drones - News, Features, and Slideshows

News

• No human drivers in 20 years: Steve Wozniak

  The Apple co-founder and chief scientist at Fusion-io talks about the disruptive trends that excite and concern him.

• Drone carrying drugs, hacksaw blades crashes in Oklahoma prison

  A drone carrying drugs, a cell phone, hacksaw blades and other contraband was discovered crashed in an Oklahoma prison yard on Monday morning.

• US retailer Wal-Mart wants to deliver by drone

  US retailer Wal-Mart has applied for permission to begin testing home delivery by drones -- a move intended to ensure online rivals Amazon and Google don't corner the much-hyped market before it gets off the ground.

• US to require registration process for drones

  The U.S. Dept. of Transportation said Monday that it will form a task force to come up with a registration process for drones.

• NEC's surveillance system will detect, track drones

  NEC has developed a surveillance system that can spot drones from up to a kilometer away.

• UK gets first drone conviction after flights over football stadiums

  A man in the U.K. has been convicted of illegally flying drones over buildings and congested areas -- the first conviction of its type in the country.

• New super-precise drones could win over wireless industry

  Big IT companies have largely been mum on plans to use drones, but emerging technology from Bay-area startup PreNav appears to have at least intrigued wireless service providers and cell phone tower operators.

• DJI software update brings new tricks to its drones

  Drone maker DJI is adding new features to some of its drones through a software update that should make them easier to fly.

• New drone hopes to make aerial photography a Snap

  Vanatage Robotics' new Snap camera drone combines stabilized 4K video with a variety of shooting modes and a focus on safety and portability -- attributes it hopes will enable the product to stand out in an increasingly crowded market.

• Boeing's laser hunts for drones

  Earlier this month, Boeing's portable drone-destroying laser system disabled a moving, untethered drone during a test in California.

• Researchers envisage swarms of tiny drones for dangerous rescue missions

  Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are working on a new generation of disaster drones that can be deployed in swarms into buildings to give first responders a look inside, mapping out the interior as they go.

• Drones being trialled to tackle Australia's pest problem

  Trials are currently underway in rural Queensland and New South Wales to utilise military-grade drones to help tackle Australia’s expensive pest problem.
  

• In Pictures: Hot stuff - The coolest drones

  From unmanned aircraft swarms to space systems, drones are hot.

• In Pictures: Drones behaving badly

  Technical advances -- and questionable use -- are fast accelerating the need for policies regarding the unmanned future of our skies

• Meet the Tech Dude Who Doubles as the Weird Al of Drone Songs

  A mild-mannered tech and media support coordinator for Oregon State University Extension Service by day, Victor Villegas takes on the persona of The Drone Singer during his off hours. Yes, he fashions himself as the Weird Al Yankovic of drone songs.