Business
Technology transferred from Israel is helping Russia to design its first strike unmanned air system, with the design expected to be flown for the first time in 2014 carrying sensors and armament. Russia approached Israel to assist in developing unmanned systems after its RSK MiG-29 fighters shot down Elbit
Business
Finland's Defence Ministry has selected Aeronautics Defense Systems' Orbiter 2 unmanned aircraft system for its operational needs. A €23 million ($30 million) contract is in the final approval phase and is expected to be signed soon. According to Finnish sources, the deal will include 55 mini UAS,
Business
Global Hawk Block 30 Why is the US Air Force seeking to scrap its Global Hawk Block 30 unmanned reconnaissance planes? A new white paper Global Hawk Block 30 and Defense Strategy suggests the move is out of step with the Asia-Pacific strategy. Global Hawk Block 30s fly as
Testing
Imint demonstrated high level capabilities of video stabilization using their Ihvertsoftware, connected to output of Simlat's high fidelity STAR . Imint commented that by using Simlat's advanced systems, a highly-realistic payload picture was presented with some extreme conditions, and thus they were able to display the
Business
A local company says it has signed an agreement with Bowen Basin mining companies in central Queensland to use unmanned aircraft to service local coal mines. UAV Australia says it has ordered two planes to be based in Gladstone and Mackay. Managing director Aonghus Stevens says the planes will be
Commercial
This 7-minute video of US Customs and Border Protection Agency Predator B aircraft was just posted on YouTube. It features take-off, in-flight and landing sequences as well as screen shots of fugitives being pursued by a helicopter patrol. Soirce: YouTube
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have duplicated the control functions that allow birds to successfully perform a soft landing—in this case, perching on a human hand - as the video below demonstrates. “We believe we have the first demonstration of autonomous/robotic flight of a bird-
Military
Hezbollah has been allocating increased resources towards bolstering its UAS unit, Yedioth Ahronoth reported last week. The Shiite terror groups reportedly plans to use its unmanned aircraft to attack Israel in case it mounts a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. Hezbollah is equipped with Ababil ("Swallow&
Volz Servos has been contracted by AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems to supply servos for their Aerosonde sUAS to support recent contract awards. Volz’s DA-15 servos are being utilized on the Aerosonde to actuate the aircraft’s flight control surfaces and engine throttle. The DA-15 servo is a
Testing
The Seattle Police Department recently demonstrated how it's newly acquired unmanned aircraft hovers and flies in a warehouse where police vehicles are stored.Officer Reuben Omelanchuk,one of department's two officers trained to fly the aircraft said: "It's very fun, but doing it
The SESAR Joint Undertaking (JU), a public-private partnership formed to manage the Development phase of the airspace modernization initiative, has launched a study on the integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the airspace. Civilian and military uses of UAS are increasing, at a time when the use of
National Associations
In December 2011, the Secretary General of EUROCAE took the decision to establish a separate working group to deal specifically with Light Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). Consequently, this activity has now shifted from WG73 SG4 to the new WG93 on Lightweight RPAS. Subsequently, this decision was approved by the