The FAA has issued a draft solicitation a Center of Excellence for UAS which it plans to competitively select within the next year. The formal solicitation is due to be issued in August.
Author Archives: The Editor
Lockheed Martin Indago for Civil, Military Applications
Lockheed Martin has posted this video of its five pound Indago UAS, which can serve law enforcement, agriculture, disaster relief and military markets. Continue reading
Nature Inspires UAS of the Future
Based on the mechanisms adopted by birds, bats, insects and snakes, 14 distinguished research teams have developed solutions to some of the common problems that UAS could be faced with when navigating through an urban environment and performing novel tasks for the benefit of society. Continue reading
Passenger Aircraft’s Near Miss with UAS at Perth Airport
A passenger aircraft preparing to land at Perth Airport has narrowly missed colliding with a UAS, as authorities note a rise in incidents involving unmanned aircraft. A Dash-8 chartered aircraft, coming from Kambalda, was coming in to land at Perth Airport just after 9am when the crew spotted a bright strobe light in its path at about 3800ft. The pilot swerved and missed the object by about 20 metres, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau says in a report on the March 19 incident. Continue reading
International Consortium of Aeronautical Test Sites
A small but growing group of industry professionals have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing the International Consortium of Aeronautical Test Sites (ICATS). Continue reading
US General Dempsey – Not Drones, Nor UAS… They’re Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs)
US Army General Martin E. Dempsey bristles when he hears someone use the word drone. “You will never hear me use the word ‘drone,’ and you’ll never hear me use the term ‘unmanned aerial systems,’” the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today. “Because they are not. They are remotely piloted aircraft.”
Saint John Paul II Relic Procession in Washington Filmed by QuadCopter
The procession had an ancient vibe: Dozens of priests in white robes, leading hundreds more Catholics in a solemn procession through Northeast Washington. People chanted and sang prayers from the 3rd century, asking saints through Christianity’s history for help. The Archdiocese of Washington debuted its new, hubcap-sized flying device on Mother’s Day, using it to videotape crowds participating in a procession marking the canonizations of popes John Paul II and John the 23rd (now called St. John Paul II and St. John the 23rd). Continue reading
Airbus Defence Quadcruiser Hybrid UAS Demonstrator
A proof-of-concept unmanned aerial vehicle that combines fixed-wing and helicopter capabilities is being tested by the Airbus Group.The electric-powered Quadcruiser is a joint effort of Airbus Group Innovations and Airbus Defense, with the participation of Steinbeis Flugzeug-und Leichtbau GmbH. Continue reading