Testing
Northrop Grumman just posted this two minute video review of recent flight test activities for US Navy's X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System demonstration aircraft at Edwards AFB, California. The two aircraft will be moved from Edwards to the US Navy’s test centre at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
Propulsion
A US Navy MQ-8B Fire Scout conducts the first unmanned biofuel flight at Webster Field in St. Inigoes, Maryland. The Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Directorate piloted the helicopter fueled with a combination of JP-5 aviation fuel and plant-based camelina. The biofuel blend reduces carbon dioxide output by 75 percent when
Testing
New Mexico State University on September 30 announced that its Physical Science Laboratory is partnering with the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in developing and testing DARPA's Vulture unmanned aircraft programme.The Vulture II Programme, a joint venture between DARPA and Boeing, is centered around a
Testing
ARMS-TASS reports that the Dozor-100, developed by Kronshtadt Technologies, has performed a test flight with geo-physical equipment onboard. The flight was undertaken on September 21st. by the Dozor-100 with tail number 003. An algorithm of automatic takeoff and landing was practiced during the flight. All the systems worked correctly. The
VTOL
Moller International, Inc. announced the postponement of the first manned untethered flight of its M400X Skycar that had been scheduled for October 11, 2011. "As Moller International moves forward with our new marketing and public relations campaigns, we find ourselves up against compounding deadlines, "said Jah Mackey, Director
Propulsion
The US Navy is showing interest in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Vulture solar-powered, ultra-endurance unmanned aircraft as a means of providing communications to carrier strike groups if satellites are knocked out. The Vulture programme is developing technology for an unmanned aircraft able to stay aloft for up
Testing
The Boeing QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target programme in August became the first target programme to conduct software tests in a systems integration lab (SIL) environment. The programme demonstrated key capabilities for the U.S. Air Force during a programme review and tour. Boeing supplier partner BAE Systems conducted the
Propulsion
Boeing is looking to fly its company-funded Phantom Eye hydrogen-fuelled, long-endurance unmanned aircraft in late October or early November at Edwards Air Force Base, California.The twin-engine, 150-ft.-wingspan demonstrator is due to be rolled out onto the dry lakebed at Edwards this weekend for an integrated fuelling, engine run
Testing
According to Daryl Davis, chief of Boeing’s Phantom Works division, Boeing’s Phantom Ray is being put into storage, now that it’s successfully completed its test flights. The company is going to keep the aircraft in flyable condition with the hopes of dusting it off to contribute to
Testing
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) recently selected Aurora Flight Sciences for the Manufacturing Technologies for Remotely Piloted Vehicles (MaTeR) programme. Over the next eighty-four months, Aurora will develop and improve manufacturing processes for all aspects of Remotely Piloted Vehicles/Aircraft, which include both the airborne and ground components. Aurora&
Testing
Lockheed Martin/Kaman Aerospace has released this video of the coaxial-rotor K-Max successfully completing its quick reaction assessment - the last step in a roughly eight-month competition phase. The five-day assessment will help to determine whether the K-Max unmanned helicopter will be selected for a six-month deployment to Afghanistan. Source:
Testing
The MQ-8B Fire Scout was the first UAS to land on a moving ship without being controlled by a ground-based operator and, five years later, a new version of the platform dubbed the Fire-X is currently undergoing test at YPG. "It provides a heavier lift capability than the Fire