Weapons Systems
AeroVironment, Inc. announced that the U.S. Army has exercised an option on its Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile Systems (LMAMS) contract for additional Switchblade 300 tactical missile systems for the Army and for export to an allied nation. The $44,961,751 contract option increases the total value of the
C-UAS
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, Information Directorate, Rome NY (AFRL/RI) has a requirement to provide a focused yet flexible, rapid, agile contracting vehicle between Air Force Research Laboratory, its Products Centers, and the Operational Community to support rapid research, development, prototyping, demonstration, evaluation, and transition of Counter
News
On Monday, NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter became the first aircraft in history to make a powered, controlled flight on another planet. The Ingenuity team at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California confirmed the flight succeeded after receiving data from the helicopter via NASA’s Perseverance Mars
Events
Iran has shown off an extensive collection of its military drones during the country's annual National Army Day parade on April 18. The models demonstrated included an aircraft fitted for a variety of purposes – from committing simple kamikaze attacks and surveillance to carrying out precision strikes. Military trucks
Testing
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory engineers recently demonstrated Hybrid Tiger, an electric unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with multi-day endurance flight capability, at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. The team integrated technologies developed in prior NRL power and energy programs into a single UAV to achieve multi-day endurance with a Group 2
Military
Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces (FAR) signed an acquisition contract of 13 Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV) with Turkey to the tune of MAD 626 million ($70 million). Under the agreement, Morocco will receive four driving ground stations, a configurable simulation system for driving drones, and a digital
Business
SF Express, China’s leading integrated logistics provider, intends to expand its delivery network fleet through the deployment of large cargo unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability. Together with its Munich based subsidiary, Amazilia Aerospace, SF Express has partnered with Pipistrel, a Slovenian aerospace company,
News
The German Parliament’s budget committee last week approved a 3 billion euro ($3.59 billion) contract for the development of a European military drone to be built by Airbus, Dassault and Leonardo a parliamentary source said. The German military will receive 21 drones, 12 ground control stations and four
Commercial
Ericsson is working with Vodafone UK to speed up network planning and site upgrades through the trialled use of drones and Lidar-based 3D technology. The trials will use drones equipped with a High Definition (HD) camera, alongside Lidar technology, to collect data from network sites that can then be used
Business
The French Minister of Armed Forces, Florence Parly, has announced that the Armament General Directorate (DGA) has signed an order to purchase eight additional H225Ms and a second VSR700 prototype from Airbus.The VSR700 is an unmanned aerial system being developed for the French Navy in partnership with Naval Group.
Propulsion
The hydrogen market is always associated with fuel cells and vehicles, but this is actually a tiny portion of the overall hydrogen market. In fact, to use hydrogen in fuel cells and industrial applications, it is necessary to produce hydrogen cost-effectively. The strong potential of hydrogen is driven by the
Transport
Xwing, a San Francisco startup developing technologies for self-flying aircraft, announced that it has completed what it called the world’s first fully autonomous demonstration flight of a commercial cargo aircraft from gate to gate. The Cessna Grand Caravan 208 pulled away from Xwing’s hangar in Concord, California, taxied,