Amazon.com has been granted a new patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a delivery drone that can respond to human gestures. The concept is part of Amazon's goal to develop a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles that can get packages to customers in 30 minutes or less. Issued earlier this week, the patent may help Amazon grapple with how flying robots might interact with human bystanders and customers waiting on their doorsteps. Depending on a person's gestures -- a welcoming thumbs up, shouting or frantic arm waving -- the drone can adjust its behavior, according to the patent. The machine could release the package it's carrying, alter its flight path to avoid crashing, ask humans a question or abort the delivery, the patent says.

This week, Raytheon announced it successfully tested its anti-drone technology. The advanced high-power microwave and laser dune buggy brought down 45 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and drones at a U.S. Army exercise that was held in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The microwave system was able to bring down multiple UAVs at once when the devices swarmed, while the high energy laser (HEL) was able to identify and shoot down 12 Class I and II UAVs, as well as six different stationary devices that propelled mortar rounds. The equipment is intended to protect US troops against drones; it's self-contained and easy to deploy in a tense situation. The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory worked with Raytheon to develop this counter-drone and UAV tech.

SANAA, Yemen – Yemeni tribal leaders say a suspected U.S. drone strike has killed seven alleged al-Qaida operatives in the central Marib province. They said Thursday's strike hit a house believed to have been used by the militants. The U.S. is believed to have carried out at least five drone strikes in Yemen since the beginning of March. The tribal leaders spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, as the Yemen affiliate is known, has long been seen as the global network's most dangerous branch.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - China's SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd, the world's largest maker of drones for consumers, is in talks with investors for at least $500 million in funding ahead of a planned stock market debut, people with knowledge of the matter said.

Swarms of firefighting drones could one day be deployed to tackle hugely destructive megafires that are becoming increasingly frequent in the Mediterranean region because of climate change, arson and poor landscape management. It's one of a number of initiatives looking at how best to fight large fires from the air – a challenge that's becoming more and more common. A 2017 report on forest fires by the EU's Joint Research Centre said that the year would'likely be remembered as one of the most devastating wildfire seasons in Europe since records began', after the destruction of nearly 700,000 hectares of land in the EU by early September. Such fires are dangerous not only for people who live in the area but also for the crews of people whose job it is to put the fires out. But using intelligent robots to scout the area and drop water can allow humans to stand further back from the danger zone, only looking at the drones' data to make decisions from the safety of a command and control centre.

As a teenager working for his dad's construction business, Noah Ready-Campbell dreamed that robots could take over the dirty, tedious parts of his job, such as digging and leveling soil for building projects. Now the former Google engineer is turning that dream into a reality with Built Robotics, a startup that's developing technology to allow bulldozers, excavators and other construction vehicles to operate themselves. "The idea behind Built Robotics is to use automation technology make construction safer, faster and cheaper," said Ready-Campbell, standing in a dirt lot where a small bulldozer moved mounds of earth without a human operator. The San Francisco startup is part of a wave of automation that's transforming the construction industry, which has lagged behind other sectors in technological innovation. Backed by venture capital, tech startups are developing robots, drones, software and other technologies to help the construction industry to boost speed, safety and productivity.

Elbit wants to lease hanger space for the large drone it flies, and install equipment it needs to fly it. The FAA requires a chase plane to provide visual supervision when the drone flies. Lease costs are still being negotiated.

Elbit wants to lease hanger space for the large drone it flies, and install equipment it needs to fly it. The FAA requires a chase plane to provide visual supervision when the drone flied. Lease costs are still being negotiated.

Karim Khan is suing the CIA for the deaths of his son and brother in a drone strike. Pakistani journalist Karim Khan's son Zahinullah Khan and brother Asif Iqbal were killed when a CIA drone attacked Karim's home in December 2009.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump will soon make it easier to export some types of lethal U.S.-made drones to potentially dozens more allies and partners -- including Japan -- according to people familiar with the plan. Trump is expected to ease rules for such foreign sales under a long-delayed new policy on unmanned military aircraft due to be rolled out as early as this month, the first phase of a broader overhaul of arms export regulations. U.S. drone manufacturers, facing growing competition overseas especially from Chinese and Israeli rivals who often sell under lighter restrictions, have lobbied hard for the rule changes. The White House is expected to tout the move as part of Trump's "Buy American" initiative to create jobs and reduce the U.S. trade deficit. Human rights and arms control advocates, however, warn it risks fueling violence and instability in regions such as the Middle East and South Asia.