UAV LiDAR to inform carbon emission reduction policy making
A specialist team at the University of Wiconscin-Madison (UW-Madison) used the Routescene UAV LiDAR system to detect and visualize forests in Northern Wisconsin, USA as part of the CHEESEHEAD project. The objective of this wider project is to improve weather forecasting by understanding further how vegetation and …

ICAO Council makes progress on new RPAS standards
During its ongoing 222nd Session, the ICAO Council has adopted new and amended Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) driving important progress on the international safety and interoperability of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS).
The new provisions will become effective on 12 July 2021, and applicable as of 26 November …

NHAI makes drone survey mandatory for all national highways projects
In order to enhance transparency, uniformity and leverage latest technology, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), under Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has made mandatory use of drones for monthly video recording of National Highway projects during all stages of development, construction, operation and …

‘Giant Step for Urban Drone Environments’
The Hera Drone Hub has announced Altitude Angel, UTM (unifi ed traffic management, or U-Space) technology provider, is to provide UTM through its GuardianUTM Enterprise platform to the world’s first urban test centre in a CTR.
Spanish city of Zaragoza have become the first European city to authorise drone …

S Korea develops autonomous UAV navigation technology
Agency for Defense Development (ADD) controlled by the Defense Ministry, South Korea, through a four-year project, has developed an autonomous navigation technology for drones. The technology allows UAVs to autonomously set an optimized and safe path to their destination. It uses a sensor to collect external information and …

India notifies Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2021
The Indian Government on 14 March notified the Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2021. These rules will apply to Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) registered in India, wherever they may be or possessing or engaged in exporting, importing manufacturing, trading, leasing, operating, transferring or maintaining an Unmanned Aircraft System in …

GNSS-inertial package for delivery robots and drones
Parker LORD Microstrain Sensing debuted its new all-in-one navigation system this month, which includes onboard RTK and built-in dual antenna GNSS receivers. The advanced inertial navigation system includes: the 3DMGQ7-GNSS/INS, which can achieve centimeter-level position accuracy when paired with the company’s 3DMRTK modem and SensorCloud RTK corrections service. …

Discussion draft of the National Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)
The Government of India has released the discussion draft of the National Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Traffic Management Policy framed by the UTM Committee constituted under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. This policy is drafted under the overarching framework of the Draft UAS Rules 2020 and …

The Government of India, in the year 1979-80, initiated a scheme for Integrated Development of Small & Medium Towns (IDSMT). The main objectives of the Scheme were Improving infrastructural facilities and helping in the creation of durable public…

Virtual Surveyor introduces Curb & Gutter Mapping
Virtual Surveyor has introduced Curb & Gutter mapping functionality in Version 7.6 of its popular drone surveying software. The new capability enables surveyors to create a lightweight CAD model of curbs and gutters along the edges of streets and parking lots from standard orthophotos and elevation models captured …