Testing
L-3 Unmanned Systems of Dallas has completed a series of capability enhancements to its Viking 400 unmanned aircraft system supplied to the US Special Operations Command under a 2009 contract. Added under the Block 1A upgrade are a new electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor turret and digital datalink.
Events
Circino Flight Systems submitted a 3-year old video of its ‘Sentry’ Olecopter which tries to satisfy a number of problems with UAV's - combine VTOL performance with high speed in forward flight.A scaled down version (7 feet) of the airframe has been made, has been ground tested
Payloads
This article, written by Eric Kurman in PTB Magazine (Photonics Solutions for the Design Engineer), describes how the new BBAR coatings provide increased transmittance over the wide wavelength range that sapphire allows, permitting technological advances in optical system design. Sapphire optical windows are an excellent fit for the harsh environment
Research
There is growing interest in a US aviation force that could carry out precision surveillance and strike missions thousands of miles away. That capability would be particularly useful in the Pacific Rim where US bases are sited far from several hot spots. Connecting the airborne platforms—and the extremely important
Business
Aerodyne, Inc., an aeronautical engineering and technical consulting company, has been awarded a contract potentially worth more than $105 million to provide technical and engineering support for the US Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems Project Office. Under the Project Manager, Army UAS Technical Services contract, Aerodyne will be performing a full
Accidents
A Somali military official told Iran's Press TV that two US operated unmanned aircraft went down in close proximity to Bilis Qooqaani town, which is located 448 kilometers (278 miles) southwest of Mogadishu, late on Saturday. He added that he heard massive explosions after the aircraft crashed and
Business
The 2011 Turkey Frost & Sullivan Product Leadership Award in Aerospace and Defence is presented to Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TAI) for the ANKA. This indigenously developed medium altitude long endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft has been designed by TAI to meet reconnaissance and surveillance requirements. "TAI's culture
Events
Nothing very original about team Dhaksha's Hexarotor entry from MIT ANNA University in India, though it does have the merit of being stable. DARPA's UAVForge Competition has moved from the "idea" stage to the "concept" stage of Phase 1, with the official
Military
The Royal Thai Air Force is evaluating the G-Star unmanned aircraft system which is based on Innocon's MiniFalcon-2. The G-Star has a twin boom fuselage and boasts a maximum take-off weight of 220kg, compared with the MiniFalcon-2's MTOW of 200kg. G-
Business
As anticipated, Northrop Grumman has signed MoUs with four South Korean companies to participate in the RQ-4 Global Hawk programme during the Seoul Air Show in South Korea. The MOU signings will enable the Northrop Grumman Korea Global Hawk team -- composed of Northrop Grumman, Dreaming and Challenging Company, FIRSTEC,
Research
Researchers and responders from The Texas A&M University System have received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to create a visual “common ground” between operators and responders who use micro and small unmanned aircraft for search and rescue. Following principles in how people know what other
Military
Photo: Courtesy AeroVironment, Inc. AeroVironment, Inc. announced yesterday that it has received a $7,298,530 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract from the United States Army. This contract establishes a not-to-exceed amount for digital Puma All Environment (AE) unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) contractor logistics support services in support