A study by researchers at Bard College's Center for the Study of the Drone found that at least 95 countries currently own unmanned military drones. A report by researchers at Bard College's Center for the Study of the Drone estimated that 95 countries currently own unmanned military drones--up from 60 in 2010--and the infrastructure to support their operation also is expanding. Bard's Dan Gettinger said drones "are featuring more prominently in world affairs, as we've seen most recently in the Saudi drone attacks." The report found the U.S. monopoly on long-distance military drones is eroding, with at least 10 nations, including Azerbaijan and Nigeria, using drones to launch strikes. Fifteen countries have training academies for drone operators, according to the report.

It will still be a while before you are able to order drone-delivered packages, however. The news: The Federal Aviation Administration has granted UPS's drone business a Part 135 certification, meaning it is treated as a full-fledged airline, able to operate as many drones in as many locations as it wishes (although there are a lot of obstacles and caveats before that can happen in reality). UPS has dubbed its new drone airline "UPS Flight Forward," and it's the first in the US to gain official recognition. Currently: UPS has been providing a drone delivery service at the WakeMed hospital and campus in Raleigh, North Carolina, since March, moving medical samples around the site about 10 times a day. This new certification means UPS can expand beyond this site.

Suicide car bomber attacks military airstrip used for U.S. drone mission; reaction and analysis from retired four-star Gen. Jack Keane, Fox News senior strategic analyst. The United States Embassy in Mogadishu, Somalia, has reopened after being closed for 28 years, officials said Wednesday. "The reestablishment of Embassy Mogadishu is another step forward in the resumption of regular U.S.-Somali relations, symbolizing the strengthening of U.S.-Somalia relations and advancement of stability, development and peace for Somalia and the region," the embassy said in a statement. The embassy closed on Jan. 5, 1991, after Somalia became engulfed in a civil war and the regime of Siad Barre was overthrown. The United States reestablished a permanent diplomatic presence in Mogadishu back in December, operated out of Nairobi, Kenya.

Pedro Cruz didn't just live through the wreckage that Hurricane Maria left in its path in Puerto Rico back in 2017. He watched the commotion in his hometown of San Juan by flying his drone overhead. Maria made landfall on the southeast part of the island around 8 p.m., Cruz recalls in an interview with Popular Mechanics. Once the storm subsided about 20 hours later, he began his mission to find his grandmother. Since the infrastructure was completely decimated, he had no cell phone service to check in on her.

Redwood City, California-based Skydio and member of NVIDIA's startup accelerator, Inception, has just released the latest version of their AI capable GPU-accelerated drone, Skydio 2. Comprised of six 4K cameras, with an NVIDIA Jetson TX2 as the processor for the autonomous system, Skydio 2 is capable of flying for up to 23 minutes at a time and can be piloted by either an experienced pilot or by the AI-based system. The Jetson TX2 has 256 GPU cores and is capable of 1.3 trillion operations a second. According to the team, the drone uses nine custom deep neural networks that help the drone track up to 10 objects while traveling at speeds of 36 miles per hour. "Skydio 2 enables you to capture everything from a backyard pickup game to a downhill adventure with a single tap, the company wrote in blog post. "It builds on Skydio R1's foundation and takes it to the next level."

Earthquake Alert! 6.7 temblor, epicenter 3.8 miles west of Ventura, California--impact will be in eleven minutes--evacuate, evacuate!" While you run to the hall closet to grab your earthquake kit, you shout out: "Alexa, where is my emergency evac location?" Walk north to Wilshire, then take a left on Warner," she responds. As you and your neighbors pour into the building stairwell, you hear audio from a phone: "Google Earth Q estimates substantial potential for structural damage in the West San Fernando Valley and Coastal West Los Angeles to pre-2006 code dwellings and buildings. Most of West LA will experience total loss of power for anywhere from six to twenty-four hours in duration."

UPS has become the first drone delivery service to receive full approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. The company's program, called Flight Forward, is operated in partnership with Matternet, which provides drone logistics networking company in Mountain View, California. Previously, UPS's pilots were only allowed to fly the drones within line of sight, but the FAA approval means they'll be able to significantly expand their delivery range. 'This is history in the making, and we aren't done yet,' said David Abney, UPS chief executive officer in a statement. UPS's Flight Forward drone delivery program is the first to earn full approval by the FAA (pictured one of the drones they will use in the program) The program's currently deployed in Raleigh, North Carolina, where UPS's drones have made more than 1,000 flights carrying deliveries around the WakeMed Health & Hospitals campus.

It's not easy to fly DJI's drones despite all the sensors. The newly introduced Skydio 2 virtually eliminates the need for you. The drone does it with artificial intelligence. Skydio is one of the most innovative names on the drone side. The first model, the Skydio R1, has done an amazing job with artificial intelligence but could not reach the end-user, as it was kinda big and at $2,500, prohibitively expensive for the majority.

In the latest regulatory boost for expanded commercial drone services, the company also intends to gradually phase in routine night flights and heavier cargo limits--areas now generally off-limits to most operators. Under the Federal Aviation Administration's announcement Tuesday, the company's Flight Forward unit obtained an immediate green light to ship medical products and specimens in North Carolina across various hospital campuses. But the broad approval for an entire fleet of future drones and pilots on the ground--going beyond what the FAA approved previously--opens the door for many other types of longer-range applications spanning rural and suburban areas. The FAA approval doesn't apply to urban areas. Calling it a major step to enhance services for health-care customers and ultimately an array of other industries, the company said the FAA's approval "has no limits on the size or scope of operations."

The Skydio 2 feels like the stuff of dreams – a drone that can fly itself, follow you around without crashing into trees. Now, the idea is far more affordable at $999 for the craft itself, with upgraded cameras, battery life, navigation, size, weight, and a pair of optional $150 controllers if you need longer range and/or more control over filming. Why'd You Push That Button Podcast: https://pod.link/1295289748