The Army wants to equip individual soldiers with drones to give them greater tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities in the field.
https://gcn.com/articles/2016/03/11/soldier-drones.aspx
Plane landing with one of its wheels missing
A video has captured a plane flipping around at a New Zealand airport as it tried to land with one of its wheels missing. The two people on the plane that landed at Hamilton Airport were not injured.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11603427
NASA's scientific balloon team
NASA's scientific balloon team in New Zealand is preparing for the fourth flight of an 18.8 million cubic foot balloon, with an aim to achieve an ultra-long duration flight of up to 100 days at mid-latitudes. Longer-duration flights provide the opportunity for longer observations of scientific phenomena or ability to survey more sources.
http://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/newsnasa-prepares-for-new-balloon-flight-in-new-zealand-4830962
Amazon's air delivery network
Amazon will lease 20 Boeing 767 freighter aircraft as the online retailer moves closer to setting up its own air delivery network. The company has been trying to make shipments and assume more control over its business and costs.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-air-transport-sr-amazon-com-idUSKCN0WB1LA
New York Drone Film Festival
New York Drone Film Festival aims to win the public acceptance. The festival showcases the remarkable creative possibilities of aerial cinematography.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-york-drone-film-festival-aims-win-over-skeptical-public-n532991
Top-notch drone filmmaking
On March 6, top-notch drone filmmaking will be on display during an event called “Day of Drones” at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City. There will be demonstrations by drone builders and pilots.
The SkyWall 100 bazooka captures drones with a giant net
This is one of the latest device promising to protect the world from the impending drone takeover. An operator targets the drone and fires a canister that contains a large net that gets tangled in the drone’s rotors. A parachute then delivers the drone back to earth in a civilized manner.
http://techcrunch.com/2016/03/04/the-skywall-100-bazooka-captures-drones-with-a-giant-net/
53-year-old Boeing 727 to display at Museum
53-year-old Boeing 727 hobbles from Paine Field to Museum of Flight for display. The refurbished 727 is now repainted in its original United Airlines colors, and will be parked outside the Museum of Flight over the summer for visitors to see
Drones used to monitor sharks
Rescue authorities in Australia are using drones to identify sharks and provide assistance to swimmers threatened by them. The camera-equipped drones were launched as part of a trial program to patrol the coastline of the Australian state of New South Wales.
http://www.theverge.com/2016/2/29/11132098/australia-drone-shark-attack-little-ripper?utm_campaign=theverge&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
Plane out of the runway
Dramatic video shows a plane swerving off the runway onto the grass after overshooting the runway at Birmingham Airport.
Volvo's latest prototype
Volvo’s latest research prototype uses a small robot to pick up and empty bins into a rubbish truck, guided by an overhead drone and without the need for humans.
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/feb/29/drone-guided-robots-replace-binmen-volvo
University of Wyoming will host a drone aircraft symposium
Drone aircraft symposium to be hosted to the University of Wyoming. The event will focus in part on how they can be put to use in the state's wide-open spaces and will cover technological developments as well.
http://www.wyomingnews.com/news/university-of-wyoming-to-host-drone-aircraft-symposium/article_dbbbe7a0-dce4-11e5-9ed9-6f47a619f186.html
US Air Force unveils B-21 bomber
US Air Force unveils new B-21 bomber concept, which will be built by Northrop Grumman. The service plans to field the new bomber in the mid-2020s.
http://www.defensenews.com/story/breaking-news/2016/02/26/b-21-bomber-air-force-lrsb/80976160/
Plane landing without functioning landing gear
An Asia Pacific Airlines cargo plane landed at Guam’s international airport Friday without functioning landing gear. Three crew members were on board, but no one was injured.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2016/02/26/boeing-727-cargo-plane-lands-without-functioning-landing-gear/80975646/
Drones used to rescue people
Rescuers using drones search for three people missing after UK power station near Oxford collapsed Tuesday, killing one person and leaving five more injured.
http://mashable.com/2016/02/24/didcot-power-station-rescue/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link#GmqTq8GlxSq1
New plans for Facebook to deliver Internet
Facebook uses artificial intelligence to analyze satellite images of the Earth and determine where people are living. The plan is to use drones and satellites that can deliver Internet access to all those people on Earth who don’t already have it.
http://www.wired.com/2016/02/facebook-ai-shows-internet-drones-where-all-the-people-are/?mbid=social_twitter#slide-1
Airmageddon, a drone-based version
Kids fly drones through hula hoops ad nauseam in the new show from the Robot Wars mastermind. Airmageddon it’s basically a drone-based version that takes place in the sky.
http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2016/feb/17/airmageddon-cbbc-drone-gameshow-training-kids-for-the-inevitable
Wasps used to improve UAV flight plans
Researchers want to use wasps to improve UAV flight plans. The insects are great at finding their way home. The ANU team used high-speed cameras to track the wasps eye movements.
http://www.engadget.com/2016/02/15/researchers-want-to-use-wasps-to-improve-uav-flight-plans/?utm_content=28734665&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
Fewer fatal air accidents in 2015
Global aviation had fewer fatal accidents in 'extraordinarily safe' 2015. The accidents covered by the report killed 136 people, down from 641 in 2014 and a five-year average of 504, according to IATA.
http://www.reuters.com/article/aviation-safety-iata-accidents-idUSKCN0VO0CG
Barbie in getting a drone in 2016
Because she's a modern woman in a modern world, Barbie is getting a drone this year, too.
http://mashable.com/2016/02/13/barbie-smart-dreamhouse/#bnXNXfb3rPqi