In the wake of the Russian invasion into Ukraine in early 2021, a seismic shift reshaped the battlefield: the rise of fighter-drones and various UAS threats now paint a new picture on the horizon. Continue reading
Author Archives: The Editor
General Atomics Gets $250M Taiwan MQ-9B SkyGuardian Procurement Contract
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $250,063,810, undefinitized contract action for Taiwan MQ-9B SkyGuardian procurement. Continue reading
How the US Army Can Close its Dangerous – and Growing – Small Drone Gap
In July, Ukrainian soldiers took to social media to voice complaints about training they received from US Army personnel in Germany. Chief among their criticisms was the seeming ignorance of commercial drone use on the battlefield. Continue reading
Focke Wulf FW 187 – Germany’s Missed Opportunity
The Focke-Wulf Fw 187 Falke (“Falcon”) was a German aircraft designed in 1935. It was conceived by Kurt Tank as a twin-engine, high-performance fighter, but the Luftwaffe saw no role for the design, perceiving it as intermediate between the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Bf 110. Later prototypes were adapted to two-seats to compete with the Bf 110 in the heavy fighter (Zerstörer) role, but only nine aircraft were built in total. Continue reading
Ukrainian Drones Damage Russian Oil Refineries in Second Day of Attacks
Ukraine struck Russian oil refineries in a second day of heavy drone attacks on Wednesday, causing a fire at Rosneft’s biggest refinery in what President Vladimir Putin said was an attempt to disrupt his country’s presidential election this week. Continue reading
GA-ASI Hosts Joint Industry/Government Open Architecture Conference
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. hosted an Open Architecture Symposium on February 29, 2024, at its headquarters in Poway, California. At the symposium, government and industry speakers highlighted the tools, communities, and partners required to put Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) into practice in the development of Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Continue reading
Pioneering Simulations Pave the Way for Routine Drone Flights in the UK
The prospect of remotely piloted drones operating in and out of some of the UK’s busiest airports has taken a step closer to reality following a series of pioneering simulations by the air traffic management service, NATS. Continue reading
Autonomous Overhead Powerline Recharging for Uninterrupted Drone Operations
Researchers at the Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Department at the University of Southern Denmark have just published a study demonstrating fully autonomous self-recharging drone system capable of long-duration sustained operations near powerlines. Continue reading