News, deep dives, and analysis — every California story, newest first.
Silicon Valley’s Matternet is gearing up to launch a drone delivery pilot program in Mountain View, California, according to a recent report from Mercury News. The drone company plans to introduce a service that will allow residents to order food, medicine, and other small parcels for drone delivery directly to their homes. A New Era…
USA Today reports that an object resembling the U.S. military’s new submarine drone, known as the Manta Ray, has been seemingly spotted on Google Maps at California’s Port Hueneme naval base. This unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) is part of a program by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) aimed at developing long-duration, payload-capable drones…
According to a recent report by The Washington Post, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is raising alarms about China’s growing dominance in the drone industry. The committee’s findings reveal a startling statistic: Chinese companies produce 90% of commercial drones used in the United States and 77% of those flown by hobbyists.…
Northrop Grumman’s Extra-Large Underwater Vehicle Undergoes Testing A large, animal-like uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) known as the Manta Ray has been spotted maneuvering off the California coast in new footage captured during testing. The emergence of advanced sea drones is reshaping naval combat, particularly in Eastern Europe, where Ukrainian forces are effectively using smaller, more…
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s Stealth Venture Accelerates Development In a clandestine operation, billionaire technologist Eric Schmidt has been testing artificial intelligence-guided drones through his secretive startup, Project Eagle, formerly known as White Stork. The venture, based in Menlo Park, California, has been recruiting top talent from companies like Apple, SpaceX, and Google to dev
Council Approves APD Drones Amid Heated Debate In a marathon meeting that stretched into the early morning hours, the Alameda City Council authorized the purchase of drones for the Alameda Police Department (APD) and approved a policy governing their use. According to The Alameda Post, the decision came after a contentious debate, with supporters arguing…
La Prensa Fights for Public Access to Drone Videos In a groundbreaking legal battle, La Prensa, a Latino newspaper, has successfully challenged the City of Chula Vista’s attempt to withhold police drone footage from public scrutiny. The California Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the case affirms an appellate court ruling that the city’s blanket refusal…
1,000 Drones to Create a Spectacular Display Sky Elements Drones announced a massive drone show at Dodger Stadium, featuring 1,000 drones lighting up the sky after the Dodgers vs. Rockies game. This impressive display promises to create a memorable experience for the fans in attendance. Tonight, the Los Angeles Dodgers are playing against the Colorado…
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