A smart drone mailbox could be a solution to delivery concerns, an FAA waiver for automated drones, Quantum networks with unmanned aircraft, precision infrastructure inspection, using a drone to contact rescuers, keeping a 3-rotor quadcopter from crashing, and air taxi trials coming to Paris.
A smart drone mailbox would address delivery issues such as porch pirates, excited pets, and inclement weather. They offer security, are accessible only to the recipient, and packages are shielded from the weather. Valqari and DRONEDEK are developers of smart drone mailboxes. Valqari CEO Ryan Walsh says, “The drone companies have been focused largely on all the innovative features of their drones, but if that innovation doesn’t create a safe, secure, and convenient experience for consumers, it will never be adopted.”
American Robotics Inc. becomes the first company to get FAA approval for fully automated commercial flights. The Scout drones are housed in weather-proof base stations with autonomous charging and data transmission from aerial surveys. They fly along planned routes, limited to altitudes below 400 feet (122 meters) in rural areas, and have a maximum takeoff weight of 20 pounds (9 kilograms). The FAA Waiver is valid until January 31, 2023.
Researchers published a paper saying they have used drones to create a quantum network. Researchers put lasers on drones and the resulting photons were split into entangled pairs. One photon went to a ground station while the other went to another drone, was relayed to an additional drone, then sent to another ground station.
Skyfish is an American drone company based in Montana with a Sony partnership. Their focus is on infrastructure inspection and measurement with survey-grade accuracy. The Skyfish M4 and the Skyfish M6 support a variety of payloads, including Lidar, methane detection, thermal, electro-optical, and custom payloads. The M4 is designed for photogrammetry and high-fidelity 3D reality models. The M6 drone is designed for heavier payloads and “environment-aware robotic interactions.” As DJI faces political hurdles, companies like Skyfish are trying to establish a toehold.
Some stranded adventurers in Australia needed to...
