Pavel Kashchuk, founder of the automotive site infocar.ua and host of the eponymous YouTube channel, posted images showing the wreckage of Merlin-VR unmanned aircraft. Continue reading
Author Archives: The Editor
Watchkeeper Crashes into Sea off Cyprus
A Watchkeeper UK Army drone costing £30 million has plunged into the sea — the seventh in the £1.2 billion programme to crash. Continue reading
DARPA Wants to Refuel Drones in Wirelessly in Flight
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) published a request for information (RFI) from anyone willing and able to contribute their tech, with a few caveats. Continue reading
Unpowered MIP Gripper Allows Drones to Passively Perch and Grasp
Aerial drones are much more useful if they can grasp and carry objects, plus they use much less power if they can perch on stationary objects instead of hovering. A new attachment allows drones to do both, without using any electricity. Continue reading
Northrop Grumman Gets $15M MQ-4C Triton Upgrades Contract for Australia
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is awarded a $15,063,680 modification (P00026) to a previously awarded, fixed-price incentive (firm-target) contract (N0001919C0008). Continue reading
Forgotten Hero of The Pacific War | Vought-Sikorsky OS2U ‘Kingfisher’
The Vought OS2U Kingfisher is an often under-appreciated veteran of the Pacific War. Designed and built as a naval scout for use aboard US Navy Battleships and Cruisers, it served throughout the war in its intended role, and it also became known as a ‘Guardian Angel’ due to its frequent use in air-sea rescue operations. Continue reading
Romania Cancels Watchkeeper X Contract
Romania’s Defense Ministry has canceled its only tender for the acquisition of military drones, despite rising security risks in the region. Continue reading
Shape-Shifting Drone Flies and Dives to Seek Aquatic Environmental Clues
A new Imperial College-developed ‘dual robot’ drone can both fly through air and land on water to collect samples and monitor water quality. Continue reading