Drones are fun, but learning how to fly drones effectively is generally a lot less fun, and that's where Skydio 2 comes in. The second-generation of the autopilot drone, it's smaller, faster, and smarter than its predecessor, not to mention considerably cheaper. I've been testing it out, and already I'm impressed.
Drones have become more common these days especially in the consumer market. All sorts and sizes of flying robots, controlled by phones or dedicated controllers can be found in any toy store and hobby store. The use of drones extends to business and even military which has naturally raised red flags when it comes to privacy. But while most groups are calling for stricter drone regulations, DJI is offering an alternative that would allow anyone with a smartphone to identify registered drones flying as far as 1 kilometer away.
Under the partnership the two announced late last month, UPS was revealed that it is now delivering prescription drugs to customers using its drone delivery service. The first two prescription deliveries under the program took place on November 1, according to UPS, which used an M2 delivery drone from Matternet. The service kicked off only a couple of weeks after Alphabet's Wing started delivering goods for Walgreens.
The US Department of Interior, the agency that oversees federal land and natural resources, has grounded its fleet of more than 800 drones over concerns that they may be a security vulnerability. According to recent reports, officials have cited worries over drones made in China, as well as drones that feature components manufactured in the nation. The decision is the latest in a long line of security worries over Chinese gadgets.
The previously leaked DJI Mavic Mini has been officially announced. The new folding drone is ultra-light and highly portable, offering what DJI says is 'professional-quality' features in a form factor that may, in some areas, be exempted from the regulations that impact its larger siblings. The DJI Mavic Mini is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand; it is joined by a camera that can capture up to 2.7K video.
When you hear about delivery drones, you probably envision large flying machines that will drop, hopefully slowly, a package right at your doorstep. Most of the time, that is an accurate picture as far as the likes of Amazon or even UPS are concerned. Uber, specifically its Uber Eats arm, is curiously doing it the other way around. It just revealed the design of its planned meal delivery drone that will, almost ironically, leave the actual delivery in the hands of humans.
DJI is perhaps best known in the consumer drone market but it has been relatively silent of late, at least as far as UAVs were concerned. Most of its recent products focused on its OSMO gimbal system and a drone that rolled but did not fly. It seems that is ready to reclaim the skies once again this month but in a smaller way, literally. The Mini version of DJI's Mavic may due for a debut in a few days but not before the drone is leaked in a few product photos.
Researchers have created a swarm of small drones that are capable of exploring unknown environments by themselves. The scientists say that the research surrounding the drone swarm is a significant step in the field of swarm robotics. The drones in the swarm are small and weigh in at 33g.
The United States Air Force has received its first anti-drone laser weapon, Raytheon has announced. The company delivered the counter-UAS system earlier this month, marking its completion of the work first revealed earlier this year. The US Air Force plans to test the system over the duration of a year as part of a larger experiment. According to Raytheon, its technology can take down a drone within seconds.
Package delivery company and FedEx competitor UPS has teamed up with pharmacy and convenience store chain CVS to offer prescription drug deliveries by drones in the United States. The announcement comes only days after Alphabet's Wing announced that it is now delivering over-the-counter medication and some convenience goods in a Virginia city via pharmacy and convenience store Walgreens, a competitor to CVS.
Following news about its plans, Alphabet's Wing has started delivering small packages to people in Virginia using drones. The deliveries are made possible thanks to the company's Air Carrier Certificate received from the FAA, which officially makes Alphabet the first company to offer a commercial air delivery service to private residences in the US.
An autonomous drone needs an autonomous landing pad, and so Skydio 2 is getting a special dock which will allow the super-smart drone to keep on working with minimal human involvement. Announced earlier this month, Skydio 2 is the second-generation of the self-flying drone, smaller and smarter than the original Skydio R1.