ND launching a state-wide network for UAS

One outcome of the legislative session was funding for a statewide network that would allow drones to operate beyond line of site. And while a recent federal initiative opened similar doors in the Eastern part of the state, Todd McDonald with Prairie Public has details on the state initiative.

Read & Share   sourced from: Prairie Public News

Minot’s Hobbyist Model Airplane and UAS Pilots Find Growing Interest

There’s little doubt that the UAS industry is growing and full of potential, but where do people in the business get there start? In all likelihood, it’s on their own, through a friend, or perhaps through a grassroots group of like-minded enthusiasts. And it turns out, Minot has just such a community.

Read & Share   sourced from: Minot Daily News

Africa is now the world’s testing ground for commercial drones

North Dakota likes to think of itself as a leader in UAS investment. And in the U.S., we are. But on a global scale, strict U.S. regulations are dampening the industries ability to advance at the pace dictated by commercial demands and technical ability. In Africa, regulatory burdens aren’t a problem there we’re seeing drones

Read & Share   sourced from: Quartz

Grand Forks: Drone test site sees sharp growth in flights

Growth in the unmanned aerial systems (UAS/UAV/Drones) industry is skyrocketing, and Grand Forks is working to position their community as the premier testing location in the country because of its unique intersection of private, government (Air Force), and educational opportunities.

Read & Share   sourced from: Grand Forks Herald

Peanut butter drone strikes could save North America’s most endangered animal

When it comes to the UAV industry, the sky is literally the limit. And not very far away, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is using drones to drop vaccine-laced food pellets on a critically endangered population of black-footed ferrets.

Read & Share   sourced from: Star Tribune

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North Dakotan trade mission to Israel first of its kind

North Dakota officials were in Isreal and Egypt recently making inroads for the state’s agriculture and technology products. Of note was meeting on a joint project between an Israeli company and North Dakota UAS interests focused on agriculture.

Read & Share   sourced from: Grand Forks Herald

Grand Forks Air Force Base Well Positioned for UAV Mission

It wasn’t that many years ago that the future of the Grand Forks Air Force Base was in question, but with the rise of the unmanned aerial system industry (UAS, UAV), the base is now positioned better than ever. And the industry is driving new education opportunities as well private sector investment in the community.

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Farmers take flight

Christmas was a very merry season for drone makers and farmers. A report from Minneapolis-based Sentera, an imaging company that provides equipment for photographing fields, suggests as many as 45,000 new pilots will be in the fields this year.

Read & Share   sourced from: Grand Forks Herald

Police in North Dakota Can Now use Drones Armed with Tasers

North Dakota is now the first state in the country with a law on the books that allows police to equip drones with “less than lethal” weapons. Editorial Warning: this article is decidedly against the use of drones for this purpose and without more oversight.    

Read & Share   sourced from: The Daily Beast

Fargo’s Drone Focus Conference Showcases Latest Drone Tech

  The technology behind Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is quickly becoming the foundation of a lucrative business sector and both Fargo and Grand Forks are working to establish themselves as business-friendly homes for the start-up community. The title image is courtesy of EmergingPrairie.com.

Read & Share   sourced from: EmergingPrairie.com

Grand Forks: Unmanned Aerial System Development Firm Moving into Grand Sky

The Grand Forks technology park that’s been developed in conjunction with the Grand Forks AFB and UND is attracting tenants. The Grand Sky technology park is still in its early days, but all signs are pointing to a major victory for the Grand Forks community.

Read & Share   sourced from: Grand Forks Herald

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NASA Tests Aircraft That Hovers like a Helicopter, and Flies like a Plane

NASA has successfully tested an unmanned aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter, but flies like a fixed wing airplane. Watch the video below.

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Amazon to Start Testing Delivery Drones

The FAA has given Amazon permission to conduct outdoor research on the drone delivery system. The fact that UND, the Grand Forks Air Force Base, and the City of Grand Forks are partnering to move this technology forward makes this a local story.

Read & Share   sourced from: The Verge

Ag Week: Big Decisions, Drones, and Auctioneers

Deadlines and decisions related to the farm bill, a competition for auctioneers, and drones in the field. Catch all of them on this weeks edition of AgWeek.

Read & Share   sourced from: Grand Forks Herald

UND students win international competition with UAS

U.N.D. students won first place in an international design competition for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The team scored a lot of points for designing a UAV capable of lifting a heavy load.

Read & Share   sourced from: Grand Forks Herald

UAVs Have Expanding Mission on Farms & Ranches

I’ve been sharing most of the articles about the Grand Forks side of the UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) story, but this is the first coverage I’ve seen on the industries impact on North Dakota’s bread and butter… agriculture.

Read & Share   sourced from: Bismarck Tribune