Drone News

The US Navy has conducted the first launch of an unmanned autonomous aircraft from an aircraft carrier. The test flight of X-47B stealth drone, designed to launch from an aircraft carrier, was conducted over the Atlantic.

Northam - Concertgoers attending the OppiKoppi festival in South Africa this year won't have to queue for a brew. Plans are for beer-equipped drones to deliver the drinks via parachute to customers at this year's concert.

Haifa - Israel's IDF fighter jets shot down an unmanned aircraft flying close to Haifa on Thursday. An IDF source reports that the aircraft took off from Lebanon and was apparently sent by Hezbollah.

It’s not quite the Borg Collective of Star Trek fame but this week, the prospect of sentient, reasoning robots took a step closer as the European Roboearth project deployed its alpha version of a standardised knowledge base for robots.

New York - The FBI and the FAA say they are investigating a report from the pilot of an Alitalia passenger jet that he saw an unmanned aircraft near JFK airport over Brooklyn. The pilot said he spotted the drone within 200 feet of his passenger airplane.

President Obama has approved new legislation that will quicken the pace of the drive to introduce the use of domestic surveillance drones within US airspace. Obama signed the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 Thursday.

Washington - Drone operators, wielding the joysticks that operate those infamous drones killing "terrorists" all over the world, can now receive a "Distinguished Warfare" Medal for their efforts.

Washington - According to John Brennan, Obama's pick for Director of the CIA, everything is fair in love and war except water boarding. While he defended the drone program at yesterday's Senate nomination hearing, he depicted water boarding as reprehensible.

Washington - Questions regarding enhanced interrogation, drone strikes and targeted killings dominated Thursday's Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing for John Brennan, President Barack Obama's nominee for CIA director.

Washington - Reports have surfaced indicating that the United States Central Intelligence Agency (C.I.A.) used a secret drone base located in Saudi Arabia to launch attacks against al-Qaeda militants in Yemen.