167 UAS as a Subscription Service

A UAS service for public safety agencies, ScanEagle goes to the Smithsonian, testing drone strikes on airliners, NASA tests BVLOS, maritime drone tests, a new sense and avoid sensor, and FAA outreach.NewsAeryon Introduces Flexible UAS Subscription Solution for Law Enforcement at IACP 2016Aeryon Labs, Inc. is offering UAS services to qualified public safety agencies on a monthly subscription basis. Announced at the International Association of Chiefs of Police annual conference and exhibition, the service includes the Aeryon SkyRanger UAS, Program Launch and Support Services, Assured Operational Availability, Investment Protection, and Secure, Remote Distribution of Video and Imagery.Insitu Donates ScanEagle UAS to Smithsonian Air & Space Museum; Ryan Hartman CommentsScanEagle N202SE will go on display at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. Boeing subsidiary Insitu donated the ScanEagle that was the first drone operated beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) in a commercial mission in the U.S. National Airspace System.UK government to test drone safety by deliberating crashing UAVs into passenger aeroplanesThe Department of Transport (DoT), the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) have been ordered to begin tests to learn what happens when a typical consumer quadcopter strikes a commercial passenger jet.NASA Conducts ‘Out of Sight’ Drone Tests in NevadaAs part of NASA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) traffic management [PDF] (or UTM) research platform, the Agency is testing drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). NASA will now offer the capabilities to all FAA test sites for further validation and assessment.Maritime drones have a long voyage ahead before they become commonplaceSelf-sailing boats experience a complex operating environment. Unmanned water taxis, or “Roboats,” will be tested next year in Amsterdam’s canals.Canadian Skies Abuzz – The Regulation of Drones and UAVs in Canadian AirspaceIn 2015, Transport Canada issued a Notice of Proposed Amendment to its UAV regulations, and the organization it is now finalizing the proposed regulations. Publication for formal comment is expected in Spring 2017.Quantum film sensor stops delivery drones crashing into thingsInVisage Technologies has developed QuantumFilm™ sensors that allow small drones to sense and avoid obstacles. The sensor’s photosensitive layer uses quantum dots and has five times the light sensing capability of conventional CMOS image sensors. The new sensor design “can rapidly detect obstacles up to 20 metres away, using a technique called structured light.” Projected “laser dots… are distorted by any object they strike, allowing the sensor to infer the location and distance of obstacles ahead.”Education Key to Understanding FAA Drone RegulationsAs part of the FAA’s outreach to drone users, an educational webinar was produced in conjunction with the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).Video of the WeekUAS Conference – 2 Races – Cape May, NJ Video: UAS Conference – 2 Races – Cape May, NJMentionedNorthern Light Aerial Images from photographer Mark Fink.Drones being used to zero in on pests in vineyards and orchards