Testing
Airbus and NTT DOCOMO, INC. have demonstrated the ability to use its solar-powered Zephyr High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) to deliver future wireless broadband connectivity. The trial took place in the United States in August, when the Zephyr S aircraft undertook approx. 18-day stratospheric flights to test various capabilities. Carrying
Shield AI, the defense-technology company using self-driving software to enable collaborative teams of unmanned aircraft to operate in GPS- and RF-denied environments, announced that Martin UAV (a Shield AI company) kicked off its Multi-Mission Tactical UAS Increment 2 (Mi2) prototype effort with Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) on
Testing
India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has demonstrated the Rustom II medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle's (UAV's) ability to take off and land autonomously. The milestone was announced by the DRDO on 13 November. During the trial, the Rustom II also demonstrated
Skyports, a global vertiport designer, builder and operator, and LAZ Parking, one of the largest parking companies in the United States, announced a partnership agreement to develop and deploy vertiports for electric air taxis in Los Angeles. Vertiports are dedicated sites that enable take-off, landing and recharging of the electric
Payloads
AeroVironment, Inc. has introduced the Mantis i45 N, a multi-sensor nighttime imaging payload compatible with Puma 2 AE, Puma 3 AE and Puma LE small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Lightweight (905 g) and compact, the new Mantis i45 N joins AeroVironment’s expansive Mantis product line of micro-gimbals delivering high-quality
Military
Russia’s Kronshtadt has come to Dubai to demonstrate an exportable armed version of the Orion-E medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat air vehicle (MALE UCAV) outfitted with a satellite communications system (satcom) for control and data exchange. First time on display outside the Commonwealth of Independent States, the drone has operated
Swarms
Elbit Systems has demonstrated to the RAS Concept Development & Experimentation Program of the Royal Netherlands Army the Company’s Robotic Autonomous Systems (RAS) capabilities for Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions utilizing heterogeneous autonomous swarms. Taking place in northern Israel the demonstration deployed swarms comprising of the PROBOT Unmanned
British defence company Ultra Electronics unveiled a working prototype of a mind-controlled drone at the Three Counties Defence and Security Expo (3CDSE) in Malvern, England, on 4 November. All the pilot has to do is to focus their attention and eyes on specific circles on a computer screen. This new
Agriculture
An Emirati-led AgriTech start-up has developed a drone that can pollinate date palm trees in less than a minute. Before the flowering season, a drone is used to map out the area where pollination is required. Data collected from the 3D map is then fed into the pollination drone'
Propulsion
Turkey’s Baykar signed a contract with Ukrainian firm Ivchenko-Progress for the delivery of AI-322F Turbofan engines its Combat Unmanned Aircraft System (MIUS) project. The deal was signed between the parties at the SAHA EXPO Defense and Aviation Hybrid Fair organized by SAHA Istanbul. MUIS will be jet-powered, with a
Transport
Amazon.com Inc.’s has shifted staff working on its Paris-based drone research and development center to new projects, marking another set-back in the company’s delivery project. The dozen-strong team, which previously focused on drone navigation, were reassigned to new roles in Amazon from September 2020 onwards, primarily focusing
Testing
The Navy and Marine Corps may soon have a way to resupply warfighters on the front line using unmanned systems capable of delivering necessary supplies from a distance in a variety of scenarios. The Department is considering several cargo resupply systems and recently demonstrated these capabilities to senior leadership during