The world’s first urban airport dedicated to electric air-taxis and drones will be opened in Coventry, England later this year after securing UK government backing.

World's first urban airport for drones and flying taxis to start operations by November

When the Chula Vista police receive a 911 call, they can dispatch a flying drone with the press of button.

On a recent afternoon, from a launchpad on the roof of the Chula Vista Police Department, they sent a drone across the city to a crowded parking lot where a young man was asleep in the front seat of a stolen car with drug paraphernalia on his lap.

When the man left the car, carrying a gun and a bag of heroin, a nearby police car had trouble following as he sprinted across the street and ducked behind a wall. But as he threw the gun into a dumpster and hid the bag of heroin, the drone, hovering above him, caught everything on camera. When he slipped through the back door of a strip mall, exited through the front door and ran down the sidewalk, it caught that, too.

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Watching the live video feed, an officer back at headquarters relayed the details to the police on the scene, who soon caught the man and took him into custody. Later, they retrieved the gun and the heroin. And after another press of the button, the drone returned, on its own, to the roof.

Each day, the Chula Vista police respond to as many as 15 emergency calls with a drone, launching more than 4,100 flights since the program began two years ago. Chula Vista, a Southern California city with a population of 270,000, is the first in the country to adopt such a program, called Drone as First Responder.

Over the last several months, three other cities — two in California and one in Georgia — have followed suit. Police agencies from Hawaii to New York have used drones for years, but mostly in simple, manually flown ways. Officers would carry a drone in the trunk of a car on patrol or drive it to a crime scene before launching it over a park or flying it inside a building.

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But the latest drone technology — mirroring technology that powers self-driving cars — has the power to transform everyday policing, just as it can transform package delivery, building inspections and military reconnaissance. Rather than spending tens of millions of dollars on large helicopters and pilots, even small police forces could operate tiny autonomous drones for a relative pittance.

That newfound automation, however, raises civil liberties concerns, especially as drones gain the power to track vehicles and people automatically. As the police use more drones, they could collect and store more video of life in the city, which could remove any expectation of privacy once you leave the home.

“Communities should ask hard questions about these programs. As the power and scope of this technology expands, so does the need for privacy protection,” said Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union’s Project on Speech, Privacy and Technology. “Drones can be used to investigate known crimes. But they are also sensors that can generate offenses.”

With the pandemic still worsening, drones are a way of policing at a distance, said Rahul Sidhu, an officer in Redondo Beach, near Los Angeles, which started a program similar to the one in Chula Vista just after the virus reached the United States.

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“We’re just trying to limit our exposure to other people,” he said. “Sometimes, you can send a drone without sending an officer.”

But down the road, he said, as these small unmanned helicopters become cheaper and more powerful, they will provide more efficient ways of policing urban areas. That could aid police departments at a time when the number of recruits is on the wane across the country and many voices are calling for funding cuts after months of protests against police violence.

In Chula Vista, drones are already an integral part of the way the police respond to emergencies. After an emergency call comes in, officers give the drone a location, and it flies to that point on its own — before returning on its own, too.

FAA regulations aimed at protecting the flights of commercial planes and other aircraft prevent drones from being flown beyond the line of sight of their operators. But Chula Vista obtained a waiver from the FAA, so the pilot and officer can fly the drone as much as 3 miles from its launch site.

Each drone — including long-distance cameras, other sensors and software — costs the department about $35,000. But the overriding cost of the program lies in the many officers needed to operate the drones.

On another recent afternoon, when the Chula Vista police were alerted to a car turned upside down in an empty riverbed, they sent a new kind of drone into the ravine. Built by Skydio, a Silicon Valley company, it could avoid obstacles on its own thanks to many of the same technologies used by self-driving cars.

“An ordinary drone would have crashed by now, guaranteed,” Sgt. James Horst said as he watched a video of the drone swooping down into the riverbed and inspecting the inside of the car at close quarters.

The Chula Vista department treats drone video much as it does video from police bodycams, storing footage as evidence and publicly releasing it only with approval, Capt. Don Redmond said. The department does not use drones for routine patrols.

For privacy advocates like Stanley of the ACLU, the concern is that increasingly powerful technology will be used to target parts of the community — or strictly enforce laws that are out of step with social norms.

“It could allow law enforcement to enforce any area of the law against anyone they want,” Stanley said.

Drones, for instance, could easily be used to identify people and restrict activity during protests like those that have been so prevalent across the country in recent months. Redmond said the Chula Vista department did not deploy drones over Black Lives Matters protests because its policies forbade it.

The Chula Vista police do not require the approval of city officials to expand drone use, but, according to Redmond, they have publicly notified the community about the continued progress of the program.

Drone as first responder programs in places like Redondo Beach and Clovis, California, are seeking waivers that would allow them to fly beyond the operators’ line of sight.

In Clovis, near the middle of the state, the Police Department has found that its drones tend to overheat at the height of summer. “We were flying them four days a week until it got too hot,” Lt. James Munro said. “Then we had to ground them.”

But he thinks these and other technical obstacles will soon be overcome. “Drones are like iPhones,” he said. “As soon as you get one, a new one arrives with new technology.”

When the Chula Vista police receive a 911 call, they can dispatch a flying drone with the press of button. On a recent afternoon, from a launchpad on the roof of the Chula Vista Police Department, they sent a drone across the city to a crowded parking lot where a young man was asleep in the front seat of a stolen car with drug paraphernalia on his lap.

When the Chula Vista police receive a 911 call, they can dispatch a flying drone with the press of button. On a recent afternoon, from a launchpad on the roof of the Chula Vista Police Department, they sent a drone across the city to a crowded parking lot where a young man was asleep in the front seat of a stolen car with drug paraphernalia on his lap. When the man left the car, carrying a gun and a bag of heroin, a nearby police car had trouble following as he sprinted across the street and ducked behind a wall. But as he threw the gun into a dumpster and hid the bag of heroin, the drone, hovering above him, caught everything on camera. When he slipped through the back door of a strip mall, exited through the front door and ran down the sidewalk, it caught that, too. Also read| More than 1,400 Google employees protest against firing of Black researcher Watching the live video feed, an officer back at headquarters relayed the details to the police on the scene, who soon caught the man and took him into custody. Later, they retrieved the gun and the heroin. And after another press of the button, the drone returned, on its own, to the roof. Each day, the Chula Vista police respond to as many as 15 emergency calls with a drone, launching more than 4,100 flights since the program began two years ago. Chula Vista, a Southern California city with a population of 270,000, is the first in the country to adopt such a program, called Drone as First Responder. Over the last several months, three other cities — two in California and one in Georgia — have followed suit. Police agencies from Hawaii to New York have used drones for years, but mostly in simple, manually flown ways. Officers would carry a drone in the trunk of a car on patrol or drive it to a crime scene before launching it over a park or flying it inside a building. Also read| Apple faces lawsuits in Europe for slowing down old iPhones But the latest drone technology — mirroring technology that powers self-driving cars — has the power to transform everyday policing, just as it can transform package delivery, building inspections and military reconnaissance. Rather than spending tens of millions of dollars on large helicopters and pilots, even small police forces could operate tiny autonomous drones for a relative pittance. That newfound automation, however, raises civil liberties concerns, especially as drones gain the power to track vehicles and people automatically. As the police use more drones, they could collect and store more video of life in the city, which could remove any expectation of privacy once you leave the home. “Communities should ask hard questions about these programs. As the power and scope of this technology expands, so does the need for privacy protection,” said Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union’s Project on Speech, Privacy and Technology. “Drones can be used to investigate known crimes. But they are also sensors that can generate offenses.” With the pandemic still worsening, drones are a way of policing at a distance, said Rahul Sidhu, an officer in Redondo Beach, near Los Angeles, which started a program similar to the one in Chula Vista just after the virus reached the United States. Also read| Twitter expands hate speech rules covering race, ethnicity and nationality “We’re just trying to limit our exposure to other people,” he said. “Sometimes, you can send a drone without sending an officer.” But down the road, he said, as these small unmanned helicopters become cheaper and more powerful, they will provide more efficient ways of policing urban areas. That could aid police departments at a time when the number of recruits is on the wane across the country and many voices are calling for funding cuts after months of protests against police violence. In Chula Vista, drones are already an integral part of the way the police respond to emergencies. After an emergency call comes in, officers give the drone a location, and it flies to that point on its own — before returning on its own, too. FAA regulations aimed at protecting the flights of commercial planes and other aircraft prevent drones from being flown beyond the line of sight of their operators. But Chula Vista obtained a waiver from the FAA, so the pilot and officer can fly the drone as much as 3 miles from its launch site. Each drone — including long-distance cameras, other sensors and software — costs the department about $35,000. But the overriding cost of the program lies in the many officers needed to operate the drones. On another recent afternoon, when the Chula Vista police were alerted to a car turned upside down in an empty riverbed, they sent a new kind of drone into the ravine. Built by Skydio, a Silicon Valley company, it could avoid obstacles on its own thanks to many of the same technologies used by self-driving cars. “An ordinary drone would have crashed by now, guaranteed,” Sgt. James Horst said as he watched a video of the drone swooping down into the riverbed and inspecting the inside of the car at close quarters. The Chula Vista department treats drone video much as it does video from police bodycams, storing footage as evidence and publicly releasing it only with approval, Capt. Don Redmond said. The department does not use drones for routine patrols. For privacy advocates like Stanley of the ACLU, the concern is that increasingly powerful technology will be used to target parts of the community — or strictly enforce laws that are out of step with social norms. “It could allow law enforcement to enforce any area of the law against anyone they want,” Stanley said. Drones, for instance, could easily be used to identify people and restrict activity during protests like those that have been so prevalent across the country in recent months. Redmond said the Chula Vista department did not deploy drones over Black Lives Matters protests because its policies forbade it. The Chula Vista police do not require the approval of city officials to expand drone use, but, according to Redmond, they have publicly notified the community about the continued progress of the program. Drone as first responder programs in places like Redondo Beach and Clovis, California, are seeking waivers that would allow them to fly beyond the operators’ line of sight. In Clovis, near the middle of the state, the Police Department has found that its drones tend to overheat at the height of summer. “We were flying them four days a week until it got too hot,” Lt. James Munro said. “Then we had to ground them.” But he thinks these and other technical obstacles will soon be overcome. “Drones are like iPhones,” he said. “As soon as you get one, a new one arrives with new technology.”

Police drones are starting to think for themselves

How rebels, non-state actors have enhanced strike capabilities after 9/11 attack

The United States is negotiating the sale of at least four sophisticated aerial drones to Taiwan for the first time, according to six U.S. sources familiar with the negotiations, aircraft that can keep watch over huge swathes of sea and land.

The SeaGuardian surveillance drones have a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,100 km), far greater than the 160-mile range of Taiwan’s current fleet of drones, potentially giving the island greater capacity to peer into China, observing its air force, missiles and other facilities.

While the State Department tacitly authorized the sale of the unmanned aerial vehicles, two of the people said, it is not known whether the U.S. officials have approved exporting the drones with weapons attached, one of them said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-builds-on-taiwan-ties-us-highest-level-visit-to-taiwan-world-news-318374">Also watch|&nbsp;US builds on Taiwan ties: US highest-level visit to Taiwan | World News</a>

The deal must be approved by members of Congress, who may receive formal notification as soon as next month, two of the people said. Congress could block a final agreement.

Such a sale would most likely anger China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory.

Republican and Democratic U.S. senators introduced legislation on Thursday that would block the export, transfer or trade of many advanced drones to countries that are not close U.S. allies. Sales would be allowed to NATO members, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan and Israel.

A deal with Taiwan would be the first drone sale after President Donald Trump’s administration moved ahead with its plan to sell more drones to more countries by reinterpreting an international arms control agreement called the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry declined to comment.

While Taiwan’s military is well-trained and well-equipped with mostly US-made hardware, China has a huge numerical advantage and is adding advanced equipment of its own, including stealthy fighters, anti-satellite missiles and aircraft carriers.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-health-chief-to-visit-taiwan-likely-angering-china-318231">Also read|&nbsp;US health chief to visit Taiwan, likely angering China</a>

Taiwan submitted its request to buy armed drones early this year, one of the people familiar with the talks said. The United States last week sent Taiwan the pricing and availability data for the deal, a key step that denotes official approval to advance the sale. It is, however, non-binding and could be reversed.

A deal for the four drones, ground stations, spares, training and support could be worth around $600 million using previous sales as a guide. There could also be options for additional units in the future, one of the people said.

The island is bolstering its defenses in the face of what it sees as increasingly threatening moves by Beijing, such as regular Chinese air force and naval exercises near Taiwan

Taiwan unveiled its largest defense spending increase in more than a decade last year. President Tsai Ing-wen has made defense modernization a priority, including building new submarines and upgrading Taiwan’s F-16 fighter fleet.

Relations between Beijing and Washington - already at their lowest point in decades over accusations of spying, a trade war, the coronavirus and Hong Kong - could fray more if the deal gets the final go-ahead from U.S. officials. The Pentagon has said arms sales to Taiwan will continue, and the Trump administration has kept a steady pace of Navy warships passing through the Taiwan Strait.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring the democratic island under its control. Beijing has denounced the Trump administration’s increased support for Taiwan.

China’s sophisticated air defenses could likely shoot down a handful of drones, according to Bonnie Glaser, the director of the China Power Project at CSIS, a Washington think tank. But she still expects “China to scream about even the smallest arms sale that the U.S. makes to Taiwan because any sale challenges the ‘One China’ principle.”

&nbsp; &nbsp; “They get particularly agitated if they think it’s an offensive capability,” she said, adding that she expected the Trump administration to be less cautious than its predecessors.

“As a matter of policy we do not comment on or confirm proposed defense sales or transfers until they have been formally notified to Congress,” a State Department spokesman said.

Only for few US allies 
The U.S. has been eager to sell Taiwan tanks and fighter jets, but the deal to sell drones would be notable since only a few close allies - including Britain, Italy, Australia, Japan and South Korea - have been allowed to purchase the largest U.S.-made drones.

Currently, the Taiwanese government has a fleet of 26 Albatross drones made by Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, a quasi-defense ministry research agency, that can fly 160 nautical miles (300 km), or 80 before returning to base, according to records kept by the Bard Center for the Study of the Drone.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc’s SeaGuardian has an airframe that can handle carrying weapons - but only if contractually allowed by the U.S. government.

The United States has sold France unarmed MQ-9 Reapers which are similar to SeaGuardians, and later here gave permission to arm them.

Last year, the United States approved a potential sale to Taiwan of 108 General Dynamics Corp M1A2 Abrams tanks worth around $2 billion as well as anti-tank and anti-aircraft munitions. A separate sale of 66 Lockheed Martin-made fighter jets also made it through the State Department’s process.

In recent weeks, China said it will sanction Lockheed Martin Co for involvement in the latest U.S. arms sale to Taiwan.

The United States is negotiating the sale of at least four sophisticated aerial drones to Taiwan for the first time, according to six U.S. sources familiar with the negotiations, aircraft that can keep watch over huge swathes of sea and land.

The United States is negotiating the sale of at least four sophisticated aerial drones to Taiwan for the first time, according to six U.S. sources familiar with the negotiations, aircraft that can keep watch over huge swathes of sea and land. The SeaGuardian surveillance drones have a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,100 km), far greater than the 160-mile range of Taiwan’s current fleet of drones, potentially giving the island greater capacity to peer into China, observing its air force, missiles and other facilities. While the State Department tacitly authorized the sale of the unmanned aerial vehicles, two of the people said, it is not known whether the U.S. officials have approved exporting the drones with weapons attached, one of them said. Also watch| US builds on Taiwan ties: US highest-level visit to Taiwan | World News The deal must be approved by members of Congress, who may receive formal notification as soon as next month, two of the people said. Congress could block a final agreement. Such a sale would most likely anger China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory. Republican and Democratic U.S. senators introduced legislation on Thursday that would block the export, transfer or trade of many advanced drones to countries that are not close U.S. allies. Sales would be allowed to NATO members, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan and Israel. A deal with Taiwan would be the first drone sale after President Donald Trump’s administration moved ahead with its plan to sell more drones to more countries by reinterpreting an international arms control agreement called the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). Taiwan’s Defense Ministry declined to comment. While Taiwan’s military is well-trained and well-equipped with mostly US-made hardware, China has a huge numerical advantage and is adding advanced equipment of its own, including stealthy fighters, anti-satellite missiles and aircraft carriers. Also read| US health chief to visit Taiwan, likely angering China Taiwan submitted its request to buy armed drones early this year, one of the people familiar with the talks said. The United States last week sent Taiwan the pricing and availability data for the deal, a key step that denotes official approval to advance the sale. It is, however, non-binding and could be reversed. A deal for the four drones, ground stations, spares, training and support could be worth around $600 million using previous sales as a guide. There could also be options for additional units in the future, one of the people said. The island is bolstering its defenses in the face of what it sees as increasingly threatening moves by Beijing, such as regular Chinese air force and naval exercises near Taiwan Taiwan unveiled its largest defense spending increase in more than a decade last year. President Tsai Ing-wen has made defense modernization a priority, including building new submarines and upgrading Taiwan’s F-16 fighter fleet. Relations between Beijing and Washington - already at their lowest point in decades over accusations of spying, a trade war, the coronavirus and Hong Kong - could fray more if the deal gets the final go-ahead from U.S. officials. The Pentagon has said arms sales to Taiwan will continue, and the Trump administration has kept a steady pace of Navy warships passing through the Taiwan Strait. China has never renounced the use of force to bring the democratic island under its control. Beijing has denounced the Trump administration’s increased support for Taiwan. China’s sophisticated air defenses could likely shoot down a handful of drones, according to Bonnie Glaser, the director of the China Power Project at CSIS, a Washington think tank. But she still expects “China to scream about even the smallest arms sale that the U.S. makes to Taiwan because any sale challenges the ‘One China’ principle.” “They get particularly agitated if they think it’s an offensive capability,” she said, adding that she expected the Trump administration to be less cautious than its predecessors. “As a matter of policy we do not comment on or confirm proposed defense sales or transfers until they have been formally notified to Congress,” a State Department spokesman said. Only for few US allies The U.S. has been eager to sell Taiwan tanks and fighter jets, but the deal to sell drones would be notable since only a few close allies - including Britain, Italy, Australia, Japan and South Korea - have been allowed to purchase the largest U.S.-made drones. Currently, the Taiwanese government has a fleet of 26 Albatross drones made by Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, a quasi-defense ministry research agency, that can fly 160 nautical miles (300 km), or 80 before returning to base, according to records kept by the Bard Center for the Study of the Drone. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc’s SeaGuardian has an airframe that can handle carrying weapons - but only if contractually allowed by the U.S. government. The United States has sold France unarmed MQ-9 Reapers which are similar to SeaGuardians, and later here gave permission to arm them. Last year, the United States approved a potential sale to Taiwan of 108 General Dynamics Corp M1A2 Abrams tanks worth around $2 billion as well as anti-tank and anti-aircraft munitions. A separate sale of 66 Lockheed Martin-made fighter jets also made it through the State Department’s process. In recent weeks, China said it will sanction Lockheed Martin Co for involvement in the latest U.S. arms sale to Taiwan.

Taiwan in talks to make first purchase of sophisticated US drones: Sources

At a time when India’s government looks to boost home-grown manufacturing and self-reliance, drones are a key focus area. While India imports sophisticated drones that are meant for the Armed Forces, there are various purposes for which home-grown options have proven their mettle. Indigenously designed and developed drones have displayed their capability in spraying disinfectants across crowded, inaccessible areas in Covid-19 hotspots and also recently in the fight against locusts. Experts who work in the field also believe that the scaling up indigenous drone manufacturing could not only boost local industry, but also generate millions of jobs across sectors.&nbsp;

Shortly after the Covid-19 outbreak in India’s major cities from the month of March, drones took to the skies, spraying disinfectant over vast, congested urban spaces. Drones were aiding the civic authorities’ efforts in fighting against the deadly pandemic. Drones from educational institutions, private companies were widely being used for disinfection of areas in a quick and efficient manner. What’s more, some of these drone models are also fueled by petrol, hence can operate for longer durations without the worry of downtime during longer charging hours.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/drones-equipped-with-soap-bubbles-could-be-an-answer-to-starvation-306751">Drones equipped with soap bubbles could be an answer to starvation</a>

Recently, India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation had also permitted the Agriculture Ministry to utilize engine-powered drones (with a fully-loaded weight below 50kgs) to fly night operations, spraying pesticides against locusts in Certain North-Western&amp; Central states. So far, only the drones operated by India’s defense forces had the clearances to fly during day and night. This latest permission offered to the Agriculture Ministry is being viewed as a major boost to the home-grown manufacturers of this technology. This could mean more opportunities for drone-makers, engineers and others involved in the supply-chain to contribute in a larger way.&nbsp;

Drones built by Chennai’s Abdul Kalam Advanced UAV Research Center in Anna University have been among the ones fighting locusts in Rajasthan. 3 drones and 8 pilots have been camping in the state and assisting the authorities, who are also employing traditional methods to avert the locust threat.&nbsp;

Dr K Senthilkumar of Chennai’s Anna University points out that the petrol-operated drones are the future and that their applications are wide-ranging, as they have several advantages over their battery-operated counterparts.

“Our petrol-powered drones can fly for 40 minutes non-stop and just need maintenance after every 50 hours of operation. Battery-powered drones require the battery pack to be disposed after 75-100 flights. Our drones have a 40-minute endurance using 3.5 liters of fuel, whereas battery models fly about 10 minutes, before they need to land and charge. The model being flown in Rajasthan has a tank capacity to hold 18 liters of liquid (disinfectant or insecticide) and uses an ultra-low volume atomizer spray which is highly efficient and reduces wastage. Just one of our drones can spray 5000sq meters in a single 40-minute flight, so if we fly it round the clock(in 4 shifts), we can cover upto 80,000sq meters” Dr. Senthilkumar, Director, &nbsp;Abdul Kalam Advanced UAV Research Center told WION.&nbsp;

With wide-ranging applications and enhanced emphasis on indigenization, it is needless to say that in the coming times, the sky is the limit for India’s domestic drone manufacturers. Favorable policy and liberal regulations in the relevant sectors too play a major role in generating interest from the industry. “The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) supports use of drone-tech in agriculture. In addition to aerial surveillance and spraying, it can do wonders in crop crop analytics and farm yield improvement. As demand rises and prices fall, we foresee many Indian villages having their own rented drones, much like tractors and harvester combines. This will help create local entrepreneurs, jobs and higher farm earnings” Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary and Head of Drones division at MoCA told WION.&nbsp;

Dr Senthilkumar adds that better engineering and modifications to drones can help allay the fears about misuse and mishaps involving these flying machines. He talks about programming the drones and limiting range in such a way that they won’t fly above 20 meters in height and 300 meters in distance.&nbsp;

He adds that there are also methods to avoid crashes and fires that may result from mishaps. “Our drones have battery backup and can land in case of primary engine failure. We have programmed it in such a way that it will land at the take-off location. Even our petrol engine isn’t a direct drive model, it works like a generator and the power is transferred to the motor. We have done several crash tests from a 100m height and observed that only the landing gear gets affected, we are also considering using a fire-resistant material for the petrol tank henceforth” Senthilkumar says.

Dr MK Surappa, the Vice Chancellor of Anna University says that drones have become widely popular in a matter of a few years and that they have unlimited potential. “Besides military use, it used to be a toy for some, and was also meant for photographers, but there is the option of using them in swarms, as coordinated drones and what not. It’s not just about building drones, but about equipping them for Internet-of-things (IoT) and fitting more advanced sensors and cameras, thus allowing them to have software-driven functionalities. The potential here is enormous” he told WION.&nbsp;

Dr Senthil Kumar envisions that drones can bring about the next manufacturing revolution, just like automobiles had done over the years. He estimates that India alone would need over half-a-million (5 lakh) engine-operated drones for wide-ranging civilian needs in the coming years. This would in turn mean employment for engineers, drone operators, assistants, manufacturers, suppliers, service technicians and a whole lot of others, he says.

At a time when India’s government looks to boost home-grown manufacturing and self-reliance, drones are a key focus area. While India imports sophisticated drones that are meant for the Armed Forces, there are various purposes for which home-grown options have proven their mettle.

At a time when India’s government looks to boost home-grown manufacturing and self-reliance, drones are a key focus area. While India imports sophisticated drones that are meant for the Armed Forces, there are various purposes for which home-grown options have proven their mettle. Indigenously designed and developed drones have displayed their capability in spraying disinfectants across crowded, inaccessible areas in Covid-19 hotspots and also recently in the fight against locusts. Experts who work in the field also believe that the scaling up indigenous drone manufacturing could not only boost local industry, but also generate millions of jobs across sectors. Shortly after the Covid-19 outbreak in India’s major cities from the month of March, drones took to the skies, spraying disinfectant over vast, congested urban spaces. Drones were aiding the civic authorities’ efforts in fighting against the deadly pandemic. Drones from educational institutions, private companies were widely being used for disinfection of areas in a quick and efficient manner. What’s more, some of these drone models are also fueled by petrol, hence can operate for longer durations without the worry of downtime during longer charging hours. Also read | Drones equipped with soap bubbles could be an answer to starvation Recently, India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation had also permitted the Agriculture Ministry to utilize engine-powered drones (with a fully-loaded weight below 50kgs) to fly night operations, spraying pesticides against locusts in Certain North-Western& Central states. So far, only the drones operated by India’s defense forces had the clearances to fly during day and night. This latest permission offered to the Agriculture Ministry is being viewed as a major boost to the home-grown manufacturers of this technology. This could mean more opportunities for drone-makers, engineers and others involved in the supply-chain to contribute in a larger way. Drones built by Chennai’s Abdul Kalam Advanced UAV Research Center in Anna University have been among the ones fighting locusts in Rajasthan. 3 drones and 8 pilots have been camping in the state and assisting the authorities, who are also employing traditional methods to avert the locust threat. Dr K Senthilkumar of Chennai’s Anna University points out that the petrol-operated drones are the future and that their applications are wide-ranging, as they have several advantages over their battery-operated counterparts. “Our petrol-powered drones can fly for 40 minutes non-stop and just need maintenance after every 50 hours of operation. Battery-powered drones require the battery pack to be disposed after 75-100 flights. Our drones have a 40-minute endurance using 3.5 liters of fuel, whereas battery models fly about 10 minutes, before they need to land and charge. The model being flown in Rajasthan has a tank capacity to hold 18 liters of liquid (disinfectant or insecticide) and uses an ultra-low volume atomizer spray which is highly efficient and reduces wastage. Just one of our drones can spray 5000sq meters in a single 40-minute flight, so if we fly it round the clock(in 4 shifts), we can cover upto 80,000sq meters” Dr. Senthilkumar, Director, Abdul Kalam Advanced UAV Research Center told WION. With wide-ranging applications and enhanced emphasis on indigenization, it is needless to say that in the coming times, the sky is the limit for India’s domestic drone manufacturers. Favorable policy and liberal regulations in the relevant sectors too play a major role in generating interest from the industry. “The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) supports use of drone-tech in agriculture. In addition to aerial surveillance and spraying, it can do wonders in crop crop analytics and farm yield improvement. As demand rises and prices fall, we foresee many Indian villages having their own rented drones, much like tractors and harvester combines. This will help create local entrepreneurs, jobs and higher farm earnings” Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary and Head of Drones division at MoCA told WION. Dr Senthilkumar adds that better engineering and modifications to drones can help allay the fears about misuse and mishaps involving these flying machines. He talks about programming the drones and limiting range in such a way that they won’t fly above 20 meters in height and 300 meters in distance. He adds that there are also methods to avoid crashes and fires that may result from mishaps. “Our drones have battery backup and can land in case of primary engine failure. We have programmed it in such a way that it will land at the take-off location. Even our petrol engine isn’t a direct drive model, it works like a generator and the power is transferred to the motor. We have done several crash tests from a 100m height and observed that only the landing gear gets affected, we are also considering using a fire-resistant material for the petrol tank henceforth” Senthilkumar says. Dr MK Surappa, the Vice Chancellor of Anna University says that drones have become widely popular in a matter of a few years and that they have unlimited potential. “Besides military use, it used to be a toy for some, and was also meant for photographers, but there is the option of using them in swarms, as coordinated drones and what not. It’s not just about building drones, but about equipping them for Internet-of-things (IoT) and fitting more advanced sensors and cameras, thus allowing them to have software-driven functionalities. The potential here is enormous” he told WION. Dr Senthil Kumar envisions that drones can bring about the next manufacturing revolution, just like automobiles had done over the years. He estimates that India alone would need over half-a-million (5 lakh) engine-operated drones for wide-ranging civilian needs in the coming years. This would in turn mean employment for engineers, drone operators, assistants, manufacturers, suppliers, service technicians and a whole lot of others, he says.

Experts say boosting home-grown drone industry will generate millions of jobs

Flying robots equipped with soap bubbles could one day help in solving the problem of starvation, a study said.

According to a study published in iScience on Wednesday, a Japanese researcher showed how soap bubbles can be used to pollinate fruit-bearing plants, which are seen as crucial in keeping the world fed in the coming decades in the face of vanishing bee populations.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacexs-envisioned-machinery-will-not-only-take-us-to-mars-but-reduce-travel-time-on-earth-tremendously-306615">SpaceX's envisioned machinery will not only take us to Mars, but reduce travel time on Earth tremendously!</a>

Eijiro Miyako, associate professor at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in Nomi said he had been working on robotic pollinators for years, but was disappointed when the toy drones he used destroyed the flowers.

"It was too sad," Miyako said, reported AFP.&nbsp;

Miyako got this idea of trying bubbles when he was playing with his three-year-old son in a park and got inspired when he noticed that one of the bubbles harmlessly burst on the child's face.

The scientist and co-author Xi Yang first used microscopes to find out whether soap bubbles are capable of carrying pollen grains.

They found a solution called lauramidopropyl betaine, which is used in cosmetic products to boost the formation of foams, resulting in improved growth of the tube that develops from pollen grains after they are deposited on flowers.

Calcium was also added to support the germination process, which also helped in maintaining the optimum pH balance.

The solution was then added into a bubble gun and released it into a pear orchard, at a rate of nearly 2,000 grains per bubble.

The researchers found that 95 per cent of the targetted flowers carried fruits.&nbsp;

"It sounds somewhat like fantasy, but the... soap bubble allows effective pollination and assures that the quality of fruits is the same as with conventional hand pollination," Miyako said.

Finally, the scientists tried the same experiment with the help of a small drone. targetting a group of fake illies.&nbsp;

The drown flown from a height of two meters and at a velocity of two meters per second, hit the plastic plants at a 90 per cent success rate.

The study is thought to be the first of its kind to find out soap bubbles being used as pollen carriers, and to then use it with the help of autonomous drones.

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Flying robots equipped with soap bubbles could one day help in solving the problem of starvation, a study said. According to a study published in iScience on Wednesday, a Japanese researcher showed how soap bubbles can be used to pollinate fruit-bearing plants, which are seen as crucial in keeping the world fed in the coming decades in the face of vanishing bee populations.

Flying robots equipped with soap bubbles could one day help in solving the problem of starvation, a study said. According to a study published in iScience on Wednesday, a Japanese researcher showed how soap bubbles can be used to pollinate fruit-bearing plants, which are seen as crucial in keeping the world fed in the coming decades in the face of vanishing bee populations. Also read | SpaceX's envisioned machinery will not only take us to Mars, but reduce travel time on Earth tremendously! Eijiro Miyako, associate professor at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in Nomi said he had been working on robotic pollinators for years, but was disappointed when the toy drones he used destroyed the flowers. "It was too sad," Miyako said, reported AFP. Miyako got this idea of trying bubbles when he was playing with his three-year-old son in a park and got inspired when he noticed that one of the bubbles harmlessly burst on the child's face. The scientist and co-author Xi Yang first used microscopes to find out whether soap bubbles are capable of carrying pollen grains. They found a solution called lauramidopropyl betaine, which is used in cosmetic products to boost the formation of foams, resulting in improved growth of the tube that develops from pollen grains after they are deposited on flowers. Calcium was also added to support the germination process, which also helped in maintaining the optimum pH balance. The solution was then added into a bubble gun and released it into a pear orchard, at a rate of nearly 2,000 grains per bubble. The researchers found that 95 per cent of the targetted flowers carried fruits. "It sounds somewhat like fantasy, but the... soap bubble allows effective pollination and assures that the quality of fruits is the same as with conventional hand pollination," Miyako said. Finally, the scientists tried the same experiment with the help of a small drone. targetting a group of fake illies. The drown flown from a height of two meters and at a velocity of two meters per second, hit the plastic plants at a 90 per cent success rate. The study is thought to be the first of its kind to find out soap bubbles being used as pollen carriers, and to then use it with the help of autonomous drones.

Drones equipped with soap bubbles could be an answer to starvation

It is not a bird, a plane or Superman: the aircraft humming in the skies above Colombia's capital Bogota are instead police drones that are meant to detect people with high temperatures or those violating the country's coronavirus quarantine.

Colombian police use drones to detect high body temperatures

Why India's forces are adopting 'grey zone warfare' as an art of war

On Monday, the French armed forces claimed that it had carried out a drone strike during operations in Mali. It is said to have killed ''40 terrorists''', AFP reported.

Earlier on Saturday, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/macron-says-french-forces-neutralise-over-30-terrorists-in-mali-269492">French President Emmanuel Macron</a> had announced that French forces had "neutralised" 33 jihadists in the central Malian region of Mopti. The operation allegedly ran overnight.&nbsp;

The French military's statement claimed that the drone strike happened during a follow-up operation Saturday in which seven more jihadist fighters were killed.

"[French forces] were attacked by a group of terrorists on motorbikes," when they were searching the combat zone in Ouagadou forest, 150 kilometres from the town of Mopti.

A Reaper drone and a French Mirage 2000 patrol opened fire to support the ground troops, the statement said.

"This is the first operational strike by an armed drone," the statement added.

Two days before the strike, the French army had announced that the testing of remotely-piloted drones for armed operations.

It has three drones, based near Niamey, the capital of Niger.

The operation at the weekend was in an area controlled by the Katiba Macina, a ruthless Islamist group founded by radical Mopti preacher Amadou Koufa.

Two Malian gendarmes who had been held hostage were freed, and French troops seized a number of armed vehicles, motorbikes and weaponry, "delivering a very heavy blow" to the jihadists, according to Monday's statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

On Monday, the French armed forces claimed that it had carried out a drone strike during operations in Mali. It is said to have killed ''40 terrorists''', AFP reported.

On Monday, the French armed forces claimed that it had carried out a drone strike during operations in Mali. It is said to have killed ''40 terrorists''', AFP reported. Earlier on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron had announced that French forces had "neutralised" 33 jihadists in the central Malian region of Mopti. The operation allegedly ran overnight. The French military's statement claimed that the drone strike happened during a follow-up operation Saturday in which seven more jihadist fighters were killed. "[French forces] were attacked by a group of terrorists on motorbikes," when they were searching the combat zone in Ouagadou forest, 150 kilometres from the town of Mopti. A Reaper drone and a French Mirage 2000 patrol opened fire to support the ground troops, the statement said. "This is the first operational strike by an armed drone," the statement added. Two days before the strike, the French army had announced that the testing of remotely-piloted drones for armed operations. It has three drones, based near Niamey, the capital of Niger. The operation at the weekend was in an area controlled by the Katiba Macina, a ruthless Islamist group founded by radical Mopti preacher Amadou Koufa. Two Malian gendarmes who had been held hostage were freed, and French troops seized a number of armed vehicles, motorbikes and weaponry, "delivering a very heavy blow" to the jihadists, according to Monday's statement. (With inputs from agencies)

French army carries out first-ever drone strike during Mali operation

India's IT hub Bengaluru is hosting the 22nd edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit, this year robots are in the limelight.

Robots attract eyeballs at Bengaluru Tech Summit 2019

The local administration has imposed a ban on the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, in the city for two months, fearing that these can be used by miscreants to sabotage security during the anti-government protest,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/azadi-march-sets-out-from-karachi-to-islamabad-258535">'Azadi March'</a>.

An order issued by the District Magistrate of Islamabad stated that the UAVs pose a unique threat to the precarious security situation of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and can be used by "miscreants to conduct terrorist acts in the areas that have been secured and safeguarded against the ground attacks."

"It has been informed that a certain segment of public operates 'Un-manned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Islamabad, which pose a unique threat to the precarious security situation of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). These UAVs can be used by miscreant to conduct terrorist acts in the areas that have been secured and safeguarded against ground attacks," the order read, as cited in a report by Geo News.

"Any possible terrorist attack would jeopardise the security of the residents of ICT and sensitive installations that would create law and order situation and threat public peace at large," added the order.

Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat has said the ban has been imposed for a period of two months on all kinds of UAVs, including remote-controlled aircraft.

In addition, a source in the Islamabad Administration has said that the use of drone cameras by media would also be strictly prohibited during the coverage of 'Azadi March,' reports Geo News.

The anti-government Azadi March caravan led by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman and joined by other opposition parties in Pakistan will reach Islamabad on Thursday.

The local administration has imposed a ban on the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, in the city for two months, fearing that these can be used by miscreants to sabotage security during the anti-government protest, 'Azadi March'.

The local administration has imposed a ban on the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, in the city for two months, fearing that these can be used by miscreants to sabotage security during the anti-government protest, 'Azadi March'. An order issued by the District Magistrate of Islamabad stated that the UAVs pose a unique threat to the precarious security situation of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and can be used by "miscreants to conduct terrorist acts in the areas that have been secured and safeguarded against the ground attacks." "It has been informed that a certain segment of public operates 'Un-manned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Islamabad, which pose a unique threat to the precarious security situation of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). These UAVs can be used by miscreant to conduct terrorist acts in the areas that have been secured and safeguarded against ground attacks," the order read, as cited in a report by Geo News. "Any possible terrorist attack would jeopardise the security of the residents of ICT and sensitive installations that would create law and order situation and threat public peace at large," added the order. Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat has said the ban has been imposed for a period of two months on all kinds of UAVs, including remote-controlled aircraft. In addition, a source in the Islamabad Administration has said that the use of drone cameras by media would also be strictly prohibited during the coverage of 'Azadi March,' reports Geo News. The anti-government Azadi March caravan led by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman and joined by other opposition parties in Pakistan will reach Islamabad on Thursday.

Drones in Islamabad banned for two months

Last night, India's Border Security Force (BSF)&nbsp;spotted a Pakistani-origin drone in the Firozpur area of Punjab near the India-Pakistan border.

The BSF spotted the same drone almost five times between ten pm and 12 midnight, during which it crossed the border into India once. Military officials are still investigating the incident in collaboration with the&nbsp;Punjab state police. The state police, on September 22, recovered a large number of AK-47 assault rifles, satellite phones and grenades dropped in Punjab's Tarn Taran district through eight drone sorties between September 9 and 16. One drone crashed&nbsp;due to a technical problem.

Since India scrapped the Article 370 of the Constitution this year, Pakistan's Intel agencies and ISI have&nbsp;been using the terror networks of Khalistan Zindabad Force and others to drop weapons, fake currencies and other material&nbsp;to the Indian side of the border. The state police have made a few arrests in Tarn Taran and allege that the men captured are terrorists of the Khalistan Zindabad Force who are actively working to carry out these drone activities against India with the intention to execute 26/11-like terror attacks at religious places across Punjab.

The Punjab Police's&nbsp;investigation reveals that the Pakistan-based chief of the KZF, Ranjeet Singh, alias Neeta, and his Germany-based associate Gurmeet Singh, alias Bagga, were involved in the delivery of weapons from across the border. Additionally, with the help of local sleeper cells, they radicalised and recruited local members to foment trouble. Punjab police, along with the forensic team have&nbsp;recovered a few parts of the drone which include&nbsp;a GPS antenna fitted in the drone. Some parts of the drone have been disposed of&nbsp;in canals near the villages.

Indian Air Force Chief RKS Bhadauria has already expressed concerns over how small drones can become a big threat to&nbsp;border security in the future. He earlier said that the Indian Air Force was in the process of procuring sensors and other equipment to thwart drone attacks.

The Border Security Force has been kept on high alert following reports of drones dropping weapons into the Indian territory and returning to Pakistan undetected.

Last night, India's Border Security Force (BSF) spotted a Pakistani-origin drone in the Firozpur area of Punjab near the India-Pakistan border. The BSF spotted the same drone almost five times between ten pm and 12 midnight, during which it crossed the border into India once.

Last night, India's Border Security Force (BSF) spotted a Pakistani-origin drone in the Firozpur area of Punjab near the India-Pakistan border. The BSF spotted the same drone almost five times between ten pm and 12 midnight, during which it crossed the border into India once. Military officials are still investigating the incident in collaboration with the Punjab state police. The state police, on September 22, recovered a large number of AK-47 assault rifles, satellite phones and grenades dropped in Punjab's Tarn Taran district through eight drone sorties between September 9 and 16. One drone crashed due to a technical problem. Since India scrapped the Article 370 of the Constitution this year, Pakistan's Intel agencies and ISI have been using the terror networks of Khalistan Zindabad Force and others to drop weapons, fake currencies and other material to the Indian side of the border. The state police have made a few arrests in Tarn Taran and allege that the men captured are terrorists of the Khalistan Zindabad Force who are actively working to carry out these drone activities against India with the intention to execute 26/11-like terror attacks at religious places across Punjab. The Punjab Police's investigation reveals that the Pakistan-based chief of the KZF, Ranjeet Singh, alias Neeta, and his Germany-based associate Gurmeet Singh, alias Bagga, were involved in the delivery of weapons from across the border. Additionally, with the help of local sleeper cells, they radicalised and recruited local members to foment trouble. Punjab police, along with the forensic team have recovered a few parts of the drone which include a GPS antenna fitted in the drone. Some parts of the drone have been disposed of in canals near the villages. Indian Air Force Chief RKS Bhadauria has already expressed concerns over how small drones can become a big threat to border security in the future. He earlier said that the Indian Air Force was in the process of procuring sensors and other equipment to thwart drone attacks. The Border Security Force has been kept on high alert following reports of drones dropping weapons into the Indian territory and returning to Pakistan undetected.

BSF spots drone along India-Pakistan border

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-turkey-raises-pitch-india-reaffirms-support-for-cyprus-territorial-integrity-252329">Cyprus has acquired four Israeli-made drones</a>, according to the defence ministry, amid tensions with Turkey over gas exploration in the island's waters.

Kathimerini Cyprus website said the drones, bought at a cost of $13 million in a first for the country, will be used to monitor its exclusive economic zone where international energy companies are searching for natural gas despite opposition from Turkey.

Israel's Aeronautics that makes the Aerostar Tactical UAS (TUAS), a drone with a wingspan of 8.7 metres, contacted by AFP, would not confirm the sale, citing company policy to not divulge the identity of clients.

EU member Cyprus last week accused Turkey of defying the bloc by sending another drilling ship to operate inside its waters.

Nicosia said Turkey has sent the drillship Yavuz inside block 7 of its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, a zone licensed to Italy’s Eni and France’s Total in an agreement signed last month.

According to the Cyprus government, the area where the Turkish vessel is operating is clearly defined under international law as Cypriot territorial waters.

Washington and Brussels have urged Turkey to withdraw the vessels from Cypriot waters, with the EU imposing sanctions on Ankara.

Turkey, which has now sent three drillships off Cyprus, is opposed to Nicosia’s energy exploration plans and wants a say in the development of hydrocarbons in the region.

Ankara also demands Turkish Cypriots on the divided island have their share of the profits from natural gas but argues a Cyprus solution must be found first.

Turkey has had troops stationed in the country since 1974 when it invaded and occupied its northern third after a coup sponsored by the military junta then ruling Greece.

Cyprus has acquired four Israeli-made drones, according to the defence ministry, amid tensions with Turkey over gas exploration in the island's waters. Kathimerini Cyprus website said the drones, bought at a cost of $13 million in a first for the country, will be used to monitor its exclusive economic zone where international energy companies are searching for natural gas despite opposition from Turkey.

Cyprus has acquired four Israeli-made drones, according to the defence ministry, amid tensions with Turkey over gas exploration in the island's waters. Kathimerini Cyprus website said the drones, bought at a cost of $13 million in a first for the country, will be used to monitor its exclusive economic zone where international energy companies are searching for natural gas despite opposition from Turkey. Israel's Aeronautics that makes the Aerostar Tactical UAS (TUAS), a drone with a wingspan of 8.7 metres, contacted by AFP, would not confirm the sale, citing company policy to not divulge the identity of clients. EU member Cyprus last week accused Turkey of defying the bloc by sending another drilling ship to operate inside its waters. Nicosia said Turkey has sent the drillship Yavuz inside block 7 of its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, a zone licensed to Italy’s Eni and France’s Total in an agreement signed last month. According to the Cyprus government, the area where the Turkish vessel is operating is clearly defined under international law as Cypriot territorial waters. Washington and Brussels have urged Turkey to withdraw the vessels from Cypriot waters, with the EU imposing sanctions on Ankara. Turkey, which has now sent three drillships off Cyprus, is opposed to Nicosia’s energy exploration plans and wants a say in the development of hydrocarbons in the region. Ankara also demands Turkish Cypriots on the divided island have their share of the profits from natural gas but argues a Cyprus solution must be found first. Turkey has had troops stationed in the country since 1974 when it invaded and occupied its northern third after a coup sponsored by the military junta then ruling Greece.

Cyprus buys Israel drones to monitor waters amid Turkey tensions

An Australian maker of drones used to spot sharks near surf beaches has partnered with online retailer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-tech-awakening-us-workers-at-google-amazon-join-climate-protests-250927">Amazon.com</a> Inc and other firms to create a drone service that could protect tourists from crocodiles in holiday destinations.

The project was initiated by the government of the northeastern state of Queensland after the privately-owned Ripper Group successfully used drones to identify sharks in the neighbouring state, New South Wales.

"It gives them a second set of eyes over the top of the human element to try and make it safer for crocodiles and the humans," Ben Trollope, the Chief Executive of Westpac Little Ripper drones, said in a telephone interview from Brisbane.

The Ripper Group has partnered with Amazon Web Services in developing the capability of the new drone service, including reducing delays in transmitting footage, Trollope added.

"Amazon have been vital... They've opened up their whole capability, which has allowed us to quickly get to somewhere that could have taken quite a long time", he said.

The drones use an algorithm created with the University of Technology in Sydney. According to developers, it can identify 16 different types of marine species and has an accuracy rate of 93 per cent.

The algorithm is adjusted to separate crocodiles from mangroves in northern Queensland's dense rainforest areas, a factor the ocean drones do not have to contend with.

"Everything is research for us. We're continually collecting data, teaching the algorithm to get smarter," Trollope added.

The drones featured at the World of Drones Congress in Brisbane on Thursday, where images were beamed in from a demonstration at a Queensland crocodile park.

Drone sponsor Westpac Bank, which has also sponsored drones that can both spot sharks and drop rescue devices to people in trouble since 2016, has sponsored rescue service helicopters for more than 40 years.

Queensland government data from January 2018 shows that four of 11 crocodile attacks since 2011 were fatal, including one in 2017 in the northern holiday area of Port Douglas.

An Australian maker of drones used to spot sharks near surf beaches has partnered with online retailer Amazon.com Inc and other firms to create a drone service that could protect tourists from crocodiles in holiday destinations.

An Australian maker of drones used to spot sharks near surf beaches has partnered with online retailer Amazon.com Inc and other firms to create a drone service that could protect tourists from crocodiles in holiday destinations. The project was initiated by the government of the northeastern state of Queensland after the privately-owned Ripper Group successfully used drones to identify sharks in the neighbouring state, New South Wales. "It gives them a second set of eyes over the top of the human element to try and make it safer for crocodiles and the humans," Ben Trollope, the Chief Executive of Westpac Little Ripper drones, said in a telephone interview from Brisbane. The Ripper Group has partnered with Amazon Web Services in developing the capability of the new drone service, including reducing delays in transmitting footage, Trollope added. "Amazon have been vital... They've opened up their whole capability, which has allowed us to quickly get to somewhere that could have taken quite a long time", he said. The drones use an algorithm created with the University of Technology in Sydney. According to developers, it can identify 16 different types of marine species and has an accuracy rate of 93 per cent. The algorithm is adjusted to separate crocodiles from mangroves in northern Queensland's dense rainforest areas, a factor the ocean drones do not have to contend with. "Everything is research for us. We're continually collecting data, teaching the algorithm to get smarter," Trollope added. The drones featured at the World of Drones Congress in Brisbane on Thursday, where images were beamed in from a demonstration at a Queensland crocodile park. Drone sponsor Westpac Bank, which has also sponsored drones that can both spot sharks and drop rescue devices to people in trouble since 2016, has sponsored rescue service helicopters for more than 40 years. Queensland government data from January 2018 shows that four of 11 crocodile attacks since 2011 were fatal, including one in 2017 in the northern holiday area of Port Douglas.

Amazon to save lives with drones capable of spotting crocodiles in Australia

Drones: The future of warfare?

Drones have become an integral part of our lives in the digital era & its reach will expand in future. Since their use in military combat in 1943, drones have become an integral part of combat in the last seven decades. In future, their usage will extend to several other areas besides defence. This report explores the future of drones.

The future of drones

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/saudi-arabia-says-drones-attacked-oil-facilities-249652">Saudi Arabia</a> has temporarily halted production at two <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/drone-attack-at-saudi-arabias-oil-refinery-massive-fire-broke-out-249565">Aramco oil facilities </a>that were attacked by Yemeni rebels, interrupting about half of the company's total output, the energy minister said Saturday.

The attacks "resulted in a temporary suspension of production at Abqaiq and Khurais plants," Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the energy minister said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

It led to the interruption of about 50 per cent of total production, he added.

"These attacks resulted in production suspension of 5.7 million barrels of crude oil per day," the state-owned Aramco said in a separate statement.

Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said work was underway to restore production and a progress update would be provided in the next two days.

The Huthi rebel drone attacks on Abqaiq and Khurais, two key Aramco facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia, are the latest in a series of raids on the kingdom's oil installations in recent months.

Nasser said "no injuries" were reported in the attacks.

The Iran-linked Huthi rebels said they launched "a large-scale operation involving 10 drones" on the facilities, the group's Al-Masirah television reported.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iran for the strikes.

"Iran has now launched an unprecedented attack on the world's energy supply," Pompeo said.

Saudi Arabia, a key ally of Washington, has repeatedly accused Iran of supplying arms to the rebels. Tehran denies the charge.

Growing rebel attacks underscore how Saudi infrastructure, including oil installations, are increasingly vulnerable to the Huthis' steadily advancing weaponry -- from ballistic missiles to unmanned drones.

Saudi Arabia has temporarily halted production at two Aramco oil facilities that were attacked by Yemeni rebels, interrupting about half of the company's total output, the energy minister said Saturday.

Saudi Arabia has temporarily halted production at two Aramco oil facilities that were attacked by Yemeni rebels, interrupting about half of the company's total output, the energy minister said Saturday. The attacks "resulted in a temporary suspension of production at Abqaiq and Khurais plants," Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the energy minister said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency. It led to the interruption of about 50 per cent of total production, he added. "These attacks resulted in production suspension of 5.7 million barrels of crude oil per day," the state-owned Aramco said in a separate statement. Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said work was underway to restore production and a progress update would be provided in the next two days. The Huthi rebel drone attacks on Abqaiq and Khurais, two key Aramco facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia, are the latest in a series of raids on the kingdom's oil installations in recent months. Nasser said "no injuries" were reported in the attacks. The Iran-linked Huthi rebels said they launched "a large-scale operation involving 10 drones" on the facilities, the group's Al-Masirah television reported. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iran for the strikes. "Iran has now launched an unprecedented attack on the world's energy supply," Pompeo said. Saudi Arabia, a key ally of Washington, has repeatedly accused Iran of supplying arms to the rebels. Tehran denies the charge. Growing rebel attacks underscore how Saudi infrastructure, including oil installations, are increasingly vulnerable to the Huthis' steadily advancing weaponry -- from ballistic missiles to unmanned drones.

Saudi halts production at attacked oil plants: Minister

London police deployed Friday a sweeping security cordon around Heathrow Airport and made seven arrests to thwart <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-airways-says-almost-all-uk-flights-cancelled-over-strike-248557">climate activists</a>' efforts to shut down Europe's busiest travel hub using toy drones.

Campaigners from Heathrow Pause an offshoot of the Extinction Rebellion group backed by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg had hoped to disrupt the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-airways-pilots-ground-planes-in-unprecedented-48-hour-strike-248533">travel</a> plans of tens of thousands of passengers from across the world over the weekend.

But their first miniature device failed to take flight after receiving no signal from its hand-held remote control.

"They are jamming we can't get the signal," one campaigner said in a video posted on social media from what appeared to be the airport's outer edge.

"The passengers will be happy. We are not happy."

A London police spokesman refused to confirm or deny the use of jamming devices.

"We do not discuss security tactics," the spokesman told AFP.

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But the department said it was imposing a "dispersal order" under a criminal statute act covering "anti-social behaviour" in areas surrounding the airport's vast grounds through to Sunday morning.

'Not criminal'

The campaigners' official aim is to prevent the construction of a third Heathrow runway and to cut harmful gas emissions to a net level of zero by 2025.

Yet their chosen means of protest also points to the hazards drones of any size pose to airports long term.

Heathrow rules stipulate that it must temporarily close should a drone be spotted within its five-kilometer (three-mile) exclusion zone.

It was expected to make exceptions should this only involve miniature drones flying close to the ground and away from runways or flight paths the rules Heathrow Pause intends to keep.

"Like-minded citizens just know that what we are doing is not a criminal act," group member Sylvia Dell told AFP as she prepared to fly her own drone in the coming days.

The retired mother-of-four said she was stirred to action by a United Nations report warning governments in October that they had 12 years left to stop the earth from warming to dangerous levels.

"We're the fire alarm ringing in the middle of the night telling people to wake up, your house is on fire," Dell said.

'Public nuisance' 
Several still-unexplained drone sightings around Heathrow and London's Gatwick Airport shut them down for several days over the winter holidays.

The group's members have met airport representatives and the London police to arrange precautionary measures aimed at avoiding accidents.

They had hoped to fly the drones at head height at hourly intervals that could keep the airport closed continuously for up to five days.

"You need to make disruption painful before the authorities take notice," Dell said.

A Heathrow spokeswoman said on Friday that the airport remained "strongly committed" to addressing climate concerns.

"We agree with the need for climate change action but illegal protest activity designed with the intention of disrupting thousands of people is not the answer," she said.

London police announced the arrest of five men and two women on Thursday and Friday "on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance".

Dell said she faced "years" in jail because of two prior arrests during an Extinction Rebellion protest that ground parts of London to a halt for more than a week in April.

"Prison is a terrifying prospect," she said.

But "I find the prospect of not acting and allowing the world to collapse that's more terrifying for me."

London police deployed Friday a sweeping security cordon around Heathrow Airport and made seven arrests to thwart climate activists' efforts to shut down Europe's busiest travel hub using toy drones.

London police deployed Friday a sweeping security cordon around Heathrow Airport and made seven arrests to thwart climate activists' efforts to shut down Europe's busiest travel hub using toy drones. Campaigners from Heathrow Pause an offshoot of the Extinction Rebellion group backed by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg had hoped to disrupt the travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers from across the world over the weekend. But their first miniature device failed to take flight after receiving no signal from its hand-held remote control. "They are jamming we can't get the signal," one campaigner said in a video posted on social media from what appeared to be the airport's outer edge. "The passengers will be happy. We are not happy." A London police spokesman refused to confirm or deny the use of jamming devices. "We do not discuss security tactics," the spokesman told AFP. × But the department said it was imposing a "dispersal order" under a criminal statute act covering "anti-social behaviour" in areas surrounding the airport's vast grounds through to Sunday morning. 'Not criminal' The campaigners' official aim is to prevent the construction of a third Heathrow runway and to cut harmful gas emissions to a net level of zero by 2025. Yet their chosen means of protest also points to the hazards drones of any size pose to airports long term. Heathrow rules stipulate that it must temporarily close should a drone be spotted within its five-kilometer (three-mile) exclusion zone. It was expected to make exceptions should this only involve miniature drones flying close to the ground and away from runways or flight paths the rules Heathrow Pause intends to keep. "Like-minded citizens just know that what we are doing is not a criminal act," group member Sylvia Dell told AFP as she prepared to fly her own drone in the coming days. The retired mother-of-four said she was stirred to action by a United Nations report warning governments in October that they had 12 years left to stop the earth from warming to dangerous levels. "We're the fire alarm ringing in the middle of the night telling people to wake up, your house is on fire," Dell said. 'Public nuisance' Several still-unexplained drone sightings around Heathrow and London's Gatwick Airport shut them down for several days over the winter holidays. The group's members have met airport representatives and the London police to arrange precautionary measures aimed at avoiding accidents. They had hoped to fly the drones at head height at hourly intervals that could keep the airport closed continuously for up to five days. "You need to make disruption painful before the authorities take notice," Dell said. A Heathrow spokeswoman said on Friday that the airport remained "strongly committed" to addressing climate concerns. "We agree with the need for climate change action but illegal protest activity designed with the intention of disrupting thousands of people is not the answer," she said. London police announced the arrest of five men and two women on Thursday and Friday "on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance". Dell said she faced "years" in jail because of two prior arrests during an Extinction Rebellion protest that ground parts of London to a halt for more than a week in April. "Prison is a terrifying prospect," she said. But "I find the prospect of not acting and allowing the world to collapse that's more terrifying for me."

Police thwart climate activists' drone bid to close Heathrow

Climate-change activists who planned to disrupt Heathrow airport with drones were frustrated early on Friday as the devices failed to fly and Europe's biggest airport continued to operate as usual.

But the airport said that the attempted action was not impacting <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-airways-pilots-ground-planes-in-unprecedented-48-hour-strike-248533">flights</a>.

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"There's no disruption," a spokeswoman for Heathrow Airport said. "Runways and taxiways remain operational."

Police arrested two men at the airport on Friday on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance in relation to operations at the airport, and have established a dispersal zone around the airport for 48 hours. Five others were arrested on Thursday away from the airport on the same grounds.

Heathrow Pause said that authorities had used signal jamming to frustrate the early flights, posting a live stream of activists near the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-airways-says-almost-all-uk-flights-cancelled-over-strike-248557"> airport </a>on a Twitter feed.

"We've got a little technical glitch. The drone isn't flying," and unidentified campaigner says in the video, as another activist holds a drone in the air.

"Unfortunately at this time I don't have any specific updates what the next steps will be."

Earlier this week, police said they were confident the action would not lead to a repeat of the chaos seen at Gatwick last December, when drone sightings grounded planes in the run-up to Christmas.

But they warned that attempted disruption of the airport and flying drones without permission in the exclusion zone were serious crimes.

Heathrow Pause, a splinter group of the climate group Extinction Rebellion which disrupted London streets earlier this year and which is behind Friday's planned action, said it would fly the drones at no higher than head level and say they are not looking to endanger life.

Climate-change activists who planned to disrupt Heathrow airport with drones were frustrated early on Friday as the devices failed to fly and Europe's biggest airport continued to operate as usual.

Climate-change activists who planned to disrupt Heathrow airport with drones were frustrated early on Friday as the devices failed to fly and Europe's biggest airport continued to operate as usual. But the airport said that the attempted action was not impacting flights. Watch Video × "There's no disruption," a spokeswoman for Heathrow Airport said. "Runways and taxiways remain operational." Police arrested two men at the airport on Friday on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance in relation to operations at the airport, and have established a dispersal zone around the airport for 48 hours. Five others were arrested on Thursday away from the airport on the same grounds. Heathrow Pause said that authorities had used signal jamming to frustrate the early flights, posting a live stream of activists near the airport on a Twitter feed. "We've got a little technical glitch. The drone isn't flying," and unidentified campaigner says in the video, as another activist holds a drone in the air. "Unfortunately at this time I don't have any specific updates what the next steps will be." Earlier this week, police said they were confident the action would not lead to a repeat of the chaos seen at Gatwick last December, when drone sightings grounded planes in the run-up to Christmas. But they warned that attempted disruption of the airport and flying drones without permission in the exclusion zone were serious crimes. Heathrow Pause, a splinter group of the climate group Extinction Rebellion which disrupted London streets earlier this year and which is behind Friday's planned action, said it would fly the drones at no higher than head level and say they are not looking to endanger life.

Climate-change activists' plan to disrupt Heathrow with drones frustrated

This is a pilot project started in Spain to monitor traffic. As drones are more economical for monitoring the traffic. Earlier the helicopters were also used for the same in emergencies.

When drones become traffic cops!

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-coalition-destroys-yemen-rebels-drone-cave-212077">Saudi forces </a>on Friday intercepted five drones launched by Iran-aligned <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-ends-refuelling-support-in-yemen-war-as-pressure-builds-on-saudi-arabia-176509">Yemeni rebels</a>, a Riyadh-led military coalition said, in a second assault on an airport in the kingdom's southwest in two days.

The drones targeted Abha airport, where a rebel missile on Wednesday left 26 civilians wounded, and the nearby city of Khamis Mushait, which houses a major airbase, the coalition said in a statement released by Saudi state media.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/in-yemen-saudi-arabia-could-be-nearing-the-inflection-point-199620">In Yemen, Saudi Arabia could be nearing the inflection point</a>

The latest raids come amid spiralling regional tensions after Washington accused Iran of carrying out attacks that left two tankers ablaze in the Gulf of Oman, the second such incident in a month in the strategic sea lane.

"The royal Saudi air defence force and air force successfully intercepted and destroyed five unmanned drone aircraft launched by Huthi militia towards Abha international airport and Khamis Mushait," the coalition statement said without reporting any casualties.

The airport was operating normally with no flights disrupted, the statement added.

Huthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported earlier that the Iran-linked rebels had carried out drone attacks on Abha airport.

The rebels, who have faced persistent coalition bombing since March 2015 that has exacted a heavy civilian death toll, have stepped up missile and drone attacks across the border in recent weeks and warned that coalition airports were valid targets.

The latest attacks could prompt an escalation in the coalition's bombing campaign as it vowed after Wednesday's missile strike to "take stern action" to deter the rebels and protect civilians.

The missile struck the airport in the mountain resort of Abha, which is a popular summer getaway for Saudis seeking escape from the searing heat of Riyadh or Jeddah.

During a media tour of the airport on Thursday, Saudi authorities said they had closed a part of the arrival lounge after the missile tore a hole in the roof and disrupted flights for several hours.

The area was covered in bamboo scaffolding and littered with concrete debris and shards of broken glass, AFP saw.

Two passengers, including an Indian national, who suffered mild injuries recalled pandemonium and screams after a loud explosion triggered a blaze, leaving the lounge covered in smoke.

- 'War crime' -

Human Rights Watch denounced the strike as an apparent "war crime".

"The Huthis should immediately stop all attacks on civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia," said HRW's deputy Middle East director &nbsp;Michael Page.

"Unlawful Saudi-led coalition airstrikes in Yemen never justify Huthi attacks on Saudi civilians."&nbsp;

A Saudi civil aviation official said authorities were still investigating rebel claims that they fired a cruise missile at the airport.

If confirmed that would represent a major leap in the rebels' military capability, experts say.

The official also confirmed that it had not been intercepted by the kingdom's Patriot anti-missile batteries.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly accused Iran of arming the rebels with sophisticated weapons, a charge Tehran denies.

The coalition intervened in support of the Yemeni government in 2015 when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled into Saudi exile as the rebels closed in on his last remaining territory in and around second city Aden.

Since then, the conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, many of them civilians, relief agencies say.

It has triggered what the UN describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 24 million Yemenis -- more than two-thirds of the population -- in need of aid.

Saudi forces on Friday intercepted five drones launched by Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels, a Riyadh-led military coalition said, in a second assault on an airport in the kingdom's southwest in two days.

Saudi forces on Friday intercepted five drones launched by Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels, a Riyadh-led military coalition said, in a second assault on an airport in the kingdom's southwest in two days. The drones targeted Abha airport, where a rebel missile on Wednesday left 26 civilians wounded, and the nearby city of Khamis Mushait, which houses a major airbase, the coalition said in a statement released by Saudi state media. Also read: In Yemen, Saudi Arabia could be nearing the inflection point The latest raids come amid spiralling regional tensions after Washington accused Iran of carrying out attacks that left two tankers ablaze in the Gulf of Oman, the second such incident in a month in the strategic sea lane. "The royal Saudi air defence force and air force successfully intercepted and destroyed five unmanned drone aircraft launched by Huthi militia towards Abha international airport and Khamis Mushait," the coalition statement said without reporting any casualties. The airport was operating normally with no flights disrupted, the statement added. Huthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported earlier that the Iran-linked rebels had carried out drone attacks on Abha airport. The rebels, who have faced persistent coalition bombing since March 2015 that has exacted a heavy civilian death toll, have stepped up missile and drone attacks across the border in recent weeks and warned that coalition airports were valid targets. The latest attacks could prompt an escalation in the coalition's bombing campaign as it vowed after Wednesday's missile strike to "take stern action" to deter the rebels and protect civilians. The missile struck the airport in the mountain resort of Abha, which is a popular summer getaway for Saudis seeking escape from the searing heat of Riyadh or Jeddah. During a media tour of the airport on Thursday, Saudi authorities said they had closed a part of the arrival lounge after the missile tore a hole in the roof and disrupted flights for several hours. The area was covered in bamboo scaffolding and littered with concrete debris and shards of broken glass, AFP saw. Two passengers, including an Indian national, who suffered mild injuries recalled pandemonium and screams after a loud explosion triggered a blaze, leaving the lounge covered in smoke. - 'War crime' - Human Rights Watch denounced the strike as an apparent "war crime". "The Huthis should immediately stop all attacks on civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia," said HRW's deputy Middle East director Michael Page. "Unlawful Saudi-led coalition airstrikes in Yemen never justify Huthi attacks on Saudi civilians." A Saudi civil aviation official said authorities were still investigating rebel claims that they fired a cruise missile at the airport. If confirmed that would represent a major leap in the rebels' military capability, experts say. The official also confirmed that it had not been intercepted by the kingdom's Patriot anti-missile batteries. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly accused Iran of arming the rebels with sophisticated weapons, a charge Tehran denies. The coalition intervened in support of the Yemeni government in 2015 when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled into Saudi exile as the rebels closed in on his last remaining territory in and around second city Aden. Since then, the conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, many of them civilians, relief agencies say. It has triggered what the UN describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 24 million Yemenis -- more than two-thirds of the population -- in need of aid.

Saudi Arabia intercepts five Yemen rebel drones in new airport attack

The US Department of Homeland Security has warned US firms of the risks to company data from Chinese-made drones, according to a notice reviewed by Reuters on Monday.

The notice, titled "Chinese Manufactured Unmanned Aircraft Systems," warned that US officials have "strong concerns about any technology product that takes American data into the territory of an authoritarian state that permits its intelligence services to have unfettered access to that data or otherwise abuses that access."

A spokeswoman for DHS's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency confirmed that it "recently released an industry alert providing organizations with information related to the inherit risks associated with using UAS technology manufactured in China and measures to reduce such risk."

The notice, which did not name any companies, was reported earlier by CNN. It urged companies to "be aware of whether your UAS data is being stored by the vendor or other third parties. If it is being stored, find out how, where, and for how long."

This is the latest concern raised by the US government about the threats of Chinese-made devices. On Wednesday, the US Commerce Department added Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and 68 affiliates to an export blacklist, citing the risk of to US national security from the telecommunications network equipment maker.

China's SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd, the world's largest maker of consumer drones, said in a statement on Monday that "the security of our technology has been independently verified by the US government and leading US businesses."

The company added that it gives "customers full and complete control over how their data is collected, stored, and transmitted." It said that for government and critical infrastructure customers, "we provide drones that do not transfer data to DJI or via the internet."

The US Department of Homeland Security has warned US firms of the risks to company data from Chinese-made drones, according to a notice reviewed by Reuters on Monday.

The US Department of Homeland Security has warned US firms of the risks to company data from Chinese-made drones, according to a notice reviewed by Reuters on Monday. The notice, titled "Chinese Manufactured Unmanned Aircraft Systems," warned that US officials have "strong concerns about any technology product that takes American data into the territory of an authoritarian state that permits its intelligence services to have unfettered access to that data or otherwise abuses that access." A spokeswoman for DHS's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency confirmed that it "recently released an industry alert providing organizations with information related to the inherit risks associated with using UAS technology manufactured in China and measures to reduce such risk." The notice, which did not name any companies, was reported earlier by CNN. It urged companies to "be aware of whether your UAS data is being stored by the vendor or other third parties. If it is being stored, find out how, where, and for how long." This is the latest concern raised by the US government about the threats of Chinese-made devices. On Wednesday, the US Commerce Department added Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and 68 affiliates to an export blacklist, citing the risk of to US national security from the telecommunications network equipment maker. China's SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd, the world's largest maker of consumer drones, said in a statement on Monday that "the security of our technology has been independently verified by the US government and leading US businesses." The company added that it gives "customers full and complete control over how their data is collected, stored, and transmitted." It said that for government and critical infrastructure customers, "we provide drones that do not transfer data to DJI or via the internet."

US Department of Homeland Security warns of data threat from Chinese-made drones

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al Falih said on Tuesday that two oil pumping stations for the East-West pipeline had been hit by explosive-laden drones, calling the attack "an act of terrorism" that targeted global oil supplies.

Saudi Arabia oil stations attacked by drones

Redwing Aerospace Laboratories a startup in Bengaluru uses drones to deliver medicines. Watch this video to know more.

Bengaluru startup uses drones to deliver blood

'Drone Olympics' to be key attraction at Aero India 2019

Sri Lankan authorities arrested four Maldivian nationals, including a woman, for illegally operating a drone near the country's main international airport, police said Sunday.

The suspects were taken into custody on Saturday night after they were seen using a drone within the high-security zone of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), police said in a statement.

"They were filming the airport area with the drone. Investigations are continuing," police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said. "The suspects -- aged between 19 and 23 -- will be produced before a magistrate today."

It was the first arrest in the country in connection with the illegal operation of a drone near an airport.&nbsp;

The incident came hours before Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was due to arrive in Sri Lanka to attend the country's 71st national day ceremony in Colombo.

Operating any kind of drone near airports is banned while drone photography and aerial mapping are also highly regulated by civil aviation authorities.

Air traffic controllers at the BIA said there were no disruptions to international flights on Saturday.&nbsp;

However, drones have caused flight disruptions in recent weeks in London and New York.

Sri Lankan authorities arrested four Maldivian nationals, including a woman, for illegally operating a drone near the country's main international airport, police said Sunday.

Sri Lankan authorities arrested four Maldivian nationals, including a woman, for illegally operating a drone near the country's main international airport, police said Sunday. The suspects were taken into custody on Saturday night after they were seen using a drone within the high-security zone of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), police said in a statement. "They were filming the airport area with the drone. Investigations are continuing," police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said. "The suspects -- aged between 19 and 23 -- will be produced before a magistrate today." It was the first arrest in the country in connection with the illegal operation of a drone near an airport. The incident came hours before Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was due to arrive in Sri Lanka to attend the country's 71st national day ceremony in Colombo. Operating any kind of drone near airports is banned while drone photography and aerial mapping are also highly regulated by civil aviation authorities. Air traffic controllers at the BIA said there were no disruptions to international flights on Saturday. However, drones have caused flight disruptions in recent weeks in London and New York.

Sri Lanka arrests Maldivians flying drone near airport

In a bid to enhance its unmanned warfare capability, the Indian Air Force is planning to acquire around 15 more HAROP attack drones which can crash into high-value enemy military targets to destroy them completely.

The Air Force already has an inventory of these drones which are equipped with electro-optical sensors to loiter over high-value military targets such as surveillance bases and radar stations before exploding them.

"A proposal to acquire these attack drones is expected to be discussed by the Defence Ministry at a high-level meeting in the coming week to strengthen the fleet of such drones in the Air Force," Defence sources told ANI.

Once approved, the Indian Air Force would be exercising the option clause in the previous deal signed a few years ago with Israel which is the main supplier of all types of drones to the Indian Air Force including the surveillance machines including the Searcher and the Heron.

India is also discussing the Project Cheetah with the Israelis under which almost all the drones of the three services would be turned into high-quality attack drones and their surveillance capabilities would also be enhanced.

The three forces have a fleet of more than 100 of these unmanned aerial vehicles which have been acquired over the years in different batches.

The forces are also working on developing indigenous combat drones which would be deployed on both the China and Pakistan border once the project is complete.

Americans have been using the combat drones to carry out targeted assassinations of terrorist leaders in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan but the relatively slow unmanned vehicles are not known to be very effective in warfare where the opposition also has a strong air force.

In a bid to enhance its unmanned warfare capability, the Indian Air Force is planning to acquire around 15 more HAROP attack drones which can crash into high-value enemy military targets to destroy them completely.

In a bid to enhance its unmanned warfare capability, the Indian Air Force is planning to acquire around 15 more HAROP attack drones which can crash into high-value enemy military targets to destroy them completely. The Air Force already has an inventory of these drones which are equipped with electro-optical sensors to loiter over high-value military targets such as surveillance bases and radar stations before exploding them. "A proposal to acquire these attack drones is expected to be discussed by the Defence Ministry at a high-level meeting in the coming week to strengthen the fleet of such drones in the Air Force," Defence sources told ANI. Once approved, the Indian Air Force would be exercising the option clause in the previous deal signed a few years ago with Israel which is the main supplier of all types of drones to the Indian Air Force including the surveillance machines including the Searcher and the Heron. India is also discussing the Project Cheetah with the Israelis under which almost all the drones of the three services would be turned into high-quality attack drones and their surveillance capabilities would also be enhanced. The three forces have a fleet of more than 100 of these unmanned aerial vehicles which have been acquired over the years in different batches. The forces are also working on developing indigenous combat drones which would be deployed on both the China and Pakistan border once the project is complete. Americans have been using the combat drones to carry out targeted assassinations of terrorist leaders in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan but the relatively slow unmanned vehicles are not known to be very effective in warfare where the opposition also has a strong air force.

Indian Air Force to acquire 15 HAROP killer drones from Israel

Students exhibit projects, build robots, fly drones at IIT Madras's tech fest

Britain called in the army Thursday after dozens of drone sightings grounded all flights from London's Gatwick airport&nbsp;for more than 24 hours, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded on one of the busiest days of the year.

The airport, which closed its only runway Wednesday night after "reports of two drones flying in and around the airfield", said late Thursday it could not be reopened following further appearances of the devices.

"Gatwick's runway remains unavailable because of continued drone sightings," it said in an 11:00 pm (2300 GMT) update.

Police and airport authorities believe they were being flown in a deliberate act to disrupt the airport.

The unusually large drones had been spotted near the airfield more than 50 times over the 24-hour period, police said Thursday night.&nbsp;

"We think it&nbsp;may&nbsp;have been adapted and developed," said Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley of the devices, adding officers were reviewing CCTV footage to identify the make and model.

He said firearms officers were now considering shooting the device down despite authorities earlier saying that would be dangerous due to the danger of stray bullets.

The runway closure stranded tens of thousands of travellers days before Christmas and prompted the unusual military operation.

Specialist equipment has been deployed by the MOD (Ministry of Defence) to Gatwick airport to assist Sussex Police.

"We are there to assist and do everything we can," Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson told Sky News television, declining to give the troops' exact role and adding that it followed a request from local police.

Gisele Fenech, 43, who was travelling to Malta, was among those stranded at the airport.

"We're meeting family and it's my daughter's birthday today so it's gone all wrong. We've been looking forward to this for so long," she told AFP.

"Everyone's trying to get home for Christmas."

'It's childish'&nbsp;

Gatwick, around 30 miles (50 kilometres) south of the British capital, is the eighth-busiest airport in Europe and sits behind Mumbai as the world's busiest single-runway air hub.

Inbound flights were diverted to other airports, including Paris, while passengers waiting to take off faced gruelling delays as airlines cut services.

Easyjet, Gatwick's biggest operator, said it had cancelled all its flights in and out of the hub Thursday.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said overnight restrictions would be lifted at some airports to help ease the situation.

Some 10,000 passengers were affected on Wednesday night and a further 110,000 who had been due to either take off or land at the airport on 760 flights Thursday.

Gatwick said it anticipated disruption to continue into Friday.

Musab Rashid, 22, who was going to Copenhagen, said: "It's wrong, it's childish of them to do this because it's affected more than 100,000 people."

'Highly targeted activity'&nbsp;

Two drones were first spotted flying over Gatwick at around 9:00 pm (2100 GMT) on Wednesday. The airfield briefly reopened at 3:00 am on Thursday but had to be closed again following further sightings through the day.

Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate said the incident was "a highly targeted activity which has been designed to close the airport and bring maximum disruption in the run-up to Christmas".

"We are working very closely with the police and the security services to try to resolve this&nbsp;for passengers," he said, adding "as soon as we can we will" reopen the runway.&nbsp;

A cat-and-mouse manhunt is underway to catch those operating the drones, with more than 20 police units and dozens of officers from two local forces deployed.

Police superintendent Justin Burtenshaw said: "We believe this to be a deliberate act to disrupt the airport. However, there are absolutely no indications to suggest this is terror-related."

He added: "Each time we believe we get close to the operator, the drone disappears; when we look to reopen the airfield, the drone reappears."

British Prime Minister said she sympathised with passengers and vowed action.

"We will continue to work with the Gatwick authorities and police will be working... in order to bring this to a close," she said at a press conference in London.

Under a new British law, drones cannot be flown near aircraft or within a kilometre of an airport, or at an altitude of over 400 feet (122 metres).&nbsp;

May&nbsp;warned the perpetrators they could face up to five years in prison for endangering an aircraft under recently passed legislation.

"We're consulting on further aspects of this including further police powers," she added.

Gatwick serves more than 228 destinations in 74 countries for 45 million passengers a year.

Britain called in the army Thursday after dozens of drone sightings grounded all flights from London's Gatwick airport for more than 24 hours, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded on one of the busiest days of the year.

Britain called in the army Thursday after dozens of drone sightings grounded all flights from London's Gatwick airport for more than 24 hours, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded on one of the busiest days of the year. The airport, which closed its only runway Wednesday night after "reports of two drones flying in and around the airfield", said late Thursday it could not be reopened following further appearances of the devices. "Gatwick's runway remains unavailable because of continued drone sightings," it said in an 11:00 pm (2300 GMT) update. Police and airport authorities believe they were being flown in a deliberate act to disrupt the airport. The unusually large drones had been spotted near the airfield more than 50 times over the 24-hour period, police said Thursday night. "We think it may have been adapted and developed," said Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley of the devices, adding officers were reviewing CCTV footage to identify the make and model. He said firearms officers were now considering shooting the device down despite authorities earlier saying that would be dangerous due to the danger of stray bullets. The runway closure stranded tens of thousands of travellers days before Christmas and prompted the unusual military operation. Specialist equipment has been deployed by the MOD (Ministry of Defence) to Gatwick airport to assist Sussex Police. "We are there to assist and do everything we can," Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson told Sky News television, declining to give the troops' exact role and adding that it followed a request from local police. Gisele Fenech, 43, who was travelling to Malta, was among those stranded at the airport. "We're meeting family and it's my daughter's birthday today so it's gone all wrong. We've been looking forward to this for so long," she told AFP. "Everyone's trying to get home for Christmas." 'It's childish' Gatwick, around 30 miles (50 kilometres) south of the British capital, is the eighth-busiest airport in Europe and sits behind Mumbai as the world's busiest single-runway air hub. Inbound flights were diverted to other airports, including Paris, while passengers waiting to take off faced gruelling delays as airlines cut services. Easyjet, Gatwick's biggest operator, said it had cancelled all its flights in and out of the hub Thursday. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said overnight restrictions would be lifted at some airports to help ease the situation. Some 10,000 passengers were affected on Wednesday night and a further 110,000 who had been due to either take off or land at the airport on 760 flights Thursday. Gatwick said it anticipated disruption to continue into Friday. Musab Rashid, 22, who was going to Copenhagen, said: "It's wrong, it's childish of them to do this because it's affected more than 100,000 people." 'Highly targeted activity' Two drones were first spotted flying over Gatwick at around 9:00 pm (2100 GMT) on Wednesday. The airfield briefly reopened at 3:00 am on Thursday but had to be closed again following further sightings through the day. Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate said the incident was "a highly targeted activity which has been designed to close the airport and bring maximum disruption in the run-up to Christmas". "We are working very closely with the police and the security services to try to resolve this for passengers," he said, adding "as soon as we can we will" reopen the runway. A cat-and-mouse manhunt is underway to catch those operating the drones, with more than 20 police units and dozens of officers from two local forces deployed. Police superintendent Justin Burtenshaw said: "We believe this to be a deliberate act to disrupt the airport. However, there are absolutely no indications to suggest this is terror-related." He added: "Each time we believe we get close to the operator, the drone disappears; when we look to reopen the airfield, the drone reappears." British Prime Minister said she sympathised with passengers and vowed action. "We will continue to work with the Gatwick authorities and police will be working... in order to bring this to a close," she said at a press conference in London. Under a new British law, drones cannot be flown near aircraft or within a kilometre of an airport, or at an altitude of over 400 feet (122 metres). May warned the perpetrators they could face up to five years in prison for endangering an aircraft under recently passed legislation. "We're consulting on further aspects of this including further police powers," she added. Gatwick serves more than 228 destinations in 74 countries for 45 million passengers a year.

British army joins drone hunt after Gatwick airport shutdown

British Prime Minister Theresa May said that police powers over the flying of drones could be extended after the <a href="http://13.232.42.114/world/army-joins-drone-hunt-after-london-airport-shutdown-185599">country's second biggest airport was closed</a> due to unknown operators flying the devices within its airspace.

"I feel for all those passengers whose travel plans have been disrupted by this drone activity and the action that's had to be taken in response to it," the British prime minister said, adding,"w've already passed legislation in relation to the use of drones, the activity we've seen is illegal and those who are caught endangering aircraft can face up to five years in prison."

"We're consulting on further aspects of this, including further police powers," May said.

As thousands of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/flights-grounded-at-britains-gatwick-airport-over-drone-sighting-185467">passengers waited at Gatwick Airport</a>, south of London, police hunted unsuccessfully for the operators of the large drones, which reappeared near the airfield every time the airport tried to reopen the runway.

Police said there was no indication of a terrorist motive behind the devices, which first appeared on Wednesday night.&nbsp;Britain sent troops to its second-biggest airport after an unprecedented attempt to cripple Christmas travel with large drones forced all flights to be cancelled on Thursday.

"The assessment earlier on today was that we wouldn't be using firearms," detective chief superintendent Jason Tingley said late on Thursday. "This is continually reviewed so you will know and have seen that we have firearm officers deployed."

Europe's air traffic control agency Eurocontrol said the airport would remain closed until 0600 GMT on Friday.

The armed forces were also deployed to help resolve the situation.

"We are there to assist and do everything we can," defence minister Gavin Williamson told reporters.

Drones were seen as recently as the last hour, a Gatwick spokesman said at about 2200 GMT on Thursday, more than 24 hours after their first sighting.

The airport said flights would remain shut down for the rest of the evening on a day when 115,000 people were scheduled to pass through, many en route to seasonal breaks.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said that police powers over the flying of drones could be extended after the country's second biggest airport was closed due to unknown operators flying the devices within its airspace.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said that police powers over the flying of drones could be extended after the country's second biggest airport was closed due to unknown operators flying the devices within its airspace. "I feel for all those passengers whose travel plans have been disrupted by this drone activity and the action that's had to be taken in response to it," the British prime minister said, adding,"w've already passed legislation in relation to the use of drones, the activity we've seen is illegal and those who are caught endangering aircraft can face up to five years in prison." "We're consulting on further aspects of this, including further police powers," May said. As thousands of passengers waited at Gatwick Airport, south of London, police hunted unsuccessfully for the operators of the large drones, which reappeared near the airfield every time the airport tried to reopen the runway. Police said there was no indication of a terrorist motive behind the devices, which first appeared on Wednesday night. Britain sent troops to its second-biggest airport after an unprecedented attempt to cripple Christmas travel with large drones forced all flights to be cancelled on Thursday. "The assessment earlier on today was that we wouldn't be using firearms," detective chief superintendent Jason Tingley said late on Thursday. "This is continually reviewed so you will know and have seen that we have firearm officers deployed." Europe's air traffic control agency Eurocontrol said the airport would remain closed until 0600 GMT on Friday. The armed forces were also deployed to help resolve the situation. "We are there to assist and do everything we can," defence minister Gavin Williamson told reporters. Drones were seen as recently as the last hour, a Gatwick spokesman said at about 2200 GMT on Thursday, more than 24 hours after their first sighting. The airport said flights would remain shut down for the rest of the evening on a day when 115,000 people were scheduled to pass through, many en route to seasonal breaks.

Watch: Police power may be increased to combat drone activity, says PM Theresa May after Gatwick airport shutdown

Gatwick authorities on Friday morning <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/army-joins-drone-hunt-after-london-airport-shutdown-185599">partially opened the airport </a>for flight operations as thousands of passengers remained stranded in London during the Christmas holiday season.

Gatwick, situated in west London is <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/police-powers-may-be-increased-to-combat-drones-uk-pm-may-185603">Britain's second biggest airport </a>after Heathrow. Flight activity&nbsp;was hit after two drones were spotted on Thursday leading the airport to be shutdown. Flights were halted at 2103 GMT on Wednesday after two drones were spotted near the airfield.

"Gatwick’s runway is currently available and a limited number of aircraft are scheduled for departure and arrival," the airport said.

"Gatwick continues to advise passengers to check the status of their flight with their airline before travelling to the airport as departures and arrivals will be subject to delays and cancellations," the announcement added.

PM Theresa May on Thursday had called in the British Army to hunt down the person responsibile for the drone incident while indicating that police powers may be increased to combat the "illegal" drone acitivity in the airport.

Flying drones within the 1 km &nbsp;airport boundary is illegal in Britain, punishable by five years in prison. Police officals had said on Thursday that it was a deliberate attempt by someone to fly the drones as it shutdown the airport.

Gatwick's Chief Operating Officer Chris Woodroofe had said that one of the drones was a "heavy industrial drone".

At least 20,000 passengers faced travel disruption as authorities struggled to contain the crisis.

Gatwick authorities on Friday morning partially opened the airport for flight operations as thousands of passengers remained stranded in London during the Christmas holiday season.

Gatwick authorities on Friday morning partially opened the airport for flight operations as thousands of passengers remained stranded in London during the Christmas holiday season. Gatwick, situated in west London is Britain's second biggest airport after Heathrow. Flight activity was hit after two drones were spotted on Thursday leading the airport to be shutdown. Flights were halted at 2103 GMT on Wednesday after two drones were spotted near the airfield. "Gatwick’s runway is currently available and a limited number of aircraft are scheduled for departure and arrival," the airport said. "Gatwick continues to advise passengers to check the status of their flight with their airline before travelling to the airport as departures and arrivals will be subject to delays and cancellations," the announcement added. PM Theresa May on Thursday had called in the British Army to hunt down the person responsibile for the drone incident while indicating that police powers may be increased to combat the "illegal" drone acitivity in the airport. Flying drones within the 1 km airport boundary is illegal in Britain, punishable by five years in prison. Police officals had said on Thursday that it was a deliberate attempt by someone to fly the drones as it shutdown the airport. Gatwick's Chief Operating Officer Chris Woodroofe had said that one of the drones was a "heavy industrial drone". At least 20,000 passengers faced travel disruption as authorities struggled to contain the crisis.

Video: Gatwick airport in London reopens for limited flights after drone scare

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