unmanned aerial vehicles News

Drone Wars: Airspace and Legal Rights in the Age of Drones

It is only the tip of the iceberg. As technology advances, common citizens are increasingly finding themselves with the ability to obtain and fly reasonably-priced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) known as drones. News broadcasts are only now beginning to reflect …

Munich Re Survey Suggests 40% of Businesses Could Soon be Using Drones

In fewer than five years, the use of drones (unmanned aerial vehicles – UAVs) could become common practice for almost 40 percent of businesses, say corporate risk managers surveyed by Munich Re. What is the greatest risk of using drones …

Berkshire’s BNSF Partners With U.S. to Research Long-Distance Drone Flights

BNSF Railway Co., owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., will be among the first companies to operate a commercial drone over hundreds of miles in a U.S. research program to test the safety of pilot-less flights. A camera-equipped drone …

Delaware Researcher Testing Drones to Assess Storm Damage

In the hours after a horrific storm – a storm like Superstorm Sandy – with bridges impassable and roads debris-covered, emergency response is often the first concern. But with an autonomous drone, researchers like the University of Delaware’s Arthur Trembanis …

Google Looking Past Drones to a Future With Pilotless Planes

The chief of Google Inc.’s experimental cargo-drone program wants to see automated flight go beyond pilotless planes and extend to commercial air travel. Just as automation has proved its worth in factories by removing tedious work from employees’ hands, flying …

Commercial Drone Use Stymied by Slow to Act FAA

As U.S. regulators study how to govern commercial drones, corporate America is plunging ahead on using unmanned aircraft in a bid to speed the process and win concessions on proposed restrictions. Large companies including American International Group Inc., Chevron Corp. …

Insurers Urge FAA to Speed Use of Drones for Disaster Response

U.S. companies including insurers and aerospace manufacturers urged federal aviation regulators on Tuesday to speed up the use of drones in disaster response and relief operations in the United States. A report sponsored by the groups and released by the …

Commercial Drone Users Get Smoother Path for FAA Flight Permits

Commercial drone operators will have an easier time using and testing their devices in the U.S. after the Federal Aviation Administration said it has loosened some requirements for obtaining government permission to fly. The FAA has awarded 48 waivers for …

State Farm Given Okay to Use Drones for Damage Assessments

State Farm has become the first insurer in the United States to receive FAA permission to test Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for commercial use. The decision provides the Illinois-based insurer the opportunity to research drone technology and potentially deploy it …

Oklahoma Lawmakers Want Drone Use Regulated

Concerned about the growing presence of drones in the skies above Oklahoma, a couple of state lawmakers have filed legislation to rein in their use. But state officials trying to attract unmanned aerial vehicle designers and manufacturers say it is …