Technology 22 June 2025 - 26 June 2025

The Netherlands caps recreational drone flights at 120 meters altitude and restricts operations to daylight hours. Drones over 250 g require pilot certification, and most operators must register with the RDW. Minimum distances apply: 50 meters from bystanders for drones 500 g–2 kg, 150 meters from urban areas for drones up to 25 kg. No-fly zones include airports and royal palaces; violations can result in fines or confiscation.

NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center issued a G2 geomagnetic-storm watch for June 25, 2025, as a coronal hole sends plasma toward Earth at 500–800 km/s. Forecasters expect auroras as far south as Colorado, New York and Oregon, with possible brief disruptions to power grids, satellites and GPS. The Kp index could reach 5–6. High-speed streams like this routinely trigger medium storms and increase drag on low-Earth-orbit satellites.

Singapore removed the cap on drone registrations above 250 grams per owner as of February 14, 2025. Drones over 250 g must be registered; violations can draw fines up to S$10,000 or 6 months’ jail. Flights near airports, military bases, or above 200 feet require permits. Remote ID broadcasting becomes mandatory for these drones from December 1, 2025, with some exceptions.

Nimbus-7 SMMR, launched in 1978, was the first conical-scanning microwave imager, measuring at five frequencies. Subsequent missions, including DMSP SSM/I, NOAA MSU/AMSU, TRMM, Aqua, GPM, and TROPICS, expanded channel ranges and improved all-weather temperature, humidity, and precipitation sensing. MetOp-SG, planned for 2025, will extend observations to 664 GHz for ice cloud and snowfall detection.