Virtual Surveyor streamlines workflow

The Virtual Surveyor drone surveying software now offers a faster, more efficient workflow and better overall user experience in a more stable platform. These new capabilities, along with an improved licensing system and an extended free application, are available now in Virtual Surveyor 6.

The software leverages the expertise and interpretation skill of a land surveyor and combines it with the computing power of the computer. It generates an interactive onscreen environment through orthophotos and digital surface models, generated from the UAV, where the surveyor selects survey points and breaklines to define the topography. www.virtual-surveyor.com.

CTSi tests navigation system for GPS-denied UAS navigation

CTSi and partner L3 Technologies completed flight-testing this month of a newly developed integrated communication and navigation system for use in highly contested and GPS-denied environments. Designated the Enhanced Link Navigation System (ELNS), the prototype was built under a U.S. Navy $8.7 million Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase III contract. ELNS utilizes L3 Technologies’ waveforms that defeat adversary strategies to detect and disrupt allied signals, using waveforms that are essential in communicationsdenied and GPS-denied environments.

Aeronyde and Unifly partnership

Florida-based Autonomous Aerial Systems (AAS) company Aeronyde and Belgian Unmanned Traffic Management provider Unifly announced a partnership to bring advanced UAV technology to emergency responders. The companies will integrate Unifly’s Unmanned Traffic Management services, along with Aeronyde’s system for Autonomous flight, to create an efficient self-flying system for police and fire departments. The Aeronyde-Unifly partnership will create an autonomous system to enable emergency responders to scale their drone operations. The esulting system will offer on-demand dispatching of registered and authorized drones, and will deliver real-time situational awareness of scenes of distress. www.unifly.aero

Drone-based high-resolution thermal inspection capabilities

Kespry, the leading drone-based aerial intelligence solution provider, has announced new high-resolution thermal inspection capabilities for commercial property and industrial facilities. Thermal inspection solution is based on radiometric temperature analysis, providing actionable data to people inspecting roofs.

Radiometric analysis means that a specific temperature is displayed for a specific point on a roof. In contrast, non-radiometric thermal drone data simply shows general temperature differences and changes in an area, making it hard to determine whether there is a specific point of damage or concern. www.prnewswire.com

Dedrone introduces drone detection in the Cloud

Dedrone Cloud is a new platform that advances Dedrone’s offerings, and enables smooth deployment of the its solution, accelerating the process for organizations to develop a threat analysis of their airspace.

Dedrone Cloud streamlines and accelerates drone detection technology installations, without requiring on-site IT infrastructure or maintenance. www.dedrone.com

Crowdfunding campaign for advanced AI-powered drone

Airlango launched Mystic, an advanced AI-powered drone with the ability to recognize and autonomously follow its owner, obey gesture commands from the ground, and take high precision photos without user interaction.

The proprietary technology is the first ever to include neural-computing based AI functionality and flight control on the same chipset. The company hopes to play a part in ushering in a new era of autonomous robots that serve the needs of users through advanced perception and neural processing. www.prweb.com

Niti Aayog, India expects drones to be instrumental in development

Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog, the official policy think tank of the government of India, believes that Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) have the potential to transform many sectors and modernize India at a rapid pace.

Emphasizing that drones are going to replace 80% of the operations presently carried out by the manned aircrafts Kant said that integrating drones in civilian space is a challenging job and would requires an appropriate regulatory framework. As India finally prepares itself to allow drones for civilian purposes, the NITI Aayog has asked manufacturers to get ready for the huge demand that could reach more than $50 billion in the next 15 years

India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation, which came out with a draft drone policy on civilian drones last November, is expected to soon start the registration process of drones.

Enterprise Shield Drone Protection Service Plan

DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, recently announced DJI Enterprise Shield, a new customizable drone protection service plan designed to meet the diverse needs of today’s commercial drone operators. It is the first comprehensive coverage plan of its kind that covers DJI’s trusted line of enterprise products, providing broad accident coverage, repair and replacement services, free shipping and rapid delivery, and the option to share coverage across a fleet of enterprise products.

MDA to provide mission-critical sensors for the SPACE DRONE

MDA has announced that a contract was signed between its recently acquired Neptec UK Ltd. (Neptec) company and Effective Space, the UK company pioneering last-mile logistics in space, for the supply of a space flight LIDAR and the infrared camera for its on-orbit servicing SPACE DRONE™ spacecraft.

Capable of extending the life of aging satellites by as many as 15 years, the SPACE DRONE spacecraft uses MDA’s LIDAR and infrared camera to confidently and safely approach and dock with orbiting geostationary satellites.

Two SPACE DRONE™ spacecraft will be launched into orbit in 2020, as part of a $100 million contract with a major regional satellite operator. MDA will execute the project from its newly expanded United Kingdom business. www.prnewswire.com