A pseudo satellite drone with deformable wings, an agricultural drone that sprays crops, a project for drone applications in cities, the FAA makes a Federal preemption statement, a payment concept for drone package delivery, and a deformable drone that absorbs impacts.
The UAVOS Inc. HAPS (High Altitude Pseudo Satellite) aircraft is solar-powered with a flexible wing for control. The ApusDuo prototype has been flown more than 1000 hours at altitudes of up to 65,617 feet (20,000 meters). Flight tests confirmed the aircraft can handle turbulence by actively changing the bend of the wing. UAVOS specializes in the design, development, and manufacturing of unmanned vehicles and autopilot systems and components. Their solutions range from small industrial surveillance drones to large UAVs.
The University’s Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering department is using an AG V6+ agriculture drone from Homeland Surveillance & Electronics. It holds four gallons of herbicide and flies autonomously for 30 minutes, covering 33 acres in one hour. The department’s “smart farm” project looks to deploy the drone in precise areas of land and fly autonomously without the need for a high-resolution imaging drone.
Promotional video: AG v6a+ UAV Crop Sprayer
The Nesta innovation foundation conducted the Flying High Challenge pilot project to investigate applications for drones in cities. The objectives of the Challenge were to shape plans for the future of drones in UK cities, identify and address key complexities, and detail technical and economic plans. The project collaborated with five cities to analyze socially beneficial use cases. See the final report: Flying High: The future of drone technology in UK cities
Some state and local governments have passed laws that regulate drones, but who has authority over the airspace? In Press Release – FAA Statement–Federal vs. Local Drone Authority, the FAA says, “Congress has provided the FAA with exclusive authority to regulate aviation safety, the efficiency of the navigable airspace, and air traffic control, among other things. State and local governments are not permitted to regulate any type of aircraft operations, such as flight paths or altitudes, or the navigable airspace.” But local governments can control landing sites through their land use powers.
