drone Delivery Pilot Service by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby Today, Air Methods drone division Spright and Interpath Laboratory have announced a partnership for the launch of a first-of-its-kind drone delivery network capable of transferring lab specimens. The partnership conducted its first proof-of-concept test flight last week with the Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center to Interpath’s main medical laboratory location in Pendleton, Oregon. This new initiative is set to significantly cut down on the turnaround time of critical diagnostic test results for clinics such as Yellowhawk, while also improving patient satisfaction and allowing healthcare providers to more promptly perform follow-up care. Working with the Pendleton UAS Test Site team, the project will deploy a Wingcopter 198 drone utilizing beyond line of sight (BVLOS) technology to carry out the 15-mile flight from Yellowhawk to Pendleton. Currently, the process in place...

Wisk Aero Partners with Long Beach to Bring Advanced Air Mobility to Southern California by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) leader Wisk Aero , developer of the first all-electric, self-flying air taxi in the United States, has formed a partnership with the City of Long Beach, California through its Long Beach Economic Partnership (LBEP) with the goal of bringing AAM to Southern California. This new partnership will see the two organizations collaborate on the creation of an AAM working group consisting of leaders in business, local government, and the community. The group, which will be co-chaired by Wisk and LBEP for an initial two-year term, will be dedicated to the evaluation, planning, and implementation of AAM in Long Beach, with an emphasis on autonomous flight. During this two year term, the working group will explore four key areas, including an analysis of the economic impact and workforce development, community acceptance and outreach, integr...

Nothing brings a drone operator down quicker (pun intended) than bad weather and drone error codes.  We wait until it gets better with the weather, eventually, although our highly anticipated day of flying is ruined.  However, drone error codes can be more than simply waiting out the issue or hoping it resolves itself. Error codes and the inability to fly the DJI Mini 2 because of these errors can be a nuisance, but, when those codes are decoded, explained, and suggestions on how to fix the issue come to the fore, things get easier. We’ll be looking at a laundry list of DJI Mini 2 error codes, what they mean, and the steps to fix them.  The codes will be listed numerically to locate specific codes easier within the article. These codes are: Code 10001Code 10016Code 10022Code 10023Code 30007Code 30008Code 30047Code 30049Code 30050Code 30055Code 30060Code 30064 Code 30085Code 30105Code 30168Code 30210Code 30224Code 30226Code 40002Code 40011Code 40012Code 40021Code 180016Code 180030Code 1...

Yesterday, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Tom Cotton (R-AR) took another shot at Chinese-made drone tech and the world’s largest drone manufacturer, DJI, while Congress member Elise Stefanik (R-NY) introduced parallel legislation  (read text of proposal at link) in the House of Representatives.  The Senators introduced the Countering CCP Drones Act, in an effort to add DJI to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) “Covered List”, which “identifies telecommunication equipment that poses a threat to America’s national security,” according to the Senators’ press release, and bans their use in U.S. communications infrastructure. The move comes after an article the Washington Post   stated that DJI “obscured its Chinese government funding while claiming that Beijing had not invested in the firm.”  In the press release, DJI is described as “Chinese Communist Party affiliated drone company Da-Jiang Innovations (DJI).” “Chinese drone-maker DJI has repeatedly li...

MissionGO, a leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) production and operations, was invited by the Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President, and mobile healthcare company ZappCare, to showcase how MissionGO’s unmanned aircraft delivery service can be used to transport medical supplies and other essential items to people living in the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. The four flight demonstrations, named by the Navajo Nation as “Healing Eagle Feather”, took place in Window Rock, Az. on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. Each flight made a unique cargo delivery to highlight broad customer use cases: 1) pharmaceutical medical cargo which might be delivered by Navajo healthcare providers of insulin, an inhaler, vitamins and hypertension medication; 2) healthy, fresh produce including carrots, zucchini, bananas and apples, and a locally prepared meal; 3) an emergency kit which might be delivered by Navajo first responders with water, a flashlight and batteries, emergency blan...

Drones come in many sizes, from the sub 250gram models up to heavy-lift systems such as the Vulcan Airlift. There are different levels of drones, from consumer to prosumer to enterprise. Choosing one for yourself or your company can be quite difficult if you don’t understand your needs and what you need in the drone’s abilities. You could make a bad decision that can be costly and affect the success of your company’s drone program or your new budding drone services business. Two of the best professional-grade drones on the market today are the DJI Phantom 4 Pro and Mavic 2 Pro. Other good options, depending on your intended use, include the Autel EVO II, the Yuneec H520, or the DJI Matrice series of drones. What makes the best professional drone for you depends on the industry you’re working in, and what you need to do with your drone. Let’s look at some of the factors to look for in a commercial drone, and then some of the best options on the market. What does the current industry lik...

FIFISH V6 EXPERT, first debuted in late 2021, is a professional-class underwater robot and productivity solution. Equipped with all-new multi-attachable tooling capabilities, V6 EXPERT is the latest iteration of the award-winning V6 series by underwater robotics company QYSEA Technology. An Upgraded & Expansive Underwater Productivity Tool Renowned for its entry-level FIFISH V6 ROV that made its definitive mark at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), QYSEA has since seen increasing demand for more capable and compact-sized ROVs. The V6 EXPERT delivers an upgraded build and performance from its predecessor, increased protection against corrosion and sand, all the while applying its patented design to achieve 360-degrees of underwater mobility. FIFISH V6 EXPERT also sees a boosted filming experience, with 4K low noise shooting, a pair of 6000 Lumen LED lights, as well as an SD card slot to easily transfer out images and films from the ROV. In terms of upgraded power, the V6 EXPE...

First Annual DroneDeploy Social Impact Report by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby DroneDeploy , the leading enterprise-grade drone data company, has released its first ever Annual Social Impact Report , documenting the impact its social impact program has made over the course of 2021. Aiming to ensure that the company has a lasting positive impact on the world, the social impact program operates through several programs including nonprofits, crisis response, education, volunteering & giving, and diversity & inclusion. “Over the past year we have expanded and deepened our impact through meaningful and reciprocal partnerships in the robotics industry, charitable community, and beyond,” said Rebecca Lehman, DroneDeploy’s Social Impact Program Manager. “But technology is only a tool. Ultimately, it’s individuals, relationships, and communities that will make impactful, lasting change in our world. Our work is to enable these leaders.“ Nonprofits Drone data has played a key role...