Viper Drones is pleased to announce a partnership with international firm, My Drone Services (MDS), an innovation leader in commercial Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology. Combining the aerial inspection focus of MDS with Viper’s expertise in the integration of thermal imaging technology with drones, the company is positioned to provide sophisticated solutions to multiple types of industry as well as the public sector.
[Read more…] about Partnership with International Firm, My Drone ServicesFour Reasons Commercial Drones Are Taking Flight In The Oil And Gas Industry
Today, companies are increasing personnel safety, improving data quality, getting critical data much quicker, and protecting the bottom line by incorporating commercial UAVs into their enterprise workflows. Useful in Upstream Systems, Midstream Infrastructure, and Downstream facilities, a drone or UAV equipped with thermal imaging or optical gas imaging can quickly locate inefficiencies or problem areas with high-resolution images and video of plants, platforms, and pipelines.
[Read more…] about Four Reasons Commercial Drones Are Taking Flight In The Oil And Gas IndustryFAA Registration Is a Requirement for Hobby Drone Owners
UPDATE as of 4/1/2019: The FAA has reinstated the rule requiring all drones over 0.55lb to be registered. The registration number should be shown on the exterior of the drone at all times!
Since December 2015, the FAA has required all UAS owners to register their aircraft via their website and pay a $5 fee. The hobbyist registrant was then issued a unique identification number which was to be put on their drone. The panel that created this registration rule was made up of UAS industry representatives as well as representatives of hobbyist drone owners. Many accepted this registration process as a way of educating hobbyists about safety guidelines. As of May 19, this ruling was overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals. They ruled in favor of John Taylor, a drone hobbyist who challenged the legality of the FAA’s program requiring drone registration. The Court concluded that the rule requiring registration directly contradicted a rule from 2012.
Part 107 Waiver Or COA? What Do First Responders Need?
More and more reports are surfacing applauding the benefits and advantages of using UAS assistance for firefighting and search and rescue. UAS integrated with thermal imaging provides the ability to see through smoke, dust, light fog, and foliage. This technology allows the user to find persons even in total darkness – able to see much farther than with other low-light cameras or night vision goggles. Additionally, deploying UAS has the potential to keep the first responder personnel safe as the increased knowledge and visibility aids significantly in critical decision-making. These are valuable assets, but what about the regulation for operating safely and within the law?
