Deseret UAS December Newsletter

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE VOTES TO SUPPORT AAM BILL

On Wednesday, November 16, the Utah State Legislature's Transportation Interim Committee voted to advance a bill entitled "Advanced Air Mobility Amendments." The bill incorporates the recommendations from the Utah Advanced Air Mobility Working Group. Composed of state and local policymakers, private-sector industry experts and representatives from non-profit organizations, the Utah Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Working Group met several times this year to study the development and implementation of a future AAM system in Utah.

The bill defines AAM-related terms, amends the powers of the Utah Aeronautics Division to include oversight of vertiports, requires registration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and AAM systems, and grants authority to the Division to oversee UAS/UAM registration requirements and business licensing.

READ THE BILL

DRONES THAT KEEP US SAFE

Illustration by Amanda Nogales

Utah-based AAM company, Fortem Technologies has made headlines yet again for how their cutting-edge technology is keeping people safe all around the world. According to Fortem CEO Timothy Bean, the company has 102 deployments around the world. While they cannot provide details on most of those deployments, Bean points to a couple of their high-profile operations such as the war in Ukraine and the 2022 FIFA World Cup Games.

“We have 102 deployments around the world right now," says Bean. "We always ask [our clients for permission to disclose the deployment], and they always say ‘no'…We’ve been deployed at nuclear facilities around the world and other places where a drone strike would be most consequential.”

As AAM technology has evolved, so has Fortem’s counter-UAS technologies. Fortem's drones can make and act on decisions at speeds faster than humans. The interaction begins, proceeds, and ends based entirely on the decisions of artificial intelligence. Learn more by reading this article by Judd Bagley in Utah Business.

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Watch Fortem engineers conduct field testing of a new attachment for the company's DroneHunter. Called a Drogue Net, the device enables a DroneHunter unit to challenge drones larger than itself.

REGISTER NOW!

Registration is now open for the 2023 Utah Aeronautics Conference! As the only event of its kind in Utah, this premier conference brings together aviation professionals, state and local officials, mechanics, engineers, planners, and industry leaders to network, share best practices, and foster collaboration.

The event will feature several sessions on advanced air mobility with industry experts across the country, as well as several interactive drone demonstrations. Take advantage of early-bird registration pricing while it lasts!

PRIME AIR DELIVERY SERVICE

Amazon Prime Air Drone Delivery Service

Amazon Prime delivery services are about to become even faster and more convenient! Amazon recently announced that the company's scientists, engineers, aerospace professionals, and futurists have been working hard to bring Prime Air to its customers. According to the company, Amazon has created an industry-leading system that senses and avoids potential conflicts in the air, enabling operations without visual observers and allowing their drones to operate at greater distances.

Customers in Lockeford, California where the delivery system will be operational soon, will see Prime Air-eligible items on Amazon. Customers will be able to place an order and receive an estimated arrival time via a status tracker. A drone will fly to the designated delivery location, descend to the customer’s backyard, and hover at a safe height. It will then safely release the package and rise back up to altitude.

READ THE ARTICLE

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Kennecott Utah Copper LLC, a division of Rio Tinto Group, is a mining, smelting, and refining company headquarted in South Jordan, Utah. Kennecott operates the Bingham Canyon Mine, one of the largest open-pit copper mines in the world. Drones have become a vital resource for the company's mining operations. They provide real-time 3-D mapping, equipment inspections and surveillance. The drones at the Bingham Canyon mining operation are the result of a multi-year effort by the company to boost employee safety and provide enhanced capabilities of surveying one of the world's largest open-pit mines.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

UAV TECHNOLOGY USA
Arlington VA,
February 6-7, 2023
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IDEX AND NAVEX
Al Ma'arid, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
February 20-24, 2023
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AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2023
Denver, Colorado
May 8-11, 2023
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Energy Drone & Robotics Summit
Houston, Texas
June 12-14, 2023
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Utah Aeronautics Conference 2023
Layton, Utah
June 20-22, 2022
Register Now

ABOUT DESERET UAS

Deseret UAS is a non-profit corporation created jointly by Tooele and Box Elder Counties, in close partnership with Ogden City. As the premier organization in Utah dedicated to Advanced Air Mobililty (AAM), Deseret UAS provides unparalleled access to several large flight test ranges with miles of wide-open land and air. We offer active commercial UAS/AAM flight test ranges, foster applied research, and provide a centralized source of information on AAM in Utah.