Tag Archives: Federal Aviation Administration

Flying taxis coming to an airport near you

Posted on March 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Possibly in time for the FIFA World Cup. The Houston Airport System says they plan to bring air taxis to the area within the next two years, just in time for the FIFA World Cup in 2026. “Right now we’re … Continue reading →

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Another step forward for flying cars

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Excuse me, “air taxis”. Researchers are one step closer to integrating air taxis and other electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles into the country’s busiest airports, thanks to a new air traffic simulation developed by NASA’s Ames Research Center … Continue reading →

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Another complaint filed over SpaceX launches in South Texas

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Have at it. Several organizations have filed a new complaint about the environmental impacts of SpaceX Starship launches even as government agencies face criticism for delaying such launches for environmental reviews. Several environmental groups announced Dec. 15 that they had … Continue reading →

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Flying cars update

Posted on July 23, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

They’re coming, part one. Aviation startup Alef Aeronautics recently received Federal Aviation Administration approval to test its flying car. Details: The all-electric “Model A” is designed to take off and land vertically, putting it in the emerging category of eVTOL — electric vertical … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed against FAA over SpaceX launch and explosion

Posted on May 8, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I can only imagine how Elno feels right now. Conservation groups sued the Federal Aviation Administration [last] Monday, challenging its approval of expanded rocket launch operations by Elon Musk’s SpaceX next to a national wildlife refuge in South Texas without … Continue reading →

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The drones of Pearland

Posted on March 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, we’ll see. Certainly the Pearland Police Department will see lots of things. Pearland’s police department has become the nation’s first law enforcement agency to win Federal Aviation Administration approval to use a system in which drones controlled from … Continue reading →

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New rules for hot air balloon operators

Posted on December 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This caught my eye. More than six years after 16 people died in a hot air balloon crash in Central Texas, the Federal Aviation Administration has started enforcing new rules on commercial balloon pilots that were devised because of tragedy. The … Continue reading →

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Texas drone law ruled unconstitutional

Posted on April 4, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I love coming across a story like this and then realizing it’s an update to something I had blogged about a couple of years ago. A Texas law that limits the use of remotely piloted drones to capture images is … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed against Texas drone law

Posted on October 3, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. A federal lawsuit filed Thursday in Austin seeks to strike down Texas laws that restrict what can legally be photographed by drones. Filed by two journalism organizations and a reporter, the lawsuit argues that a … Continue reading →

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Uber’s vision for the future

Posted on July 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I feel like this is more wishcasting than real planning. Still, some of it may happen, and if nothing else we should be aware of what it’s all about. When Uber envisions the future, it not only wants to put … Continue reading →

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Here come the drones

Posted on April 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Look! Up in the sky! Companies in Austin and Addison on Wednesday became the first two firms to become officially credentialed to operate unmanned aircraft systems under a new training and safety program that officials said promises to boost Texas’ … Continue reading →

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Texas EquuSearch wins one in court

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Texas EquuSearch will resume flying drones during their search-and-recovery missions after a federal appeals court ruled Friday that a government “cease and desist” order banning their use wasn’t valid. In February, a Federal Aviation Administration official sent the volunteer … Continue reading →

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EquuSearch sues over drones

Posted on April 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. Texas EquuSearch filed suit Monday against the federal government to overturn the grounding of its fleet of aerial drones used to search for missing people. Tim Miller, founder and director of EquuSearch, said the Feb. … Continue reading →

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Environmental drones

Posted on July 7, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! A plane! A drone! One year into a $260,000 two-year grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, [civil engineer Thom] Hardy and his crew of biologists, geographers and spatial analysts have … Continue reading →

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Apparently, the sky really is falling

Posted on February 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

See here and here. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to duck and cover. Let us all hope that this isn’t a prelude to this: Look to the sky!

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