There is an effort underway to develop a UAV version of the F-16. This would be based on the QF-16, the remotely controlled target version of the F-16. The air force is already in the process of converting 210 retired F-16s to QF-16s and it was noted that with a little extra work the QF-16 could be turned into a combat UAV for dangerous missions like SEAD (suppression of enemy defenses) or attacking ground targets guarded by heavy air defenses.
Category Archives: Applications & Testing & Experience
Heron UAS Operators Offered Airframe Transplant
Existing operators of the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron unmanned aircraft system are being offered a way of getting the advanced performance of the heavy fuel engine-powered Super Heron, by taking the avionics package of the older version and “transplanting” it into the new model’s enlarged fuselage.
Las Vegas Club Delivers Champagne by OctoCopter
Bottle service took to the sky Memorial Weekend as Marquee Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas debuted a new high roller delivery method: OctoCopter. Continue reading
Turkey’s Vestel Tests Karayel UAS
The Vestel Defense Industry Corporation successfully tested Karayel, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which was designed for the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) under an agreement between the Undersecretariat of Defence Industry and Vestel. Continue reading
Reapers Fly Air-to-Ground Weapon System Evaluation
Hunters from the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing and the Air-to-Ground Weapons System Evaluation Program team participated in the 2014 Combat Hammer Exercise May 12-15, 2014, to operationally assess and evaluate the reliability, maintainability, suitability, and accuracy of remotely piloted aircraft munitions. Continue reading
Luxury Hotel Delivers Champagne by QuadCopter
A luxury hotel is taking Champagne delivery to a whole new level with a soaring bottle service by quadcopter.The Mansion at Casa Madrona in California unleashed their state-of-the-art octo-copter earlier this month to deliver the residents precious bubbly. The service is specifically for guests staying in the hotel’s most luxurious suite – where nights start at $10,000. Continue reading
First Fixed Wing Unmanned Aerial Survey Over London
KaarbonTech has become the first company to receive a special permission from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to fly a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle within London airspace. The first flight, commissioned by The GeoInformation Group, took place over Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the home of the London 2012 Games. Continue reading
UAS Mapping Trees in Finland
Mapping the trees in Finland’s forests sounds like a Herculean task – there are 30 billion of them, making it Europe’s most densely wooded nation. But for one start-up that’s just the warm-up act to its plan to use laser-equipped drones to shake up industry at large. From package deliveries to nuclear power plant examinations, the Helsinki-based Sharper Shape can see limitless possibilities for its system. Continue reading