Drone Technology on AirVuz News

ZoeFPV hung out with Dr. Paul Moller, an aeronautical engineer who's a pioneer in the field of flying cars, A.K.A. VTOL personal roadable aircraft. Learn about his Rotapower engine design, which packs a ton of power for its compact size, and can even be fueled by methanol! His company Freedom Motors also has a magical "3D" style engine that can reverse direction under full load; in theory enabling Zoe's 3D style flying on even larger platforms!

UK development firm 'Cambridge Consultants' came up with 'DelivAir'- a drone delivery system that brings your order right into your own two hands. Here's how it works: the drone uses GPS to find its way to your smartphone. How does the delivery actually get into your hands? Cambridge says to aim your phone's LED light up, and it'll blink a coded pattern telling the drone that it has the right person. The package is then winched down to you.  

The U.S. military’s latest autonomous aircraft technology is all about keeping troops safe. It could also radically change how they resupply units in combat zones.  The helicopter is a Vietnam War-era UH-1 Huey, and it’s able to fly its own missions without a pilot at the controls.  The helicopter is meant to resupply forces in combat zones with ammunition, water, batteries, and even blood. It could eliminate the need for troops to take supplies through dangerous conditions.

Drone start-up Volans-i is building UAVs that can deliver heavy payloads over long distances.  They're capable of flying over 500 miles, 12 hours+, and carry up to a 200lbs. By combining several forms of flying they are able to achieve this.  The drones are fixed wing for long range flight, but use traditional quadcopter motors and props to assist with vertical take-off and landing.  Combining drones with the component of B2B deliveries is what inspired the Volans-I drone.

Companies like CyPhy, BFD Systems and others were just a few companies at the 2018 AUVSI Xponential conference to showcase their tethered drone systems.   One of the biggest advantages to a tethered system is longer flight times. In some cases, they can stay in the air for days on end. While it’s true that the flight capabilities of a tethered drone are limited, the tethered systems still make a lot of sense for many uses.

If you fly the DJI Matrice 200 or the Inspire 2, you're going to want to listen to this AirVūz News story. Recent reports of drones falling out of the sky have led DJI to release a consumer warning advising opperators to hold off on non-essential missions until a battery firmware update is complete. Watch the full story for more information.