VTOL
The smartphone-controlled Parrot AR.Drone quadcopter, first shown at CES in 2010, is getting several updates that are being announced at this year's conference. The biggest changes for the AR.Drone 2.0 are hardware and software improvements to make the device easier to fly. Better location
Military
Two years after extensive tests in Middle East, the US Navy's customised RQ-4 Global Hawk, known as BAMS (Broad Area Maritime Surveillance), is now operating with a carrier task force at sea. Circling above the task force, at 22,500 meters (70,000 feet), BAMS is monitoring
Business
The US Army has awarded BAE Systems a $12,290,244 contract for T-Pod systems on the MQ-1 C Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft, the Pentagon announced Thursday. According to a post on FedBizOpps, the T-Pod system gives users both situational awareness and the ability to map emitters.
Commercial
KIPPENBERGER DRONE SHOWREEL 2011 from christopher kippenberger on Vimeo. This video of the Nürburgring car racetrack in Germany was produced by German firm Kippenberger, which is looking to bring affordable airborne videos to the car scene. Renting a helicopter for the day can cost up to $50,000 before the
Dr. Jason W. Barnes of the University of Idaho and a team of 30 scientists and engineers created an unmanned mission concept to explore Titan called AVIATR (Aerial Vehicle for In-situ and Airborne Titan Reconnaissance). The plan, which primarily consists of a 120 kg unmanned aircraft soaring through the
As of 1 December 2011, Abdoulaye N’Diaye has replaced Gilbert Amato as the Secretary General at EUROCAE. As planned, Gilbert Amato has retired from EUROCAE, after having successfully guided this association since 1 July 2004. Gilbert will remain on board at EUROCAE, as Adboulaye’s advisor, until the end
Business
Northrop Grumman Defense Mission Systems Incorporated, of San Diego, California, is being awarded a $47,176,105 firm fixed price contract for the purchase and integration of two battlefield airborne communications node (BACN) payloads on two Global Hawk Block 20 aircraft. These two Global Hawks, designated AF-11 and AF-
Testing
Eight members of the Uganda Air Force received training on the Raven in December. The Uganda defense forces purchased four of the systems in July for $3 million, according to logistics management specialist Cindy Vanburg of AMCOM’s Security Assistance Management Directorate. The Uganda service members, in two groups of
Military
The US Army Contracting Command, Fort Dix, NJ, on behalf of U.S. Army Logistics Innovation Agency (LIA) issued an RFI on Cargo Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The US Army is interested in exploring future (7-10 years out) capability concepts for Cargo Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Information gained from the future
Military
Israel has escalated its bitter quarrel with Turkey, its erstwhile ally, by scrapping a $140 million deal for unmanned aircraft and advanced intelligence-gathering systems the Israelis fear could end up in the hands of Iran. The move by the Defense Ministry, which has the power to veto defense exports,
Events
The fifth and final workshop in the five-part series of European Commission UAS Panel Workshops run jointly by the European Commission's DG Mobility & Transport (MOVE) and DG Enterprise (ENTR) on the topic of insertion of UAS into European controlled airspace, will take place at the Royal
Targets
When fighter jets age, their commercial and military value depreciates. They can either be consigned to the scrap heap, sold to nations with limited military budgets, placed in museums, or... get blown up in new and exciting ways. The Defense Department has an entire programme devoted to blowing up old