About: drones
Urban air taxis will be a reality ‘within three to five years’, EU regulator says
Futuristic aircraft such as air taxis and ambulances will be in flight above European cities within three to five years according to the chief of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), bringing the science-fiction prospect of flying cars a step closer to reality.
War between Armenia and Azerbaijan faces decisive moment
The fortress city of Shusha that sits in the very heart of Karabakh has been the primary Azeri objective since the start of the war and the battle expected in the period around mid-November is going to decide the Karabakh war, writes Neil Hauer.
EU signs €100m drone contract with Airbus and Israeli arms firms
Airbus and two Israeli arms companies received €100 million to fly unmanned drones over the Mediterranean that will be used to identify boats loaded with migrants trying to reach Europe, according to the Guardian. EURACTIV Italy reports.
Agrifood Brief: Farm to Fork targets may not be set in stone
Welcome to EURACTIV’s AgriFood Brief, your weekly update on all things Agriculture & Food in the EU. You can subscribe here if you haven’t done so yet. Farm to Fork targets may not be set in stone A European Commissioner...
EU police forces to employ anti-drone guns ‘illegal’ in the US
EU police forces are set to roll out Australian-made anti-drone weaponry, in order to help eliminate national security threats. However, the technology in question is prohibited by federal law in the United States.
Armed drones contentious in German disarmament debate
Germany has reopened a controversial debate over whether its armed forces should be trusted to operate armed drones. While an agreement seems far off, the debate could soon get a European twist.
Agricultural drones are gradually ‘taking off’ in France
France is experimenting with drones as a means of spraying pesticides so that by 2021 it may launch the practice as it could lead to more precise treatments, as well as a reduction in the use of phytosanitary products. EURACTIV France reports.
Wind of change in Europe’s defence policy
As Europe struggles with financial and political obstacles besetting its joint defence policy efforts, and NATO faces internal rifts and an increasingly assertive Russia and China, here are six issues to watch in Europe's security and defence in 2020.
After years of delays, NATO receives US-made spy drones
NATO will receive its second US-made Global Hawk drone on Thursday (19 December) and aims to have all five unmanned aircraft of its $1.5 billion surveillance system operational in 2022, alliance officials said on Tuesday.
Trump is ‘not America,’ Weber says after US downgrades EU diplomatic status
One of the frontrunners to take up the next EU Commission Presidency, Manfred Weber, responded to concerns over the US Trump administration on Wednesday (9 January), saying that the President "is not America".
Autonomous weapons, AI are future of defence but require ethical debate, says expert
Should a computer be allowed to take decisions over life and death? As artificial intelligence is playing an increasing role, many issues still need to be discussed in parliament and by the general public, Ulrike Franke told EURACTIV about the ongoing autonomous weapons debate and the future of warfare.
EU defence gets €20 billion budget boost
The EU on Wednesday (2 May) announced plans to spend nearly 20 billion euros on defence over its next long-term budget, as the bloc seeks to boost its resilience to the perceived threat from Russia.
France and Germany to develop new European fighter jet
France and Germany unveiled plans yesterday (13 July) to develop a European fighter jet, burying past rivalries as part of a raft of measures to tighten defence and security cooperation.OpinionPromoted content
From drones to cyberattacks – shoring up corporate security
With its high-performance networks and data centers, Deutsche Telekom is arguably Europe's leading ICT-services provider, writes the German telecoms group, whose services range from drone protection to cybersecurity.
EU aims to regulate drone traffic from 2019
The EU's air traffic management body unveiled on Friday (16 June) a proposal for regulating the use of unmanned aircraft (drones) in low-level airspace from 2019, saying it should help create "a strong and dynamic EU drone services market".
French farmers seek expert advice on going digital
France’s farming community has already started introducing new technologies but it’s still concerned about the cost as well as the lack of information on the “right choices” of equipment.
MEPs want ‘free cash’ to address job-killer robots threat
EU legislators today (12 January) called for a universal basic income to combat the looming risk of job loss by the onward march of robots, as well as concerns about European welfare systems.
EU plans first laws on robotics
A European Parliament committee will look Thursday (12 January) at a draft resolution relating to the regulation of robotics. The text could become the basis for the first European legislation on automation and robots. EURACTIV Germany reports.
EU solicits support for watered down aviation emissions deal
On the eve of the International Civil Aviation Organisation conference in Montreal, the EU is redoubling its efforts to bring in as many countries as possible to limit aviation emissions starting in 2021.
Aviation industry reiterates need for EU drone laws
The European Cockpit Association (ECA) has called on the EU to step up its efforts in introducing a safety framework for drones and to set up a mandatory register. EURACTIV Spain reports.
Failed rocket was carrying Facebook satellite to give Africa the Internet
The space rocket which exploded before take-off yesterday (1 September) was carrying a satellite Facebook intended to use to connect sub-Saharan Africa to the internet.
Member states to impose ‘no-fly zones’ for drones
Within weeks, the European Commission is expected to conclude the first EU rules for all types of unmanned aircraft, in which the ‘geofencing’ of airports and city centres will come as a top priority.
EU maritime agency gets ready to use drones to monitor refugee boats
The director of the EU maritime safety agency said civil drones are most needed to monitor hotspots and detect refugees arriving to Europe by boat.