Data Links & Communications
LaserMotive will be showcasing examples of its wireless power system for unmanned aircraft, including models of electric helicopters and aircraft, at the SPIE Defense, Security and Sensing Exhibition April 26-29 in Orlando, Florida. LaserMotive is an independent R&D company specializing in laser power beaming and winner of the
Data Links & Communications
The Pentagon spends $500 million a year on commercial satellite communications to support operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Defense Information Systems Agency wants to cut those costs dramatically with a $440 million, 15-year lease of a single commercial satellite. DISA expects such a deal could meet 78 percent of
Data Links & Communications
At the Navy League’s annual Sea Air Space convention outside Washington, Northrop and the Navy unveiled new details about the X-47B and their schedule to get it flying off a carrier. Rule number one: it’s not “remotely piloted.” Put the phrase “remotely piloted” out of your mind, says
Military
Vuzix Corporation announced that it has been awarded a $1 million research contract under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) Programme. The funding will go towards research and development of a next generation holographic optical display system for use by Joint Terminal
Control Stations
The U.S. Army is testing prototypes of a new high-tech synchronization engine at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala., which can combine video feeds and sensor data from multiple Unmanned Aircraft Systems on a single Ground Control Station. "We are opening a gateway to information that we have never
Data Links & Communications
A new white paper entitled "Wireless Data-link for Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Requirements, Challenges and Design Ideas," has just been published by Dr. Raj Jain,Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis and Fred Templin of Boeing. The full paper can be seen here: Wireless
Data Links & Communications
The U.S. Army is beginning mission equipment upgrade modifications to its fleet of Bell OH-58 Kiowa Warrior scout aircraft to build a new, high-tech "F" model helicopter. The OH-58 is configured with Level 2 Manned-Unmanned teaming, or L2MUM - which means that the pilots in the cockpit
Data Links & Communications
Harris, a Pentagon contractor with experience in commercial broadcast video products, is currently developing an application for Apple's iPad and other tablets that that will act as a remote display for images and video captured by UAS. The applications from Harris rely on relatively inexpensive smart-phones and tablets,
Data Links & Communications
NASA Glenn Research Center has issued an RFI for potential sources and partners for the design and development of a Command and Control communication (C2) system prototype for unmanned aircraft. Even though both terrestrial and satellite based solutions are under consideration in the standards bodies, the focus of this effort
Data Links & Communications
AAI Corporation has won a $12.6 million contract from the US Army Contracting command at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, to install Tactical Common Data Link equipment on two Shadow UAS. The TCDL is a secure data link designed to send encrypted data and streaming video to ground stations at high
Data Links & Communications
Russia has spent hundreds of millions of dollars buying Israeli unmanned aircraft systems (and to acquire technology and components for joint UAS production. But at present these UAS are no more than expensive flying TV-cameras, the targeting information they produce is mostly useless, since there are no precise GLONASS (GPS)
Data Links & Communications
The U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center have issued an RFI on behalf of the U.S. Army to obtain information to serve as a market survey to aid in research associated with the development of a SDDL designed to