Unmanned Aircraft Systems & Advanced Air Mobility

General Reference

Autonomous Aviation – Facebook Group webpage for unmanned aircraft systems, urban air mobility, optionally piloted vehicles, and related topics.
Drone Dictionary [pdf] – Abbreviations, glossary, infographics, slang and international terms relevant to unmanned aircraft systems, remotely piloted aircraft systems, and urban air mobility. (Stephens) Updated January 10, 2021
Drone Uses – Website with over 400 commercial and institutional applications for UAS
Electric VTOL News – “Electric VTOL News highlights the incredible promise and progress of electric and hybrid-electric powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, focusing on non-helicopter VTOL aircraft large enough to carry passengers without conventional helicopter flight controls (though eRotorcraft are now listed as well).”
UAV Database [spreadsheet] – Database of more than 600 unmanned aerial vehicles updated July 11, 2019. (Stephens)
Using Drones in Planning Practice [pdf] – American Planning Association (APA) Planning Advisory Service Report 597.

Regulation

2020 Legislative Map – United States drone laws (AUVSI)
Current State Regulations – International drone laws (ICAO)
European Union Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 of 24 May 2019 on the rules and procedures for the operation of unmanned aircraft
FAA Drone Zone – Federal registration portal
FAA Request a Part 107 Waiver or Operation in Controlled Airspace – The FAA will issue waivers/authorizations to certain requirements of Part 107 if an applicant demonstrates they can fly safely under the waiver without endangering people or property on the ground or in the air. First responders and other entities responding to emergency situations may be eligible for expedited approval through the Special Governmental Interest (SGI) process.
FAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems – Federal Aviation Administration website for UAS regulation.
ICAO Unmanned Aviation – International Civil Aviation Organization website for remotely piloted aircraft systems.
2018-10-28 UAS White Paper [pdf] Summary and Comparison of Regional Unmanned Aircraft System Policies

Operations

Airspace

AIRMAP – Complete situational awareness for drone pilots.
B4UFLY – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has partnered with Kittyhawk to redevelop B4UFLY, the FAA’s first mobile application, to improve the user experience so that recreational drone operators know where they can and cannot fly.
Drone Complier – Plan and assign flights around the world, track pilots and gear, customize safety plans and automate your compliance obligations with one tool that goes wherever you fly.
Hover – “The must-have app for drone pilots.”
Kittyhawk [app] – “Intelligent airspace systems for enterprise UAS operations.”
LAANC – FAA Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability.
SkyGrid – “Built on AI and blockchain, SkyGrid takes a smarter approach to solving airspace management for drones, air taxis, and other unmanned aircraft.”
SkyVector Aeronautical Charts – Website mapping for global aeronautical charts and airports.
Skyward – Skyward is the first integrated solution designed for commercial drone operators. The cloud-based solution integrates a drone airspace map with flight planning. [LAANC]

Emergency Services

Aerial Emergency Response [PortlandNET]
DroneSense – “We help public safety, government, and critical infrastructure organizations manage life-saving drone programs on one integrated platform.”
FEMA Unmanned Aircraft System Team – Resource Typing Definition for Response Situational Awareness.

FLIGHT SIMULATORS

DJI Drone Simulator – “Embrace drone technology as an integral part of work with the DJI Flight Simulator — “DJI FLight Simulator is a professional pilot training software using DJI’s leading flight control technology to recreate the natural flying experience.”
Drone Racing League Sim – “The DRL Simulator is the most immersive drone racing video game on the console. Featuring the fastest drones, and electrifying racing adventures, it will push the limits of your drone racing abilities and prepare you to fly in real life.”
droneSimPro – “droneSimPro Drone Simulator is an innovative and affordable flight training software built on the real world physics of drone flight. Designed for both new and veteran drone pilots, droneSim Pro will help you learn the basics and expand your capabilities in flying drones.”
Liftoff – “Liftoff is the definitive gateway to the quadcopter racing scene, a platform for both experienced pilots and newcomers to the sport.”
RealFLight – “RealFlight is the #1 RC flight simulator in the world! It’s the absolute best tool new RC pilots can use when learning how to fly. It also makes it possible for experienced RC pilots to practice new maneuvers and to hone their skills so they can become even better pilots.”
Simlat -“In a world full of unmanned systems, we provide the most valuable products for training and simulation.”
VelociDrone – “VelociDrone is a fast paced multi-player and single player FPV drone racing simulator. Using real world racing drones you can fly through an unlimited array of custom tracks with a variety of gates and barriers to hone your racing skills. Some of the gates even move! Our Time attack mode also lets you set the pace and improve with every lap whilst racing against yourself.”
Zephyr Drone Simulator – “Zephyr is a full-featured training solution and is a highly effective tool for flight academies, commercial enterprises, and anyone seeking practice for safely and efficiently operating unmanned aircraft.”

Mapping & Modeling

Agisoft – Process digital images and generate 3D spatial data. Fast and highly accurate.
Coverdrone Flysafe [app] – “Coverdrone FlySafe is a completely free app designed to help our customers plan and conduct their drone flights quicker and safer than before.”
DJI GS Pro [Ipad app] – “Enhance your drone operations with the DJI Ground Station Pro (DJI GS Pro), an iPad app. Conduct automated flight missions, manage flight data on the cloud, and collaborate across projects to efficiently run your drone program.”
DroneDeploy [app] – “The leading drone software platform for unlimited flying, mapping and sharing.”
Litchi [app] – “Unlock the full potential of your DJI drone with Litchi. With over 4000 successful daily flights, Litchi is the most trusted autonomous flight app for your DJI drone.”
Map Pilot for DJI [app] – Documentation and articles regarding the use of the Map Pilot app for iOS devices.
Maps Made Easy -Make your own Orthophoto Maps and 3D Models. No branding. No resolution limits. No subscriptions. Unlimited free processing for small jobs.
Picterra -“Geospatial imagery analysis made easy. Train your own AI to detect objects and patterns on satellite and aerial imagery. Analyze and share actionable insights. No coding skills required.”
Pix4DCapture [app] – Plan and control drone flights using only your mobile phone.
PrecisionFlight [DJI app] – “Turn your drone into an advanced remote sensing tool.”
Propeller Aero [app] – Collect, process, and visualize your survey data.
Raptor Maps [app] – “Artificial-Intelligence (AI) enabled software solution to help solar companies reduce costs and increase energy production.

Photography/Videography

AirMagic – “Powered by AI and advanced algorithms, AirMagic improves your aerial photos automatically. Simply drag & drop all your pictures to the app, and let technology do the work.”
PhotoPills [app] – “PhotoPills is your personal assistant in all photographic matters. It provides tasty remedies to help you answer most of the questions when planning and shooting your creative ideas.”

Weather

Dark Sky – Weather forecasting and visualization.
METAR & TAF Translator – Copy and paste your raw METAR or TAF text to view color-coded, plain language aviation weather reports.
UAV Forecast [app] – Weather and satellite information for UAS operations.
Weather Report Decoding – METAR and TAF abbreviations
Windy [app] – Wind map and weather forecasting.

Miscellaneous

Drone Font – Free downloadable font with UAS symbols and icons. (Stephens)
Drone Insurance – “Schedule flight liability coverage for as little as a day or as long as a year.”
LiveATC.net – Listen to live air traffic control.
SunCalc – Website for determining sun position and daylight hours.
Tesla Magnetic Field Recorder [app] – This free app use the magnetometer sensor of your mobile device to transform your phone or tablet into a fun and easy to use metal detector / electromagnetic scanner.
Trimble GNSS Planning – Global Navigation Satellite System data and maps.
WiFi Analyzer – Turns your android phone into a Wi-Fi analyzer. Shows the Wi-Fi channels around you.