Weapons of war have evolved over time, but the decision to kill has always been left with humans. But with developing AI and autonomous technology, it is now possible to build killing machines that require no human input at all. Taking the final decision away from a human raises serious ethical concerns over the use of fully-autonomous weapons. It could mean wars will be less about fighting, and more extermination. In an article for The Conversation, Dr Peter Lee, Director for Security and Risk Research and Innovation at the University of Portsmouth explains the potential devastation these machines could cause.

The number of companies is showing keen interest in drone delivery, and according to the research, drone delivery of packages could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy use. According to the reports, around 415 million metric tons of carbon dioxide comes from medium and heavy-duty delivery trucks. Researchers decided to experiment and analyze how much energy drone delivery would consume or save, as the amount of energy used by drone depends on its weight, battery and the package it carries. Researchers used a quadcopter drone capable of delivering 1.1 pound package and octocopert drone capable of delivering 17.6 pound package, each drone had the range of 2.5 miles. Results stated that the drones did save energy, and would be environment friendly option to choose for.

The number of companies is showing keen interest in drone delivery, and according to the research, drone delivery of packages could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy use. According to the reports, around 415 million metric tons of carbon dioxide comes from medium and heavy-duty delivery trucks. Researchers decided to experiment and analyze how much energy drone delivery would consume or save, as the amount of energy used by drone depends on its weight, battery and the package it carries. Researchers used a quadcopter drone capable of delivering 1.1 pound package and octocopert drone capable of delivering 17.6 pound package, each drone had the range of 2.5 miles. Results stated that the drones did save energy, and would be environment friendly option to choose for.

The Commercial Drone Alliance wants safer skies for UAV's, and is calling on Congress to revoke Section 336 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act (FMRA) of 2012. With the implementation of FAA's Part 107, the drone use has been growing at an exponential rate. Consequently, basic "rules of road" are needed to manage all this new air traffic, the alliance says. "We understand why model aircraft proponents want to remain exempt, as they have been flying safely for decades. However, times have changed, and hobbyists are no longer flying alone," said Lisa Ellman, Co-executive Director of Commercial Drone Alliance.

The Commercial Drone Alliance called for withdrawal of Section 336 of the FMRA, and the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) responded that repeal would put a strain on the FAA. "AMA's 1 priority is the safety of our nation's skies. Through Section 336, AMA safely manages 200,000 members -- as the organization has done for more than eighty years -- freeing up scarce FAA resources to advance commercial drone regulations and other priorities," says Chad Budreau, AMA's Government Affairs Director. "Moreover, model aviation enthusiasts have been the cradle of innovation for both the manned and unmanned communities for decades. Since 1930s, the AMA helped in advancing the platform and even today the drone technology continues to improve. Imagine a world where a young Steve Jobs or Henry Ford was restricted from tinkering in their garage. A repeal of Section 336 would be a devastating blow to innovation," adds Budreau.

JERUSALEM – Israel released details on Tuesday about what it described as an Iranian "air force" deployed in neighboring Syria, including civilian planes suspected of transferring arms, a signal that these could be attacked should tensions with Tehran escalate. Iran, along with Damascus and its big-power backer Russia, blamed Israel for an April 9 airstrike on a Syrian air base, T-4, that killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) members. Iranian officials have promised unspecified reprisals. Israeli media ran satellite images and a map of five Syrian air bases allegedly used to field Iranian drones or cargo aircraft, as well as the names of three senior IRGC officers suspected of commanding related projects, such as missile units. The information came from the Israeli military, according to a wide range of television and radio stations and news websites.

It takes a lot of practice to fly a drone with confidence. Whether it's a multirotor or a fixed-wing drone, there are a lot of complicated things going on all at once, and most of the control systems are not even a little bit intuitive. The first-person viewpoint afforded by drone-mounted cameras and VR headsets helps, but you're still stuck with trying to use a couple of movable sticks to manage a flying robot, which takes both experience and concentration. EPFL has developed a much better system for drone control, taking away the sticks and replacing them with intuitive and comfortable movements of your entire body. It's an upper-body soft exoskeleton called FlyJacket, and with it on, you can pilot a fixed-wing drone by embodying the drone--put your arms out like wings, and pitching or rolling your body will cause the drone to pitch or roll, all while you experience it directly in immersive virtual reality.

During his presentation, Dr. Lupashin of ETH Zurich attached a dog leash to an aerial drone while declaring to the audience, "there has to be another way" of flying robots safely around people. Lupashin's creativity eventually led to the invention of Fotokite and one of the most successful Indiegogo campaigns. Since Lupashin's demo, there are now close to a hundred providers of drones on leashes from innovative startups to aftermarket solutions in order to restrain unmanned flying vehicles. Probably the best known enterprise solution is CyPhy Works which has raised more than $30 million. Last August, during President Trump's visit to his Golf Course in New Jersey, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) deployed CyPhy's tethered drones to patrol the permitter. In a statement by DHS about their "spy in the sky program," the agency explained: "The Proof of Concept will help determine the potential future use of tethered Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) in supporting the Agency's protective mission.

Advances in deep technology, machine learning and automation are ushering a new era of digital workers. In the near future, drones, artificial intelligence and driverless cars will seamlessly coordinate and transport goods and people across the globe at rather smaller cost. In fact, drones in particular have caught the interest of several bodies and policymakers across the globe. Countries across the world are exploring the possibilities of drones and their extent of usage in different scenarios. From delivering online grocery orders at the doorstep, to providing emergency medical supplies to remote areas, or facilitating unmanned surveillance in dangerous warzones, there are many more ways in which Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones are changing the commerce landscape as well as our lives.

Intel, which wowed folks with its syncronized drone show at the Olympics, is at it again, with a drone show at the Coachella music festival near Palm Springs Sunday. We sit down with an Intel exec who explains how it works, and why Intel is pushing the idea of dancing drones. LOS ANGELES -- Intel, once best known as the company that powered PCs and Macs with its silicon chips, is now perhaps better known to the public for its awesome drone light shows. The company doesn't make consumer drones nor does it have plans to take on DJI or Yuneec, but it's become a frequent visitor to high profile events like the Super Bowl and Olympics with synchronized aerial drone shows. The Olympics alone had 1,218 drones in the air at one time, forming five Olympic rings and other intricate figures.