The silence was shredded by the rat-tat-tat eruptions of a single gun. More soldiers fired, their volleys coalescing into the grim music of war -- a sustained snare drum roll soon interrupted by the bass thumps of the 50-caliber machine gun. All the barrels pointed at a speck tracing a line in the sky over west Mosul. Their target was yet another drone dispatched by Islamic State. In the seven months of the Iraqi government's drive to recapture Mosul from the jihadists, small drones have become a signature tactic of the group: Their appearance on the horizon, loaded with a camera, signals that punishing mortar barrages will soon be on the way.

The government in Fukushima, Japan released drone footage Thursday showing the progression made in the area's rebuilding process six years after an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown devastated the region. The videos showed a multitude of areas in the prefecture, including Iwaki City, about 30 miles south of the Fukushima plant, and Futaba, a town 11 miles north of the plant. The videos also showed reconstruction on roads and coastlines, areas severely damaged by the earthquake and tsunami. The government has been working for six years to revive the area. Earlier in May, a bill was enacted to accelerate reconstruction by using state funding to aid the decontamination process in certain districts, according to the Japan Times.

SEE ALSO: Drones are smuggling so much contraband into prisons that the UK created a'squad' Turgeon had used a drone, which he says he later returned, to record video of Native American-led protests against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, which would run through Native American land. For this, Turgeon was arrested and charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment as well as a misdemeanor count of physical obstruction of a government function, according to Motherboard. At about 33 minutes into the video below, you can see what is alleged to be Turgeon's drone flying nowhere close to a North Dakota Highway Patrol plane that is also in frame. The misdemeanor reckless endangerment charge came from allegedly flying a drone above protesters, "creating a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or death."

Agustin Zanoli had always been an adrenaline junkie, racing across rough terrain on motorbikes and hurtling himself down mountain sides mounted on skis. And when a tragic quad-bike accident left him paralysed, he decided he would not let this hold him back from pursuing his passions. Now, with the help of an electronics specialist and some engineering ingenuity, he can satisfy his need for speed by flying a drone at almost 100 miles (160 kilometres) per hour using only the movement of his head. On January 10, 2012, Agustin Zanoli was 18 years old and spent his summer vacation in Carilo, a seaside resort on the Argentine coast. During a quad race in sand dunes the Cordoba resident, now 24, lost the use of his arms and legs.

The Somalis received five drones, some of which have infra-red or night vision capabilities, from Brett Velicovich, whose service with the U.S. military features in a "Drone Warrior", a book to be published next month. His life story is also being developed as a movie by Paramount Pictures.

In drone footage captured on May 18 in Monterey, California, a group of orcas is seen carrying out a coordinated attack on a blue whale. Orcas, also known as killer whales, are known to prey on other marine mammals, including dolphins and seals. But even these fearsome predators don't stand much of a chance against a mature blue whale: The largest animal on the planet, an adult blue whale can reach up to a hundred feet long and weigh close to 200 tons. In this instance, the large blue whale flipped on its side, sending up what seemed like a wall of water, and swam away at a speed that far outpaced the orcas, says marine biologist Nancy Black, who captured the event from on board a whale-watching boat. The real reason the orcas likely orchestrated an attack? "They were probably doing it for the heck of it," says Black. "They play with [whales] like cats play with their prey.

With just two taps of a button, lights began blinking, propellers started to swirl, and a tiny camera set about studying my face. All I had to do was release the miniature drone from my grip and it was instantly airborne. Such is the experience with the new DJI Spark, the company's smallest and cheapest drone yet. The $499 drone -- half the price of the company's high-end Mavic Pro -- is about the size of a soda can, making even the compact Mavic look gargantuan in comparison. But the Spark's most compelling feature is the ability to launch and pilot the drone entirely through hand gestures.

Drones have been the focus of many security initiatives, like the "sky fence" in the Channel Islands that jams pilot signals to stop drones from bringing contraband into the prison. Remotely piloted aircraft can also be a force for good, like in Africa where drones are being used to stop poaching. In the US, you may not have to register your personal drones with the FAA anymore, but you might not want to fly them where they're not allowed. New draft legislation from the Trump administration would authorize the government to track, take control of, and destroy drones that the government thinks pose a threat to specially designated areas. In addition, courts would be unable to hear lawsuits arising from such activity.

Drone company Atmos UAV has launched Marlyn, a lightweight drone which flies automatically, effortlessly and at high wind speeds. One of the first customers that signed up is Skeye, Europe's leading unmanned aircraft data provider. This new technology allows industry professionals around the world to map the surface 10 times faster and guarantees no more drone crashes. "With her unique properties, Marlyn allows us to tackle even our most challenging jobs," says Pieter Franken, co-founder of Skeye, one of Europe's leading unmanned aircraft data providers. He continues: "We expect time savings of up to 50% and moreover save a huge amount of our resources and equipment."

China's biggest online retailer, JD.com Inc., announced plans Monday to develop drone aircraft capable of carrying a ton or more for long-distance deliveries. The company said it will test the drones on a network it is developing to cover the northern Chinese province of Shaanxi. It said they will carry consumer goods to remote areas and farm produce to cities. China's biggest online retailer, JD.com Inc., announced plans Monday to develop drone aircraft capable of carrying a ton or more for long-distance deliveries. China's biggest online retailer, JD.com Inc., has announced plans to develop drone aircraft capable of carrying a ton or more for long-distance deliveries. The craft will be tested on a network it is developing to cover the northern Chinese province of Shaanxi.