United States

Drone policy, incidents, and industry news across the United States — from statehouses to the national airspace.

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184

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Oct 1

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Matternet

Matternet to Fly Repair Parts to Technicians, No Launch Date Set

Matternet will fly replacement parts to AVI-SPL field technicians in congested metro areas. No launch date, no city, and no fleet size were disclosed.

Haye KestelooSep 15

Electra EL-2 hybrid-electric demonstrator N301EL banking in flight above clouds, showing its eight wing-mounted propellers

Technology

Electra CEO Keynotes Ohio Air Mobility Forum, EL9 Not Flying Yet

NAAMCE hosts its fifth advanced air mobility forum in Springfield on October 15, with Electra CEO Marc Allen keynoting a day about reaching production.

Haye KestelooSep 15

A Zipline Platform 2 delivery aircraft docked beneath a charging tower at dusk, tail number 124 on its fuselage, with the delivery pod and its fiducial docking targets suspended below and a windsock on the hillside behind.

FAA

Zipline Asks FAA For 220,000 Texas Drone Deliveries A Day

The FAA's draft environmental assessment for Zipline covers Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Amarillo and El Paso. Public comments close October 11.

Haye KestelooSep 15

Wing delivery drone carrying a blue Walmart package in flight against a clear sky

Drone Delivery

Wing's First Washington Drone Hub Surfaces in a Tacoma Permit

A permit at a Tacoma Walmart is the first public sign of Wing in Washington, a state whose attorney general fought the FAA's delivery shortcut.

Haye KestelooSep 15

A US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft in flight against an overcast sky

Iran

Pentagon Counts 30 Reapers Lost in Iran War, No Line to Rebuild

The first official Pentagon accounting of the Iran war lists as many as 30 MQ-9 Reapers destroyed, more than every crewed aircraft loss combined.

Haye KestelooSep 15

UPS Airlines Airbus A300 N148UP taking off from San Jose International Airport

Drone Incidents

UPS Pilot Reported A Drone At 5,000 Feet. It Was A Bird.

A UPS crew told ATC they hit a drone or balloon at 5,000 feet. UPS confirmed a bird. Why drone is now the first word pilots reach for.

Haye KestelooSep 14

Louisiana

Prison Drone Flew $31,000 of Meth Back to Its Launch Site

A Grant Parish deputy found the drone on the ground with the meth still strapped to it. A dying battery had flown it home, and two Texas men are in jail.

Haye KestelooSep 14

Two Dexa technicians in hi-vis vests standing beside a hexacopter delivery drone and a Dexa-branded trailer

Drone Delivery

Dexa Takes Its FAA-Certified Drone Airline To TechCrunch Disrupt

Dexa, the Dayton drone delivery operator with a Part 135 certificate, made TechCrunch's Startup Battlefield 200 and pitches at Disrupt in October.

Haye KestelooSep 14

United States

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