Propulsion
Jetoptera was recently awarded two 2021 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contracts from the USAF to further characterize the noise of its patented Fluidic Propulsive System (FPS) in an anechoic chamber wind tunnel and to prove that the FPS used with an Upper Surface Blown Wing (USB) configuration will produce
Commercial
Advanced air mobility (AAM) company Skyports has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the flag carrier airline of Kenya, Kenya Airways, to collaborate on launching permanent unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations in the country. Joint efforts have already begun across drone delivery and inspection use cases. This collaboration brings
Data Links & Communications
Sagetech Avionics, an aerospace technology company providing industry-leading situational awareness solutions for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), and Pen Aviation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to integrate Sagetech Avionics' MXS transponders and Detect and Avoid (DAA) systems into the PEN 55V midsize drone and the PEN 1360V
Business
AeroVironment, Inc. announced that it received a $13,010,560 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract order on March 24, 2021 from the U.S. Army for Switchblade 300 tactical missile systems contractor logistics support. The contract has a total potential value of $40,852,467, for which funding was authorized
Military
Turkish Aerospace Industries has converted its Simsek training system into a kamikaze drone. The program for the high-speed target-drone system began in 2009 to meet the Turkish military’s need for training against aerial targets, simulating enemy aircraft or missiles. It was created as a turbojet-powered, high-
TruWeather Solutions, a micro weather data and analytics company, and Spire Global, Inc. , a global provider of space-based data and analytics, announced that they have signed a letter of commitment to support TruWeather’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant with NASA. This commitment enhances previous agreements that align
Military
Using a blend of information from unmanned and manned ships and aircraft, a guided-missile destroyer launched an anti-surface missile from over-the-horizon to hit a target more than 250 miles away without using active sensors as part of the Unmanned Integrated Battle Problem 21, Navy officials said
Commercial
MissionGO Unmanned Systems announced that the FAA certification office has approved MissionGO’s MG Velos 100 airworthiness criteria as part of MissionGO’s Type Certificate application, a milestone marking the brand’s next big step in pushing the boundaries of Unmanned Aircraft System capabilities. MissionGO joins 11 other companies in
Accidents
Flights were suspended temporarily at Auckland Airport on the night of April 27th. causing some international and domestic arrival delays after a drone was spotted by a pilot. A Barrier Air flight pilot saw the drone at 5pm, reporting it came within around 30m of the aircraft. Airways NZ head
Business
Manna announces a $25M Series A led by Draper Esprit, with participation from Team Eurpope, DST Global, and with participation from existing investors Dynamo Ventures, Atlantic Bridge, and Elkstone. Manna designs, builds and operates unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which perform high-speed deliveries of cargo up to 3kgs (6.5lbs)
Commercial
Security researchers Ralf-Philipp Weinmann of Kunnamon, Inc. and Benedikt Schmotzle of Comsecuris GmbH have found remote zero-click security vulnerabilities in an open-source software component (ConnMan) used in Tesla automobiles that allowed them to compromise parked cars and control their infotainment systems over WiFi. It would be possible
Video
World War II brought the world some of the best aeronautical engineering designs ever created. And although many of these innovative designs definitely pushed all boundaries, several of them never made the cut. One of these unusual designs was the Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender. This was a strange-looking