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In This issue
- Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
- Advanced Air Mobility
- Technology, Environment and Legislation
- Autonomy & Electric Vehicles
- Akin Thought Leadership
- Events
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
Study Offers Objective Insights to Near-Miss Collisions Between Drones, Airplanes – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Researchers have developed a new way to accurately count and objectively analyze close encounters between drones and airplanes—without depending solely on pilot sightings. In a peer-reviewed study published by the Society of Automotive Engineers in the SAE International Journal of Aerospace, researchers looked at more than 1.8 million piloted aircraft operations and nearly 460,000 flights by small -uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) around Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, a major hub. Between August 2018 and July 2021, researchers with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Unmanned Robotic Systems Analysis (URSA) identified 24 near midair collisions (NMACs) in which sUAS or "drones" came within 500 feet of piloted aircraft.
Drones Reach Stratospheric Heights in Race to Fly Higher, Longer – Wall Street Journal
This month, a drone took off from a missile range in New Mexico and climbed into the stratosphere, joining a race to deliver unmanned aerial vehicles that can fly higher and longer than ever before. Drones have already shaken up warfare, recently playing a prominent role in the war in Ukraine. But militaries have long sought craft that can provide intelligence at a height beyond the reach of most radar and missile-defense systems, and for extended periods. For commercial users, high-altitude drones can be a way to beam internet services into areas with low connectivity.
China Imposes Drone Export Curbs Amid US Tech Tensions – Aljazeera
China has announced export controls on some drones and drone-related equipment, saying it wants to safeguard "national security and interests" amid escalating tension with the United States over access to technology. The restrictions on equipment announced on Monday, including some drone engines, lasers, communication equipment and anti-drone systems, would take effect on September 1, the commerce ministry said.
Drone Regulations Easing for Farmers - Farm & Ranch Guide
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is making it easier for private citizens to get licensed to operate drones. The process, according to Hylio, a U.S. spray drone company, is making the technology even more accessible to farmers. "The FAA is making it way easier for farmers to get the license," said Hylio CEO Arthur Erickson. "It used to take over a year and now it's 30-60 days, so you are essentially getting a year of your life back."
Advanced Air Mobility
Reliable Robotics Gets FAA Approval to Test Automated Aircraft Systems – Reuters
Reliable Robotics, a Silicon Valley startup aiming to automate conventional fixed-wing planes, has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to proceed with its plan to test and certify fully automated aircraft systems, the company said on Thursday. "We're three to four years out from being able to remotely operate these aircraft at any kind of reasonable scale," said Robert Rose, co-founder and chief executive of the Mountain View, California-based company which aims to license its autonomous flight system to other companies.
There's No Way to Slash Airline Emissions Without Greener Fuel – Bloomberg In the run-up to the (almost but not quite) four-day weekend over July 4, U.S. air travel set a new record. The Transportation Security Administration said it screened nearly 2.9 million fliers on June 30, the highest daily count in the agency's history. Flying in the U.S. has rebounded from its COVID-19 lows. And if global expectations hold true, elsewhere, air travel will just go up and up. In its recently released 2023 commercial market outlook, Boeing Co. predicts the world's fleet of commercial planes (now numbering just over 24,500) will double by 2042. More planes, more passengers and the continuing predominance of larger aircraft add up to a big climate takeaway: Sustainable aviation fuel will be critical to the effort of decarbonizing the industry.
Urban Air Mobility Could Give Residents More "Freedom to Move About," Former FAA Official Says – Smart Cities Dive
Air taxis may begin operating in Chicago, New York City and San Francisco in the coming years. Using electrically powered aircraft that can take off and land vertically, known as eVTOLs, they promise a new era of urban air mobility, flying between downtown areas and airports or acting as regional transportation. The Federal Aviation Administration recently published its implementation plan for advanced air mobility, which former FAA acting administrator Billy Nolen spearheaded while he led the agency.
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