Military
Aerovironment Inc., Monrovia, California, was awarded an $8,868,341 firm-fixed-price contract for providing RQ-20B Puma AE II systems and support to Estonia. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Monrovia, California, with an estimated completion date of March 24, 2019. Fiscal 2018 operations
Military
On August 7, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) completed the first-ever automated landing of an MQ-9 Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), followed by the first auto-takeoff on August 9. The new Automatic Takeoff and Landing Capability (ATLC) was developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) to enhance
Military
AeroVironment, Inc. has announced the receipt of a fixed-price contract award valued at $5,962,494 from NSPA on August 20, 2018.The contract award encompasses the procurement of Raven® unmanned aircraft systems equipped with Mantis i23 sensors and pocket Remote Video Terminals (p/RVT) for the Portuguese Army, with
Military
A Hellenic Army unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fell near Komotini, northern Greece, last Thursday morning.The SAGEM Sperwer type aircraft fell some four kilometers west of Komotini, according to local reports. The aircraft had been on a training exercise when it crashed five minutes after takeoff, sources said. Initial assessments
Accidents
A MQ-4C Triton landed on its belly after a test flight last Wednesday went wrong at Naval Base Ventura County in California. The incident occurred at 2:45 pm Wednesday at Point Mugu when the aircraft from Florida-based Naval Air Station Jacksonville’s Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 experienced an unspecified
Military
Taiwan’s defense budget draft for 2019 discloses the island nation’s plans to deploy combat-ready drones to protect its coastline. Tabled to the island’s Legislative Yuan last week, the budget details the prioritization of tactical reconnaissance and armed drones to deter enemy forces on beachheads and coastal areas.
Accidents
An RQ-4 Global Hawk crashed into the waters off Spain on June 26th, 2018. The incident has not been previously disclosed to the public prior to inquiries by The Drive. It marks the second loss of an RQ-4 in just over a year, with the other aircraft crashing into highly
Technology
Australian metal additive manufacturing company, Titomic, has announced its first defence agreement with TAUV, to produce a ruggedised soldier-enabled Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Titanium using the Titomic Kinetic Fusion technology. The ruggedised 3D printed soldier-enabled drone prototype in Titanium has been shortlisted for Innovation Awards at Land Forces 2018,
VTOL
BlueBird Aero Systems recently revealed a new VTOL Capability of its long range, long endurance ThunderB tactical UAS (~30Kg, 4m wing-span), only 2 months after exposing an exceptional Cargo Release Capability of the ThunderB UAV at Eurosatory 2018. The new dual-hybrid ThunderB VTOL is capable of taking-off vertically from a
Military
The Australian federal government has signed two contracts to further develop the Australian Defence Force’s unmanned aerial system (UAS) capabilities. Defence minister Christopher Pyne said the Defence Innovation Hub contracts, signed with UAV Vision and Textron Systems Australia, would enable Australia to remain at the forefront of surveillance, intelligence
Events
At the annual Indian exhibition UAV INDIA 2018 CIVIL & MILITARY, being held on September 6&7 in New Delhi, Bharat Drone Systems Pvt together with UAVOS Inc., a company specialized in unmanned solutions, will demonstrate new examples of unmanned aerial systems (UAS): unmanned vertical takeoff and landing vehicles
Military
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI) has announced the further expansion of Team Reaper Australia. Sentient Vision Systems, Team Reaper Australia’s newest member, is the only Australian provider of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) solutions that has been an integral part of every Australian Unmanned Aerial System (UAS)