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Facebook drones take flight
In late June, Facebook launched Aquila, its first unmanned aircraft, in Yuma, Arizona. This launch was the culmination of two years of engineering.
Aquila tripled its initial flight time expectancy after flying for 96 minutes instead of the initially-planned 30 minutes, according to Mark Zuckerberg, who was there for the event. Facebook’s plan for Aquila, and any future versions, is to provide internet access to the entire world.
"I think the future is going to be thousands of solar-powered planes on the outskirts of cities and places where people live, and that’s going to make connectivity both available and cheaper," Zuckerberg told TheVerge. "And, I think, can help play an important role in closing this gap of getting more than a billion people online. This is an early milestone, but it’s a big one."
DJI calls for centralized database of flight restrictions in Europe and releases new DJI Focus
DJI is calling for Europe to work together and collectively send data on no-fly zones and flight restrictions to a centralized database in order to improve UAV safety, according to IBTimes UK.
"The biggest obstacle in drone regulation in Europe is that there is no harmonisation between the countries. People bring our products on holiday with them, when they go skiing in the Alps for example, but they need to know about temporary flight restrictions," DJI's European policy lead Christian Struwe said.
Additionally, DJI has announced the release of the DJI Focus, which is a two-part system that consists of a focus wheel for user control and a motor that attaches to a camera. The system is designed to allow filmmakers to adjust their camera from the ground.
Read more on its call for a centralized database.
Read more about the DJI Focus.
7-Eleven delivers food with UAV
7-Eleven and drone delivery service Flirtey teamed up to make what they are saying is the first FAA-approved commercial drone delivers to customers’ homes in the US, according to AUVSI.
Using a drone, deliveries of snacks were made to two different hungry families in Reno, NV, USA. These families placed their orders and then the drone was sent using precision GPS. Upon arrival, the UAV gently lowered itself to the ground and dropped off a delivery container for each family.
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