In the wake of record numbers of rhinos slaughtered in 2014 by poachers in South Africa ” an estimated 1,200 ” there's a glimmer of good news: a high-tech anti-poaching technique is stopping the bad guys in their tracks.
Europe and Pacific Northwest Face Record Heat
A map shows daytime land-surface temperature anomalies in Europe from June 30-July 9, 2015, compared to the 2001“2010 average for the same period. Shades of red depict areas where the land surface was hotter than the long-term average; areas in blue were below average.
UNESCO and UNITAR-UNOSAT Protect Cultural Heritage with Geospatial Technologies
At the annual meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Bonn, Germany, UNESCO and UNITAR (the UN Institute for Training and Research) signed an agreement to protect cultural and natural heritage sites with the latest geospatial technologies. The strategic partnership will enable the organizations to work together during conflict situations and following natural disasters, sharing their respective expertise, and collaborating on prevention and capacity development.
ISRO to Launch DMC3 Earth-Observation Constellation
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is slated to launch its heaviest commercial load on July 10, 2015, with a payload of five satellites made up of the DMC3 constellation of optical Earth-observation satellites as well as two others aboard a PSLV-XL rocket from the Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh.
Embry-Riddle Receives NASA Grant for High-Altitude Unmanned Aircraft
NASA awarded an engineering team at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach campus a $100,000 grant to develop a concept for an unmanned aircraft to be powered by renewable energy (wind or solar) and fly at 50,000-60,000 feet. The atmospheric satellite concept was chosen as one of 15 winning projects from hundreds of entries for a NASA Innovation Advanced Concepts program, Phase I award.
ONR Researcher Wins Prize for Satellite-Imaging Work
For research that could provide warfighters with extremely accurate digital images of future combat zones and potential enemies, a French mathematician sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) recently won the prestigious Longuet-Higgins Prize from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society.
NASA Maps Beach Tar from California Oil Pipeline Spill
An AVIRIS-NG red-green-blue (visible) aerial image of the Refugio Incident oil spill shows oil on the water and on nearby Santa Barbara Channel beaches.
NASA Completes Intensive Study of Louisiana Gulf Coast Levees and Wetlands
NASA regularly captures data about Gulf Coast fluctuations, measuring change as well as ongoing loss of land. These measurements are particularly helpful after storms and hurricanes to understand wetland change and obtain a complete picture of coastal zone change.
Auburn University Launches First FAA-Approved UAS Flight School
Auburn University's unmanned aircraft system (UAS) flight school is getting up and running following approval by the Federal Aviation Authority in April 2015. Auburn's Aviation Center has been teaching flight training for more than 75 years, and the school has embraced this next generation of commercial interest.
UAE Drones for Good Award Accepting Entries
The 2016 United Arab Emirates (UAE) Drones for Good Award is accepting online video and proposal submissions until Nov. 1, 2015. Initially developed in 2014, the award features a $1 million cash prize and is dedicated to transforming these exciting technologies into practical solutions for improving people's lives.
