World Surveillance Group Inc. has announced that that free flight testing and customer demonstrations of the Argus One will take place at the US Department of Energy Nevada Test Site (“N2S2”) in early December 2011. These flight tests and demonstrations at N2S2 are being sponsored by the US Department of Defense (“DoD”) and have been rescheduled from the proving ground facility in Yuma, AZ.
At the N2S2 flight exercises, WSGI intends to test and also demonstrate the Argus One and its capabilities to the DoD sponsors, who will be providing both capabilities such as pre-flight, frequency, and free flight coordination testing, and access to N2S2 facilities including hangar space and airport operations. Additionally, WSGI is in discussions to conduct flight testing and demonstrations in Oklahoma pursuant to the recent agreement executed by WSGI with Oklahoma State University – University Multispectral Laboratories, LLC (“UML”) at UML’s Oklahoma Training Center – Unmanned Systems (“OTC-US”) within the U.S. Army’s Fort Sill restricted airspace. Flight preparation and testing in Nevada will be carried out by WSGI’s technical partner, Eastcor Engineering (“ECE”), who will manage and oversee the flight operations of the Argus One UAV.
The expected Argus One flight exercises at Oklahoma will be the first of many activities planned under a recently executed collaboration agreement with UML, a national center for testing, evaluating, and implementing defense, homeland security, energy and intelligence systems. UML has an agreement with the U.S. Army’s Fort Sill to utilize restricted airspace for unmanned aerial systems operations with UML clients including numerous government agencies and programs, and commercial entities.
WSGI intends to announce information and details regarding the results of the N2S2 flight testing and demonstrations upon conclusion of the flights and after approvals from the sponsoring bodies governing the exercises. Following the completion of the flight testing of the Argus One UAV in Nevada, WSGI and ECE will commence preparation of a performance data package, required under a contract awarded from Space Florida, an independent special district, body politic and corporate, and subdivision of the State of Florida.
Source: Press Release