Raw video: 50-100 vehicles involved in chain-reaction crash on Interstate 44. A Missouri fire department shared incredible drone video Monday showing the aftermath of a huge, deadly pileup on Interstate-44 that happened during a snowstorm Sunday. The crash near Springfield involved several vehicles and tractor trailers and resulted in the death of a 63-year-old woman, according to local TV station, KY3 News and other local media. Missouri state police said more than 100 vehicles were involved in a series of accidents on I-44 Sunday that left the woman dead and 11 other people injured. The snow and icy conditions made driving treacherous on Missouri highways Sunday.

Scores of Yemenis have taken to the streets of the southern province of Shabwa after a US drone attack killed at least seven civilians. The January 28 drone attack decimated a car carrying at least six male members of the same family and another individual as they were searching for a "missing child" in Shabwa's Said district, residents said. Saleh al-Aishi al-Ateeqi, a relative of one of the victims who organised the protest, told local media that "the victims were all innocent civilians who had nothing to do with any political or religious organisation." Speaking at a protest in the city of Ateq on Sunday, al-Ateeqi blamed the Arab coalition at war with Yemen for the deaths, saying it was responsible for the country's airspace and protecting civilian lives. The United States is the only force known to operate armed drones over Yemen and does not normally comment on its operations.

The next level of strategic cooperation between India and Japan has become apparent with the news that India and Japan are to work together to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics in the defence sector. Chatting with Indian media last month, said, "You should expect to see increased bilateral cooperation between us (India and Japan) to develop unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) and robotics." This cooperation is important considering the increasingly aggressive stance by China and China's assistance to Pakistan in terms of AI and robotics. Recent reports indicate China has secretly sold its Wing Loong-I strike-capable medium-altitude, 5000 km range, 200 kg payload drone to Pakistan. Wing Loong-I is China's latest armed drone that conducted firing exercises during January 2018.

Queen Elizabeth II is reportedly at "terror risk." The exact routes and schedules of the monarch's royal trips were announced 48 hours before the takeoff. The Royal Household decided to release the details to warn private aircraft and pilots and drone operators to minimize the risk of collision as there were cases of near-misses with drones. However, an expert felt that doing so encourage "terrorists, mad people and pranksters," Express reported. Dai Davies, former head of royal protection did not agree with the said move.

South Korean authorities are adopting some pretty high-tech security measures for the upcoming Winter Olympics, including the deployment of drone-catching-drones and a tactical plane with facial recognition. The drones they're using to patrol the event won't chase away rogue drones that get too close to the venues: they'll cast nets to catch any UAV that shows up on the the security team's radar. More than being worried about photographers taking unauthorized photos of the games, the Pyeongchang Olympics anti-Terrorism and Safety team are apparently concerned about the possibility of terrorists using drones to drop or plant bombs. In fact, team members have also been training to shoot drones out of the sky, in case their own drones aren't enough. North Korea's participation in the games make it less likely for the country to attack, but it's clear that authorities want to be prepared -- after all, terrorists typically attack huge crowds.

Earlier this week, the mayor of Louisville, Kentucky told reporters that he wants the city to field a fleet of drones that automatically survey areas after guns are fired. The city would detect firearm discharges using its existing ShotSpotter system, WDRB reported, and immediately send the UAVs to the scene, potentially before emergency responders are even called. But this isn't coming out of nowhere: Louisville could just be the first of over 300 cities that have applied to a federal program that provides funding for local governments that are trying to start their own drone programs. Cities had to apply for the FAA and DOT's US Unmanned Aerial System Integration Pilot Program by the end of last November, but of the hundreds of applicants, only five will be chosen. So far, only Louisville is proposing this particular use for a drone fleet, according to Gizmodo. But the city's mayor and civic innovation chief believe a host of UAVs buzzing in to photograph or video record a location and leaving thereafter would be less of a privacy violation than blanketing the city in security cameras -- and be cheaper, too.

When DJI revealed the Mavic Pro in late 2016, it ended up being a turning point for the company. DJI was already the dominant name in consumer drones thanks to the Phantom series, but the Mavic Pro was cheaper, smaller and downright meaner looking. The combination of price, features and cool-factor made it an instant success. Then there was the Spark, which was smaller, but less powerful and lacked some of the basic features that a budding aerial photographer wants. Enter the Mavic Air, a quadcopter that slots between the Mavic Pro and Spark on DJI's roster.

Airbus' plans to create a fleet of self-flying taxis have moved a step closer, thanks to the first successful test flight of a full-scale prototype. Project Vahana's aircraft, dubbed Alpha One, took to the skies for the first time, flying for a total of 53 seconds. With further testing, the firm hopes to have a commercial version of the craft in operation by 2020. Airbus' plans to create a fleet of self-flying taxis have moved a step closer to becoming reality, thanks to the first successful test flight of a full-scale prototype. Project Vahana's aircraft, dubbed Alpha One, took to the skies for the first time, flying for a total of 53 seconds The test flights took place at the Pendleton Unmanned Aerial Systems Range in Oregon, close to a nearby airport where the craft has been stored since November 2017. Alpha One climbed to a height of 16 feet (five metres) before successfully returning to the ground at 8:52am PT (11.52am

When Airbus first announced its plans to develop a self-flying taxi, it sounded like a fever dream of a sci-fi fan. Now, the aerospace giant has proven that it wasn't joking: Airbus' Vahana team have successfully flown their autonomous air taxi dubbed "Alpha One" for the first time. Sure, it only reached an altitude of 16 feet and remained in the air for 53 seconds before descending, but it did so while fully self-piloted. The team conducted another test flight the day after, and by the sound of things, that one also went well. Airbus created the project to "democratize personal flight" by leveraging all the latest technologies, including machine vision and electric propulsion.

Stuart Russell, Anthony Aguirre, Ariel Conn, and Max Tegmark recently wrote a response to my critique of their "Slaughterbots" video on autonomous weapons. I am grateful for their thoughtful article. I think this kind of dialogue can be incredibly helpful in illuminating points of disagreement on various issues, and I welcome the exchange. I think it is particularly important to have a cross-disciplinary dialogue on autonomous weapons that includes roboticists, AI scientists, engineers, ethicists, lawyers, human rights advocates, military professionals, political scientists, and other perspectives because this issue touches so many disciplines. I appreciate their thorough, point-by-point reply.