For almost two years, hackers based in Shanghai went after one foreign defence contractor after another, at least 20 in all. Their target, according to an American cybersecurity company that monitored the attacks, was the technology behind the United States’ clear lead in military UAS. Continue reading
Yearly Archives: 2013
UK Hermes 450 Reaches 70,000 Flight Hours in Afghanistan
A British Army Hermes 450 at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan
The British Army’s Hermes 450 (H-450) unmanned air systems have completed over 70,000 hours of surveillance support in Afghanistan.This is the equivalent of 8 years of non-stop flying. Continue reading
US Navy X-47B Completes 100th Flight
The X-47B (AV-2) conducted the 100th flight for the Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) programme at Patuxent River on Sept. 18. The Navy UCAS programme successfully completed all objectives for the carrier demonstration phase with the X-47B in July. Continue reading
Idaho Researchers Rent UAS for Wildfire Recovery and Prevention
Research groups in Idaho are using unmanned aircraft systems to aid in wildfire recovery and prevention. “We are looking at the vegetation,” said Dr. Thomas Wuerzer, a Boise State University professor leading an unmanned aircraft research team, “We are not looking in your back yard.” Continue reading
NASA Engineers in UAS Competition
Competition was in high gear at Kennedy Space Center recently when three teams piloted unique remote-controlled and autonomous aircraft through a demanding series of search-and-rescue tasks, capping off months of work that pushed NASA engineers outside their usual specialties. Continue reading
US Air Force to Buy 3 Additional RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 30s
The US Air Force has issued a pre-solicitation notice to purchase three additional Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 30 UAS, despite the potential retirement of the existing fleet. Continue reading
US Navy Expands Surveillance Mission for Northrop Grumman BAMS-D
The US Navy will increase by 50 percent the monthly surveillance flights of a Northrop Grumman Corporation-built maritime unmanned demonstrator under a contract awarded September 6. The contract will allow Navy commanders to keep closer tabs on activities in the ocean and coastal regions of the Middle East. Continue reading
Northrop Grumman Improves Key Triton Unmanned Aircraft Sensor
Northrop Grumman Corporation has completed more than 25 flight tests of the U.S. Navy Triton unmanned aircraft system’s (UAS) primary maritime surveillance sensor in preparation for its installation on the aircraft. Continue reading