Tethered drones

Drones may be seeing more use by police forces, but they're still limited by short flight times, and the need for certified operators. Tech company Axon has set out to address the problem, by leveraging the existing Fotokite tethered drone.

There are various places where people aren't allowed to fly consumer drones. If someone does so anyway, it's always possible to shoot the thing down or remotely disable it. Another option, however, is to net it in mid-air, using the new-and-improved DroneCatcher.

​While it's impressive that today's consumer drones can do things like track objects, the fact is that most users will probably never utilize those functions. With that in mind, Fotokite has announced availability of its simple quadcopter-on-a-leash, the folding Phi.

The Fathom One is designed to make amateur photography ​beneath the waves a bit more accessible, with a modular design and an HD camera for adventurers taking the plunge into underwater exploration.

Lately the US Army has been exploring tethered versions that could help plug some holes in its military strategy, and has now placed an order with drone-maker CyPhy Works for a wired aerial vehicle that could provide an eye in the sky for days at a time.​