Drones For Good

It’s World Oceans Day – and DRONELIFE is noting the day by reporting on researchers at Loughborough University’s Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering who are pushing the boundaries of drone technology to protect marine wildlife. “Sometimes when I’m out at sea and I see the devastation caused …

image: UNICEF.  The following is an Editorial Opinion. A few months ago, I was honored to have the opportunity to speak with Camille Oren, who with Andrej Verity co-authored a paper published today on Digital Humanitarians titled Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applied to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and its Impact on Humanitarian Action. …

When a few moments count, unmanned aerial vehicles show huge benefit over traditional road transportation.  That difference in speed is what makes defibrillators and drones a compelling solution.  Now Swedish drone company Everdrone has announced that it is deploying a drone system that delivers Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to the scene of …

Image: CDC/Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAMS During the current Covid-19 pandemic, surveillance drones have been used by police departments around the world to monitor community quarantines.  The application keeps law enforcement officials safe while reminding community members of social distancing guidelines.  In the U.S., some politicians have objected, with …

Much of the world is focused on the current Covid-19 crisis – but good works everywhere continue.  French manufacturer Parrot has donated drones, software and support to assist in human rights: most recently, for a Human Rights Watch investigation in Syria. Assisting the Human Rights Watch investigation into ISIS atrocities …

 EHang Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: EH) introduced passenger drones to the world several years ago, with the most talked-about prototype at the 2016 CES.  Since then, the company has successfully developed the fully autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) technology platform.  Now, EHang has successfully demonstrated the use of passenger drones for emergency …

In a blog post April 17, Parrot announced that they are supporting the French medical profession by contributing their experience in engine design and integration to the MakAir open source respirator project.   “The engine is an essential and very demanding part of any ventilation device: constant power, controlled vibrations, …

The news around the world is dominated by the current pandemic – and drone industry news is no exception.  Just as drones saw new uses in disaster response efforts after hurricanes and earthquakes, new applications are appearing as a result of today’s crisis.  This week, the FAA issued regulatory guidance …

image: public domain News and Commentary.  Drones equipped with loudspeaker systems are now being commonly used in the Covid-19 crisis to monitor communities for compliance to public safety orders – but some readers complain that being watched by police from the air is just plain “creepy.” The FAA says it …

The world’s largest drone manufacturer, DJI, has been a pioneer in the “drones for good” community: taking a leading role in working with public safety agencies to expand drone use cases.  With a large manufacturing base in China, DJI as a company has felt the effects of  Covid-19 from the …