Testing
With a wingspan of 400 feet, the Vulture will be the largest unmanned aircraft ever flown in the world, but for New Mexico State University’s Physical Science Laboratory it’s only the latest in a long string of groundbreaking projects PSL has been working on for decades. On September
Testing
Raytheon just released this footage from the Small Tactical Munition (STM) flight test at the Yuma Proving Grounds in February 2012.The STM is 22 inches long, 3.6 inches in diameter and weighs 13.5 pounds, and could be used on a UAS with a payload as low as
Testing
Raytheon has completed the preliminary design phase of the Tactically Expandable Maritime Platform (TEMP) programme awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Through the TEMP programme, Raytheon is creating an innovative system of modular technologies – including air and sea cargo transport, cargo transfer and onboard support resources – that
Military
Gizmodo claims that one of the reasons that the FAA is closing down a large area around Devil's Lake, North Dakota is to test UAS lasers.The restricted zone will be reserved for unmanned aircraft—civilian planes will have to fly at a different altitude, or around the
Testing
The U.S. Army is standing by its approach of continuing to fly, buy and upgrade its Gray Eagles notwithstanding software glitches encountered on the road to the programme’s initial operational test and evaluation, which is scheduled to begin the first week of August at Fort Irwin, California. The
Testing
A team from the Navy Unmanned Combat Air System programme office tested communication software for the Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) programme aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during its sea trials, July 7-10. The UCAS-D programme, based at the Naval Air Systems Command
Lighter Than Air
Carolina Unmanned Vehicles, Inc. (CUV) has announced the delivery of a new version of their Lightweight Aerostat System (LAS) for the Small Tactical Multi-Payload Aerostat System (STMPAS). STMPAS combines the LAS hardware from CUV and payloads developed by Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) for the Army Rapid Equipping Force (REF)
Commercial
The US Air National Guard just announced that on May 7, 2012 the 163d Reconnaissance Wing took part in the Ardent Sentry Exercise which focused on Defense support of civil entities during a crisis situation. The object of the exercise was to launch an MQ-1 Predator from Fort Polk by
Testing
QinetiQ is working with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to establish a new Unmanned Air Systems Capability Development Centre (UASCDC) to support the rapid development of UAS programmes from concept to deployment. The new Centre, the first of its kind in the UK will have a hub at MOD
Testing
Alenia Aermacchi was again displaying its Sky-Y at Farnborough - a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Technologies Demonstrator - which first flew in June 2007. Sky-Y has an all-composite structure, all-electric systems and a 160 HP diesel engine of automotive derivation giving it up to 14 hours' endurance. It
Testing
Lockheed Martin has developed a small homing beacon the size of a hockey puck to help increase the accuracy of cargo drops by UAS. The beacon is small enough to easily fit in a Marine’s pack and could soon provide a novel way to call in quick, accurate resupply
Testing
Taranis, BAE’s unmanned combat air system technology demonstrator, has successfully completed a series of key tests on the way to commencing flight trials in 2013. The low observable (LO) platform recently completed radar cross section tests at BAE Systems’ Warton site and the initial analysis has indicated that the