New drone detection technology could lead to safer airspace

The Ohio Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration have teamed up to create a technology that “detects and avoids” drones from colliding with other low-fl ying aircraft such as medical helicopters or crop dusters. As the number of private drones rises, the concerns about how to keep airspace safe for everyone rise as well.

The Uncrewed Traffi c Management system features three ground-based radar locations in central Ohio. For drone users, operators must request clearance to fl y and use the airspace from the FAA, similar to how a commercial pilot would before take-off. The system would also allow for more drones to be used in emergency situations, relaying valuable information to crews on the ground.

Commaris announces partnership with FIZUAS

Commaris™, a brand of Terrafugia, Inc. announced its dealer partnership with FIZUAS Unmanned Aircraft Systems. This partnership allows FIZUAS to sell Commaris’s fl agship long-range UAV, the SEEKER, for commercial use. The Seeker’s innovative, electric, fi xed-wing/VTOL hybrid aircraft is designed to perform a wide variety of commercial inspection operations, including security and surveillance, inspections, surveying and mapping, and more. www.Commaris.com

Next gen medical drones for deployment in Ukraine

Draganfl y Inc. has delivered nextgeneration Medical Response Drones to Coldchain Delivery Systems, LLC for provision of its highly specialized nextgeneration Medical Response Drones to Revived Soldiers Ukraine (“RSU”). These Drones has been equipped with custom hardware and software updates that include an automatic payload drop function that uses proximity sensors for safe cargo release from several feet above the ground, a signifi cantly expanded communication range, and enhanced fi rst-person viewing capabilities that allow for a day or night operations. www.draganfly.com

DedronePortable for military and commercial entities

Dedrone has launched DedronePortable, an all-in-one kit that offers comprehensive drone detection, tracking, and identifi cation capabilities (DTI) on the go. It offers machine learning technology and end-to-end defeat capabilities via a system that can be set up in the fi eld in less than 20 minutes. It can be combined with DroneDefender to not only DTI enemy/unauthorized drones but also deny and disrupt the RF bands used by most commercial and military drones, and across the GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, SBAS, and QZSS geo-location bands. www.dedrone.com

Test site selected for FAA UTM field test

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded a task order contract to the New York UAS Test Site (NYUASTS) for the next uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS or drone) integration project to help advance the reality of safe, high-volume drone operations, and the development of a UAS traffi c management (UTM) system. The UTM Field Test (UFT) project will be managed by NUAIR on behalf of the NYUASTS located in Oneida County, NY and conducted within the 50-Mile Drone Corridor between Rome and Syracuse. The project will provide the FAA and industry with information to support policy development and will help industry update standards to support beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations – a critical element in unlocking the true potential of routine, commercial drone operations. https://nuair.org

Indian Army signs pact with Drone Federation

The Army Design Bureau on behalf of the Indian Army has signed an MoU with the Drone Federation of India to collaboratively work towards promoting research, development, testing and manufacturing of drones, counter-drone and associated technologies that can assist the Indian Army in its operations.

The Army Design Bureau is the nodal agency of the Indian Army to be the facilitator for the R&D efforts with the Industry, Academia, DRDO and DPSUs to enable them to understand and appreciate user requirements in depth.

Garuda Aerospace ventures into Africa

Chennai, India based drone startup Garuda Aerospace has partnered with Harare Institute of Technology and Nyangani Virtual University to offer drones-as-a-service to the agriculture industry in Zimbabwe. This is Garuda’s second global venture and the first in Africa. In June, Garuda announced that it is setting up a drone factory in Malaysia in collaboration with HiiLSE Drones, a Malaysian drone company.

Drones to monitor 250 acre floating solar farm in Thailand

Percepto has successfully completed a proof-of-concept (POC) with the Electric Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) for the monitoring of a 250-acre floating solar farm, one of the largest of its kind in the world.

The size of 70 soccer fields and located 350m from the nearest shoreline, the solar farm is on the Sirindhorn dam basin in Southeastern Thailand, consisting of seven sections floating on buoys. Partnering with Top Engineering Corporation, a Thai drone consultancy and equipment provider, Percepto AIM software and Percepto Air drone-in-a-box will enable autonomous routine inspections of panels and other equipment to ensure proper operation and detect anomalies before they turn into bigger issues. Joining Thailand’s electrical grid last October, the $34 million project reflects the country’s push to achieve carbon neutral status by 2050 with 145,000 solar panels harnessing power from the sun during the day and converting energy from flowing water at night.

Given the solar farm’s size and distance from land, equipment inspection and maintenance are cumbersome. Without drones, inspection staff would need to access the panel by boat to manually review the panels or go offshore to simply launch a drone that could provide visual inspection. Inspectors also face obstacles due to weather conditions such as extreme heat, rain and fog.

The automated drones will provide regular operations and maintenance reports, map the location of the panel, and perform inspections of substations, transformers, floating fences and solar floaters, which hold the panel above water. When an anomaly is detected, workers can know the exact problem, and where it is located. While one person must be in the vicinity of the panel for regulatory reasons, the inspection can be conducted remotely from Bangkok, more than 600 km away from the dam. www.percepto.co

HAL developing long-endurance drone to up vigil over LAC

State-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is working on an AI-driven multirole, advanced and long-endurance drone for strategic missions in highaltitude areas including along the frontiers with China, people familiar with the development said.

The rotary-wing drone will have the capability to carry a load of 40 kgs, including missiles and sensors, and it is being developed considering the requirement of the armed forces to keep a strong vigil over the mountainous areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), they said. www.business-standard.com