Business
The world’s largest private leasing company, JetLease, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UAVOS Inc, the Mountain View, Ca.-based company specialised in the design, development and manufacturing of unmanned vehicles and autopilot systems, to provide a range of finance and leasing options for the innovative optionally
OPA
Leonardo announced that the SW-4 Solo optionally piloted helicopter successfully completed its maiden flight with no safety pilot onboard at Taranto-Grottaglie Airport (Southern Italy). The aircraft flew for 45 minutes and all systems performed as expected with excellent controllability and handling qualities.Tests included, among others, remote engine start up
VTOL
Leonardo is studying concepts for a second-generation rotary-wing unmanned air vehicle for use in both land and maritime environments. The European manufacturer is building on its experience with its AWHero 150-kg (330-lb.) light rotary-wing UAV and the SW-4 Solo, an optionally manned derivative of the SW-4 light turbine helicopter built
News
Turbines have an excellent power to weight ratio and as such are the reason is why they are used for helicopters where weight is a critical factor. Nevertheless, their fuel efficiency compared to diesel piston engines is extremely poor, especially for smaller platforms. The diesel piston engine consumes +/- 60%
Military
The US Marine Corps’ portion of the future vertical lift programme will be an optionally manned platform, the service’s deputy commandant for aviation says.While many have forecasted unmanned aircraft as the future of aviation, Lt Gen Jon “Dog” Davis believes the next generation of medium-lift, long-range rotorcraft should
OPA
A prototype of Q01 MALE (medium-altitude, long endurance) optionally-piloted aircraft was introduced at the ILA Berlin Air Show 2016 held in June 2016. It is a joint development programme between Germany and Qatar. The Q01 is designed and being developed by Reiner Stemme Utility Air Systems (RS-UAS), primarily for the
Commercial
Spectral Sky is tapping the capabilities of experimental amateur-built kit airplanes to fill the need for lower-cost manned and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for aerial data collection, real-time reconnaissance and data delivery for commercial and government customers. Spectral Sky is a commercial spin-off of Unmanned Systems, which does contracting on
OPA
Germany’s planned drone purchase is currently causing massive confusion where realistic military demands, unrealistic and sometimes naive expectations, lobbyists’ promises and constant pressure and squandered tax millions are all colliding. Alongside these time-consuming arguments between public utility providers and skeptical parties, a middle-market company based close to Berlin with
Electronic Systems
Volz is expanding its market foothold to optionally piloted vehicles (OPV). Several electro-mechanical clutches available for Volz products starting with the DA 26 Volz cover a wide range of OPV applications. A servo from Volz excels due to the simplicity of its design while simultaneously maximizing positioning force, reliability and
Testing
The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk has been a staple of U.S. military operations going back more than 30 years, but the Pentagon is now closer than ever to ditching one of the iconic chopper’s most important components: the pilot. Aircraft maker Sikorsky announced plans last year to convert