Drone News – Week 7

Even more exciting and interesting news on drones this week — Samsung’s patented drone design and stories about how drones are the next big thing in the medical and emergency, and telecommunications industry. Read on for this week’s highlights.

AUSTRALIA

1. Software that takes over dangerous and off-course drones will come to market next month.

Perth and US Maryland based Department 13 says it is readying its Mesmer technology which can detect dangerous drones, for example drones transporting weapons and drugs, identify and force them to land. It says the technology is suited to national security, defence and commercial applications. (December 8)

INTERNATIONAL

1. Researchers with Johns Hopkins University have determined that blood bag transport via drone is safe, according to a new university release. The team looked at both the cellular integrity and the temperature of the blood throughout the transportation process, finding that both were positive and the transported blood was safe to use. Such findings help pave the way for emergency blood transportation via drones. (December 8)

2. A new patent from Samsung has surfaced in which we see a drone designed to look somewhat like a Frisbee. The drone, at least per the patent’s illustrations, feature a circular design with a couple feet on the underside and an open grille on the top, a rotor presumably hidden within. Unlike most other drones, this one resembles a small UFO or a flying food dehydrator tray. (December 8)

3. For the first time, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and holograms helped to fight wildfires. Drones from Boeing’s subsidiary Insitu and the Microsoft HoloLens are the new tools used to make fighting forest fires a lot safer for firefighters. (December 8)

4. Rogers Communications (CA) sees drones as the next big wireless device as demand for real-time data streaming rises. (December 6)