Ministry of Drones

A group of researchers from Caltech university and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have come up with an elegant and solution to get drones up in the air, by using a SQUID, short for Streamlined Quick Unfolding Investigation Drone. The SQUID is under a foot long (27 centimeters), weighs 18 ounces (530 grams), and has four spring-loaded rotor arms that snap into place in less than a tenth of a second after the drone is launched using a modified pneumatic baseball pitching machine, giving it an initial speed of around 35 miles per hour (~56km/h).

This transforming drone can be fired straight out of a cannon Designed for emergency response and space exploration

FLIR Systems, a company specialized in building thermal imaging components and image sensors, has unveiled a new line of unmanned aerial system payloads for its SkyRanger and SkyRaider drones.The new line launches with two multi-sensor products: StormCaster-T, which delivers continuous zoom and longwave infrared (LWIR) imaging, and StormCaster-L, which provides ultra-low-light imaging, tracking and mapping.

FLIR Unveils New StormCaster Payloads for SkyRanger and SkyRaider Drones - DRONELIFE FLIR has unveiled a new line of unmanned aerial system payloads for its SkyRanger and SkyRaider drones, for public safety and ISR missions.

Workhorse Group, a T\transportation-solutions provider, in partnership with Unmanned Systems Operations Group (USOG) launches a pilot drone-delivery program focusing on the medical sector. HorseFly, Workhorse's octocopter drone designed and built by the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science will be used will be used to run this pilot program.

WorkHorse, USOG Will Launch Medical Drone Delivery Program - DRONELIFE Transportation-solutions provider Workhorse Group is partnering with Unmanned Systems Operations Group to launch a pilot drone-delivery program focusing on the medical sector. The initiative will deploy Workhorse’s HorseFly, an octocopter drone designed and built by the University of Cincinnati Co...

More and more of farmers are using drones to help them gather information on their crops - and there are certain questions that have been frequently asked by these farmers. Here is a compilation of useful tips and information compiled by DroneDeploy that address these frequently asked questions.

7 Common Questions About Drones in Agriculture - DRONELIFE Sponsored by DroneDeploy How high to fly, how to detect crop stress and more As we head into July, growers across the Northern Hemisphere are busy monitoring the growth of their crops, applying nutrients, fertilizers and pesticides, and beginning to estimate their yields for the season. More and mor...

DJI Agras MG-1S drones, typically adopted by farmers to spray pesticides over crops, are being used by scientists in Tanzania to combat mosquito populations. The Anti-Malaria Drones [http://www.antimalariadrones.com/] project is being led by Dr. Bart Knols, by spraying infested rice fields with a unique non-toxic silicone-based liquid to create a thin film that prevents pupae and larvae from breathing at the surface.

DJI's Agras Drones are Being Deployed in the Fight Against Malaria - DRONELIFE DJI’s Agras drones are being used by scientists in Tanzania to combat mosquito populations. The Agras MG-1S, typically adopted by farmers to spray pesticides over crops, is one element of a revolutionary attempt to fight Malaria. The equipment is being customized and used by entomologists in Zanzi...

UPS in partnership with CVS, has successfully completed their first paid home deliveries of prescriptions, hauling medicine to two homes in Cary, North Carolina. The drones flew autonomously and lowered the packages to the ground with a cable and winch, although there was a human operator ready to take control.

CVS starts delivering prescriptions to homes via UPS drones It could help people who can't visit the pharmacy themselves.

NASA, in collaboration with SETI Institute, Mars Institute, NASA Ames Research Center, Collins Aerospace and Ntention, is developing a smart glove that will allow astronauts to easily fly drones and other robotic vehicles in space. The smart glove is a prototype for a human-machine interface (HuMI) that would use hand tracking to let astronauts wirelessly operate a fleet of robotic vehicles, including drones, via hand gestures.

Smart Gloves Will Allow Astronauts to Control Drones, Robots in Space The smart gloves are a possible solution to the cumbersome nature of spacesuits.

Ehang, a Chinese company that builds passenger-grade autonomous aerial vehicles has filed with USSEC to go public on Nasdaq with a $100 million offering of depository shares.The company’s primary vehicle is the two-seater, 16-rotor Ehang 216, with eight arms, allowing two passengers to board the vehicle.

Autonomous flying taxi startup Ehang files $100 million initial public offering The flying car industry is trying to go mainstream.

Cuberg, a battery startup with the backing from Boeing and the U.S. Department of Energy, has demonstrated the world's first vertical drone powered by a lithium metal battery (not to be confused with lithium-ion), based on a new, non-flammable electrolyte. The quadcopter flew 70 percent longer than the one powered by a lithium-ion battery.

Lithium-Ion Batteries Aren't Good Enough for Electric Flight. But Maybe Lithium-Metal Is. Researchers at a startup devise a new power storage design that far surpasses lithium-ion's limitations.

Volocopter is preparing to enter into the utility drone market using a similar design as its passenger air taxi, Volocity. VoloDrone, the 18-rotor electric aircraft, which can be remote-controlled or set to a pre-planned route in autonomous mode, is designed to fit various types of cargo and equipment under its belly -- be it a box, an agricultural sprayer, a sling or disaster relief tools. It can carry a maximum payload of 440 lbs (200 kg) at up to a distance of 25 miles (40 km), with a top speed of 68 mph (110 km/h).

Volocopter's massive utility drone can carry up to 440 pounds Just in case you want a bigger drone...

DJI’s unannounced Mavic Mini's specifications has been unofficially leaked by Newegg’s Canadian store. The Mavic Mini will be DJI’s lightest Mavic drone with a weight of 249g with flight time is rated at 30 minutes and recording resolution topped out at 2.7K. The official DJI announcement is set to take place at 9am ET on Wednesday (30/10/2019).

DJI Mavic Mini images and specs leak in new retailer listing So small that it doesn’t require FAA approval

Uber Eats new drone design is capable of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL). The ride-hailing company unveiled the new design for its food delivery drone at the Forbes 30 under 30 Summit. The design has rotating wings with six rotors with a battery that can only last for around eight minutes, including loading and unloading, and it only has a range of 12 miles for a roundtrip delivery.

Uber Eats' delivery drone is a VTOL speedster Uber has unveiled its new drone design for food delivery.