Drone delivery services coming soon?

Plus: 18th-century street food; fighting data centers in PA ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

US Edition - Today's top story: Drone use poised to soar as FAA homes in on rule change allowing pilots to fly them out of sight View in browser 13 June 2026 US Edition Welcome to the Saturday edition of The Conversation U.S.’s Daily newsletter. Jeff Bezos’ 2013 announcement that Amazon planned to have a drone delivery service sparked a lot of excitement and concern. Will I get delivery on demand? Will drone delivery be more environmentally friendly? Will there be a lot of drones flying around, adding noise and visual clutter? Will the drones’ cameras see me in my backyard? The initial hubbub died down when it became clear there were a lot of technical, logistical and regulatory hurdles to overcome before drone delivery could become widespread. A key challenge is being able to safely operate drones beyond the pilot’s line of sight. If you or I fly a drone, the FAA requires us to keep it in sight at all times, and drone delivery startup companies had to jump through hoops to get exemptions to build and test their services. Now, a new FAA rule, years in the making, that allows drone operation beyond visual line of sight is nearing the finish line. Rochester Institute of Technology engineering professor and drone researcher Agamemnon Crassidis spells out what’s about to change – and describes how some of these drones won’t have any pilot at all. This week we also liked stories about the meaning of World Cup players’ tattoos, the chemical differences between butter and margarine, and ways to prevent your child from becoming a bully. Did somebody forward this email to you? Subscribe to our daily and weekly newsletters here. Eric Smalley Science + Technology Editor   Companies large and small are gearing up to deliver packages to you via drone. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel Drone use poised to soar as FAA homes in on rule change allowing pilots to fly them out of sight Agamemnon Crassidis, Rochester Institute of Technology Allowing people to fly drones beyond their line of sight could greatly expand commercial applications. “Pepper-Pot: A Scene in the Philadelphia Market,” by painter John Lewis Krimmel, 1811. Philadelphia Art Museum: 125th Anniversary Acquisition. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Leisenring, Jr., 2001-196-1 Pepper pot stew was survival food for the poor and a path to freedom for Black women in early Philadelphia Carolyn Zola, California State University, East Bay Dina escaped from slavery and sold pepper pot stew on the streets of Philadelphia, while her enslaver tried to recapture her.   How Pennsylvania towns are protecting themselves from the noise, heat and utility costs of massive data centers Michael Helbing, Penn State Communities across the state are demanding to know how proposed data centers would affect their electric and water bills, landscapes and quality of life. What the tattoos of World Cup players say about their love, life and religious beliefs Gustavo Morello, Boston College As millions watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup, players’ tattoos will be on display – offering a glimpse into the inner lives of soccer’s biggest stars. How Amazon workers made glamour a form of protest Eileen G'Sell, Washington University in St. Louis Glamour isn’t just for the rich and famous. As the ‘Ball Without Billionaires’ showed, the blue collar can bedazzle. Haiti at the World Cup is more than an underdog tale – it is the story of global migration Laurent Dubois, University of Virginia For the first time since 1974, the Haitian men’s team has qualified for the World Cup. This is their story. How cuts to CDC are dismantling its capacity to protect Americans’ health Candice Johnson, Michigan State University In a survey of more than 600 CDC workers, 99% said the Trump administration’s cuts to the agency have made it less able to protect the public’s health. Development of solar and wind farms on the Tibetan Plateau is affecting local communities Sanggay Tashi, University of Colorado Boulder China’s national government policies on energy and economic development are changing pastoral life on the Tibetan Plateau.   Life after death: From burned trees to bleached corals, how dead organisms live on as the building blocks of new life Butter or margarine? A food scientist describes their subtle chemical deviations and how they can affect your baked goods Kids learn to bully from adults’ threats, manipulation and criticism – a child psychologist explains how parents can model better tactics Killing cancer requires immune cells to infiltrate tumors’ hostile microenvironment – sugar shields can help them break in Conspiracy theories that emerged from a civil rights shooting 60 years ago resonate today As America approaches its 250th anniversary, The Federalist remains an indispensable guide to understanding the constitutional system and the nation’s enduring independence The Social Security trust fund will run dry in 2032 – what that means for retirees and workers who hope to retire Cincinnati, where Vance converted, gives a glimpse of Catholicism’s history in America’s heartland California spends less than 0.5% of its state-controlled funds on homelessness The Conversation News Quiz 🧠 The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation Here’s the first question of this week's edition: Commercial use of drones is expected to soar if the Federal Aviation Administration enacts a proposal known as Part 108, which specifically states that pilots can fly drones ... A. Heavier than 2 pounds B. With speakers playing ads C. Beyond their line of sight D. Loaded with hot, fresh burritos Test your knowledge More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other emails: • The Afternoon Story (A new daily Substack) • Weekly Highlights• Science Editors' Picks • Artificial Intelligence• Giving Today • This Week in Religion • Politics Weekly • Global Perspectives • Global Economy & Business Follow us on social media: • Bluesky • Mastodon • Threads • TikTok • LinkedIn • Instagram • Facebook • Or get a daily text from us Tell your friends about us! Forward this email to them so they can sample our journalism. About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. 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