As public-safety agencies worldwide continue to discover more and better ways to use drones (examples here, here and here), American police officials wrestle with questions regarding whether or not their departments should take the UAV plunge given so much ambiguity regarding drone regulation at the state and municipal level. In Rochester, Minn., the local police department … [Read more...] about U.S. Police Forces Ponder Drone Buys Amid Legal Concerns
Minnesota
Minnesota Tests Bridge Inspecting Drones
(Source: Grand Forks Herald) Flying a small drone around a bridge may be safer and less costly than traditional ways of inspection, with Minnesota officials planning more tests to gauge their usefulness. After a summer drone test, next up will be a fall test that will include inspecting the state's longest bridge, the 7,975-foot John A. Blatnik Bridge in Duluth. If that … [Read more...] about Minnesota Tests Bridge Inspecting Drones
Agriculture’s High-Tech Future
(Source: mndaily.com) At a field experiment last week, a drone leashed like a dog to a University of Minnesota graduate student slowly rotated, drifting mere feet above the group and capturing images of apple trees at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. A student nearby controlled the drone from a laptop, moving it slowly along the rows of trees. Though the … [Read more...] about Agriculture’s High-Tech Future
Minnesota Fire Chief Testing Drones in Emergencies
(Source: erstarnews.com) As Minnesota lawmakers discuss limiting law enforcement’s use of unmanned aircraft, the Andover fire chief made plans to use his personal drone when the next house fire or grass fire ignites. He got his chance this past weekend as a grass fire threatened homes in an Otsego neighborhood. Andover Fire Chief Jerry Streich bought his own DJI … [Read more...] about Minnesota Fire Chief Testing Drones in Emergencies
Drones and Data Take Wing at Minnesota’s Farmfest
from Star Tribune Forget the weather and politics. As thousands of Minnesota farmers gather this week for the big trade show Farmfest, the real buzz is overhead. For a couple of years, small numbers of farmers and farm-equipment dealers have experimented with unmanned aerial devices, known as UAVs or drones, to get pictures and other data above fields. Now, an industry … [Read more...] about Drones and Data Take Wing at Minnesota’s Farmfest
