Drones
Spanish Drone Will Drop Insects Over Ethiopia To Fight Disease
Tsetse flies feast on animal blood. When they do so, humans can get Trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, which starts as exhaustion and fever, and can lead to death if left untreated. In animals, the tsetse's bite can develop into paralysis. Tsetse flies are limited to sub saharan Africa, where they infect at least 10,000 people a year. It's a mess of an insect, but an organization in Spain thinks they have a solution, and they're going to use drones to deliver it. "Drones Against Tsetse" is a project by spanish dronemaker Embention, together with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Are you sure you're not being BUGGED? Cyborg beetles fitted with radio transmitters could lead to new living surveillance drones
It may not be good news for anyone who finds insects creepy. Scientists have proved they can control how beetles fly and walk by turning them into cyborgs. Researchers fitted giant flower beetles, which measure two inches long and weigh around 0.3 ounces, with radio transmitter backpacks and wired them to their limbs. This allowed them to electrically stimulate muscles in the insects' legs so they could control their walking speed, gait and direction. Scientists have shown they can control the movement of giant flower beetles by inserting tiny electrodes into their muscles.
Sorry, Shoppers: Delivery Drones Might Not Fly for a While
Delivery by drone may be legal within two years. Just don't expect many pizzas or packages to wing their way through your neighborhood by then. Despite huge interest in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and considerable hype around the idea of using them to deliver goods, experts say significant challenges still need to be solved for drone delivery to get off the ground. Google and Amazon are leading the development of delivery drones, while UPS, FedEx, and a host of startups are also researching the technology. Earlier this month, the U.S. Senate Transportation Committee drafted a bill that paves the way for regulation of delivery drones within two years.
Company seeks to test self-driving delivery robots in DC
You could soon be sharing the sidewalk with robots in D.C. A test project will be presented to District leaders to allow delivery robots to operate on city sidewalks. WASHINGTON - You could soon be sharing the sidewalk with robots in D.C. A test project will be presented to District leaders to allow delivery robots to operate on city sidewalks. These robots could be delivering your takeout meal or maybe some fresh groceries.
Delivery drone will fly drinks and balls to golfers in minutes
Most golfers feel the trip from the green to the clubhouse for refreshments can be a pain. Now Rakuten, a Japanese firm, has unveiled a snack-delivery service for golfers that uses drones. Golfers order anything from drinks to replacement balls through an app and receive the items from a quadcopter in just minutes - which means they never have to leave the course. Rakuten, a Japanese firm, has unveiled a snack-delivery service for golfers that uses drones. Golfers place their order using an accompanied at that they download on their smartphones.
How airports and the drone industry are teaming up to protect planes
More than 50 U.S. airports will test a new system to make themselves more aware of drones flying near their runways. Airport executives and the drone industry expect the Digital Notice and Awareness System (D-NAS) to improve safety amid concerns raised by 764 drone sightings near airplanes in 2015. Drone hobbyists are required to notify airports of their plans when flying within five miles of an airport, but doing so has been a difficult process. For one, hobbyists have to track down the appropriate phone numbers. "You don't want to give out air traffic control's phone number on a public website for obvious reasons. Well, how are you going to manage that?" said Steve Runge, division manager of the Houston Airport System's safety and emergency management.
Palmyra, An Ancient World Heritage Site Transformed Into A Military Base Coveted By ISIS And The Syrian Regime
The ancient ruins of Palmyra, one of Syria's oldest cities, have stood for 3,000 years, but, since last May, the Unesco World Heritage site has been facing some of the most brutal threats to its existence. Located in an oasis northeast of the Syrian capital of Damascus, Palmyra has become a significant symbolic and military position in the now 5-year-old Syrian conflict. After seizing the city of roughly 50,000 residents last May, the Islamic State group was forced out of Palmyra over the weekend by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad. On a strategic level, retaking Palmyra gives the Syrian regime a strong military base for future operations against the militants' other strongholds as well as renewed control over some of Syria's most important oil and gas fields. But regaining Palmyra is also a highly symbolic win for the Syrian regime -- now trying to salvage whatever is left of the ancient ruins -- in its quest to position itself as a key partner in the fight against the terrorist group, also known as ISIS. An aerial view of the historic city of Palmyra, in Homs Goveronorate, Syria, is seen in this still image taken from a drone video, March 28, 2016.
Roundup: Islamic State loses control of Palmyra, discoveries at King Tut's tomb, a hypnotic digital deer cam
And the artificial intelligence chatbot that didn't survive a day on the Internet. Plus: Reviewing Santiago Calatrava's latest, how to be unprofessional and the "Grand Theft Auto" modification that may have you watching for hours on end. Time has Russian drone footage that provides an overview of what remains of the old Silk Road crossroads, as well as the contemporary human settlement of Tadmur that sits nearby. About 80% of the artifacts appear to be largely intact. The country's antiquities chief says repairs will take five years.
Drone incidents involving planes rise 'dramatically': FAA reveals near misses take place on average 3.5 times a day
There are about 2.5 million drones in the US and not one has collided with a piloted aircraft – yet. With nearly 600 close-calls reported from August 2015 to January 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration worries it is only a matter of time before there are disastrous incidents. This data shows an urgency for effective anti-drone systems to deal with rogue UAVs, as more unmanned vehicles take the sky. More than 406,000 drone owners have registered their vehicle with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) since late December. There are about 2.5 million drones in the US and not one has hit with a piloted aircraft – yet.
Delivery drone flies drinks and balls to golfers in Japan
Rakuten, just like Amazon, is experimenting with drones that can quickly deliver goods to its customers. Unlike Jeff Bezos' company, however, the e-commerce giant is starting small with a service designed for golfers. From May, players at a specific course in Japan's Chiba prefecture will be able to take out their phone and request some new golf balls or refreshments. A Mini Surveyor drone developed by the Autonomous Control Systems Laboratory -- a company from Chiba which Rakuten has now invested in -- will then fly them over from a base station near the course's clubhouse.