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Flytrex achieves 100,000 drone deliveries

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Flytrex, an airborne food delivery service, says it has made 100,000 drone delivery across its locations in North Carolina and Texas, making it “the largest operation of its kind in the United States”.

As the only company to achieve 100,000 commercial food deliveries by drone, Flytrex has seen 70 percent of the households in their delivery areas use the service.

By putting the most beloved food brands in America in customers’ hands, Flytrex is specifically tailored for on-demand deliveries in the underserved suburban market where the majority of Americans live. [Read more…] about Flytrex achieves 100,000 drone deliveries

Airobotics and HHLA Sky partner to offer drone services for terminal operations and critical infrastructure in Germany

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Airobotics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ondas Holdings, a provider of wireless networks and autonomous drones and automated data solutions, and HHLA Sky, a subsidiary of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik, a European port and transport logistics company, have entered a strategic partnership to offer advanced drone services to protect and support terminal operations, critical infrastructure and industrial operations in Germany.

This collaboration will leverage the cutting-edge autonomous drone technologies of Airobotics and HHLA Sky’s Integrated Control Center, UTM platforms and footprint in the German market, bringing “a new level of automation and precision to critical drone operations”, according to the companies.

Eric Brock, CEO of Ondas Holdings, says: “We are thrilled to partner with HHLA Sky as we enter the European market with our automated drone platforms. [Read more…] about Airobotics and HHLA Sky partner to offer drone services for terminal operations and critical infrastructure in Germany

Hamburg is pioneering urban drone traffic management

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The BLU-Space project is developing a system for the management of unmanned drone traffic in Germany. Its purpose is to integrate air traffic data with data from various sources and platforms for the first time under real conditions to develop holistic blueprints.

This is expected to make a significant contribution to safe and economical air mobility. The BLU-Space project is being funded with a total of 2.36 million euros by the Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport as part of the mFUND innovation initiative.

The integration of drone technology in urban airspace has the potential of providing significant benefits for society and the economy: it reduces ground-based traffic and increases efficiency in logistics. [Read more…] about Hamburg is pioneering urban drone traffic management

Skyports and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to explore middle-mile drone logistics

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Skyports Drone Services, a specialist in drone logistics, surveys, and monitoring, has agreed a strategic partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) to explore the feasibility of middle-mile drone logistics in the New York and New Jersey region.

The Port Authority oversees much of the region’s air, land, rail and maritime transportation infrastructure network, including: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Newark Liberty Airport (EWR); the Port of New York and New Jersey, one of the largest and busiest port systems in North America; in addition to major tunnels and bridge crossings within the Port District, which spans a 25-mile radius around the Statue of Liberty.

The multi-year collaboration between Skyports and PANYNJ will help realize PANYNJ’s vision for implementing and scaling uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) across its extensive portfolio of maritime, aviation, and transportation assets. [Read more…] about Skyports and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to explore middle-mile drone logistics

Google-owned Wing wins FAA authorization for drone deliveries

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With a new year on the horizon, demand for drone delivery has never been higher. Three in four shoppers are interested in saving time this holiday season with Wing’s fast-mile delivery, and major retailers like Walmart are integrating the company’s technology to serve their current and future needs.

In this context, drone delivery startup Wing – which is fully owned by Google parent Alphabet – says it has achieved “another milestone” in its ability to meet that growing demand.

Thanks to a recent update to Wing’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) exemptions, Wing will be able to safely scale more effectively in the US – which means Wing can bring the benefits of drone delivery to more people, more quickly. [Read more…] about Google-owned Wing wins FAA authorization for drone deliveries

Matternet receives authorization from German Aviation Office to launch drone delivery service in Berlin

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Matternet, the developer of an urban drone delivery platform, has received approval from the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA), Germany’s Federal Aviation Office, to operate the Matternet M2 drone delivery platform beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) in the heart of Berlin. 

This marks the beginning of Berlin’s first ever BVLOS drone delivery network.

Labor Berlin, Europe’s largest hospital laboratory, provides diagnostics for 30 hospitals with more than 24,000 beds, including Charité, the largest university hospital in Europe and Vivantes, the largest municipal hospital group in Berlin. [Read more…] about Matternet receives authorization from German Aviation Office to launch drone delivery service in Berlin

Geofencing and its Role in Layered Counter Drone Solutions

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Imagine a future where drones only fly when invited and under boundaries drawn digitally across the sky. This is the new reality that airspace management is redefining thanks to geofencing, a technological marvel.

This article explores the many uses of geofencing as a component of a multi-layered counter drone solution, assisting organizations in preventing unwanted incursions and optimizing drone-powered services.

Are counter-drone solutions essential?

Drones could pose significant security issues, such as interfering with privacy rights or interrupting vital operations. This is the developing drone age reality, and to protect our skies and ground, we need effective counter-drone technologies. [Read more…] about Geofencing and its Role in Layered Counter Drone Solutions

Are consumers ready for drone deliveries?

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With Amazon aiming to make 10,000 deliveries with drones in Europe this year and Walmart planning to expand its drone delivery services to an additional 60,000 homes this year in the states, companies are investing more research and development funding into drone delivery.

But are consumers ready to accept this change as the new normal?

Northwestern University’s Mobility and Behavior Lab, led by Amanda Stathopoulos, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, wanted to know if consumers were ready for robots to replace delivery drivers, in the form of automated vehicles, drones and robots. [Read more…] about Are consumers ready for drone deliveries?

Saildrone fleet surpasses 1 million nautical miles and 32,000 days at sea

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Saildrone says it has reached “another major milestone”. Its fleet of uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) has surpassed an incredible cumulative distance of 1,000,000 nautical miles during more than 32,000 days at sea, deployed on missions around the globe.

Equivalent to circumnavigating the Earth 48 times and almost 89 years at sea for a single vehicle, this achievement demonstrates the scale of Saildrone’s operations and the tireless efforts of its team to push the boundaries and capabilities of uncrewed systems.

The record was achieved exactly 10 years after the company’s first major milestone, when the very first Saildrone USV sailed from San Francisco to Hawaii in October 2013. The 2,200-nautical mile journey took just 34 days. [Read more…] about Saildrone fleet surpasses 1 million nautical miles and 32,000 days at sea

4ocean launches new drone to help keep the world’s coastlines clean

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4ocean, a startup company which specialises in building robots to clean up the environment, has unveiled its latest machine – the Pixie Drone. (See video below.)

The Pixie Drone is designed to help keep coastlines free of plastic and other floating debris without disturbing marine life.

The company says the Pixie is both remote controlled and fully autonomous, which “makes cleaning our waterways easier than ever”. [Read more…] about 4ocean launches new drone to help keep the world’s coastlines clean