Testing
Urban Aeronautics will soon perform the first flight of an AirMule ducted fan unmanned aircraft system fitted with a double-redundant hydraulic system. The enhancement will allow for uninterrupted rotor pitch control in the event of a failure to one of the pressure supply lines. The new design underwent full power
Testing
Within the framework of the EU project sFly, researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new type of flying robot that can be navigated using only on-board cameras and a miniature computer. The micro helicopters require neither GPS nor remote control, thus reaching a new level of autonomy. Worldwide, research
Testing
An unexpected degree of aero-shell degradation was "the most probable cause" of the premature flight termination of DARPA's Hypersonic Technology Vehicle during a flight over the Pacific Ocean last August, according to the findings of the agency's independent engineering review board. Following an extensive
Testing
Inspired by a US Air Force defence programme, SelectTech Geospatial proved that an innovative company could make a UAS quickly and with limited resources. SelectTech’s test flight also marked the first time a 3D-printed UAS took off and landed on its own gear. This side project succeeded without funding
VTOL
The K-MAX cargo unmanned helicopter has impressed Marine Corps aviation leaders since the aircraft deployed to Afghanistan on Dec. 17, but the Marine Corps is not quite ready to give it the green light. One would expect that Afghanistan would be the ultimate test for a cargo helicopter considering the
Testing
Shape look familiar? This historic video from the US National Archives shows the Northrop Flying Wing (N-1M) being tested over the Mojave Desert in 1941. Northrop's first flying "wing" in 1929 was very conservative and did have a small tail. All of Northrop’s designs were
Testing
This video shows versions of DARPA and Boston Dynamics robots climbing stairs, walking on a treadmill and doing pushups. A modified platform resembling these robots is expected to be used as government-funded equipment (GFE) for performers in Tracks B and C of the DARPA Robotics Challenge . The GFE Platform is
VTOL
Schiebel just released this video [below] of the "Making Of' the first flight integrating CINEFLEX technology. Schiebel's CAMCOPTER S-100 UAS integrated with CINEFLEX is the ultimate gyro-stabilized solution for aerial cinematography. The CINEFLEX is a multi-axis coordinated gimbal control system that provides layered isolation, steering, and
Testing
AR Drone just released this new video of the 2.o version fitted with an HD video camera.As their blurb says "The AR.Drone 2.0 is at the crossroads where high-tech meets Icarus dream. Fly like a bird. View the earth from high above in high definition.
Commercial
The Kansas State University Department of Agronomy recently purchased a new MAJA Unmanned Aircraft System, with the intent of installing imaging systems on it for studying plant productivity, monitoring plant growth stages, assessing plant health, and mapping plant composition for characterizing changes in distribution of invasive and toxic plant species.
Commercial
CAE and Aeronautics have announced that the first series of flights of the Miskam unmanned aircraft system (UAS) have been conducted successfully over the past several weeks at the UAS Centre of Excellence (Centre d’excellence des drones) located at Alma airport in Quebec, Canada. The demonstration flights represent the
Testing
An Australian named Chris Malloy has built a Hoverbike from motorbike parts, which he claims can fly at 173mph at an altitude of 3,000 metres. With a 1170 cc 4-stroke engine delivering 80 kW driving two ducted propellers, the inventor of the Hoverbike, Chris Malloy, says with its high