Mind blown: Alphabet drones to deliver Chipotle burritos, by Jessica Guynn September 8, 2016
Currently delivery burrito drones are being tested on the campus of Virginia Tech College. Before this drones where tested upon an open field but now they have been moved to this college. This system is a method for chipotle to deliver burritos to people with a drone that lowers to burritos to the customers from the sky. On each of these drones there is a container to hold the burritos and a lowering mechanism. The mechanism is mainly used as a safely so that the propellers of the drone don’t hit people.
-Zachary Bastiani
The Rise Of The Drone, And The Thorny Questions That Have Followed, by Tom Bowman Sept 8, 2016
The first time a drone was used to kill a person was conducted during 2001. However this operation failed because the CIA and the Air Force began fighting over who should be able to use drones. Now both the CIA and the Air Forces uses drone strikes and are training more drone operators than they are bomb pilots or fighter pilots. This is what has taken over the new face of war, drones. So how should they be used? Ben Frizgerald suggests that drones should be operated solely by the pentagon so that hopefully other countries follow suit of the US’s laws about drone use.
-Zachary Bastiani
New York City’s Firefighting Arsenal Will Soon Include Drones, by Rick Rojas Sept, 8 2016
The article talks about the implementation of drones into the New York City Police department. Key features to these drones are infrared capability as well as high-resolution video. Currently there is only one of these drones being deployed but two more should be ready before the end of the year. The main reason for the implementation of the drones is to give the firefighters more information about the fires, but before drones could be widely used there were problems with the FAA. Most of New York is considered to be a no fly zone so the firefighters had to work out a deal.
-Zachary Bastiani
Mercedes-Benz to make drone-equipped electric delivery vans for online orders, Sep. 8, 2016
Mercedes-Benz has plans to create a delivery van they call the “Vision Van”, which is a cloud-connected vehicle, enabling its cargo to be tracked by both the delivery driver and the customer. While the driver gets out to deliver one package, two drones can take off from the roof and automatically deliver two more packages. The drones can carry a package up to 4.4 pounds for 12 miles on its battery charge. Once the battery is almost out, the drone can automatically switch to a new battery and continue delivering without human intervention. The van automatically feeds packages to the underside of a drone from an opening door on the roof. Automatic loading systems are also being used to reduce loading time.
-Connor Jensen
Innovation and Industries: Commercial Drones, Sep. 11, 2016
On August 29 the FAA finalized and enacted their rules for companies to start using drones. Knowing what companies are now allowed to do with drones has led investors to believe the drone market is worth as much as 127 billion. Companies who build parts used in drones such as the cameras have seen an increase in production for these “flying cameras”. Insurance companies can use these to take pictures of homes or detailed pictures of an accident. Drones could be used in agriculture to apply pesticides or water crops, which would increase crop yields. Google is testing solar powered drones to deliver millimeter radio waves which could provide internet around 40 times faster than what is commercially available. Analysts predict that drones could deliver packages for companies like amazon for as little as one dollar, which is a fraction of the cost of fedex or ups.
-Connor Jensen
‘Growing global tension’ to drive drone sales, seen doubling by 2025: Research, Sep. 11, 2016
Due to an increased geopolitical instability and the continuation of military use of unmanned technology, drone sales are set to almost double over the next decade. Growing use of unmanned aerial vehicles is continually growing, along with global tension rising more of these UAVs are being used in operations. Countries around the world have become more and more interested in drones and new UAV technology. China is expected to more than double their budget on drones between now and 2025. Huge growth is also expected in India due to their heavy border requirements. Drones will need better capabilities to withstand all types of weather. Working towards having non segregated airspace for drones is also a need for this increase in use.
-Connor Jensen
