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Tag: drones

  • College Station, Texas, Residents to Receive Amazon Drone Deliveries

    College Station, Texas, Residents to Receive Amazon Drone Deliveries

    College Station, Texas, is the second market slated to receive Amazon drone deliveries as the company looks to expand its program.

    E-commerce and retail stores are increasingly turning to drones to make deliveries to customers, providing a fast, cost-effective option. Amazon is one of the companies leading the adoption, with Lockeford, California being its first market. College Station now joins Lockeford, with Amazon contacting customers to lay the groundwork for drone deliveries later this year.

    “Amazon’s new facility presents a tremendous opportunity for College Station to be at the forefront of the development of drone delivery technology,” said College Station Mayor Karl Mooney. “We look forward to partnering with Amazon and Texas A&M and are confident that Amazon will be a productive, conscientious, and accountable participant in our community.”

    “Being one of the first drone delivery locations for Amazon puts College Station at the forefront of this exciting technology. What happens here will help advance drone delivery for the rest of the country and perhaps the rest of the world,” said John Sharp, chancellor of The Texas A&M University System. “We welcome Amazon to our community and stand ready to assist however we can.”

  • Korean Air Using Drone Swarms to Inspect Aircraft

    Korean Air Using Drone Swarms to Inspect Aircraft

    In an industry first, Korean Air is using drone swarms to inspect aircraft.

    Drones are gaining widespread use in a number of industries, including search and rescue, deliveries, real estate, on the battlefield, and more. Korean Air is using them in a new and innovative way, however, using swarms of drones to inspect aircraft.

    The airline says the drones improve safety, as well as increase the speed and accuracy of inspections. The drones are equipped with high-resolution cameras that can detecting things as small as 1 mm. This allows the drones to detect issues and defects that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

    Although Korea Air is the first to use drones in such a way, other airlines are in the process of deploying them around the world.

  • UK Turning to Lasers for Drone Defense

    UK Turning to Lasers for Drone Defense

    The UK is betting on lasers for drone defense, investing $100 million in the technology.

    Drones are revolutionizing many industries, being used for deliveries, real estate, security, communication, search and rescue and more. Drones are playing an increasingly important role in military operations as well, leading many countries to work on developing countermeasures.

    According to Popular Science, the UK is investing in directed energy weapons, or lasers, in an effort to counter drones. The $100 million investment will purchase three systems, one that detects and tracks incoming targets, while the other two stop them with lasers.

    “These technologies have the potential to revolutionise the future battlefield for our Armed Forces, enabling the prosecution of new targets in the land, sea and air domains and allowing commanders to meet mission objectives in new ways,” said Shima Fhima, director of strategic programmes for the Ministry of Defence, according to Popular Science.

    It’s hoped that directed energy weapons will be particularly effective at countering swarms of drones, one of the preferred types of systems in use by various militaries . Directed energy weapons would provide a far more cost effective solution for combating swarms than traditional weapons.

  • NASA Using Japanese Startup to Map Wind Patterns for Drones

    NASA Using Japanese Startup to Map Wind Patterns for Drones

    NASA is working with Japanese startup MetroWeather Co. to map out wind patterns in an effort to improve drone and air taxi safety.

    Drones are becoming more important than ever to many industries, including agriculture, retail, delivery, security and more. Given their lightweight design, however, winds can pose a major challenge for drones, especially models that have to traverse some distance across various wind patterns. The same goes for the relatively small electric air taxies that many companies are racing to develop and market.

    NASA and MetroWeather are hoping to address the issue by mapping the wind, providing drone and air taxi operators a way to chart safe flight routes.

    “Flying these things without knowing the wind and risking crashes is inconceivable,” MetroWeather CEO Junichi Furumoto said in an interview, according to Science X. “Even more so when people are the cargo.”

    MetroWeather achieves its mapping using lidar sensors that measure the speed of dust and other particles in the air which, in turn, allows it to calculate wind speed and detect wind shear. According to Science X, with a range of 11 miles, “four of them perched on top of skyscrapers can cover all of central Tokyo.”

    The technology promises to be an important step in the advancement of drones and air taxies alike.

  • UAE Using Drones to Spark Rainfall

    UAE Using Drones to Spark Rainfall

    The United Arab Emirates is using drones in a unique way: to help generate rainfall.

    Like may parts of the world, the UAE is suffering from heatwaves, exacerbating the already arid climate. The country is looking to drones for the answer, using them to fly into clouds and electrically shock them in an effort to simulate rainfall, according to USA Today.

    Cloud seeding, or the process of forcing cloud to produce rainfall, is not a new technology. The UAE’s approach of using electricity, rather than salt flares, is what’s new. Electricity does not have the same environmental concerns as salt flares.

    If successful, the UAE’s efforts could be a boon for drought-stricken areas.

  • Walmart Gearing Up for Nationwide Drone Delivery

    Walmart Gearing Up for Nationwide Drone Delivery

    Walmart is gearing up for nationwide drone delivery, following a successful pilot program that showcased the possibilities.

    Drone deliveries are seen as one of the next major steps for retail, with Amazon, Walmart and others exploring the technology. Last year, Walmart partnered with DroneUp to test the viability of drone deliveries, and the results were promising. In fact, the company discovered it could cut delivery time from hours to mere minutes.

    In view of the success of the pilot program, Walmart is doubling down on drone deliveries with an investment in DroneUp.

    Now, after safely completing hundreds of drone deliveries from Walmart stores, we’re making an investment in DroneUp to continue our work toward developing a scalable last-mile delivery solution.

    The company is touting its infrastructure, thanks to its thousands of stores around the US, as a major asset to successful drone operations.

    Walmart already has a significant part of the infrastructure in place – 4,700 stores stocked with more than 100,000 of the most-purchased items, located within 10 miles of 90% of the U.S. population. This makes us uniquely positioned to execute drone deliveries, which is why our investment in DroneUp won’t just apply to the skies but also the ground. In the coming months we’ll be beginning our first operation at a store in Bentonville, Arkansas.

    Walmart has been looking for ways to take on Amazon, and drones that deliver products in minutes is a big step in that direction.

  • Rise of Skynet: AI Drones Attack Humans Without Authorization

    Rise of Skynet: AI Drones Attack Humans Without Authorization

    AI-driven drones appear to have attacked humans without authorization, according to a new report by the U.N.

    Many critics view AI technology as an existential threat to humanity, seeing some variation of the Terminator franchise’s Skynet wiping humanity out. Those critics may have just been given the strongest support yet for their fears, with AI drones attacking retreating soldiers without being instructed to.

    According to the U.N. report, via The Independent, Libyan government forces were fighting Haftar Affiliated Forces (HAF) forces.

    “Logistics convoys and retreating HAF were subsequently hunted down and remotely engaged by the unmanned combat aerial vehicles or the lethal autonomous weapons systems such as the STM Kargu-2,” read the UN report.

    What makes the Kargu so dangerous is that it’s a “loitering” drone, designed to autonomously pick its own targets based on machine learning. If one such drone isn’t dangerous enough, the Kargu has swarming abilities, enabling 20 such drones to work together in a coordinated swarm.

    “The lethal autonomous weapons systems were programmed to attack targets without requiring data connectivity between the operator and the munition: in effect, a true ‘fire, forget and find’ capability,” wrote the report’s experts.

    The incident is sure to raise questions about the ongoing safety issues surrounding AI drone use, especially in the context of military applications.

  • Kroger and Drone Express Testing Autonomous Drone Grocery Deliveries

    Kroger and Drone Express Testing Autonomous Drone Grocery Deliveries

    Kroger is working with Drone Express, a division of TELEGRID Technologies, to test autonomous drones for grocery deliveries.

    Multiple companies are working to deploy drones, with plans to use them for autonomous deliveries. Late last year, the Federal Aviation Administration cleared unmanned drones for night flights and flights over people, a critical next step in widespread adoption.

    Kroger is now the next major company looking to deploy autonomous drones for deliveries, and is turning to Drone Express to help it. Kroger will test its pilot program around the Kroger Marketplace in Centerville, Ohio.

    “Kroger’s new drone delivery pilot is part of the evolution of our rapidly growing and innovative e-commerce business – which includes pickup, delivery, and ship and reached more than $10 billion in sales in 2020,” said Kroger’s Jody Kalmbach, group vice president of product experience. “The pilot reinforces the importance of flexibility and immediacy to customers, powered by modern, cost-effective, and efficient last-mile solutions. We’re excited to test drone delivery and gain insights that will inform expansion plans as well as future customer solutions.”

    “Autonomous drones have unlimited potential to improve everyday life, and our technology opens the way to safe, secure, environmentally friendly deliveries for Kroger customers,” said Beth Flippo, Chief Technology Officer, TELEGRID. “The possibilities for customers are endless – we can enable Kroger customers to send chicken soup to a sick friend or get fast delivery of olive oil if they run out while cooking dinner.”

  • Walmart Partners With Zipline For Drone Delivery

    Walmart Partners With Zipline For Drone Delivery

    Walmart has partnered with Zipline to deliver health-related products directly to customers. “We are teaming up with Zipline to launch a first-of-its-kind drone delivery operation in the U.S.,” says Tom Ward, Senior Vice President of Customer Product at Walmart. “The new service will make on-demand deliveries of select health and wellness products with the potential to expand to general merchandise.”

    Walmart will begin testing drone delivery early next year near their Arkansas headquarters. Zipline specializes in delivering medical supplies and other critical products for businesses via its unique drone technology. So far the company has made 58,436 commercial deliveries so far.

    “Zipline will operate from a Walmart store and can service a 50-mile radius, which is about the size of the state of Connecticut,” said Ward. “And, not only does their launch and release system allow for quick on-demand delivery in under an hour, but it also eliminates carbon emissions, which lines up perfectly with our sustainability goals. The operation will likely begin early next year, and, if successful, we’ll look to expand.”

    “As we continue to build upon the foundation of innovation laid for us by Mr. Sam, we’ll never stop looking into and learning about what the next best technology is and how we can use it to better serve our customers now and into the future.”

    Zipline Explains How Their Drones Work
  • Get Ready For Amazon Prime Drone Deliveries

    Get Ready For Amazon Prime Drone Deliveries

    Amazon’s plans to use autonomous drones for package delivery took a big step forward with FAA approval to begin testing.

    Amazon Prime Air has been working toward the use of drones to deliver packages to consumers in 30 minutes or less. According to Reuters, the FAA just approved the company to begin testing of its autonomous drones, joining UPS and Alphabet’s Wing division.

    The drone service could represent a big cost savings to Amazon, while giving the company a competitive advantage, in terms of the speed of delivery. At the same time, there are still a number of challenges to address. As more people rely on online shopping, porch piracy has become a major issue. It’s a safe bet there will be an equally big problem with ‘package poaching’ as Amazon’s drones take to the sky.

    Either way, the FAA’s approval to begin testing is an important step in widespread adoption of drone deliveries.

  • China Using Big Data and AI to Fight Coronavirus

    China Using Big Data and AI to Fight Coronavirus

    In an effort to get ahead of the corona virus, China is turning to big data and artificial intelligence to help identify those infected.

    According to the International Business Times (IBT), “several Chinese tech firms have developed apps to help people check if they have taken the same flight or train as confirmed virus patients, scraping data from lists published by state media.” The data is also giving officials the ability to track down individuals who may have been exposed, screen them and forecast how the disease will spread.

    Baidu developed a system that uses infrared and AI-powered facial recognition to screen people at the railway station for a possible fever. Anyone with a temperature 99 degrees Fahrenheit or above is flagged for further checks. IBT reports that the “system can check more than 200 people a minute, far faster than the thermal scanners used at airports.”

    Companies are also developing ways to both prevent the spread of the disease, as well as help those already infected. Some cities are using robots to scold people who are not wearing masks in public, while other companies are working on using drones to deliver medical supplies to the sick.

    As China continues to struggle with the deadly outbreak, technology may well be the key to turning the tide.

  • GoPro Karma Drones Grounded Until GPS Fix Is Available

    GoPro Karma Drones Grounded Until GPS Fix Is Available

    GoPro’s foray into the world of drones was fraught with one misstep after another. Fast forward two years after the company announced it was discontinuing the Karma—its one and only drone—and the Karma is coming back to bite GoPro again.

    According to The Verge, Karma owners have been experiencing problems with their drones being unable to fly. The issue appears to be related to the drones’ older GPS system. Older systems must be updated to deal with clock rollovers in the GPS and GLONASS satellite systems. Unfortunately, the Karma hasn’t received a software update since September 2018.

    Users are reporting that their drones are not receiving a GPS signal, and even turning it off doesn’t seem to fix the issues. GoPro has said they are aware of the problem and are actively working on it, but gave no indication if or when a fix would be available.

    GoPro’s Karma debacle is a reminder that companies looking to branch into emerging technologies do well to fully understand the field they’re entering.

  • Verizon Looking At 5G Drones For Growth

    Verizon Looking At 5G Drones For Growth

    According to a post on the company’s website, “Verizon is seeking to be the first carrier to connect one million drone flights to the 5G network.”

    Verizon has had its sights set on the market for some time, acquiring drone company Skyward in early 2017, just a few months after offering wireless plans aimed at drone makers. The company sees far more potential, however, especially for companies looking to operate fleets of drones, which cost significantly less than helicopters or planes.

    Verizon is counting on the speed of its 5G Ultra Wideband network, along with mobile edge computing (MEC) to provide the missing ingredient necessary for widespread drone deployment. With MEC “more complex functions can be performed nearer to the user and away from centralized servers. By shortening the distance data has to travel, drones will be able to perform more latency-sensitive tasks. As a knock-on benefit, because bulky processors can be offloaded, drones have the potential to get smaller and faster, with extended battery life, so they can stay in the air and on the job longer.”

    Verizon sees tremendous opportunity in the field, as a mere “10% of major enterprises have a drone program, and none of them are connected to a wireless network,” says Mariah Scott, president of Skyward. “We knew early on that connectivity would be critical for drones to truly transform our world. And now 5G Ultra Wideband will usher in a new era in aviation, where we connect and integrate drones into the national airspace.”

    The two companies are working closely to overcome the remaining hurdles for widespread adoption. Verizon’s network will allow operators to pilot drones from thousands of miles away, while its MEC capabilities will make drones viable for a wider range of industries. In the meantime, “Skyward recently unveiled advanced airspace intelligence for drone pilots, including essential ground intelligence and 3D views of more than one million vertical obstacles.”

    The timing is definitely right for Verizon’s ambitions, as the Federal Aviation Administration recently proposed rules that would allow it to identify and track the majority of active drones. This is seen as a major step in integrating drones into the national airspace alongside existing aerial vehicles.

  • FAA Proposes Rule to Identify and Track Most Drones

    FAA Proposes Rule to Identify and Track Most Drones

    Dominos Pizza, Amazon and Workhorse are just a few of the companies looking to use drones for deliveries. A new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rule is about to pave the way for much wider adoption of drone technology.

    According to the Federal Register, the FAA put forward a rule Thursday that would allow it to identify and track most drones in operation. According to the document, the rule will “require the remote identification of unmanned aircraft systems. The remote identification of unmanned aircraft systems in the airspace of the United States would address safety, national security, and law enforcement concerns regarding the further integration of these aircraft into the airspace of the United States while also enabling greater operational capabilities.”

    The rule would apply to the vast majority of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) with very few exceptions. Some of those exceptions would be amateur-built UAS, unmanned aircraft weighing less than 0.55 pounds and UAS operated by the U.S. government.

    While some UAS operators may balk at more regulation, the rule should help spur drone adoption by “creating situational awareness of all UAS flying in the airspace of the United States, which would allow additional and more complex UAS operations to take place.”

  • Google Says Drone Technology Isn’t Ready, Goes For Parachute Deliveries Instead (For April Fools’ Obviously)

    Google loads the web with April Fools’ pranks each year, and the company is getting even more attention than usual for one particular prank this year. Read about the ill-fated Gmail Mic Drop feature, which Google pulled relatively early in the day due to…complications.

    Another (perhaps less infuriating) joke came from the company in the form of a YouTube video about a new option from its Google Express delivery service. Admitting that drone delivery technology is interesting, but not ready for prime time, the company says in the video that it’s launching parachute deliveries.

    Somehow, we think people would be less weirded out by this.

  • Now Twitter Is (Possibly) Getting Into Drones

    Amazon, Google, and Facebook have all been associated with drone-based projects in recent years. Amazon and Google (or is it Alphabet) have delivery drone programs in place, and Facebook is utilizing drones to improve Internet access.

    Now, Twitter has applied for a drone-related patent (via The Verge/CNBC).

    The URL for the application doesn’t appear to be working at the time of this writing, but The Verge explains:

    The company has applied for a patent, which became available last week, for a drone capable of taking photos and videos and transmitting them through users’ Twitter accounts. Of course, applying for the patent doesn’t necessarily mean Twitter plans on building a drone. However, it could be laying a foundation for a Twitter-controlled UAV.

    For instance, Twitter mentions a way to use likes, retweets, and replies to control the drone’s direction or what it ends up recording or photographing. Twitter also mentions telepresence and live video interview capabilities. All of this sounds pretty outlandish, from both a technical and safety standpoint. Still, it’s an ambitious concept no other company is publicly considering at the moment.

    This might be going a little too far.

    In October, Google, Amazon, Best Buy, GoPro, and Walmart joined the UAS Task Force for drone registration.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Google Wants Its Delivery Drones Up and Running by 2017

    Google Wants Its Delivery Drones Up and Running by 2017

    Google’s been testing delivery drones for some time, officially unveiling its Project Wing in August of 2014.

    Like Amazon, WalMart, and more, Google is looking to build a fleet of drones capable of delivering goods – both in the US and abroad. Much of these companies’ testing has been out of the country, as American regulatory bodies have been a little slow in drafting rules for commercial drones – and when they have the rules have not been at welcoming as many had hoped.

    But now it looks like Google has set a tentative launch date for its Project Wing drones.

    The BBC reports that project head David Vos made the announcement at a recent air traffic control convention in Washington.

    “Our goal is to have commercial business up and running in 2017,” he said.

    Here’s the latest look at Google’s delivery drones:

    The drones can apparently travel five miles in five minutes.

    The Federal Aviation Administration has been handing out more and more exemptions for commercial drone operation – including to Amazon and Google. Walmart recently applied for one.

    Vos was recently announced as a member of the new UAS Task Force, developed by the FAA and the Department of Transportation. Other members include reps from Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.

  • Google, Amazon Join Not-As-Cool-As-It-Sounds Drone Task Force

    Google, Amazon Join Not-As-Cool-As-It-Sounds Drone Task Force

    The Federal Aviation Administration is getting proactive on drones, as the popularity of the unmanned aircraft systems (both personal and commercial) is only going to increase.

    The FAA and the Department of Transportation have announced a UAS Task Force and filled it with companies and organizations with stakes in the business of drones.

    The goal of the Task Force appears to be drone registration,

    “DOT Sec. Foxx set a deadline of Nov. 20 for the Task Force to complete its recommendations and work is already underway. The group will meet formally from Nov. 3-5 before developing recommendations on a streamlined registration process and minimum requirements on which unmanned aircraft should be registered. Given the urgency of this issue, the DOT and FAA will move expeditiously to consider the Task Force’s recommendations.”

    So, who’s on this drone Task Force?

    Amazon, Google, Best Buy, GoPro, and Walmart, among others.

    Here’s the full list, according to the FAA:

    Nancy Egan – 3D Robotics
    Richard Hanson – Academy of Model Aeronautics
    George Novak – Aerospace Industries Association
    Chuck Hogeman and Randy Kenagy – Air Line Pilots Association
    Jim Coon – Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
    Sean Cassidy – Amazon Prime Air
    Ben Gielow – Amazon Retail
    Justin Towles – American Association of Airport Executives
    Brian Wynne – Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International
    Parker Brugge – Best Buy
    Douglas Johnson – Consumer Electronics Association
    Brendan Schulman – DJI
    Paul Feldman – General Aviation Manufacturers Association
    Dave Vos – GoogleX (Co-Chair)
    Tony Bates – GoPro
    Matt Zuccaro – Helicopter Association International
    Mike Fergus – International Association of Chiefs of Police
    John Perry – Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors
    Brandon Declet – Measure
    Randall Burdett – National Association of State Aviation Officials
    Sarah Wolf – National Business Aviation Association
    Baptiste Tripard – Parrot
    Tyler Collins – PrecisionHawk
    Gregory McNeal – Small UAV Coalition
    Thomas Head – Walmart

    Walmart is working on delivery drones. Google is too. We all know Amazon is champing at the bit to get Amazon Prime Air off the ground. Your dad is getting a drone too. You probably are. Drones are coming, and the FAA knows it needs to do everything it can to make sure it doesn’t devolve into a cluster.

    Image via ZullyC3P, Wikimedia Commons

  • Kentucky Man Had Right to Shoot Down Drone, Judge Rules

    Back in July, a Hillview, Kentucky man shot down a drone that was flying over his property. He was arrested and charged with criminal mischief and wanton endangerment for destroying the $1,800 unmanned aerial vehicle.

    Now, a judge has cleared him of all charges.

    William Meridith, 47, said his right to privacy made it ok to shoot down his neighbor’s drone. The owner of the drone said he was simply flying it to get aerial images of another neighbor’s house.

    Meredith told WDRB about the incident:

    “Sunday afternoon, the kids – my girls – were out on the back deck, and the neighbors were out in their yard,” Merideth said. “And they come in and said, ‘Dad, there’s a drone out here, flying over everybody’s yard.’ Well, I came out and it was down by the neighbor’s house, about 10 feet off the ground, looking under their canopy that they’ve got in their back yard. I went and got my shotgun and I said, ‘I’m not going to do anything unless it’s directly over my property.’”

    Earlier this week, Bullitt County District Court Judge Rebecca Ward ruled that since witnesses testified the drone was flying “below the tree line”, Meredith has a right to shoot it down.

    “He had a right to shoot at this drone, and I’m gonna dismiss this charge,” said Ward.

    The drone pilot, David Boggs, provided video evidence to Ars Technica that his drone was actually flying over 200 feet above the ground.

  • Walmart Wants to Use Delivery Drones Too

    Walmart Wants to Use Delivery Drones Too

    Walmart is getting in the drone delivery game.

    According to a report from Reuters, the company applied for a drone exemption asking US regulators to give them to go-ahead to test drones for home delivery, among other tasks.

    From Reuters:

    The world’s largest retailer by revenue has for several months been conducting indoor tests of small unmanned aircraft systems – the term regulators use for drones – and is now seeking for the first time to test the machines outdoors. It plans to use drones manufactured by China’s SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd.

    In addition to having drones take inventory of trailers outside its warehouses and perform other tasks aimed at making its distribution system more efficient, Wal-Mart is asking the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to research drone use in “deliveries to customers at Walmart facilities, as well as to consumer homes,” according to a copy of the application reviewed by Reuters.

    “Drones have a lot of potential to further connect our vast network of stores, distribution centers, fulfillment centers and transportation fleet,” said a Walmart spokesperson. “There is a Walmart within five miles of 70 percent of the U.S. population, which creates some unique and interesting possibilities for serving customers with drones.”

    It’s likely the Federal Aviation Administration will approve Walmart’s request – it’s given out a couple thousand of these commercial drone exemptions over the past few years. Amazon got theirs back in March.

    But these testing permissions come with a lot of restrictions – like when, where, how high, and who can man said drones. A few months ago, Amazon pushed for a sort of air traffic control system for drones, so that they can be operated without line-of-sight. Both NASA and Google have also suggested that a high-speed drone highway, about 200 to 400 feet up, is the way to go.

    It’s just a matter of time before the skies are filled with drones delivering new iPhones, makeup, and pizza. Regulators are surely moving too slowly for the likes of companies like Amazon and now, Walmart – but it’s going to happen eventually.

    And customers want drone delivery, and they’re willing to pay for it.

  • Why Won’t Apple Allow This Simple App That Notifies Users of US Drone Strikes?

    An app that sends users an alert every time a US drone strike is reported in the news is too crude for Apple.

    The company has pulled the plug on Metadata+, an app from journalist Josh Begley that simply notifies people of publicly-available drone strike data.

    Begley also runs the @Dronestream Twitter account, which pretty much does the same thing as his app. It was there he reported Apple’s decision to pull the app:

    Apple’s incomprehensible disdain for this app actually goes back to 2012. Begley had problems getting Apple to approve his app, called Drones+ at the time.

    “If the content is found to be objectionable, and it’s literally just an aggregation of news, I don’t know how to change that,” Begley said at the time.

    Maybe a name change? That’s exactly what he did and last year, the Metadata+ app launched. It lasted for a while, before Apple yanked it on Sunday.

    It’s still available in the Google Play store.

    Apple’s always been rather puritanical with its app approval process – but that mostly has to do with the company’s inability to understand that adults might want to use apps with adult content.

    But as Gawker points out, Apple has plenty of “crude” apps sitting in its App Store.

    And a simple app that reports the news isn’t really one of them.