AeroVironment, Inc. has announced that a recent outdoor test flight of a solar-powered prototype version of the company’s proven Puma AE small unmanned aircraft system (UAS), operating with the company’s newest long-endurance battery, lasted 9 hours, 11 minutes – significantly longer than the flight endurance of small UAS being used in the field today.
Yearly Archives: 2013
Unmanned Community Making Progress On Airspace Access
Airspace access is the holy grail for an unmanned-aircraft industry seeing wartime demand winding down and looking to civilian uses for continued growth. Progress has been slow, but there are signs a breakthrough is near.
Universities Prepare for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Demand
A growing number of universities have launched or are considering UAS degree programmes, including Arizona State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, and Embry-Riddle, as well as the University of North Dakota and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
NAVAIR Tests GPS Anti-Jamming Device on Small UAS
As part of an initiative to protect GPS technologies on small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), the US Navy recently conducted tests to demonstrate how miniaturized GPS protection devices can prevent interruption of this mission-critical global positioning data.
Manning the Next Unmanned Air Force: Developing RPA Pilots of the Future
As a nation, we are in the middle of discussions and debates regarding the current and future use of unmanned systems. Whether it’s the ethical or legal debates regarding “drone” strikes in the Middle East and Northern Africa, or the safety, security and privacy concerns with the use of domestic drones (or unmanned systems) in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airspace, the debate will continue.
CarteNav Selects Sentient Kestrel for Urgent Target Detection Requirements in Latin America
Sentient has announced that both Kestrel Land Moving Target Indicator (MTI) and Kestrel Maritime automated target detection capabilities have been selected by CarteNav Solutions Inc. to enhance its AIMS-HD moving map display (MMD) and sensor management system (SMS), addressing urgent operational requirements in Latin America. Continue reading
China Targets American and Israeli UAS
Despite all the publicity that American UAS receive, the major exporter of UAS has been Israel. Between 2002 and 2012, Israel exported $4.7 billion worth of UAS, approximately twice as much as the US. Continue reading
US Marines in Hawaii to Get 57 Shadows/Integrators
Surveillance UAS use and development is on the rise in the military and civilian sectors, and the Marine Corps in Hawaii said it is expected to get a dozen RQ-7B Shadows followed by 45 RQ-21A Integrators with the relocation of Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3 from California to Kaneohe Bay. Continue reading