Samy Kamkar lock opening robot.

Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk. Photo: Northrop Grumman.

by AUVSI News 

This week the FAA approved 108 more commercial UAS exemptions including AUVSI members Midstream Integrity Services after AUVSI’s submitted supporting comments and Hazon Solutions, which received multiple exemptions. This brings the total exemptions to 397 out of over 1200 requests.



The Federal Aviation Administration also launched an education campaign aimed at informing drone operators that the airspace over Washington, D.C., is a flight-restricted zone. (Flying magazine) The campaign was in effect for one day when police detained an operator after flying a small quadcopter at Lafayette Park across the street from the White House. (Fox News)



Google released accident data for its driverless cars before beginning testing on public streets this summer (Freep). The reports detailed 11 accidents, which amounts to a stellar driving record compared to humans. Google says the accidents were caused by other drivers. (Road Warrior Voices)



Singapore’s parliament has approved legislation regulating drone use in the country that will require operators of drones weighing more than seven kilograms to obtain a permit. (Straits Times)



The U.S. Air Force plans to award Northrop Grumman a $4 billion contract through 2020 for its RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance drone program. (International Business Times)



Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology have created a method of controlling a swarm of robots using a tablet and a red beam of light. (Georgia Tech)



A new drone called the Lily Camera can autonomously follow people around, taking selfies of them. (Yahoo)



An Italy-based team that is participating in the June DARPA Robotics Challenge has released a video of its WALK-man robot driving a car. (Forbes)



Researchers have created a surgical robot modeled after octopus tentacles that can perform delicate procedures using sharp tools with precision. (Popular Science)



Hacker Samy Kamkar has posted a design and software code for a 3-D printed robot that can open combination locks. (Wired)



A show at Silicon Valley Fashion Week used drones to “walk” clothes down the runway instead of traditional models. (Mashable)



A startup that focuses on teaching children how to code has released a platform that allows kids to control connected devices, such as robots and drones. (Tech Crunch)



In response to a drone landing on the roof of the prime minister’s office last month, Japanese security company Alsok plans to introduce a drone detection system that identifies incoming drones based on the sound of their rotors. (IT News) 

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