As the population grows, many facilities, amenities and even day-to-day destination became harder to access. In cities, for instances, population expansion results in clogged transportation systems that are characterized by persistent traffic jams. Besides, many sectors of the economy and activities associated with them such as conservation, surveillance, data collection and many such undertakings continuously need enhanced technology to reduce the number of working hours involved. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones have provided solutions to many of the undertakings mentioned here above. Such solutions continue to deliver cutting-edge innovations that make the said daily processes a lot easier. The one platform that seeks to move the drone marketplace even further, make it more convenient and safe is DEEP AERO.

State Corrections Director Bryan Stirling showed reporters new drones on Thursday that can be used to monitor a prison and the area outside, where contraband such as cellphones and drugs can be launched over walls.

DJI is to drones what the iPad is to tablets or Kleenex is to tissues -- it's the overwhelming brand of choice. But as drone usage and interest grows, there's bound to be upstarts trying to take a piece of the pie. Most of these, naturally, are Chinese tech startups, and they have essentially decided on two approaches in their attempt to appeal to drone buyers: either make something drastically different or offer a variation on DJI's products. Shenzhen-based Simtoo is going the latter approach. I tested the company's foldable, highly portable selfie drone last year, and now it's back with an even more portable drone named the Fairy.

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station will soon be joined by a crew of free-flying mini-robots inspired by the Jedi training droids that Luke Skywalker practiced his light saber skills with in Star Wars. NASA's one-foot-cube Astrobees will be packed with cameras, sensors, and other tools and travel around the space station; its tasks will be far more mundane, however, than the movie training droids. The bots will help with tasks like measuring noise levels, testing carbon dioxide concentrations, or shooting video of astronauts at work. Ground crews will be able to remotely control the robot, sending it to various station waypoints, or even giving it a set of tasks to carry out largely autonomously, says Trey Smith, a research scientist in NASA's Intelligent Robotics Group. "In the end, it should be able to depart from its dock, do an entire survey of several modules, and then return to its dock at the end of it," he says.

As globalization continues to push e-commerce and international travel to new highs, traditional modes of transport and logistics have become increasingly stressed to keep up with demand. Today's global economy is more reliant than ever on yesterday's outdated infrastructure, which is increasingly bogged down by traffic-stricken highways and crowded skies. One company sees this burgeoning challenge as the perfect opportunity: use today's most disruptive technologies to create a more efficient, autonomous, and self-governing cargo and transportation economy. DEEP AERO -- an innovative blockchain company -- is developing an aviation economy powered by AI, blockchain, and drones that will act as an on-demand logistics system, and later, a fully-functioning transportation system capable of private transportation. The current international medium of aviation and flight logistics is overburdened by the skyrocketing demand of a growing global middle class of developing countries and businesses that service this class.

Articles about technology and the future of transportation rarely used to get far without mentioning jetpacks: a staple of science fiction from the 1920s onwards, the jetpack became a reality in the 1960s in the shape of devices such as the Bell Rocket Belt. But despite many similar efforts, the skies over our cities remain stubbornly free of jetpack-toting commuters. For a novel form of transport to make a material difference to our lives, several key requirements must be satisfied. Obviously the new technology must work safely, and operate within an appropriate regulatory framework. But public acceptance and solid business models are also vital if a new idea is to move from R&D lab to testbed to early adoption, and eventually into mainstream usage.

Although robotic flying taxi and drone deliveries would take years to become a reality, the US Department of Transportation has moved a step ahead to make this a reality soon. The numbers of companies are designing their systems and technologies and will very soon operate their devices. Amazon.com and Alphabet's Google unit are both developing drones to deliver products. As per the US law, the agency must certify that any business carrying people or cargo for hire is economically'fit, willing and able' to perform. "The FAA still must approve of a drone air carrier's safety in a separate process," stated the DOT.

Elizabeth City State University opens up the drone courses as part of the four-year aviation degree. "We can train our students in all these areas and we want our graduates to be entrepreneurs," said Professor Kuldeep Rawat, Director of the ECSU aviation science program. The students in the UAV classes learn to operate and fly drones, interact with air traffic control and use different payloads and sensors. The university also plans to build an outdoor flying facility with a net, sort of like a giant batting cage. As reported by the FAA, the industry could need more than 300000 new pilots in the next five years.

The Drone Racing League partner with France's Group AB, and is kicking off this year's DRL World Championship season with a race at the Allianz Riveria Stadium in Nice, France. The drone racing has been raised from an underground hobbyist activity in parking lots across the country to an authentic eSport with celebrated events all over the world. The event will mark the first professional drone race in France. "We're incredibly excited to extend our partnership with Allianz, who has a proud history of supporting innovative sports and auto racing, and to expand the reach of pro-drone racing in collaboration with Groupe AB, the predominant racing media company in France," said Nicholas Horbaczweski, the founder of Drone Racing League. "I think that fans define what we are," concluded Horbaczewski.

Google has pressed forward with its effort to provide artificial intelligence solutions to the Department of Defense, despite an internal employee petition against the company's involvement in a pilot program that analyzes drone footage using AI and the resignations of around a dozen employees who objected to the program. But Google isn't the only company partnering with the Department of Defense on Project Maven--the artificial intelligence pilot program at the heart of the controversy--and the Pentagon has explored the possibility of working with other major tech firms on Project Maven. The involvement of other tech companies in Project Maven makes the project seem more like a bakeoff between several leaders in the field of artificial intelligence and less like a Google-led effort. It also raises questions about whether employees at other companies will raise the same ethical objections to the program that Google employees have. DigitalGlobe, a Colorado-based firm that specializes in geospatial imagery, reportedly provides images and algorithms to Project Maven. IBM has been approached about participating in the project by using artificial intelligence to analyze streaming video, a person familiar with the exchange told Gizmodo.