New rules set by the FAA's Drone Advisory Committee could be the latest step to open the skies for commercial deliveries.
Based on new guidelines set by the committee late last year, drones will soon be able to fly over people at night under certain conditions, pilots will need to prove competency, and devices will all have to feature anti-collision lights.
Fort Collins, Colorado Mayor Wade Troxell, whose background lies in engineering, is a member of the committee made up of representatives with a wide range of expertise including tech, parcel delivery, and business leadership.
Though human innovation typically outpaces regulation, the great promise that drone technology poses cannot come second to privacy and safety, Troxell told Cheddar.
Companies like Amazon, Walmart, and UPS already are testing ways to ship goods by air this way, from fast food to medical devices, along with other businesses.
“Right now, I think those that are showing high value and that are being used for their business practices are, for example, utilities, and when inspecting the transmission lines over long distances, it’s much safer than the current practices,” he said.
The use of drones also has shown to be fruitful in rail travel with train operators using the technology to assess portions of track laying ahead of them.
So far, the process of establishing a clear set of guidelines for drone operators has been slow, but Troxell said steps are being taken. When it comes to accountability, he explained that the agency is working to have all drones, commercial and personal, operate on remote ID, similar to the tail number on an airplane. If a drone is out of control or poses a threat, the "digital license plate" can then help law enforcement track down its command center.
"It's important that there's some level of control, particularly at the local level, such that we can help manage the safe ways of travel," he said.
Rebecca Walser, financial planner and wealth strategist, offers some tips on how to bring everyday spending in line with budgets by avoiding certain purchases.
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week rose to its highest level since October 2021, but the labor market remains one of the healthiest parts of the U.S. economy.
Stocks are drifting Thursday, continuing this week’s lull as Wall Street waits for several big events next week.
Apple's new iOS 17 has some promising upgrades in store for group chats. Previously, when a iMessage group chat contained an Android user, it would lose features such as text editing and threaded replies. Now group chats will retain those features, even when there is a "green bubble" in the mix.
Workers at the Barnes & Noble in Manhattan's Union Square, one of the retail chain's signature stores and home to its corporate offices, have voted to unionize.
U.S. and British cybersecurity officials warned Wednesday that a Russian cyber-extortion gang's hack of a file-transfer program popular with corporations could have widespread global impact. Initial data-theft victims include the BBC, British Airways and Nova Scotia's government.
Wilson Aerospace, a Colorado-based tools company with close ties to NASA, is suing Boeing for allegedly stealing trade secrets over the past two decades.
Apple recently acquired augmented reality company Mira following its launch of the Vision Pro headset. Cheddar News explains how Apple is looking to tap into the AR market long dominated by Meta.
Fiserv President and Chief Executive Frank Bisignano spoke to Cheddar News about what the transfer to the New York Stock Exchange means for his company and how Fiserve plans to use its partnership with the exchange in the fintech space. "We do believe that we could do a lot here creatively with the stock exchange," he said. "
It's never too early to save for retirement but many people don't have access to an employer-sponsored plan. Pratik Patel, managing director and head of family wealth strategies for BMO Family Office, joined Cheddar News to discuss other options to ensure safe retirement.
