unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) News

U.S. FCC Proposes Additional Spectrum for Drone Communications

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday proposed new rules to make licensed radio spectrum in the 5 GHz band for the rising number of unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, in use. Currently, drones typically operate under unlicensed and …

Norway Police Arrest 2nd Russian for Flying Drones, Amid Heightened Security

Norwegian police took into custody a 51-year-old Russian man on Friday after he was observed taking photos near Tromso airport, the second such occurrence in a week. The police took possession of a drone, a large amount of camera equipment …

TotalEnergies Reports Unusual Drone Activity Near North Sea Oil & Gas Field

TotalEnergies SE said it spotted an aerial drone close to an oil field in the Danish North Sea, intensifying concerns of an energy conflict erupting in Europe. Unusual drone activity was seen near its Halfdan B oil and gas field …

Unidentified Drones Pose Risk of Accidents, Attacks at Oil & Gas Platforms: Norway Watchdog

Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) on Monday urged oil companies to be more vigilant over unidentified drones seen flying near Norwegian offshore oil and gas platforms, warning they could pose a risk of accidents or deliberate attacks. The warning came …

British On-Demand Drone Insurer Flock Raises $17 Million in Funding

British drone insurer Flock has raised $17 million from investors in early-stage funding led by venture investor Chamath Palihapitiya’s Social Capital, Flock said on Thursday. Flock started out insuring commercial drones, and added car and van fleets last year. It …

On-Demand Insurance to Play Major Role in Industry’s Future: IUA Research

On-demand insurance will play a fundamental role in the future of the industry, according to research published by the International Underwriting Association (IUA). Pay-as-you go models of cover will allow customers to automatically activate policies, when and where they need …

UK Insurtech Flock Launches Pay-As-You-Fly Drone Insurance

Flock, a London based startup, has launched Europe’s first “pay-as-you-fly” drone insurance solution. The “Flock Cover” smartphone app provides on-demand insurance for commercial drone pilots in the UK, with policies starting from just £5 ($7) for up to eight hours …

Starr Offers Drone Coverage to Academy of Model Aeronautics Members

Starr Companies have formed an agreement with the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) to offer its members insurance coverage for the commercial use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also known as drones. Coverage includes personal injury up to $250,000 each …

Allianz, Insurtech Startup Flock to Launch Pay-As-You-Fly Drone Cover in UK

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) has partnered with insurtech startup Flock to launch on-demand drone insurance in the UK market through a mobile app for commercial and recreational users. To be available in the UK market later this year, …

Drone Maker DJI Offers Operator ID Framework

The world’s largest maker of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), China’s DJI, has proposed an electronic identification framework for UAS that would allow authorities in the United States to identify drone owners when necessary while also respecting their privacy. Last year, …