The Taiwan Aviation Safety Council (ASC) successfully deployed a sUAV as part of its investigation into the July 23, 2014 crash of a TransAsia Airways ATR-72-500 on the island of Hoko, west of Taiwan. Drones for investigations is a growing trend among crash investigators worldwide, due to their ability to access remote locations or to quickly perform a site survey while gathering data at a lower cost than manned aircraft … Read More
Safety Tips for Using Lithium Polymer (Li-Po) Batteries
All remotely piloted vehicles will have at least a battery for the control and some kind of power source for propulsion. The power can come in many forms from rubber band power to gasoline to rocket motors, however, lithium polymer (Li-Po) batteries are far and away the most common energy storage platform for drones and UAVs. Batteries are an easy thing to take for granted. Almost everything we use requires … Read More
What You Need to Know About No-Fly Zones
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is becoming more stringent about No-Fly Zones for consumer drones, in both the commercial and recreational categories. Fortunately, they’re also providing a wealth of information for UAS operators to keep them from falling out of compliance. What’s Off Limits? The FAA is putting heavy emphasis on their partner drone education program, Know Before You Fly. Here you’ll find a run-down of your flight path restrictions, … Read More
Steps to a Safe, Successful Drone Flight
With the public’s ever-increasing negative perception of drones, safe and responsible flying is something every pilot should be doing. Although many variables factor into each flight, there are several steps you can take to guarantee every flight you perform is completed as safe as possible. Numerous safety features are being added to new drones as they come out, such as GPS stabilization, obstacle avoidance, and even geo-fencing that prevents flying … Read More
Drone Laws 101
Within the United States, laws pertaining to drones that deal with personal or recreation use tend to have a reputation of being vague and ambiguous. The FAA has also recently introduced new requirements for drone registration that seem intimidating at first, however the reality is that drone laws and drone registration within the United States are relatively simple and easy to understand. Always fly as safe as possible by following … Read More
Over 300,000 sUAS now Registered
WASHINGTON – Nearly 300,000 owners have registered their small unmanned aircraft in the first 30 days after the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) online registration system went live. Owners who registered in the first month received a refund for the $5 application fee. “I am pleased the public responded to our call to register,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “The National Airspace System is a great resource and all users of … Read More
FAA to Law Enforcement: Engagement with Suspected Unauthorized Operators
With a considerable increase in the unauthorized use of small, inexpensive Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Drones by individuals and organizations, including companies, the FAA announces guidelines for law enforcement. While the FAA retains the responsibility for enforcing Federal Aviation Regulations, including those applicable to the use of UAS, the agency also recognizes that state and local Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) are often in the best position to deter, detect, immediately … Read More
FAA Releases B4UFLY Smartphone App
B4UFLY for iOS is now available for free download in the App Store. Android users can opt-in via the Google Play store to participate in a beta test. B4UFLY is an easy-to-use smartphone app that helps unmanned aircraft operators determine whether there are any restrictions or requirements in effect at the location where they want to fly. Key features of the B4UFLY app include: A clear “status” indicator that immediately … Read More