A Showcase of Cutting-Edge Drone Technology in Action Amidst a Stunning Desert Landscape by DRONELIFE Contributor Paul Rossi The early morning sun shines over the gathering, with a large screen displaying the live drone demonstrations for the attendees. This morning’s live flight demonstration at the Commercial UAV Expo hosted by Sundance Media Group was a resounding […]
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New Regulations Enable Safer and More Reliable Drone Operations in National Airspace By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill In a critical step toward integrating unmanned aerial system operations into national air traffic system, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Aug. 29 adopted new rules that, for the first time, enable drone control operations to be […]
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In this episode of Weekly Wings, co-hosts Paul Rossi and Terry Neff take listeners on a whirlwind tour of the latest developments in the drone industry and beyond. From dramatic rescue missions to cutting-edge military tech, and even a surprising navigation lesson from dung beetles, this episode is packed with fascinating insights and lively discussions. […]
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La Vacca Island , Sant’Antioco , Sardinia
Autel Evo Lite plus , with CPL filter
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The Commercial UAV Expo is back for its 10th iteration this week. Running from Sept. 3-5, 2024, the expo occurs in the heart of Las Vegas at the Caesars Forum. There, innovation meets the sky, as the Commercial UAV Expo is considered one of the most top-tier drone conferences every year.
For the 2024 edition of the Commercial UAV Expo, expect 3,750 attendees from across 75 countries. The expo hall is a highlight, and this year, expect about 225 exhibitors.
Like most drone conferences, expect to see big product launches (and to be able to get your hands on those new products) at Commercial UAV Expo 2024. Anticipate keynotes with well-known professionals, and leave time in your calendar for impromptu networking.
All that said, there are a few major pieces of news and product launches that you should be aware of — so you can check it all out for yourself in person during the event.
All the news and products discussed below are set to drop at Commercial UAV Expo 2024. Yet this week is set to be chock full of all sorts of other drone news, including the launch of the new DJI NEO drone.
But until then — and because Commercial UAV Expo 2024 — here are the top things to see specifically at the drone conference in Vegas this week:
Japanese drone maker ACSL launched a new thermal camera on Sept. 3. Designed to work with its SOTEN drone (though it can work with other ACSL drones), the stabilized, thermal camera uses a Boson sensor mounted to a 3-axis gimbal. Offering a resolution of 640×512, it has an effective focal length of 13.8mm and a 32° HFOV. It captures video at 640X512 @60 Hz.
Meanwhile, the electro-optical sensor records photos up to 64MP photos and 4K video at 30 Hz, while offering an effective focal length of 4.8mm and 67° HFOV.
The SOTEN drone is designed and manufactured in Japan, and it’s NDAA compliant. And the new ACSL thermal camera is just one of many new launches the company has unveiled since landing in the U.S. at the beginning of 2024. That includes a new, NDAA-compliant smart controller called TENSO.
That said, the new thermal camera for this drone isn’t quite ready yet. It won’t be ready for purchase until later this year. That said, you can see a demo unit for yourself at Commercial UAV Expo 2024. They’re at booth #541.
We’re all familiar with the Federal Aviation Administration’s drone regulations under Part 107. These rules govern the operation of small drones for commercial (aka non-hobbyist) purposes.
But Part 108 is on the horizon. Once it’s introduced, it could entail new regulatory standards for how we integrate drones into controlled airspace, particularly in terms of security protocols or expanded operational permissions. And it could hugely affect drone operators by introducing stricter certification requirements, new operational limits and likely more robust safety and security standards.
It has huge implications particularly for drones flying beyond visual line of site, which affects work like drone deliveries.
We don’t know much about Part 108 for now, but expect news surrounding Part 108 to come out of Commercial UAV Expo 2024. A panel at 2:45 p.m. on Sept. 5 asks the FAA directly what to expect in terms of Part 108. And just before that at 11:45 a.m., a panel will dig into Part 108 industry standards for compliance. That panel entails not just FAA representation, but also key representation from major drone delivery companies including Wing and Zipline.
And don’t miss the Part 108 brief on Sept. 4, the day prior, where a bunch of FAA leaders will share insights on what the future regulatory environment looks like for BVLOS operations.
A2Z is working on a way to scale how we charge delivery drones. The California-based drone delivery company recently launched a portfolio of autonomous drone docks. With it comes a companion drone designed specifically to work with the system’s automatic charging capability.
What is a drone dock? A drone dock can take on different meaning depending on who you ask, but it’s generally anything that functions as a landing and charging station for drones. With it, drones have a safe and convenient location to land and recharge their batteries — all without requiring manual intervention by an operator.
In a drone delivery sense, drones could deliver to broader areas as they wouldn’t have to return to their takeoff point in order to recharge, but instead could recharge out docking points anywhere around a region.
The launch of A2Z AirDock also takes the company purely from a company that manufactures commercial drone delivery hardware to a more holistic provider of drone-network-as-a-service (DNaaS).
See A2Z at the Commercial UAV Expo 2024 over at booth #841.
Want to ask question to the FAA directly? There’s a good opportunity to do so as part of the FAA Public Safety and Security UAS Town Hall Meeting, set for Sept. 4 at 2 p.m. In this 90 minute meeting, you’ll be able to learn about Certificates of Authorizations (COAs), Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs), Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, Remote ID and more.
Though it’s geared toward first responders and emergency services professionals, it’s a good opportunity for anyone in attendance to get face time with key leaders at the FAA.
Of course, you can’t go to Vegas for a drone conference and not do all the other Vegas classics. And beyond the classics, there’s tons of new stuff in Vegas in 2024 too.
Head over to Play Playground, which is a board game and playground inspired bar for adults. It’s great for groups. If you’re going out solo (or in a smaller group) head to Pinky Ring in the Bellagio for drinks and classy music.
No matter what you’re doing in Vegas, there are ways you can save on a Vegas trip. For starters, there’s lots of free and cheap things to do in Vegas. You might even book your Vegas hotel for free on points. And don’t miss the Las Vegas airport lounges (you may have free access through your credit card).
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Canada plans to build a facility for its new drones in the Arctic, but will face more than its share of challenges in operating the aircraft in the far north, air force documents show. The Liberal government announced on Dec. 19 that Canada would buy 11 of the remotely piloted aircraft from a U.S. company […]
The Chinese military, which has been testing its capabilities to counter enemy drone swarm attacks, has admitted that accurately hitting the small targets may prove difficult. A first round of anti-aircraft artillery launched against a drone swarm during a recent People’s Liberation Army (PLA) training exercise achieved only 40 per cent damage, state broadcaster CCTV […]
–Cyberhawk, a global supplier of drone-based inspection and surveying services and visual data management software, has announced a 55 percent revenue growth for the fiscal year 2024, ending March 31st, with total revenue reaching 28.7 million. Cyberhawk solutions are trusted by global energy, utility, and construction companies, providing unparalleled safety, efficiency, and accuracy in asset […]
Chennai-based Murugappa Group is betting big on the agricultural drone market in India through Dhaksha Unmanned Systems (Dhaksha), in which the group’s company Coromandel International holds a 58 percent stake. Dhaksha is targeting sales of 3,500 drones out of a total industry sales of 10,000 units this year, driven by government initiatives like the Namo […]
–Blueflite is set to address the growing global demand for safe and reliable storage of hydrogen fuels for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) through a collaborative early-stage project supported by the Northern Territory Government. The ambitious project, which will also see Blueflite open its Darwin-based premises, seeks to develop a lightweight, high-pressure, hydrogen vessel (tank) using […]