The US Air Force plans to establish three new active duty MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper UAS squadrons this year, along with six new Air National Guard units, and one Air Force Reserve squadron, said Col. James Gear, head of the service’s UAS task force speaking at a recent industry conference in Washington, D.C.
Monthly Archives: February 2011
University of Arizona Engineers Study Birds & Bees to Design Smart UAS
University of Arizona aerospace and mechanical engineers are studying bird and bee flight to develop unmanned aircraft that stay aloft longer and cope with sudden and severe changes in airflow. The College of Engineering’s Hybrid Dynamics and Control Laboratory is developing mathematical analysis and design methods that could radically advance the capabilities of UAS and any other system that relies on autonomous decision making.
New White Paper on Re-designing COTS Servers for Military Applications
A new white paper released by Z Microsystems, a leading provider of mission-ready computing systems, provides an in-depth analysis of how ruggedized servers are being redesigned by Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) suppliers to meet these demands.
NOAA Uses NASA’s Global Hawk to Study ‘Atmospheric Rivers’
NASA Global Hawk
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists are using NASA’s Global Hawk to study atmospheric rivers in the sky during the Winter Storms and Pacific Atmospheric Rivers, or WISPAR, field campaign slated that began on February 11th.
UND Signs Lease on Grand Forks Air Base
Air Force Col. Don Shaffer, UND President Robert Kelley
The University of North Dakota and representatives from the Grand Forks Air Force Base signed a historic lease agreement on Saturday, Feb. 12, providing the University’s UAS programme a new home on base for research, training and education. A signing ceremony took place inside the base facility, part of which — about 5,000 square feet — will house UND’s Center for UAS Research, Education & Training.
Tough Requirements for MQ-X
The MQ-X, the unmanned system that will replace the US Air Force’s General Atomics MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper, must be survivable, weather tolerant, modular, upgradable with plug-and-play intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) options and have flexible communications, according to Col. James Gear, director of the USAF’s UAS task force.
Guardian UAS to be Based at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Brig. Gen. Ed Wilson, commander of the 45th Space Wing announced last week that one unmanned and unarmed Guardian* UAS, operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection will soon be based at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Two or three more will likely arrive in coming months to patrol for illegal immigration or drug traffic.
US Senators Push for 10 UAS Test Sites
U.S. Senators Charles Schumer (New York) and Ron Wyden(Oregon) plan to submit an amendment on UAS to the FAA reauthorization bill, a two-year $35 billion legislative package. The amendment would establish 10 test sites in the National Airspace System for UAS. As of now, the bill proposes establishing four sites.