In May, Eric Maglio traveled to a conference in Florida, showed some Northrop Grumman executives clips of the miniature X-47B unmanned aircraft he’d just built, and was offered a job on the spot. Continue reading
Author Archives: The Editor
Tourist Jailed and Fined for Buzzing Notre Dame
An Israeli tourist was arrested in front of Notre Dame Cathedral while flying a drone above some of Paris’ top attractions. In what has become a growing problem for authorities in Paris and other tourist hotspots, the 24-year-old man spent a night behind bars and was hit with a £310 fine before he was released. Continue reading
AeroVironment Gets $27M US Army Raven and Puma Spares Contracts
AeroVironment, Inc. has announced it received three firm fixed-price orders from the United States Army totaling $27,178,075 for RQ-11B Raven and RQ-20A Puma AE unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) spare parts. The company received two orders on August 29, 2014 and one on September 18, 2014. Delivery is anticipated within 12 months. Continue reading
Google, Amazon, DJI and GoPro Lead Small UAV Lobby Group
Leading technology companies have formally announced the formation of the Small UAV Coalition to help pave the way for commercial, philanthropic, and civil use of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in the United States and abroad. Chief among the organization’s goals is to advance a regulatory environment that will support safe, reliable, and timely operation of small UAVs. Continue reading
German Defence Minister wants to Revive Euro Hawk
German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen wants to revive the high-altitude reconnaissance drone Euro Hawk after the government backed away from plans to buy some last year, a German newspaper said on Saturday.
Insurance Company Requests FAA Approval to Test UAS
USAA , the United Services Automobile Association, has asked the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to research how unmanned aircraft systems could be used to help improve how quickly it settles insurance claims for its members during natural disasters. Continue reading
General Atomics Gets $53M US Air Force Support Contracts
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a $38,907,316 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price order (00057) under basic ordering agreement contract FA8620-10-G-3038 for 62 ground data terminals, 50 MQ-9 C-Bands diplexer kits, spares and support equipment. Continue reading
Defense Department Questions US Air Force MQ-9 Procurement Plans
The Defense Department Inspector General said the US Air Force has not justified its plan to procure 401 MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft, and “risks spending” some $8.8 billion on 46 Reapers “it may not need,” according to a report from the Defense Department Inspector General, released Sept. 30. But, the Air Force says that report is based on old data. “The Air Force is only buying 346 aircraft, 55 fewer than the 401 figure contained in the report. And, we’ve only received about half that number,” said Lt. Gen. Robert Otto, Air Force deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, in an Oct. 2 release.