Business
AeroVironment, Inc. has announced the formation of a joint venture to develop solar-powered high-altitude long-endurance, or HALE, UAS for commercial operations. This category of UAS is also referred to as high-altitude pseudo-satellites, or HAPS. The joint venture will fund the development program up to a
Drone Racing
The International Drone Racing Association (IDRA) has condensed its liability insurance for drone pilots into a single policy that has no drone limit, no deductibles, and offers worldwide coverage for IDRA members. Drone pilots can now purchase the $1 million policy for $265 and will receive their certificate of insurance
Law Enforcement
Border Patrol agents are increasingly worried about the threat from drug-cartel-flown drones, after agents spotted 13 drones suspected of carrying drugs across one section of the U.S.-Mexico border in just one four-day period in November. Cartels are aware that the U.S. lacks the ability
Commercial
Swiss manufacturer Flyability has developed a new drone that’s been tested in the Lac des Iles mine in Canada. Inspecting a mine can be a perilous task, with the threat of falling rocks and unsteady ground. Yet sending robots into such spaces has offered limited solutions, with obstacles to
The U.S. Air Force has hired Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to develop experimental low-cost cruise missiles that can act as a swarm in order to better navigate through or overwhelm enemy defense networks. As part of the project, nicknamed Gray Wolf, the service also wants a modular
Electronic Sub-Systems
Led by inventor and entrepreneur David Hall, Velodyne LiDAR has announced a significant cost reduction for its VLP-16 Puck, which will spur hope and excitement for the development of safe autonomous vehicles that are accessible to all. Velodyne’s most popular LiDAR sensor, the VLP-16, is now offered
Military
The record of "five hits in succession" performed by China's home-developed Wing Loong II UAS, a high-end reconnaissance-strike unmanned aerial system (UAS), showed that the system equipped drone is combat-capable and will be widely used in future military actions, said an expert.
Commercial
At the World Fly-In Expo, an air show held in the central Chinese city of Wuhan last month, jets, hot air balloons, autogiros and ultralight planes were upstaged by Chinese-made drones. Remote-controlled flying machines drew crowds at exhibition booths and performed in tight formation, high above the
Kratos Subsidiary Composite Engineering Inc., Roseville, California, was awarded a $93,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to procure Advanced Subscale Aerial Platform systems, an unmanned target aircraft with launchers and associated ground equipment and spares. Bids were solicited via the Internet with one received. Work locations and funding will
Military
Longbow was awarded a $103 million contract for Fire Control Radar Mast Mounted Assembly (MMA) Refurbishment program for the United Kingdom in support of the International Apache Attack Helicopter Project Office at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work is expected to be completed by
Business
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is being awarded $255,309,325 for fixed-price-incentive modification P00003 to a previously awarded advanced acquisition contract (N00019-17-C-0018) for the Lot 3 low-rate initial production of three MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, trade studies and tooling in
Business
The City of Palo Alto, California, is exploring two proposed drone concepts for the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program. The City recently learned that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is undertaking a limited number of pilot projects to facilitate the establishment of safe