UAVs
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Exyn unveils AI to help drones fly autonomously, even indoors or off the grid
A startup called Exyn Technologies Inc. today revealed AI software that enables drones to fly autonomously, even in dark, obstacle-filled environments or beyond the reaches of GPS. A spin out of the University of Pennsylvania’s GRASP Labs, Exyn uses sensor fusion to give drones situational awareness much like a human’s. In a demo video shared by the company with TechCrunch, a… Read More
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Ornithologists are using drones to eavesdrop on songbirds
When conservationists put drones to work in field research, they typically function as flying eyes that gather imagery of the habitat and wildlife below. Now, ornithologists from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania are using drones as flying ears to monitor songbirds in the Appalachian Mountains. Results of their drone study were published in the peer-reviewed journal The Auk:… Read More
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To detect prying eyes in the sky, Dedrone raises $15 million
For better or worse, drones are about to become a lot more prevalent in US airspace. The FAA expects sales of drones to spike domestically from 2.5 million last year to 7 million by 2020. Now, a startup that detects drones and helps prevent unwanted aerial intrusions, Dedrone, has closed a $15 million Series B round of venture funding.
Investors in San Francisco-based Dedrone included Cisco… Read More
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Blackboard cofounder Michael Chasen takes CEO reins at PrecisionHawk
Commercial drone tech venture PrecisionHawk has a new CEO—again. Red Hat Inc. cofounder Bob Young, who has served as PrecisionHawk’s CEO since July 2015, is handing over the reins to another veteran of enterprise software, Michael Chasen, a cofounder and former CEO of education tech giant Blackboard Inc. Verizon Ventures, an investment arm of TechCrunch’s parent company… Read More
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Measure raises $15 million to fly drones as a service for other companies
Measure may not be building the ultimate flying camera, or drones that drop burritos at your door. But the Washington D.C.-based startup has raised $15 million in Series B funding to fly drones as a service for other businesses that want to do things like conduct inspections, capture videos, or gather other insights from on high. Measure CEO and cofounder Brandon Torres Declet said,… Read More
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What the drone industry wants from the FAA and Trump
The commercial drone industry in the U.S. hasn’t heard much from the President-elect about his plans for rulemaking that will impact their business and global competitiveness. Last month, Associated Press broke the story that Trump is interested in privatizing air traffic control, wresting that responsibility from the Federal Aviation Administration and handing it to a nonprofit… Read More
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A test flight with Zipline, makers of humanitarian delivery drones
A maker of delivery drones called Zipline began nationwide delivery of blood and other critical medical supplies in Rwanda today, through a partnership with the Rwandan government. The program strikes a hopeful note about drones, following news earlier this week that ISIS fighters had packed a hobbyist drone with explosives in Iraq, killing two Kurdish fighters who captured and disassembled it. Read More
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DroneDeploy launches a directory for professional drone operators
DroneDeploy wants businesses to be able to find a drone services provider as easily as anyone can find a place to eat dinner today, anywhere in the world. So today, the unveiled a new, free Drone Mapping Directory. Take, for example, a real estate developer who needs a finely detailed map of land where it may soon build a giant, corporate campus. Instead of buying drones equipped to scan… Read More
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New AirMap feature helps drones avoid manned aircraft
A Santa Monica-based startup called AirMap today launched a feature that gives drone operators real time traffic alerts whenever manned aircraft such as helicopters, crop dusters or low-flying passenger planes, are about to enter into their air space. The company’s systems, generally, let drone makers and developers of drone apps give users maps and guidance as to where they’re… Read More
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Mercedes-Benz and Matternet unveil vans that launch delivery drones
Mercedes-Benz Vans and drone tech startup Matternet have created a concept car, or as they’re calling it a Vision Van, that could change the way small packages are delivered across short distances. The Vision Van’s rooftop serves as a launch and landing pad for Matternet’s new, Matternet M2 drones. The Matternet M2 drones, which are autonomous, can pick up and carry a… Read More
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