For instance, any of the utility company wants to have a close look of the remote power lines, the Airbus aerial satellites would help pull off data and for the closer look; it might contract with a local company to run a plane or drone flight over the area. Lately, Airbus announced its partnership with DroneBase for better results and inspection. Airbus has also started mapping the runways at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson, the world's busiest airports. Here, the company used Sensefly's fixed-wing drone which flies autonomously, capturing images of the ground, and then the results are checked and complied, including 3D maps to show bumps and cracks, and GPS data to locate busted lights. "In the coming time, drones would be taking up certain projects that would make a great impact," says FAA.

Aircraft maker Airbus is turning to smart industrial drones, data analytics and machine learning to make aircraft inspections easier and faster. One day while working on a shiny new Airbus A350 aircraft, Ronie Gnecco figured it was time to build a better relationship between drones and passenger airplanes. His bold idea to use flying robots for aircraft safety inspections worked so well it has -- among other projects -- it inspired aircraft manufacturer Airbus to move deeper into the industrial drone revolution. Within a couple of years, the company's intelligent unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) systems could be used for safety inspections at airports around the world, making planes safer with more on-time flight departures. To make that happen, Gnecco said it will require pioneering efforts from technology experts, regulators and airport authorities from around the world.

Airbus has unveiled its pioneering solar-powered drone. Called the Zephyr S, the aerospace giant presented the'pseudo-satellite' to crowds gathered at Britain's Farnborough airshow. In a major milestone, the massive drone completed its first test flight from Arizona on July 11, Airbus said. Airbus has unveiled its pioneering solar-powered drone. Called the Zephyr S, the aerospace giant presented the'pseudo-satellite' to crowds gathered at Britain's Farnborough airshow'This maiden flight of the Zephyr S aims to prove and demonstrate the aircraft capabilities, with a landing date to be confirmed once the engineering objectives have been achieved,' Airbus said in a statement announcing the test flight.

Airbus has opened a production line for its high-altitude autonomous drone, the Zephyr S. The Zephyr has a wingspan of 25 meters and is designed to operate in the stratosphere at an average altitude of 21 kilometers -- above clouds, jet streams and ozone layer, as well as regular air traffic (apart perhaps, from the odd spy-plane). Airbus wants the drone to fly for 100 days without landing (its currently record is 14 days without refuelling) and travel up to 1,000 nautical miles per day. It weighs 75kg, but can support a payload up to five times its own weight. The drone can be used for things like surveillance and reconnaissance -- the UK's Ministry of Defence has already bought several of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It could also be used to create a communication network either for civilian or military uses -- Facebook recently cancelled its own plans to build high-altitude drones to deliver internet access in remote areas, but at the time said it would continue to work with partners like Airbus on such vehicles.

The space above your head--currently filled with sky, maybe some clouds, and the passing bird or plastic bag--is valuable. Many a company would rather see it filled with drones, saving lives with emergency drugs, delivering items you ordered online, monitoring crops, and handling a bajillion other tasks. But if given free rein, some worry, these quadcopter capitalists might darken the sky with their machines, deafen us with their buzzing, and shower debris on those below when they inevitably collide. To avoid an aerial apocalypse, the FAA has so far taken a restrictive approach to drones. It limits commercial operation by requiring permits and imposing restrictions like banning beyond-line-of-sight flights and nighttime operations.