Military
Aurora Flight Sciences has revealed plans for future modifications of its 120 hour-endurance Orion. If cleared to advance beyond the funded demonstration, the Orion will be modified with a retractable main landing gear to reduce drag and a de-icing system for all-weather operations, said Tim Bennett, the US-headquartered firm'
Testing
Researchers at the Modern Technologies Engineering Collage of Tabriz University developed an unmanned aircraft, called the Shaparak (butterfly), which can fly at 15,000 feet and has a range of 20 km. One of the designers of the aircraft said that the long period of constant flying at high altitudes
Military
Qinetiq has joined forces with Northrop Grumman to offer what it has described as a low-cost, short-term solution for an emerging Royal Navy requirement to field a vertical take-off and landing unmanned aircraft system (VTUAS).The companies are proposing a demonstration programme which would take one of the UK'
Propulsion
Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has announced that the growth variant of the Rolls-Royce AE 3007H engine has successfully completed its US Air Force-funded flight test. The engine is designed to enhance performance of the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft and will offer customers significant improvements in engine durability
Testing
MBDA has advanced development and test activities for its Fire Shadow loitering munition design, and is on track to deliver its first operational examples to the British Army in 2012. Two significant test firings have been conducted since late last year, the European missile manufacturer announced during the Defence &
Testing
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. announced that it has completed initial testing of a new UAS open payload architecture in its Poway, California, System Integration Lab (SIL). The testing demonstrated the ability to host third party-developed payload control software on existing airborne and Ground Control Station (GCS) processors and was
Testing
The aerospace industry’s Autonomous Systems Technology Related Airborne Evaluation & Assessment (ASTRAEA) programme is about to test wireless communication system designed to allow a UAS to securely send video footage and other information to its ground-based operator at the highest possible speed, even when it is out of direct
Business
General Dynamics Information Technology has been selected by the US Air Force Research Laboratory as an awardee for the Manufacturing Technologies for Remotely Piloted Vehicles Contract. The five-year, multiple-award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract has a total potential value of $45 million among all awardees. General Dynamics will develop new
Testing
Operational trials with the British Army's Watchkeeper remain on track to start next month, after the WK450 aircraft set a new endurance record in testing. Major Matt Moore, SO2 UAS for headquarters, Royal Artillery, said that a WK450 completed an almost 14 hour flight in early September from
Testing
Representatives from the Lawton Chamber of Commerce and Industry joined government officials to venture far west of Lawton to see the first public demonstration of the Sandstorm unmanned aircraft. Built by Unmanned Systems Inc. of Las Vegas, it is being marketed by Northrop Grumman as an inexpensive alternative to more
Military
A combined, unmanned reconnaissance and attack system developed under a collaborative programme between Germany and Israel has recently passed an important milestone, demonstrating the integration of two unmanned aircraft systems – the Rheinmetall Defense KZO aerial reconnaissance drone and IAI’s loitering weapon – the Harop. The highlight of the test was
Military
The Lockheed Martin-led unmanned K-MAX team successfully completed a five-day Quick Reaction Assessment (QRA) for the U.S. Navy's Cargo Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) programme. "The autonomous flying K-MAX is designed to resupply Marines on the battlefield and in remote locations," said Roger Il Grande, director