Do you need a Part 107 certificate?  While Part 107 does make it easier to operate a drone commercially, not everyone will have to take the test.  Here’s the summary of the FAA rules (with all the links and references) about who should start studying – and who can put …

An Arizona-based startup is equipping a local police department with a unique air-traffic control system for its future drone fleet. Drone Control Systems recently signed an agreement with the Sahuarita Police Department to deploy the company’s Local Area Drone Dispatch and Authorization System software and hardware solution. “[LADDAS] provides near …

Increasingly universities are collaborating with private firms and other government agencies to examine how drones can be used in crisis situations to deliver aid and medical relief. Two such initiatives were announced this week. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School have received  funding from the Massachusetts Central Homeland …

A team of researchers from Alabama is developing a dam fine application for drones. University of Alabama-Birmingham doctoral candidate Ali Darwish is leading a project to create customized UAVs that can be used for infrastructure inspection – specifically for dams. “Alabama has 2,100 dams, and only 2 percent are regularly …

A new application has launched offering drone users on-demand insurance for commercial and recreational flights. Verifly, from tech entrepreneur Jay Bregman, has been designed to offer a simple way for pilots to buy insurance pre-flight and per flight. Over two years in the making, Verifly will offer an alternative for pilots …

Last week, we reminded readers of American police agencies’ “bromance” with drones. However, the infatuation with UAVs is not bound by borders. Here’s a roundup of police drone reports from around the world. Czech Republic Czech national police are testing drones across several regions and hope to get authorization to …

Will its reliance on channel partnerships address the real needs of commercial operators? QuickTake THE FACTS: Without the usual fanfare associated with a new product release, consumer drone manufacturer DJI opened up a website (http://enterprise.dji.com) in July 2016 that is dedicated to commercial / enterprise use of their drones. The …

Earlier this week, Norwegian startup Staaker launched its first drone. And understandably plenty of major publications took notice. For once, this was a tried and tested new entry to the market, not a concept to be crowdfunded or a prototype in the making. The company was formed in 2013 after one of the founders was …

The Department of Homeland Security is looking for a few good drone startups. As part of an effort to connect with innovative industry, Homeland Security held an industry event last week in order to meet “nontraditional contractors” who might be able to provide the drone technology that they need. A notice …

Elevation data is crucial to many industries. Businesses are beginning to look to drones as a faster, safer, more cost-effective alternative to traditional ground-based survey methods of capturing elevation data. Over the last few months, we’ve rolled out a number of tools to help companies leverage elevation data, including improved …