Following columnist Charles Krauthammer’s observation that the first person to shoot down a surveillance drone on US soil will be a “folk hero,” gun enthusiasts in Texas have done precisely that as a protest. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: June 2012
Predator Crash in Khandahar Caused by Loss of Engine Coolant
Loss of engine coolant caused the crash of an MQ-1B Predator Jan. 30, 2012, in Afghanistan, according to an Air Combat Command Abbreviated Accident Investigation Board report released May 29, 2012. Continue reading
Canada Releases Figures on UAS Crashes
The latest annual fleet airworthiness review, obtained by The Canadian Press under the access-to-information law show that crashes by unmanned aircraft are increasing the number of accident investigations undertaken by the military’s flight-safety branch. Continue reading
RPAS 2012 – “Operational Experience & Lessons Learned” in Afghanistan by UK and French Armies
One of the highlights of UVS International’s RPAS 2012 Conference in Paris on June 5 – 7, will be on the second day, when the UK and French armies give a back-to-back presentation on “Operational Experience & Lessons Learned” in the deployment of UAS in Afghanistan. Colonel Gilles Randreau of the 61st Artillery Regiment in the French Army and Lieutenant-Colonel Craig Palmer, of 32 Regiment Royal Army will give the presentations. Continue reading
New French Defence Minister Wants Fresh Look at UAS Plans
France’s new defence minister said he’ll “go back to square one” on plans to build unmanned military aircraft. Continue reading
Northrop Grumman and L-3 MAS Announce Polar Hawk
Northrop Grumman Corporation and L-3 MAS announced plans to join forces on a variant of the Northrop Grumman-produced Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for Canada to maintain continuous surveillance of its Arctic territories. Continue reading
Northrop Grumman Gets $33M Navy BAMS Contract Extension
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Aerospace Systems is being awarded a $32,774,936 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00019-08-C-0023) in support of the broad area maritime surveillance unmanned aircraft system system development and demonstration. Continue reading
Australian Navy to Test Heavy-Fuel UAS on Warships
The Australian Navy will experiment with the operation of unmanned aircraft from warships with the objective of outlining requirements for a formal capability. Continue reading