Think tank calls for a drone minister to unlock sector’s dividends Think tank calls for a drone minister to unlock sector's dividends UK think tank the Entrepreneurs Network has called on the UK Government to appoint a drone minister to oversee the sector’s growth and unlock its potential. “Our recommendation to create a junior ministerial role with specific responsibility for the drone economy comes from a desire to see this exciting and important sector treated with due [...]
UK Navy boasts ‘battle winning’ drone, day after Ukraine defence deal UK Navy boasts ‘battle winning’ drone, day after Ukraine defence deal The Royal Navy has today boasted how its new drone, which can monitor an area larger than Greater Manchester, has come ‘leaps and bounds’ during ‘amphibious assaults’. Testing the airborne surveillance, known as Puma, in the Baltic and the North Sea, lieutenant Ash Loftus and Puma flight commander said the Navy’s tech is advancing into [...]
Oil price through the roof following Saudi drone attack Oil price through the roof following Saudi drone attack Oil price have eased back off their mornign high of over $70 a barrel, which followed a drone attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities over the weekend. Saudi officials said on state television that the ttack hit one of the oil storage yards at the Ras Tanura port in the east of the country, with [...]
Police to get more anti-drone powers in fresh crackdown January 27, 2020 The government is planning a fresh crackdown on drones, after a number of near misses in the sky. Ministers hope to give police new powers to land, inspect and seize drones under a bill which has its second reading in Parliament today. Drone pilots could also face on-the-spot fines for failing to prove they have [...]
Amazon to deliver packages by drone ‘within months’ June 6, 2019 Amazon will begin delivering packages by drone within months, fulfilling a goal that has eluded the world’s biggest online retailer for years. The new fully-electric drones take off and land vertically like a helicopter. They use visual, thermal and ultrasonic sensors to fly themselves and can avoid objects in the air and on the ground. [...]
Extinction Rebellion threatens to use drones in 10-day Heathrow airport shutdown in third runway protest May 31, 2019 Climate protest group Extinction Rebellion has threatened to shut down London’s Heathrow airport for as long as 10 days this summer in protest at plans to build a third runway. Read more: Police charge 71 in relation to Extinction Rebellion protests The climate change activists will protest at the airport on 18 June before a [...]
Oil prices tick up as Opec signals it will keep production down in second half of the year May 20, 2019 Oil prices rose this morning as traders returned to work after Saudi Arabia said Opec still plans to decrease its inventories of crude oil. Saudi energy minister Khalid al-Falih said the oil-producing cartel had discussed rolling over production cuts into the second half of the year. Read more: Exxon decision to evacuate staff from Iraq [...]
Gatwick Christmas drone attack was possible inside job, says airport’s response chief April 14, 2019 A drone attack at Gatwick airport which brought 140,000 people’s Christmas travel plans to a standstill was an inside job, according to its chief operating officer. Read more: After Gatwick, how do we prevent future drone chaos? Chris Woodrofe, who led the airport’s response to the attack, told the BBC: “It was clear that the [...]
After Gatwick, how do we prevent future drone chaos? April 8, 2019 Last year’s disruption at Gatwick airport is estimated to have cost over £50m. The incident points to the urgent need for significant action to ensure that drones are used safely and securely in the UK. The government has begun to regulate the sector: it is currently an offence to endanger aircraft, drone pilots are not permitted [...]
Drones, Gatwick, and the future: how this new aerial technology can benefit the UK economy and the public good April 7, 2019 New technologies always stir emotion, and as we’ve seen with the drone incidents at Heathrow and Gatwick, they can even result in new legislation. Following the announcement by the government and Civil Aviation Authority regarding an extended no-fly zone and stop-and-search powers for police, it is clear that the time is right to increase our [...]