Matt Collins
- Redevelopment Communication Officer, Sydney Local Health District
Sydney
As seen in:
Amazon Web Services,
Medium,
MSN Ireland,
MSN Singapore,
MSN UK,
Yahoo Life,
The Guardian,
The Telegraph,
Yahoo Canada,
ABC News (Australia)
and
Groodle wrangler, pushbike rider, Think Tank winner and @smh subeditor. All views are mine, all mine!
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Matt Collins
SPH Engineering’s Drone Camp Features Live Geophysical Demos and Global Drone Operations Awards
Last week, Commercial UAV News attended SPH Engineering’s Drone Camp event, held October 12 and 13 outside Budapest in Vasad, Hungary. The two-day event was, in the company’s words, “built for people who make decisions with drone data,” and was free to attend. Attendees could network with industry peers and see live geophysical demonstrations, expert presentations, and the announcement of winners of SPH Engineering’s Global Drone Operations Awards.
FEMA Opens $250 Million in Counter-Drone Grants to All States and Territories
On October 16, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that it is making $250 million available to states and territories through a second funding opportunity under its C-UAS Grant Program.
New TFR Bars Unauthorized Drone Flights Along U.S.-Mexico Border
The United States Departments of Transportation (DOT), War (DoW), and Homeland Security (DHS) announced new restrictions for drone flights along the U.S.-Mexico border. The new temporary flight restriction (TFR), effective October 16, bars unauthorized drone activity up to 400 feet above ground level within one nautical mile north of the border. These restrictions apply to all drone flights up to 400 feet above the ground, a threshold under which many commercial operations will likely fall.
AI Is Making Your Mortgage More Expensive
Mortgage rates are flirting with 7.5%, their highest levels in roughly 20 years, and naturally everyone has a political explanation for why. Instead, there’s something unusual happening in the bond market right now, and you can see it in the gap between what banks pay for money and what they’re charging homebuyers. That spread has gotten much wider than normal… The culprit is one almost nobody would think to blame: the AI boom.
Buzz Solutions’ PowerAI Turns Utility Inspection Imagery Into Prioritized Work Orders
Few industries are as interesting as the utilities industry today. Demand is surging because of ever-increasing urbanization, along with recent growth in AI and related data centers. At the same time, climate change is driving more extreme weather events that disrupt power. The good news is that technological developments, including UAS, are making it easier than ever to collect imagery of key assets consistently, making planning new developments and maintenance easier.
FAA Awards $12 Million to 19 Drone Research Projects
On Monday, the FAA announced it awarded $12 million to 19 projects across 14 organizations for drone research and testing. The agency says these projects will help “safely expand drone operations in the National Airspace System.” The awards came through the UAS Broad Agency Announcement Program, which funds companies working with FAA-designed UAS Test Sites to work on technologies that help support safe drone integration.
Group of 15 States Sue FAA Over Drone Delivery Environmental Review
On Monday, Sept. 28, a group of 15 states, plus Harris County, Texas, sued the FAA, challenging the agency's review of the environmental impact of commercial drone package delivery. The suit, which was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, is centered on the FAA's Programmatic Environmental Assessment for drone package delivery operations in the United States.
Inside GDU's P200 UAV Series for Utility and Infrastructure Inspection
Sponsored by GDU Tech Infrastructure inspection has a range problem. Utility corridors stretch for miles, pipelines cross remote terrain, and disaster zones generally don’t sit near a launch pad. GDU’s P200 series UAV was built around that constraint, pairing a compact airframe with the sensor payload and connectivity typically reserved for larger platforms.
Skydio Unveils F10 Lightrunner Fixed-Wing Drone and MegaDock at Ascend
On Wednesday, at Skydio’s annual in-person event Ascend, CEO Adam Bry ended his keynote presentation which was livestreamed outside Las Vegas, Nevada – which was livestreamed – with an introduction to the company’s latest offering, the F10 Lightrunner.
Where to Find Financing Options for Your Ag Drone Business
Sponsored by agGRO As has been covered here and elsewhere in the industry, there has been a rapid expansion of drone use across the agricultural sector in the U.S. in recent years. While UAV-based applications for mapping and monitoring crops have long existed, spraying applications have become much more mainstream in recent years.
Tides of Recollection
I’ve been crisscrossing the country again, to borrow from the late Sam Shepard – from Essex to west Wales, Atlantic Cornwall to the Yorkshire Dales, long drives going hand in hand with an apparent restlessness throughout this sun-struck summer. Longest was a pilgrimage of sorts up to the Northumberland island of Lindisfarne, with its cragstone castle, humpbacked dunes and ephemeral tidal causeway.
Inside the Regulatory Conversations At Commercial UAV Expo 2026
Every year, regulation takes a central role at Commercial UAV Expo, but this year seemed to take that idea to a different level. Part 108 is close enough to finalized that the conversations on stage moved past "what will the rule say" and into "what happens once it's real" – though, of course, we still don’t know exactly what that final rule will look like.
How Drone Data Is Helping to Fuel Raleigh's Digital Twin
While we typically hear about drone programs for large enterprises, federal projects, or law enforcement groups, local government agencies are increasingly turning to the technology for a growing range of uses.
TCU football improves to 2-0 with shutout victory over NYA
The Titans used a stout defense and ball-control offense to grind out the win Friday night against Central High School. The Titan defense held the Raiders to 134 total yards, only six first downs on the night, and 0-12 on third-down conversions. Senior captain Brody Factor said one of the key reasons the Titans have started 2-0 is the physicality we have played with. Defensively, we got huge stops when we needed to.
Rate Hike on Hold?
Markets are treating next week’s Fed rate hike like a foregone conclusion. But they’re getting ahead of themselves… Inflation is beginning to cool, Friday’s CPI report could reinforce that trend, and the seemingly strong labor-market data looks much weaker once you dig beneath the headline numbers. If that combination gives the Fed reason to wait, investors positioned for an immediate hike could be caught flat-footed — setting up a relief rally in both stocks and bonds.
Headwinds, Components, and Skills Take Center Stage at Commercial UAV Expo 2026
Last week, the commercial UAS industry came together for the annual Commercial UAV Expo, a three-day event in Las Vegas that boasted 3,800 attendees, more than 250 exhibitors, conference sessions touching on a number of important topics across verticals and themes, and a packed exhibit hall floor. This industry always feels like it's at an inflection point, but this year's event really did seem to land at the right moment for these crucial conversations.
TSA Solicits Industry Input on BVLOS Security Programs
The commercial UAS industry is awaiting the final rule for Parts 108 and 146, which will standardize and help scale BVLOS operations across industries. Anticipation for this rule has been building for years, and while it was originally hoped to be finalized early in 2026, the FAA has yet to publish it.
Pilot Institute Review of FCC Comments Shows Overwhelming Opposition to “Military-Grade” Drone Proposal
Last week, as the industry came together for Commercial UAV Expo 2026, there was one topic that dominated conversation: The crackdown on foreign-made drones and components in the U.S. This won’t come as a surprise to anyone who has been following this industry even moderately over the last nine months, as it has been arguably the central issue for the sector since the original FCC ruling adding foreign-made drones and components to its Covered List in December of 2025.
FAA and EASA Talk Regulatory Convergence at Commercial UAV Expo 2026 Keynote
To kick off the third and final day of Commercial UAV Expo 2026, a keynote panel discussion featuring the FAA and EASA turned its attention to the global regulatory picture, and specifically how authorities across the world are approaching things differently and similarly. More importantly, the conversation also touched on what needs to happen in order to converge the global regulatory picture for a cohesive operating environment for operators with global footprints.
Getting Ready for Commercial UAV Expo 2026
I've spent the last handful of months working with industry leaders and professionals to build the program for Commercial UAV Expo 2026. It’s been incredibly informative and rewarding connecting with so many great folks, and somehow we’re mere days away from the kickoff of this year’s event, taking place September 1-3 back at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.
From a Crashed Prototype to Jamaica's Largest Drone Spraying Business
When they were just getting started in the UAS industry, Garnett Harris and his team at their new company, SkyCrop Solutions, were out to prove that they could provide value to growers in Jamaica with their spray drones. The good news is that they had a job lined up to prove the technology's viability. The bad news is it was a two-hour drive away, plus a mile-long hike from there.
Commercial UAV Expo 2026 Conference Preview: Turning Rules and Risk Into Operational Advantage
As commercial drone operations push further into controlled airspace, contested environments, and regulatory gray zones, the margin for error can feel like it’s shrinking. A handful of sessions at Commercial UAV Expo 2026, running September 1-3 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, tackle the operational and policy realities behind that shift, from courtroom-tested regulatory strategy to lessons pulled from the world's harshest operating conditions.
Why Longer Flight Times Start With the Power System, Not the Flight Controller
Sponsored by IPET Every flight plan eventually runs into the same hard limit. No amount of route optimization or mission software can keep an aircraft airborne longer than its hardware allows. In today’s industry, operators keep asking for more from their missions. Longer pipeline runs without a landing. Larger mapping areas covered in a single operation. Extended overwatch during public safety events. Meanwhile, battery chemistry improvements have slowed to incremental gains year over year.
White House Imposes Tariffs Up to 100 Percent on Drones and Components
On Thursday, the White House announced that President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation imposing tariffs up to 100 percent on larger drones and 25 percent on smaller drones and other components. The move is the latest from the administration to tighten control on the import of foreign-made drones and components in an effort to strengthen the U.S. manufacturing capabilities.
Commercial UAV Expo Conference Preview: The Geospatial and AEC Industries
With just a few more weeks to go until the commercial drone industry comes together in Las Vegas for Commercial UAV Expo 2026, we are continuing to preview this year’s conference program. Already, we have coveredsessions on scaling enterprise drone programs, regulatory matters, workforce development, and thenext era of drone operations.
Commercial UAV Expo Regulatory Sessions Cover Procurement, BVLOS, EU Rules, and More
Commercial UAV Expo is coming up fast, taking place September 1-3 back in Las Vegas. In these few weeks running up to the show, we are continuing to preview some of the highlights of the conference program here at Commercial UAV News. We previously coveredsessions on scaling enterprise drone programs and thenext era of drone operations. Today, we're turning to regulation, arguably the single factor with the most influence over how fast and how far the commercial drone industry can move.
Commercial UAV Expo Conference Program Preview: Scaling Drone Programs
Somehow, we are less than a month from this year’s Commercial UAV Expo, being held back at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, Nevada, September 1-3. There is so much to be excited about with this year’s event, from the exhibit hall floor to the indoor demonstrations to the keynote sessions. Of course, in addition to that, we once again have a robust conference program, covering the different corners and important topics for today’s industry.
Meet four gardeners transforming their urban communities
; ; ; ; Continue reading More for You ; ; ; Continue reading More for You
‘If a space is cared for, everything improves’: Meet four gardeners transforming their urban communities
The importance of green space in Britain’s increasingly urban landscape – from city parks to community gardens and allotments – is unequivocal. Public Health England reports that regular exposure to green space reduces stress and improves wellbeing and physical fitness, while the Natural History Museum has highlighted its value in cooling city infrastructure and reducing pollution. Functional cities depend on functional greenery, yet the upkeep of these vital environments remains precarious.
Drones are Filling Guyana’s Labor Gaps, from Rice Fields to Oil Rigs
In a recent conversation with Commercial UAV News, Brian Smith was already out and about first thing in the morning. On this day, in the middle of July, Smith was en route to help run a program for over 50 children in the South American country of Guyana, teaching the next generation about what it takes to become a professional in the commercial drone industry, and what can come from this career path.
FCC Extends Drone Supply Chain Exemptions to 2028, Proposes Ban on Military-Grade Imports
On Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued two public notices aimed at tightening control over the drone supply chain, extending certainty for manufacturers cleared under existing security reviews while opening a comment period on a broader sales ban targeting foreign-made military-grade drones.
Inside ZenaTech's Approach to Drone as a Service
Sponsored by Drone as a Service For any organization that needs drone-based aerial data, whether in the form of a land survey, a building inspection, or an agricultural scan, there's a decision point that comes up early in the process: hire and train pilots in-house, or bring in a third party that already has the people, equipment, and processes in place. It's not always an obvious call.
Matt Collins
Skip to main content Cabinet Office Is this page useful? Maybe Thank you for your feedback Do not include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. This field is for robots only. Please leave blank What were you doing? What went wrong? To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Please fill in this survey (opens in a new tab).
‘It’s the first thing we set up’: parents on everything you need for camping with kids – and what you don’t
It seems that I am one of those parents. I don’t quite know why, as camping was far from an integral component of my own youth, but at some point I decided to subject my kids, now six and three (and my sceptical wife), to numerous nights under canvas; even a summer’s roam through European campsites two years back.
Manna Picks Tulsa as Base for Major US Drone Delivery Expansion
Manna, a drone delivery company founded in Ireland, has launched its first full-scale metropolitan operation in the United States, selecting Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the central base for its American expansion. The move marks the company's biggest bet yet on the U.S. market, coming on the heels of $50 million in venture funding raised earlier this year, and comes with plans to create more than 1,000 jobs in the region over the next three years.
Inside Aegean Energy Group's Data-Driven Approach to Drone Implementation Original
Renewable energy construction is, as one would expect, a complex job. A single wind farm can sprawl across 20,000 to 30,000 acres, involve hundreds of turbines, dozens of crews, miles of access roads, and years of development before a single blade turns. Keeping track of what was built, where, when, and by whom — and being able to prove it years down the line — is a challenge that goes well beyond a clipboard and a site visit.
What's Waiting for You on the Commercial UAV Expo 2026 Show Floor
As we continue to gear up for the 2026 Commercial UAV Expo – we’re already inside three months away from the start of the event, taking place September 1-3 in Las Vegas – we’ve been highlighting a bit on this site and in our newsletter about the conference program, which was released last month. The content team and I will continue to share what’s on that program this year, and what will be coming in the next month or two, throughout the summer.
Why Detroit Is a Natural Home for America's Drone Manufacturing Push
When most of us think about the city of Detroit, we think of the peak of American manufacturing in this country, specifically around the automotive industry. Henry Ford, of course, pioneered streamlined manufacturing capabilities that allowed for mass production of automobiles, with the city eventually becoming home to the biggest automotive manufacturers in the world.
Four Takeaways from XPONENTIAL 2026
Earlier this month, professionals from all corners of the UAV industry, on both the commercial and defense sides, came together for the annual XPONENTIAL conference and exhibition, put on by AUVSI. This year’s conference was in Detroit, an apt backdrop for this particular moment in the industry, given the large push toward domestic manufacturing for both defense and commercial airframes and components.
The Commercial UAV Expo 2026 Conference Program Is Here
Earlier this year, way back in January, the Commercial UAV Expocontent team, in conjunction with our partners at Pilot Institute, put together a quick survey to get a sense of what our readers, attendees, and general network are looking for from an educational event about our industry.
Beyond GPS: How ANELLO Photonics Is Building Navigation Resilience for Commercial Drones
Sponsored by ANELLO Photonics Over the last quarter-century, perhaps no technology has fundamentally changed our lives more than GPS. While it has been around for significantly longer than that, the public-facing applications for the technology have been combined with the growth of the internet over a similar time period to quite literally change the way we live.
What the Drone Industry Should Do Right Now to Prepare for Part 108
There may not be a bigger topic of conversation for the commercial UAV industry today than the upcoming final rule for Part 108, which will standardize BVLOS operations at scale. This has long been the North Star for the industry, a regulation that many believe is necessary to take business operations across verticals to the next level and capitalize on the promise that this technology has shown for over a decade.
FAA Releases Long-Awaited NPRM for Drone Restrictions Around Critical Infrastructure
Nearly a decade after Congress directed the FAA to create a process for critical infrastructure and other sensitive sites to petition for restricted drone operations in their airspace, a long-awaited Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) has been released. This week, the FAA announced its NPRM for Section 2209 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016.
London Borough of Harrow Builds Digital Twin Program One Drone Flight at a Time
When a local government decides it’s time to accurately capture assets around its jurisdiction to create digital tools to help both the community’s workers as well as the general public, it’s easy to assume that it will require massive investment, especially when the project calls for data to be collected via UAV.
The Industry Has a Strong Safety Record. Does Anyone Outside It Know?
Every April, the FAA uses Drone Safety Day – this year’s edition was held this past weekend, on April 25 – to focus the drone community's attention on the principles that make our complex national airspace work: Know the rules, fly responsibly, and treat the airspace as a shared ecosystem.
Senate Bill Would Give Critical Infrastructure Sites Counter-UAS Authority
One of the most important topics permeating the drone industry around the world right now, and certainly here in the U.S., is counter-UAS. Whether we’re talking about simple detection or the ability to take down potentially hostile drones, as well as the important question of who has the authority to do so, it’s been top of mind for every level of government.
How YellowScan Navigator Closes the Land-Water Data Gap in UAV Lidar Surveys
Sponsored by YellowScan Aerial surveying has come a long way over the last decade-plus, particularly when it comes to UAV-based lidar surveys. Thanks to big leaps made in lidar technology, these systems have shrunk to the point, without sacrificing power, that longer-range surveys are possible with this technology, allowing for cheaper operations in most cases. One of the big pain points that remains in this space, however, is mapping environments that straddle land and water.
Three Verticals for Drone-Based Lidar Beyond Surveying and Mapping
When we think about the use of lidar technology within the commercial drone sector, surveying and mapping comes immediately to mind. There’s good reason for this, as the surveying community overall was among the earliest adopters of lidar, and while applications in autonomous driving have driven the technology forward, surveyors remain near the top of users for the sensors.
Scotland in bloom: Wildflowers turn the Outer Hebrides into a Technicolor dream
Some 8,000 years ago, behind the retreating glaciers, a remarkable environment was born on the western fringes of Scotland's Outer Hebridean islands, forged by the wind and waves. It began with rising sea levels and sweeping Atlantic gales depositing crushed shell-sand inland; this settled over glacial sediment to form a coastal belt of lime-rich soil.
Commercial Drone Alliance Calls for Whole-of-Government Approach to Build Domestic Industry
In late December, 2025, the FCC sent shockwaves through the commercial drone industry when it added all foreign-made drones and critical components to its Covered List. While it’s critical to note that this decision applies only to new drones and components and that hardware that had already been approved for sales and marketing in the U.S. can remain on shelves, the decision is still a significant one for the industry as operators try to figure out how to plan for their future fleets.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Matt
Contact Matt, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack