In recent years, a rising numbers of people arrived in the European Union, traveling across the Mediterranean Sea or overland through Southeast Europe in what has been later named as the European migrant crisis. In the last 5 years, more than 16 thousands people have lost their lives in the Mediterranean sea during the crossing. The United Nations Secretary General Strategy on New Technologies is supporting the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics to accelerate the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, which includes safe and regular migration processes among the others. In the same spirit, the central idea of this project aims at using AI technology for Search And Rescue (SAR) operations at sea. In particular, we propose an autonomous fleet of self-organizing intelligent drones that would enable the coverage of a broader area, speeding-up the search processes and finally increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of migrants rescue operations.

Check Point Researchers developed an attack to hijack DJI drone user accounts that may contain the user's sensitive information as well as access to the device itself. Researchers developed an XSS attack that could be posted on a DJI forum that is used by hundreds of thousands of DJI customers, to intercept the identifying token and use it to log in as the customer, according to a Nov. 11 blog post. The attack demonstrates the vulnerability in the drone's cloud network which can be accessed from anywhere by highlighting the need for a two-factor authentication mechanism, better identification mechanisms, and the importance of segmentation for organizations across their IT networks in order to contain and limit the damage inflicted by a potential attack. The attacker enters the web forum, steals the cookie ID and login, then either uses the stolen information to either bypass SeNeo Mobile protection to access a DJI mobile app or to access the full DJI Flight Hub. Once this is done, the threat actor has access to the drone's flight records, photos taken during flight, payment details, real-time access to the drones camera,, and a live view of the drone pilot's camera and location.

China is rolling out stealth drones and pilot-less aircraft fitted with deadly weapons, such as AK-47 rifles, onto world markets. Combat drones were among the jet fighters, missiles and other military hardware shown off this week at Airshow China, the country's biggest aerospace industry exhibition. China's automated warplanes are already flying in the Middle East, and the newly unveiled unmanned jets signal Beijing's determination in catching up and eventually rivaling with the United States in the global military drone market. Visitors to the Airshow China take pictures of CH-7, China's newest stealth combat drone Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are in discussions to acquire the Chinese-made Blowfish A2 (pictured). A director from Ziyan, the manufacturer of the helicopter drone, said they could add'whatever' weapons required by clients to the unmanned aircraft One of the most eye-catching drones displayed at the exhibition in Zhuhai was CH-7, or Rainbow-7, China's newest stealth combat drone.

ZHUHAI, CHINA – China is unleashing stealth drones and pilotless aircraft fitted with AK-47 rifles onto world markets, racing to catch up to U.S. technology and adding to a fleet that has already seen combat action in the Middle East. Combat drones were among the jet fighters, missiles and other military hardware shown off this past week at Airshow China, the country's biggest aerospace industry exhibition. A delta-winged stealth drone received much attention, highlighting China's growing production of sophisticated unmanned aerial vehicles seeking to compete with the U.S. military's massive fleet. The CH-7 -- a charcoal-gray UAV unveiled at the air show -- is as long as a tennis court and has a 22-meter (72-feet) wingspan. It can fly at more than 800 kph (500 mph) and at an altitude of 13,000 meters (42,650 feet).

They went mainstream only a few years ago, but drones are already making a big splash in the market. Thanks to the ability to buy them off of a shelf, drones are being adapted for commercial use. There are only so many human controllers can do though and, future drone models may not see this limitation thanks to the use of AI, freelance blogger Jake Carter tells us more. Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has existed for some time now. If we could develop an AI that could operate drones without humans, what could this mean?

The Japanese government has decided to ban flying drones near venues for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games during the events, a government source said Friday. As part of efforts to counter possible terrorist attacks, the government aims to pass legislation that will allow police to collect and destroy drones if they are flown near designated zones without permission, the source said. The government will also consider whether the envisioned law should include U.S. military bases and Self-Defense Forces facilities as restricted areas, the source said, adding that the regulation will also cover venues of the Rugby World Cup 2019 during the event. It plans to submit a bill for relevant laws to the ordinary Diet session to be convened early next year. Japan already prohibits drone flights above such key facilities as the Prime Minister's Office and the Imperial Palace, but many sports venues are not covered.

A worrying vulnerability in DJI drones gave hackers complete access to a user's account without them realizing it. Security researchers from Check Point in March discovered a flaw in DJI's cloud infrastructure that allowed attackers to take over users' accounts and access private data like drone logs with location data, maps, account information and photos or videos taken during flight. However, DJI said it patched the vulnerability in September. A worrying vulnerability in DJI drones gave hackers complete access to a user's account. Users fell prey to the attack by clicking on a malicious link shared through DJI Forum, an online forum the firm runs for user discussions about its products.

DJI makes some of the most popular quadcopters on the market, but its products have repeatedly drawn scrutiny from the United States government over privacy and security concerns. Most recently, the Department of Defense in May banned the purchase of consumer drones made by a handful of vendors, including DJI. Now DJI has patched a problematic vulnerability in its cloud infrastructure that could have allowed an attacker to take over users' accounts and access private data like photos and videos taken during drone flights, a user's personal account information, and flight logs that include location data. A hacker could have even potentially accessed real-time drone location and a live camera feed during a flight. The security firm Check Point discovered the issue and reported it in March through DJI's bug bounty program.

ZHUHAI, CHINA – A Chinese state-owned company says it is developing a stealth combat drone in the latest sign of the country's growing aerospace prowess. The CH-7 unmanned aerial vehicle also underscores China's growing competitiveness in the expanding global market for drones. China has won sales in the Middle East and elsewhere by offering drones at lower prices and without the political conditions attached by the U.S. The CH-7's chief designer, Shi Wen, says the aircraft can "fly long hours, scout and strike the target when necessary." "Very soon, I believe, in the next one to two years, (we) can see the CH-7 flying in the blue skies, gradually being a practical and usable product in the future," Shi told The Associated Press. Shi said manufacturer Chinese Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation plans to test fly the drone next year and begin mass production by 2022.

FUKUSHIMA – Japan Post Co. on Wednesday began transporting documents by drone in Fukushima Prefecture, the first operation of its kind in Japan, following easing of regulations to cope with labor shortages in the transport industry. The company said it will initially use drones to carry its own documents and advertisements between two post offices in the northeastern prefecture to examine whether the unmanned aircraft can be used to carry mail. In the future, it hopes to use drones for deliveries to mountainous regions and remote islands. It launched the operation after the government eased related regulations in September. Prior to easing restrictions, an operator was required to keep the drone in view. But the new regulations allow for longer flights if safety can be ensured remotely through measures such as equipping the drone with a camera.