To help assess the impact of Hurricane Harvey, ravaging the Gulf Coast since Saturday, AT&T will use a fleet of drones to get a better look at damage throughout Southeast Texas.
Gov. Rick Scott on Friday approved the Legislature’s “Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act,” which gives the state authority to regulate “personal delivery devices (PDDs) and unmanned aircraft systems.” A “personal delivery device” is a machine for use on sidewalks, usually not traveling more than 10 miles per hour. Photo credit: Starship Technologies London-based Starship Technologies, for instance, makes a six-wheeled “self-driving delivery robot” that was starting to make deliveries in California and Washington, D.C. at the beginning of this year. “The bill authorizes, subject to local government regulation, the…
Yay sports! Or “yay ball,” as one of my techie staff members used to say (she had zero interest in football, etc.) Yay sports, indeed. This weekend was awesome for sports, with the most thrilling Super Bowl ever. And I also attended the Kentucky-Florida basketball game; what a battle in the brand-new Gville arena. If you love hoops, watching 6 of the top 10 teams get knocked out Saturday was exciting; for Gator fans, a 20-point whipping of Kentucky (doesn’t…
A bill filed Tuesday would allow delivery drones to operate in Florida. The legislation (SB 460), however, focuses on ground drones, or “personal delivery devices.” Such a unit is defined as a “motorized device for use primarily on sidewalks and crosswalks at a maximum speed of 10 miles per hour, which weighs 50 pounds or less excluding cargo.” London-based Starship Technologies makes a six-wheeled model that is beginning to make deliveries in California and Washington, D.C. “With this legislation, Florida continues to lead in…
Walt Disney World is using 300 drones in a new Christmas light show. A dress rehearsal was held Wednesday night, but Disney has not announced dates for the show. The Orlando Sentinel reports it is believed to be the first time drones will be used in a performance of this magnitude in the U.S. Disney is collaborating with Intel on the project. The show will take place at Disney Springs. Intel’s drone weighs less than a volleyball and are equipped…
The state’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) will ask lawmakers next session to consider legislation to “allow law enforcement to use drones for traffic crash management.” The proposed bill is part of a “legislative concepts” package Executive Director Terry Rhodes plans to present at Tuesday’s Florida Cabinet meeting. The state law governing drones, the Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act, already includes an exception for “aerial mapping.” But a DHSMV spokeswoman says it doesn’t apply to the agency. The department reports to Gov.…
The state’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) will ask lawmakers next session to consider legislation to “allow law enforcement to use drones for traffic crash management.” But the law in question, the Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act, includes an exception for “aerial mapping” as long as the drone is being operated safely. The proposed bill is part of a “legislative concepts” package Executive Director Terry Rhodes plans to present at next Tuesday’s Florida Cabinet meeting. The measure…
