Commercial drones have made their name by observing the world below. Now a new class of missions is moving the aircraft up into the atmosphere itself. The Utah Division of Water Resources is exploring drone-based cloud seeding to replace the crewed aircraft it tested from 2022 to 2025. That puts unmanned aircraft at the meeting point of aviation, meteorology, autonomy and water … [Read more...] about Guest Post: Why Drones May Change How We Operate in the Atmosphere
Drone Technology
Avidrone Pushes Heavy-Lift Drone Performance Toward the 4:1 Barrier
DARPA Lift Challenge winner achieves a 3.84:1 payload-to-weight ratio with a purpose-built 29-pound aircraft By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill A Canadian drone company has won a contest sponsored by a U.S. Department of Defense agency, by almost reaching a milestone that’s been compared to the first human breaking a supposed physical barrier by running a four-minute … [Read more...] about Avidrone Pushes Heavy-Lift Drone Performance Toward the 4:1 Barrier
Headed to Commercial UAV Expo 2026? Keynotes, DRONELIFE, and Friends and Partners to Visit in Las Vegas
Commercial UAV Expo returns September 1–3 as major regulatory changes reshape the U.S. drone market. Here’s what the DRONELIFE team will be watching, plus where to find our friends and partners on the show floor. Commercial UAV Expo returns to Las Vegas September 1–3, bringing more than 3,700 commercial drone professionals and 240-plus exhibitors to Caesars Forum. This year, … [Read more...] about Headed to Commercial UAV Expo 2026? Keynotes, DRONELIFE, and Friends and Partners to Visit in Las Vegas
United Utilities Uses Thermal Drones to Find Hidden Moorland Fire Hotspots
Thermal imaging drones help crews locate underground heat pockets that could reignite after major fires in northwest England. United Utilities is using thermal imaging drones to find hidden hotspots left behind by recent moorland fires in northwest England. The water company has supported emergency services since fires broke out at the end of June. Although cooler … [Read more...] about United Utilities Uses Thermal Drones to Find Hidden Moorland Fire Hotspots
Michigan Awards $2 Million for Five Advanced Air Mobility Projects
State agencies will test drones and aerial technologies for environmental monitoring, wildfire response, infrastructure, public safety and agriculture. Michigan has selected five companies for advanced air mobility projects designed to solve real-world challenges for state agencies. The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s Office of Future Mobility and … [Read more...] about Michigan Awards $2 Million for Five Advanced Air Mobility Projects
