New drone laws for European Union

Common European rules on drones, Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, have been published to ensure drone operations across Europe are safe and secure. The rules will amongst others help to protect the safety and the privacy of EU citizens while enabling the free circulation of drones and a level playing field within the European Union.

The common rules will help drone operators, whether professional or recreational, to have a clear understanding of what is allowed or not. At the same time it enables them to operate across borders. Once drone operators have received an authorization in the state of registration, they are allowed to freely circulate in the European Union. This means that they can operate their drones seamlessly when travelling across the EU or when developing a business involving drones around Europe.

The new rules include technical as well as operational requirements for drones. On one hand they define the capabilities a drone must have to be flown safely. For instance, new drones will have to be individually identifiable, allowing the authorities to trace a particular drone if necessary. This will help to better prevent events similar to the ones which happened in 2018 at Gatwick and Heathrow airports. On the other hand the rules cover each operation type, from those not requiring prior authorisation, to those involving certified aircraft and operators, as well as minimum remote pilot training requirements. The new rules will replace existing national rules in EU Member States.

EASA will soon publish guidance material and a proposal for two “standard scenarios” to support drone operators to comply with the adopted rules. Towards the end of the year EASA will make a proposal to the European Commission for U-space service regulation to enable complex drone operations with a high degree of automation.

LIDARUSA puts safety first with drone rescue systems

LiDARUSA has announced the option of the Drone Rescue Systems parachute system with all DJI M600 UAV sales. As UAV’s become increasingly common for mapping applications the likelihood of a crash increases. Any mapping equipped drone will have enough weight to potentially harm a person even if falling from a low altitude flight. The Drone Rescue system greatly mitigates this danger.

The DRS- M600 is designed to autorelease using a patented, airplane-friendly ejection mechanism within milliseconds of detecting a system failure. Effective as low as 10m with a descent of 3m/s, the equipment will land without a hard impact yet quickly enough to keep from being dragged far away. lidarusa.com

Terra Drone Europe aids Djibouti in flood damage mitigation

Terra Drone Europe has successfully completed a high-resolution photogrammetric pavement assessment using a multi-rotor drone at Djibouti’s key port of Doraleh. The 5-day aerial survey was accompanied by detailed inspections of the quay walls and the sea defense revetments at the Doraleh harbor.

The data acquired will be used in conjunction with previously-collected bathymetric data, by Deep B.V., to offer a holistic view of the condition of the port – both above and below the waterline. With this survey, Djibouti will be able to identify the high and low spots of the harbor pavements – an important aspect since the port has proven to be susceptible to flooding. The topographic data will further be used to plan and propose a new drainage scheme to the port owners. https://terra-drone.eu/en/

Terra Drone introduces Terra Mapper software in India

Terra Drone India (TDI) has introduced all-in-one drone data processing and photogrammetric software Terra Mapper in the Indian market. The new, updated version of Terra Mapper simplifies aerial data analytics and eliminates the need for enterprises and organizations to outsource drone data processing jobs.

DJI Government Edition’s rigorous data controls are validated by U.S. Federal

DJI has introduced DJI Government Edition, a new comprehensive drone solution created specifically for use in high-security situations by government agencies around the world. Government Edition’s unique architecture ensures that drone data – including photos and videos captured during flight – never leave the drone and therefore can never be shared with unauthorized parties including DJI. This architecture ensures it meets the stringent requirements of the government sector for data management, risk mitigation, and enterprise-level data sharing control. www.dji.com

SimActive launches new drone processing service

SimActive Inc. has announced a new drone data processing service based on Correlator3D™. Clients can now upload full projects and have SimActive experts generate optimal results from their imagery, including DSMs, DTMs, 3D models and orthomosaics. www.simactive.com.

Altitude Angel partners with FOCA

Altitude Angel is to join the Swiss civil aviation authority (FOCA) development programme to establish a U-Space regulatory framework. FOCA established the Swiss U-Space Implementation (SUSI) platform and invited businesses from across the globe to help advance its understanding and regulatory model around the integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the airspace. Skyguide, the Swiss ANSP, is commissioned to implement the applicable legislation and to develop and implement the FIMS (flight information management system). Skyguide will provide different FIMS functionalities and interfaces over time in accordance with the overall SUSI project. www.altitudeangel.com

Drone management integrates business and technical tools

Dronecloud has announced the launch of its Drone Management, cloud-based software platform. The platform can halve project overheads by simplifying endto- end workflow. It integrates all drone operations; from client communications to flight planning and it automatically creates a regulation-compliant audit trail through partnerships with global leaders in drone and air traffic data analytics. www.dronestagr.am

AIRT and APD partnership to promote disaster resiliency via drones

The Airborne International Response Team (AIRT) has announced a new partnership with the Asociación de Profesionales de Drones (APD) to promote the use and standardization of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and associated technologies throughout the Caribbean and Latin America for emergencies and disasters.

The memorandum of understanding also calls for mutual-aid and support capabilities for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities for complex incidents and significant emergencies such as hurricanes, earthquakes, mudslides, and a range of other disasters.

Two Indian drone startups get certified under new drone policy

Two drone startups in the Indian city of Bengaluru, Skylark Drones and Throttle Aerospace Systems get certified drones from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) after they complied with the NP-NT (no permission, no takeoff) protocol under the new drone policy. This is the first time such certifications has been given under India’s new drone law that came into effect on December 1, 2018. Under the NP-NT procedure, drone operators needs to get prior permission to fly drones through mobile applications. Those drones that don’t have the permission from Digital Sky platform will not be able to operate. These two startups got the permission as their drones fall under the category of visual line of sight (VLOS) – which means drones have to be within the viewing limits of the operator.https:// tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com

Hyderabad, India to use drones for mapping urban properties

The Indian city of Hyderabad’sGreater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has sent a proposal to conduct a GIS mapping survey via drones.

The Municipal Corporation plans to use this new technology to map urban properties and other conveniences in the town. The mapping project is estimated to make an important impression on unauthorized constructions and illegal infringement.

This technology might be used for the first time in Hyderabad, other cities that have already implemented this mapping survey for urban properties and other facilities are Chennai, Bangalore, and Mumbai. www.newindianexpress.com

GeoCue launches True View, first drone LiDAR/imagery fusion sensor

GeoCue Group has unveiled its new True View line of drone sensors. It offer surveyors an innovative lidar + dual oblique mapping camera configuration integrated in a single lightweight payload for use on commercial drone platforms. It allows for fast, easy automated generation of true 3D colorized point clouds, oblique imagery and orthophotos from a single flight.

Raytheon and Black Sage team to deliver counter-drone tech

Raytheon Company and Black Sage are now partnering to provide an integrated drone detection and mitigation system for civil authorities, critical infrastructure and military organizations around the world.To defend urban environments, like airports and cities, against drones, Black Sage’s sensors, AI, and radiofrequency jammers have been integrated into Raytheon’s Windshear command and control system. This combined system allows a single operator to control a network of sensors and effectors that safely and quickly track, take over or land drones flying where they shouldn’t. www.raytheon.com

Raytheon and AirMap collaborate on safe drone integration

Raytheon Company has signed a strategic agreement with AirMap, the leading global airspace intelligence platform for drones, to collaborate on future projects to safely integrate unmanned aerial systems, into the national airspace system and unlock the positive economic and social benefits of expanded commercial drone operations. www.airmap.com

Flock launches ‘real-time’ insurance and risk-management product for drone fleets

Flock, the London-based insurtech startup has unveiled ‘Flock Enterprise’, a first-ofits- kind insurance and risk management solution for drone fleets.The product leverages real-time data to provide highly bespoke insurance policies for enterprises using drones. This data-driven approach transforms how organisations insure their connected drone fleets, offering greater visibility into flight risk and rewarding safer flights with cheaper insurance premiums. https://dronelife.com

Virtual Surveyor unveils terrain lenses in drone mapping software

Virtual Surveyor has unveiled Terrain Lenses in Version 6.3 of its drone surveying and mapping software. Overlaid on a LiDAR point cloud or orthophoto, the six lenses enhance different aspects of the terrain in 3D to give users a better understanding of the topography in the area they mapped with UAV. www.virtual-surveyor.com