Fly a Drone For Work? Now You Need to Pass a Test
New Drone Laws New Federal laws around how businesses pilot drones start today—requiring that pilots now pass flying lessons, much like a driving test. The first exams are starting today at 8 am ET, and are being administered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which says that more than 3,000 people had already signed up for the test in advance. Businesses that use drones include real estate firms, farms checking on crop maintenance, motion picture studios and a myriad other groups from firefighters to pipeline inspectors. Other rules around commercial drone flights that start today include keeping drones flying lower than 400 feet, weighing less than 55 pounds—and always staying in eyesight of the person who is operating them. (Via The Hill)
Autonomous Car Hire Google nabbed Shaun Stewart, head of global vacation rentals at Airbnb, for its self-driving car project. His main responsibility will be to help make Google's self-driving car technology more commercial as its director. Google recently lost autonomous car project's CTO Chris Urmson. (Via Fortune)
Fall Detector A new sensor technology may help predict when—or if—an elderly person may fall, even in the future. Researchers from the University of Missouri tested the system at a retirement home in Columbia, Mo. and found the sensors were able to tell if people's gait, or the way they walked, had changed. A decline in speed of 5 centimeters per second equaled an 86.3 percent higher chance of someone falling in three weeks. (Via) Engineering.com
VR President President Barack Obama can now count himself the first U.S. president to be in a virtual reality movie. His debut? A 10-minute video about the national parks, specifically his visit to Yosemite. The VR flick is a 360-degree video of President Obama's trip to the national park this summer with his family, including his arrival in the park via helicopter. Want to watch it yourself? Head over to the White House web site. And you don't even need a headset to watch.
VR vs VR Ever wonder if upgrades are worth the cost? With VR headsets, that may not always be the case. Our virtual reality reporter Maria Korolov takes a look reviewing the Baofeng Mojing 3 vs the Baofeng Mojing 4. Which one is better?Take a look.