Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple to Participate in Pilot Program Allowing Expanded Operation of Drones [Updated]

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
68,540
39,387



Apple has applied to participate in a pilot program that would allow the company to operate drones in ways that are typically restricted by the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States, according to Reuters.

dji-mavic-air-drone-800x483.jpg
DJI Mavic Air​

The report states that the U.S. Department of Transportation will announce 10 winning state or local government bodies for inclusion in the program today, and each has partnered with companies who will play a role in the tests. At least 200 companies are said to be vying to be part of the program.

The initiative, introduced by the U.S. government last year, will allow for a larger range of testing, including flying drones at night, over people, and beyond an operator's line of sight, within the United States.

The list of winners, which appears to have been determined, is said to include companies that plan to test drones for delivering packages, environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, pipeline oversight, and for various uses at airports, but it's unclear what Apple's intentions will be if selected.

Back in December 2016, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple planned to use drones to improve Apple Maps. The company itself does not sell any drones, aside from those made by other companies like DJI and Propel.

Update: The FAA has revealed the 10 government agencies who will conduct flight tests, including North Carolina's Department of Transportation. Apple will reportedly be a partner in North Carolina's program, and plans to use drones to capture aerial images to improve Apple Maps.

On the @Reuters wire now - Apple is a partner in North Carolina's drone testing pilot and plans to use drones to capture aerial images to improve Apple Maps. Apple will blur things like faces and license plate numbers to protect people's privacy, the comapny says. pic.twitter.com/nWmEpZTt2g - Stephen Nellis (@StephenNellis) May 9, 2018
Click to expand...


Article Link: Apple to Participate in Pilot Program Allowing Expanded Operation of Drones [Updated]
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/05/09/applie-applied-to-us-drone-pilot-program/
  • Like
Reactions: KeanosMagicHat
Drones are such an interesting thing. It's fun to watch how they integrate into different parts of business and society. I'm seeing lots of real estate agents using them to take amazing photos of the houses they are selling. Also for roof inspections after storm damage. We just used one to take a cool arial shot of our building. I wonder how long before they are buzzing around everywhere and driving us nuts? lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: BvizioN, Cameroncafe10a, t1meless1nf1n1t and 5 others
Drones will get very interesting. If you follow it forward a bit, once they become so ubiquitous the novelty of them is devalued by the public, people are going to realize how much fun knocking them out of the sky is with an RC plane, especially when you can enjoy the cockpits eye view in your living room, and play WWI Flying Ace with your friends. Anyone can build an RC fighter plane, but without anything to hunt down and destroy, the appeal is limited, but with a sky full of drones, and drones carrying payloads... the ultimate 3d Game, building your own dogfighter, flying in a sky full of pinatas. Made more fun by the real risk of getting your own plane shot down by corporate & governmental countermeasures. Upgrade your plane with a mini-jet and launch direct intercept courses leaving no time for countermeasures. Use a solid rocket assist, and launch your steel-edged X15 from under the cover of a tree, 2.3 seconds later, an amazon.com box falls out of the sky as your prize. Walk into and out of a shopping mall afterward and lose the police satellite trail. Oh to be 14 again.
[doublepost=1525885101][/doublepost]
RobaxMan said:
Can you imagine the numbers of drone nerds operating as Peeping Toms, if there weren't regulations?
Click to expand...

When we were kids there were also laws prohibiting peeping toms, but that didn't stop peeping toms either. I think if you're going to do that, FAA regulations aren't really part of your decision making process. ...but I wonder, with 80% of the internet being peoples pictures and videos of them naked or having sex, is there a need to be a peeping tom anymore? Or has the internet so made that risk/reward ratio infeasible, as far as being creepy goes. It seems like if you actually want to see someone naked now, you can just ask for their pics, and either they'll give them to you, or someone will point you to them.

This is a good thread to have with morning coffee.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheWatchfulOne
Blackstick said:
So more AppleTV screensavers? This is fine by me :)
Click to expand...
You know i really like there screen savers!
[doublepost=1525885624][/doublepost]
m4mario said:
Just posting some stuff, so that I can get my comments count up to 100, so that I can post on political discussions.
Oh ya. Drones.
Click to expand...
Makes me laugh how you need so many posts. Like a reward mechanism...points make prizes
 
We noticed that there was an unexpected shutdown in the past. In order to provide prolong and smooth flight experience, this drone will fly at 3 feet high to provide best flying experience. You can disable this feature by clicking here. However, if we notice another unexpected shutdown, the feature will be automatically enabled.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mwined
I'm sorry. I'm probably being a party-pooper, but whenever I read articles lauding drones or smart-glasses or internet-of-things, I can't help but think of the slippery slope we're traversing. o_O

“There was, of course, no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time. But at any rate they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to. You had to live – did live, from habit that became instinct – in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized.

Winston kept his back turned to the telescreen. It was safer, though, as he well knew, even a back can be revealing.”​

(Orwell, George. “1984.” )
​
 
  • Like
Reactions: LCC0256 and mwined
Apple Maps is my guess. I had to notify apple over and over about an inaccuracy with a new street that was rerouted into a field but their map was grossly outdated for 6 months.

My guess is they could have regional map drone operators who can fly a drone to the reported location and update the birds eye view, 3d view and "satellite" view (over 400 feet) with a drone.
 
What other countries - Japan in particular - are doing with drones in agriculture is really amazing. Just one example...

I was in a summit meeting not long before the current testing rules were relaxed to allow some free UAV test zones, the biggest of which is over Northern Michigan. In those info sessions, it was highlighted how some Japanese farms were using drones and infrared to find where beetles and other insects were attacking crops.

Once the area is detected, it was mapped, margin added, and another drone or small aircraft deployed to crop dust just that area. The implications for reduced chemicals in the air and groundwater as a result of only treating the 10 acres that need it, rather than all 500 are more than significant. They are game changing for both technology advancement and environmental control.

I would not bet against Apple looking at this from many angles. Yes, Maps is certainly on someones radar, but there are dozens - maybe hundreds - of possibilities.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RuralJuror and MDF314159265
ThunderSkunk said:
Drones will get very interesting. If you follow it forward a bit, once they become so ubiquitous the novelty of them is devalued by the public, people are going to realize how much fun knocking them out of the sky is with an RC plane, especially when you can enjoy the cockpits eye view in your living room, and play WWI Flying Ace with your friends. Anyone can build an RC fighter plane, but without anything to hunt down and destroy, the appeal is limited, but with a sky full of drones, and drones carrying payloads... the ultimate 3d Game, building your own dogfighter, flying in a sky full of pinatas. Made more fun by the real risk of getting your own plane shot down by corporate & governmental countermeasures. Upgrade your plane with a mini-jet and launch direct intercept courses leaving no time for countermeasures. Use a solid rocket assist, and launch your steel-edged X15 from under the cover of a tree, 2.3 seconds later, an amazon.com box falls out of the sky as your prize. Walk into and out of a shopping mall afterward and lose the police satellite trail. Oh to be 14 again.
[doublepost=1525885101][/doublepost]

When we were kids there were also laws prohibiting peeping toms, but that didn't stop peeping toms either. I think if you're going to do that, FAA regulations aren't really part of your decision making process. ...but I wonder, with 80% of the internet being peoples pictures and videos of them naked or having sex, is there a need to be a peeping tom anymore? Or has the internet so made that risk/reward ratio infeasible, as far as being creepy goes. It seems like if you actually want to see someone naked now, you can just ask for their pics, and either they'll give them to you, or someone will point you to them.

This is a good thread to have with morning coffee.
Click to expand...

I heard knocking a drone out of the sky is a federal offense. Not sure if it’s true, but I’d be careful before you go playing real-life WWI (or WWII) flight “simulator.”

m4mario said:
Just posting some stuff, so that I can get my comments count up to 100, so that I can post on political discussions.
Oh ya. Drones.
Click to expand...

I have over 100 posts, but they don’t let me in the political discussions. :(

trusso said:
I'm sorry. I'm probably being a party-pooper, but whenever I read articles lauding drones or smart-glasses or internet-of-things, I can't help but think of the slippery slope we're traversing. o_O

“There was, of course, no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time. But at any rate they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to. You had to live – did live, from habit that became instinct – in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized.

Winston kept his back turned to the telescreen. It was safer, though, as he well knew, even a back can be revealing.”​

(Orwell, George. “1984.” )
​
Click to expand...

Don’t apologize! Everyone is entitled to an opinion and yours just as much. However, as much as I agree with you, it is inevitable. The only way to avoid it is to become a hermit. And even then, drones will still find you! :cool:
As a drone pilot myself and hopeful to offer some sort of comfort - I have no interest in anyone else’s business. I fly to capture my family, scenery, home, and nature (not someone else’s nature!). I know from discussions with other “pilots” that this is a common state of mind as well. Not to say there aren’t fools out there ruining it for the rest, but I hope that offers some sort of calm and/or peace for you, and for others.
Btw, if you see drones invading your privacy, call the nearest tower (use app “AirMap” to find nearest tower) or report directly to FAA. Drone “pilots” make a vow to keep to FAA rules and should be held accountable.
Link for FAA: https://www.faa.gov/uas/resources/uas_sightings_report/
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back