The Tupolev Tu-114 Rossiya (Russian: Tyполев Тy-114 Poccия) (NATO reporting name Cleat) was a turboprop-powered long-range airliner designed by the Tupolev design bureau and built in the Soviet Union from 1956. It is the world’s first and only swept wing turboprop airliner. The aircraft was the largest and fastest passenger plane at that time and at 10,900 km (6,800 mi) also had the longest range. It has held the official title of fastest propeller-driven aircraft since 1960. Continue reading
Author Archives: The Editor
Airbus Reveals Classified LOUT Stealth Testbed
During the 2019 edition of its Trade Media Briefing on November 5, 2019, Airbus Defense and Space unveiled the existence of its “Low Observable UAV Testbed”, or LOUT. Continue reading
Flock 93 Could be Russia’s 100-Strong Drone Swarm
Takhion could be the basis for the Flock-93 swarm
At a security exposition in Moscow in late October, researchers from Russia’s oldest Air Force academy presented a vision of the future of war: a swarm of drones, more than 100 strong, each carrying a small explosive payload, designed to destroy convoys of vehicles.
‘Commercial Vendors and the Public Safety UAS Sector’ Report Issued
Drone search and rescue expert Gene Robinson (left) interviews members of the Los Angeles Fire Department UAS team at the DRONERESPONDERS U.S. Public Safety UAS Summit
The lack of standardized training and certification is the top issue hampering public safety drone operations, according to DRONERESPONDERS – the world’s fastest growing non-profit organization supporting public safety UAS. The determination stems from a double-validated research initiative based on survey data, as well as live focus group feedback conducted during last week’s U.S. Public Safety UAS Summit held at Commercial UAV Expo Americas in Las Vegas. Continue reading
AeroVironment Gets $6.4M Raven Contract from Southeast Asia
AeroVironment, Inc. has announced it received a firm fixed-price contract valued at $6,408,542 from an existing Southeast Asian military customer on September 17, 2019 for additional Raven unmanned aircraft systems. Delivery is anticipated within 12 months. Continue reading
Swift Assists Bahamas Relief Efforts
Swift Team captures images of the rebuilding efforts in seaside communities
The Government of Bahamas recently engaged Swift Engineering’s Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Team to support the country’s post-hurricane relief efforts. Following the Category 5 Hurricane that caused damage along with parts of its archipelago, the government engaged Swift to conduct 98 day and night mapping missions over two weeks. Continue reading
GA-ASI’s Predator Series Passes Six Million Flight Hours
Predator B ISR at Gray Butte
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. has announced that its Predator-series of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), which includes the Predator, Predator B, Gray Eagle, Avenger and MQ-9B SkyGuardian lines, has surpassed six million flight hours. The milestone was achieved on October 31, 2019 with GA-ASI aircraft having completed 430,495 total missions with close to 90 percent of those missions flown in combat. Continue reading
Russian Occupation Forces Shoot at OSCE UAV
Russian occupation forces in Donbas on Monday, Nov 4, opened fire on an unmanned aerial vehicle of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission operating in the area of Chermalyk, the press center of the Joint Forces Operation Headquarters wrote on Facebook.