Drones

Unmanned aircraft industry leaders say they are ready to set up a network of sensors that would enable drones to deliver emergency medical supplies, create detailed maps and assist emergency planning across Cambria County.

Initially, the service will be used to send specialty medicines and other prescriptions to patients' homes from more than a dozen Cleveland Clinic locations across Northeast Ohio, according to a news release.

A drone was used by Harrisburg police to track down a man suspected of breaking the windows of several patrol vehicles at a city facility and assaulting an officer. A female accomplice was arrested at the scene.

Robots and drones are entering the delivery space, pairing the package with the right-size vehicle. But these new options will likely come at the expense of gig workers, who rely on cars to make their deliveries.

New York City has announced the launch of the new Smart City Testbed Program, which will involve government collaboration with outside organizations to launch eight pilot technology projects.

Justices with the state's highest court heard oral arguments in a civil case over whether the law requires township zoning officials to seek a warrant before flying a drone over a resident's property.

A case in front of Michigan’s highest court could decide whether or not police and government officials need to obtain a search warrant before flying an unmanned aerial vehicle over privately owned property.

A new testing program involving public safety tech vendor Axon and Dedrone seeks to find out. The goal? Win approvals for drones that fly beyond the visual line of sight, which could improve emergency responses.

The department is fine-tuning a pilot program in which drones buzzing over beaches could drop flotation buoys to struggling swimmers. The idea is to give imperiled swimmers something to hold on to as a lifeguard responds.

These relatively new transportation technologies are close to transforming the way people and cargo travel, some of the world’s biggest names in business and politics were told at a high-powered gathering.

The San Antonio-based drone maker, Darkhive Inc., has tripled its workforce and is planning to move into a new 10,000-square-foot facility in the Lone Star neighborhood south of downtown.

In Mitchell, S.D., a handful of city departments, including the police, emergency management, parks and public works, are among those that intend to utilize the new unmanned aircraft system, if approved.

The previous ordinance, passed in recent years, had stated that unmanned aerial craft could not be flown over the city's police station or public parks, but the FAA said the city doesn’t have agency to decide that.

The NYPD plans to start piloting drones over certain crime scenes across the five boroughs, in some cases pairing the technology with the department's ongoing ShotSpotter technology.

So far this year state and federal officials have had to ground their aircraft at least seven times due to unauthorized drone flights near active wildfires, according to state officials.

The drone, estimated to cost around $30,000, was bought with a Federal Homeland Security grant. The Kalispell Fire Department was one of six hazardous material response agencies to receive the aircraft and specialized training.

A report by the American Civil Liberties Union released last month about the use of drones by police agencies contains cautionary tales about what's to come, very quickly, if citizens don't speak out.

The Special Operations Unit will consist of three-person teams working across three eight-hour shifts that will be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, according to department officials.