Propulsion
CyPhy Works Parc hexrotor can stay aloft as long as its services are needed, monitoring its surroundings 24-7 with a gyro-stabilized high-definition camera until its humans owners decide it’s time for a break. Parc gets its juice from a micro-filament that also carries data back to the ground. The
Military
AgustaWestland has given international show debuts to a pair of its optionally-piloted and unmanned air vehicle designs in Dubai. Sporting a black livery and based on the SW-4 airframe produced by Polish subsidiary PZL Swidnik, the 1.8t Solo has previously undergone a series of flight trials in the UK,
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
Military
Schiebel’s CAMCOPTER S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS) continues its successful shipboard trials when demonstrating its outstanding capabilities to the South African Navy from 20 to 23 October 2015 at False Bay, Western Cape, South Africa. The maritime environment holds unique demands for situational awareness and timely communications. The CAMCOPTER
VTOL
State testing of the Granat-5 unmanned tiltrotor aircraft designed for the Russian Navy will begin before the end of the year, a spokesman of the developing company, Izhmash Unmanned Systems announced. "One of our projects that will undergo state tests by the end of the year is the unmanned
Military
Korean Air Aerospace Division (KAL-ASD) has developed an armed and unmanned version of the MD 500 Little Bird light attack and observation helicopter that it showcased for the first time at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (ADEX) 2015. Speaking to IHS Jane's at the event on
Testing
Lockheed Martin and KAMAN Corporations demonstrated for federal officials how the remotely piloted K-MAX helicopter can be used to perform wildland firefighting scenarios, including cargo drops, single target water drops, and progressive line building with a bucket. The demonstration provided officials from the U.S. Department of the Interior and
First Responders
In five months of operation, the NGO Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) saved over 8.800 lives in the Mediterranean. By spotting and monitoring distressed vessels, Schiebel’s Unmanned Air System CAMCOPTER S-100 assisted in the rescue and contributed significantly to the success of the mission. Thousands of refugees have
Commercial
CNN has acquired a Delta X8, a multi-rotor designed and manufactured by New Zealand-based Altus Unmanned Aerial Solutions, to advance its efforts to employ unmanned aircraft for their aerial news-gathering over public and property. Selected as one the Federal Aviation Administration’s three Pathfinder organizations, CNN has been actively engaged
VTOL
Using quadrocopters and some rope, researchers have woven together a bridge strong enough to walk across. Made at the ETH Zurich Flying Machine Arena in Switzerland, the bridge joins two scaffolds, and is the first full-scale load-bearing structure autonomously built by flying machines. The feat represents one more step in
VTOL
Swedish unmanned helicopter company CybAero has gained a new shareholder. Subversive Capital, a US fund, has acquired the remainder of California-based AeroVironment's CybAero holding. "We are delighted that Subversive Capital decided to become a major shareholder of CybAero and we look forward to working closely with them,
Military
The MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter has made an 11-hour, long-range flight. During an endurance demonstration from Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, the Fire Scout flew 150 miles and 11 hours on a planned 10-hour flight, and still had an hour's fuel in reserve, according to a