A coastal survey using drones in Dorset has laid bare the scale of the UK's litter problem. The drones flew over beaches in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole across seven days in the May half term this year. Eighteen sites along the seafront in the region were monitored between May 27 and June 2, covering an overall area of 475,000 square metres. The technology found more than 1.5 tonnes of rubbish left behind by visitors – a third of which were glass bottles when measured by volume. In all, more than 123,000 items were identified, up from 22,266 in a drone survey of the same areas during the March lockdown – marking an astonishing 454 per cent increase due to relaxing lockdown measures.

A British-built solar powered drone with a 115ft wingspan that can stay in the air for over a year will be an alternative to low Earth orbit satellites, its developers claim. PHASA-35 is a cutting edge drone being developed by BAE systems at their facility in Warton, Lancashire that can fly about at 70,000ft above the surface for 20 months. It harnesses power from the Sun to stay airborne, charging a bank of small batteries during the day to keep it flying overnight, allowing for longer operations. The 150kg drone is able to carry a payload of up to 15kg including cameras, sensors and communications equipment to allow troops to talk to each other or provide internet access to rural locations during a natural disaster or emergency. BAE systems say it will be available by the middle of the decade and provide a'persistent and affordable alternative to satellite technology.'

Meteorites are among the most important objects scientists can study to understand the solar system, but finding them is tricky and time-consuming. Now, one team of researchers is trying to speed up the process with drones. Robert Citron at the University of California, Davis, and his colleagues have been trialling using drones and machine learning to hunt down meteorites shortly after their blazing journey through the atmosphere.

Advances in machine learning, data management, and cloud computing are having a significant impact on the market for drone-based mapping and intelligence gathering. Even as satellite-based imaging gains steam, drones appear to be extending their lead closer to Earth. We are in the midst of a renaissance in drone-based aerial intelligence. From counting the number of koalas in the Australian outback to detecting enemy combatants inside of buildings, drones seem to be everywhere at the moment. The surge in drone use is great news for Krishnan Hariharan, the CEO of Kespry, a 30-person California drone AI startup.

Droids, drones, and driverless technologies are fueling a supply chain revolution.

IMPORTANT: THIS COURSE IS A TRANSLATION OF THE UDEMY COURSE IN PORTUGUESE "DRONES: APRENDA A PILOTAR E ABRA SEU NEGÓCIO". The drone market is very promising. And each country develops its own rules regarding the use of drones. To enter in this market the first thing to do is to find out about these rules. Also, understanding who are the drone manufactures and the drone models' applications it will help you to choose and purchase the best drone for your need.

A team of researchers from Germany's Fraunhofer FKIE institute has created a drone that can locate screaming humans. While it sounds like the stuff of dystopian fiction, it's actually something they set out to create to make it easier for first responders to find survivors following a natural disaster. "(Drones) can cover a larger area in a shorter period of time than rescuers or trained dogs on the ground," Macarena Varela, one of the lead engineers on the project, told The Washington Post. "If there's a collapsed building, it can alert and assist rescuers. It can go places they can't fly to or get to themselves."

Orcas have complex social structures that include close friendships, a study that used drones to film the animals suggests. The marine mammals – also known as killer whales – live in groups of related individuals called pods, which have their own distinct cultures. The new findings show each orca spends more time interacting with certain individuals in their pod, and they tend to favour those of the same sex and similar age. But as they get older, whales appear to grow apart, according to research led by the University of Exeter, UK, and the Center for Whale Research, Washington. "Until now, research on killer whale social networks has relied on seeing the whales when they surface, and recording which whales are together," said Michael Weiss at the University of Exeter, the study's lead author.

Killer whales – also known as orcas – have complex social structures including close'friendships', a new study reveals. Scientists at the University of Exeter used drones to film the animals – one of the world's most powerful predators – in the Pacific Ocean. The team found killer whales (Orcinus orca) spend more time interacting with certain individuals in their pod, and tend to favour those of the same sex and similar age. Results from the new study are based on 651 minutes of video filmed over 10 days. Orcas are the largest member of the dolphin family.

A new study led by the University of Exeter and the Center for Whale Research suggests killer whales may socialise with each other based on age and gender, with younger whales and females more sociable than other groups. The research used drone cameras to study one pod of southern resident killer whales off the US coast of Washington State, in the Pacific Ocean. Around 10 hours of footage was captured over 10 days.