Zipline, the California-based startup that uses drones to deliver blood and drugs to remote Rwandan medical centers, is now using a fixed-wing aerial robot to make commercial deliveries at nearly 80 miles per hour. The company claims its fixed-wing UAV is the world’s fastest commercial delivery drone. In Rwanda, Zipline has already flown 300,000 kilometers in over 4,000 flights since its October 2016 debut, and introduced a similar service in Tanzania. This expertise will enable it to compete with the big players in drone delivery including Amazon’s Prime Air and Alphabet’s Project Wing. Continue reading Zipline’s Fixed Wing UAV Becomes Fastest Commercial Drone

Yuneec International announced three new drones at CES — an update to its popular Typhoon H, which initially debuted two years ago, and two new entries: the $700 Firebird FPV (the company’s first fixed-wing drone) and the $180 HD Racer (Yuneec’s first racing drone). The $1,800 Typhoon H Plus is designed for professional photographers and videographers; Yuneec claims the drone’s six-rotor hex airframe produces 40 percent less noise than earlier hex models and can maintain stability in winds up to 30 mph. It also uses Intel RealSense tech to avoid collisions. And with a high-aperture lens and one-inch sensor, the camera can capture 20-megapixel stills and 4K video at 60fps. Continue reading Yuneec Announces Updated Typhoon H and Two New Models

Drone startup Airware has launched a commercial drone operating system with plans to make unmanned aerial vehicles easier to use. Interested businesses would pay a monthly subscription to license Airware’s Flight Core autopilot technology, Ground Control Station, and cloud platform. The system of hardware, software, and cloud computing allows businesses to customize drone missions for their own needs, whether it involves surveying farm land or inspecting cell towers. Continue reading Airware Offers Commercial Drone Operation for the Enterprise