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American Robotics CEO Reese Mozer has no beef with drone deliveries, but he thinks all the hoopla surrounding aerial transport of burgers and burritos is drowning out news about farther-reaching UAV activities that are dramatically changing the way businesses operate. He tells DroneDJ about that transformative innovation, and how American Robotics’s (AR) leading role in the complete automation of critical drone services to industry is set to take wing.

Nevertheless, Mozer adds, that action manages to generate sufficient media and public excitement to divert attention from the more complex, vital, and – in total financial terms – valuable surveying and inspection services drone automation provides heavy industry, energy, railroad, and infrastructure operators. And that’s precisely the UAV sector activity he predicts will begin taking off and turning heads this year.

A UK consortium wants to build the world’s largest and longest “drone superhighway,” connecting towns and cities across the United Kingdom.


Also read: 14 amazing drone photos from DJI SkyPixel contest winners

The idea is to enable businesses in these regions to develop and grow through the commercialization of new drone-based products, processes, and services. However, a decision on whether the project would receive the green light is not expected for a few weeks at least.

The six-foot drone is made by by ZALA Aero, a subsidiary of famed Russian arms manufacturer Kalashnikov. After being fired from a portable launcher the KUB-BLA can loiter over a target area for up to half an hour, flying at speeds of around 80mph.

Once it has recognised a suitable target it deliberately crashes into it, detonating its seven-pound high explosive payload.

Mikhail Kokorich is the founder of Destinus. This serial entrepreneur has been dubbed Russia’s Elon Musk by his public relations team. The Russian businessman says his business, Destinus, is developing a hydrogen-powered, zero-emissions transcontinental delivery drone that can travel at speeds up to Mach 15.

Destinus plans to combine the technological advancements from a spaceplane with the ordinary and straightforward physics from a glider to create a hyperplane that will meet the many demands of a hyper-connected world.

This hyperplane will use clean hydrogen fuel to transport cargo between Europe and Australia in mere hours. The hyperplane will be fully autonomous; it will take off from ordinary runways, traveling leisurely to the coast before accelerating to supersonic speeds.

The first Australian-produced military combat aircraft in over half a century.


Boeing’s Loyal Wingman is now officially the “MQ-28A Ghost Bat.” The new military designator and name that will be used by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) for the autonomous combat drone was announced during a ceremony at the Amberley Royal Australian Air Force Base in Queensland today.

Giving the Loyal Wingman an official name may seem trivial, but it represents two major steps for the program. Being named after a native Australian bat, it acknowledges the first Australian-produced military combat aircraft in over half a century, and it also shows that the drone is moving out of the experimental phase and into a path for full deployment with the RAAF and sales to international customers.

Taking only three years from the first design to first flight, the Ghost Bat’s rapid development owes much to Boeing Australia’s use of digital engineering and advanced manufacturing techniques. When in service, the autonomous combat craft will have the performance and range comparable to that of a conventional fighter aircraft. This will allow it to carry out single missions and team with other crewed or uncrewed aircraft.

· They have on-board video cameras and colour sensors to aid with guidance.

· They are essentially camera-equipped, remote-controlled flying bombs that can be directed by an operator to find a target then, when ready, plunge on to it. They explode on contact, hence the “kamikaze” nickname.

Switchblades extend the range of attack on Russian vehicles and units to beyond the sight of the user. That gives them an advantage over the guided heat-seeking missiles the Ukrainians have used against Russian tanks.

BOW ISLAND, AB — Patrick Fabian is quickly picking up a new skill. The seed farmer plans to start using drones…


BOW ISLAND, AB – Patrick Fabian is quickly picking up a new skill.

The seed farmer plans to start using drones to monitor his 1,250 irrigated acres.

“On our farm, it will be mostly for crop surveillance to check the middle of the fields and the things we can’t normally see properly without walking every single square foot of the farm,” Fabian said.