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
UAS
Venezuela Earthquakes Show the Power of Drones, and the Challenge of a Crowded Sky
At Commercial UAV Expo, Juan Plaza outlined how drones supported rescue, damage assessment and recovery after the June earthquakes, while warning that disaster response requires a plan for coordinating the aircraft overhead. When two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026, drones were in the air within minutes. They gave authorities an early view of widespread … [Read more...] about Venezuela Earthquakes Show the Power of Drones, and the Challenge of a Crowded Sky
Amprius Targets Longer Drone Flights With New 500 Wh/kg Battery Cell
Second-generation SiCore technology pairs higher energy density with a path to volume productio Amprius Technologies has introduced a silicon-anode battery cell designed for long-endurance uncrewed aircraft. The company says its second-generation SiCore cell delivers 500 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) at a 1C continuous discharge rate. The company expects to make the cell … [Read more...] about Amprius Targets Longer Drone Flights With New 500 Wh/kg Battery Cell
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
