Aviation Observer

Airbourne Drone Delivery? The Next Big Thing?

I recently got sent this photo from a friend:

And I wasn't too sure if it was the real deal.  So I did some digging, and there are a lot of companies working in this market:

• zipline
• SkyDrop
• Wing
• Wingcopter
• EHang
• Skycart
• UPS Flight Forward
• Matternet
• Manna Drone Delivery
• Flytrex
• PrecisionHawk
• FedEx & Elroy Air
• Amazon Prime Air
• Workhorse Group
• MightyFly

United & Archer will open an air taxi route to Chicago’s O’Hare airport in 2025

Full Article on Engadget!

HondaJet Elite II Released

HondaJet Elite II

JSX Announces Additional Routes

JSX Home Page

New Routes From Aero

Areo

Tailwind Air Starts Seaplane Flights From DC Area To New York

simpleflying.com

Eviation’s Alice Electric Airplane First Flight Test

Geekwire

Improving Electric Plane Engines Using Helicopter Technologies

Wired has an interesting review of a new approach to getting efficient and reliable engines into future electric airplanes -- using engines originally designed for the helicopter industry.

Book Pointer - "Kill Decision" by Daniel Suarez

One of the books I read this summer (well actually listened to via Audible.com) was "Kill Decison" by Daniel Suarez. It is a modern day technology thriller with the primary story focused on autonomous drones and where we are likely to end up with them in the future.  I highly recommend this book (as well as his first two books: Daemon and FreedomTM)

Mr. Suarez (@itsDanielSuarez) has been interviewed lately on a couple of podcasts that might be of interest:

• Sword and Laser
• Triangulation
• Augmented Reality Dirt Podcast (Part 1 & Part 2)
• Adam Curry's Big Book Show

I have also noticed since reading the book Kill Decision, that information that is "fiction" in the book is more "real world" than I expected:

• "Drones in Domestic Surveillance Operations: Fourth Amendment Implications and Legislative Responses", September 6, 2012 (PDF from FAS.org) 
• "The Role of Autonomy in DoD Systems," Defense Science Board, dated July 2012 (PDF from FAS.org)
• "Governing Lethal Behavior in Autonomous Robots" By Ronald Arkin 
• Bugs in the sky: Boeing showcases hard-to-detect drones that behave like a 'swarm of insects'
• Armed Unmanned Aircraft Systems: opportunities, needs, challenges will be in Washington DC in November 2012

Mixed Messages On Aviation Markets

Airwise is reporting that "Embraer Sees Recovery Of US Bizjet Market."  However, there was also some negative news via Sacramento Bee with regards to a recent meeting of aviation companines in Adu Dhabi. New environmental regulations could have a negative effect on growth options, especially for long-haul routes.