Welcome to your weekly UAS news update! We have four big stories this week, and as you can tell, we’re live from Las Vegas on the drone floor. There are actually drones flying in the cage behind us right now.
This week’s stories:
- A new NDAA-compliant drone from Angel Aerial Systems
- A drone pilot sentenced for flying over Cape Canaveral
- A drone capturing an incredible ocean rescue in North Carolina
- Amazon introducing a new safety system for drone delivery
Let’s get started.
Angel Aerial Systems Releases New NDAA-Compliant Tricopter
First up, Ohio-based Angel Aerial Systems—who are here on the floor—has released a new NDAA-compliant tricopter called the Trio Scout.
The company claims the Trio Scout can hover for 100 minutes. We spoke with them yesterday and saw the drone firsthand—it’s quite impressive.
Specs include:
- Weight: 5.5 lbs including the battery
- Payload: Dual EO and thermal gimbal
- EO camera: 1280 x 720 with 20x optical + 2x digital zoom (40x total)
- Thermal camera: 640 x 480 with 4x digital zoom
- Transmission range: 1.86 miles
- Wind tolerance: 20 mph sustained, up to 30 mph gusts
The Trio Scout is listed at $34,999 with a 10-week lead time.
As for flight time, the 100 minutes comes from real-world testing, not just lab conditions. In extremely hot conditions (120°F at 5,000 ft elevation), flight time drops to about 88 minutes, while in extreme cold it could dip to 65 minutes—still very strong numbers.
Drone Pilot Sentenced for Flying Over Cape Canaveral
Next, a story that serves as a serious reminder about knowing where you can and cannot fly.
A 71-year-old Canadian drone pilot has been sentenced for flying his DJI Mavic 3 Pro illegally over Cape Canaveral Space Force Base. He pleaded guilty to unlawfully photographing a defense installation and received 12 months probation before being deported to Canada.
According to court records, in January NASA officials detected the drone near the base. Deputies found him flying from a parking lot, and reports show he had been there for at least three consecutive days.
His drone captured 56 images and 2 videos of sensitive infrastructure, including security checkpoints, munitions storage, and even Navy submarine facilities. Forensic analysis revealed 1,900 files total, including 243 images and 13 videos of the base—contradicting his claim that he was just a tourist photographing cruise ships and sunrises.
The DJI system itself showed he had received multiple geo-fencing warnings that he ignored.
This is a clear “Don’t be that guy” situation. Remember—your drone records all kinds of data, and ignoring rules can land you in serious trouble.
Drone Footage Captures North Carolina Ocean Rescue
In our third story, we have an incredible example of Drones for Good.
On August 2nd, a single-engine aircraft suffered an engine failure and ditched into the ocean off Oak Island, North Carolina. The plane flipped on impact, trapping the pilot inside the cockpit.
Thankfully, the Oak Island Beach Safety Unit was nearby. They launched a drone and captured breathtaking footage of the rescue. Rescuers surrounded the cockpit, pulled the pilot through the windshield, and extracted him in under 30 seconds.
Amazingly, the pilot walked away with only minor cuts. A fantastic save by the rescue team—and another reminder of the value drones bring in emergency response.
Amazon Introduces New Drone Safety Feature
Finally this week, Amazon is rolling out a new safety feature for its delivery drones.
The system, called Safe Contingent Landing (SCCL), acts as a fail-safe if the drone experiences a major issue like a malfunction or severe weather. Instead of risking a dangerous return flight, the drone can autonomously:
- Scan the ground in real time
- Build a 3D map
- Find a safe landing spot while avoiding people, cars, and animals
As drone delivery continues to expand—especially under the proposed changes in Part 108—technologies like this will play a big role in keeping the public safe.
That wraps up this week’s update. No post-flight this week since we’re coming to you live from Las Vegas at Commercial UAV Expo. We had a fantastic time yesterday meeting so many of our students.
We’ll be back next Monday for the live show. In the meantime, enjoy some great footage here from the expo.
Don’t be that guy. See you next week! v
Check out more from Greg Reverdiau and subscribe to the Pilot Institute YouTube channel for more updates.
