Feds Announce Test Sites For Drone Aircraft

The Federal Aviation Administration announced six states on Monday that will develop test sites for drones, a critical next step for the march of the unmanned aircraft into U.S. skies. Alaska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Texas and Virginia will host the research sites, the agency said. “This is a HUGE win for citizens action…

The Big UAV/UAS Manufacturer List

There are hundreds, if not thousands of Drone manufacturers around the world, with new ventures springing up every day. This page attempts to chronicle as many of them as possible by geographic area. Companies making drones, UAVs or UAS. United States California 3D Robotics – The for profit arm of DIY Drones. Leader in supporting…

States Await FAA Drone Testing Decision

With only three highly anticipated days to go, the Economic development offices and major research universities across the nation are waiting with the anticipation of a kid on Christmas Eve for the Federal Aviation Administration to decide where it will station research and test sites for drones. The FAA’s decision, which could be worth billions…

Potential Drone Test Site Spurs Concerns In San Diego Back Country

Julian resident John Raifsnider believes drones have eyes, and wandering ones at that. He worries that if San Diego becomes a test site for the technology, the government might use it to spy on local citizens. He’s also troubled by potential fires if a drone crashes. And he has a slew of questions: “What effect…

BILL TO REGULATE DRONES, PROTECT PRIVACY INTRODUCED

November 7, 2013 (Washington D.C.) –The Drone Aircraft Privacy and Transparency Act was introduce November 4 in the Senate. “The FAA’s plan falls far short of putting in place the necessary privacy protections for the commercialization of drone use in U.S. airspace,” Senator Ed Markey (D-MA)said in a statement. “This disregard for the need for…

San Diego Supervisor Bill Horn Interview – Bill, for Real

‘I made it over to the Borrego Sun newspaper office well before my interview appointment with Supervisor Bill Horn, but when I arrived, he was already sitting out front visiting with Ellen and Anita.  He called out as I picked up my pace, “I’m early.”  I mumbled something about seeing him the other day (at…

2013 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Legislation

**** Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, have a host of applications:  law enforcement, land surveillance, wildlife tracking, search and rescue operations, disaster response, border patrol and photography among others. Many state legislatures are debating if and how UAS technology should be regulated, taking into account privacy concerns, the…

NASA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration in the National Airspace System (NAS) Project Presentations

The following collection of presentations from the NASA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration in the National Airspace System (NAS) Project details efforts to integrate drones into the national airspace including technical problems with frequency allocation as well as technologies designed to avoid mid-air collisions.  The document is available from the Department of Commerce’s National Technical…

A Flock Of Flying Drones

Flying robots equipped with 3D gear: better surveillance on the cheap They can be deployed as additional surveillance resources during major events, or as high-resolution 3D street imaging systems. Intelligent swarms of aerial drones are a universally useful tool for police, crisis managers and urban planners. Special 3D sensors developed by Fraunhofer researchers ensure flawless…

Governor Brown Vetoes California Electronic Privacy Protection

For the third straight year, California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed common sense electronic privacy legislation, ensuring that California remains behind the rest of the country when it comes to technology law and policy. Gov. Brown vetoed SB 467, an EFF-sponsored bill that would have required state law enforcement officials to obtain a search warrant in…