Artificial intelligence, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and high-resolution cameras have been successfully used to automatically detect and map an aggressive weed, in an effort to stop it spreading through Queensland’s coastal dunes. The trial project was a collaboration between the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Aspect UAV
Commercial
A-techsyn — manufacturer of VTOLs, fixed-wing UAS, target-acquisition drones, and communications and autopilot systems — will introduce the first VTOL equipped with one of 3W-International-performance-partner Sky Power's engines at Xponential 2018 as part of the 3W-Interntational exhibition stand. A SP-110 FI TS
Russian Helicopters has begun bench tests of the main systems for the VRT300 rotary-wing unmanned air vehicle being developed by its VR-Technologies design bureau. If the programme stays on track, the company will by year-end begin flight tests of a 300kg (661lb) prototype, it says. So far,
Business
The United States has removed some restrictions on sales of its advanced drones in order to reinforce the armies of its allies and compete with China on the world arms market. President Donald Trump's White House announced an update to its policy on arms transfers to promote US
Weapons Systems / Lasers
Raytheon Company has completed developmental testing on the Small Diameter Bomb II, a key step toward bringing this new capability to fighter pilots. Government confidence testing, a prerequisite for operational testing, is scheduled to be completed this year. Raytheon has also begun work on the SDB II second production lot
Commercial
The Federal Aviation Administration granted approval to Xcel Energy for drone flights beyond the operator’s line of sight. Through its new Part 107 waiver, the company claims it will be the first utility in the nation to routinely fly drones BVLOS when it begins surveying transmission lines near Denver.
Business
Dynetics, Inc. has been selected as the top performer for Phase 3 of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Gremlins program. Managed out of DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office (TTO), the objective of Gremlins is to accelerate the ability to perform aerial launch and recovery of volley quantities of
Military
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. has announced that its subsidiary, Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems, Inc. as part of the Dynetics led team, has been selected for award on Phase III of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Gremlins program. On the Gremlins program, Kratos is a critical team
Construction
Cyberhawk has been awarded a three-year contract by an oil and gas supermajor to provide a digital asset management solution during the construction of its new world-scale petrochemical complex in the USA.
Data Links & Communications
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has evolved its Tac4G tactical communication system to enable it to be integrated with tactical UAS Developed by Elta, the Tac4G broadband tactical communications system provides robust and secure communications for military, law enforcement, border control and para-military applications. It connects end-users, sensors and
Electronic Sub-Systems
uAvionix Corporation announced that it has successfully completed testing and demonstration of the DroneAware™ uAvionix UAS Remote Identification solution for NASA’s Technical Capability Level 3 (TCL3) UAS Traffic Management (UTM) system. The tests were conducted in coordination with North Dakota’s Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NP UAS TS)
Video
In 2017, New Zealand owner/pilot Graeme Frew became the first person in history to qualify for the Gold race at their first Reno Championship Air Races (Nevada, USA). The Yakovlev Yak-3 is a World War II-era Soviet fighter aircraft that became the scourge of Germany's