When it comes to catching sight of a national landmark, it can get pretty crowded on the ground. But starting next week, you won’t be able to use a drone to get a better view of 10 famous spots in the U.S. [More]
drones
Owners Of Spark Drones Face Grounding If They Don’t Install Fix That Keeps Devices From Losing Power
By 8.23.17
The fun part about drones? The way they zip through the sky. Not so fun? If they come crashing to the ground unexpectedly. That’s why the maker of popular Spark drones is telling owners they’ll have to install an update that keeps their aircraft aloft — or face grounding. [More]
Walmart Imagines Floating Warehouses That Could Rain Down Delivery Drones
By 8.21.17
While Amazon has dreams of delivery drone beehives and parachuting packages, it’s not the only one looking upward: Walmart has plans for a floating warehouse capable of launching flying delivery vehicles so it can rain discount goods on you from the skies. [More]
Here’s How To Get Your $5 Drone Registration Fee Refund From The FAA
By 7.7.17
Did you pay $5 to register your drone with the Federal Aviation Administration? Now that an appeals court has overturned the agency’s rule requiring hobbyist drone operators to register their aircraft, you can get your money back and remove your name from the federal database. [More]
Could Dish & Amazon Partner To Become Your Next Wireless Provider?
By 7.6.17
With AT&T buying DirecTV, and Comcast now offering wireless service, seems like Dish Network is being left out. But the nation’s number-two satellite provider has reportedly been chatting with Amazon about the possibility of creating a new wireless network. [More]
Amazon Patents Ridiculous, Terrifying Towers To House Delivery Drones
By 6.23.17
Because the notion of automated flying robots delivering dog food to your doorstep is something straight out of the Jetsons, it sort of makes sense that Amazon has a very retro vision for the towers that could house its Prime Air delivery drones. [More]
Amazon Wants To Turn Shipping Labels Into Little Parachutes For Drone Deliveries
By 5.30.17
What if package delivery drones didn’t have to actually land to make their deliveries, and instead just dropped their cargo near your home and flew away? Amazon recently filed several variations on parachutes — in the form of shipping labels — that would soften your package’s landing. [More]
Court Rules Drone Hobbyists Don’t Have To Register With FAA
By 5.19.17
An appeals court has overturned a recent Federal Aviation Administration rule requiring hobbyists drone operators to register their tiny unmanned, non-commercial aircraft. [More]
Amazon Now Working On Self-Driving Vehicles For Deliveries
By 4.24.17
Between drones, leased planes, and its own fleet of Flex drivers, Amazon has a decent foothold in the transportation-and-delivery market. But now the company apparently has an eye on the future, and it involves driverless vehicles. [More]
Amazon Prime Air Drone Drops Off Sunscreen In First U.S. Demo
By 3.24.17
When Amazon completed its first ever drone delivery in the United Kingdom last year, the company released official footage touting its latest milestone. But its first demo flight on this side of the pond was a much quieter affair, captured by a bystander at a recent company event. [More]
Pre-Order Customers Receive Refunds From Bankrupt Drone Startup Lily
By 3.1.17
Back in 2015, a video promoting a consumer camera drone went viral. The product, called Lily, wasn’t just adorable. It promised to be easy to use, waterproof, and fly and record autonomously for 20 minutes at a time, following behind the wearer. Just under two years and tens of millions of dollars later, Lily Robotics was raided by federal agents, the company has filed for bankruptcy, and customers never received their drones. [More]
UPS Testing Residential Drone Deliveries Launched From Trucks
By 2.21.17
After first testing the idea of using drones to deliver packages to extra remote locations, UPS is making its move into more residential skies with octocopters that can be launched from roving trucks. [More]
Amazon Files Patent For Parachuting Packages From Drones
By 2.15.17 — Updated: 2.21.17
Now that Amazon’s Prime Air delivery drones have made their first dropoff, it seems the e-commerce giant wants to make the process even more efficient: Instead of unmanned aerial vehicles landing to set a package on the ground, Amazon has cooked up an idea for fly-by deliveries. [More]
Taxi Drones Preparing To Take Off In Dubai
By 2.13.17
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a reference to Superman — no, it’s a drone, and instead of carrying a package or even a six-pack of beer, it’s ferrying humans through the skies over Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. [More]
FAA Slaps Company With $200K Fine For Flying Drones Over NYC & Chicago
By 1.17.17
Lest you think The Man won’t come after you for sending commercial drones whizzing through congested airspace over some of our nation’s biggest cities, think again: the Federal Aviation Administration has reached a $200,000 settlement witha company accused of conducting 65 illegal flights in the skies above Chicago and New York City. [More]
Apple Reportedly Taking On Google Maps With Road-Tracking Drones
By 12.1.16
When it comes to tracking and recording America’s roadways it makes sense that companies like Google would deploy camera-equipped vehicles to cruise the streets. But Apple has a different idea: take to the sky. [More]
GoPro Recalls Recently Launched Drones After Some Stop Working
By 11.9.16
GoPro only released its new $800 (no camera included) Karma drone two weeks ago, but the flying photo-taking device has already been recalled because some of them simply stopped working.
[More]
Amazon Patents Pocket-Sized, Voice-Controlled Drones
By 10.19.16 — Updated: 11.1.16
There you are, driving up and down rows of cars, looking for the right parking spot. What if you could release a tiny drone into the air, and tell it to help out with the search? That’s the kind of future Amazon is looking toward with a new patent for voice-controlled drones that can fit in your pocket. [More]
