Germany’s express delivery and mail company Deutsche Post DHL is testing a UAS that could be used to deliver urgently needed goods to hard-to-reach places. The small pilotless helicopter flew a package of medicine Monday from a pharmacy in the town of Bonn to the company’s headquarters on the other side of the Rhine River. Continue reading
Category Archives: Applications & Testing & Experience
Quadrocopter Failsafe Algorithm – Recovery After Propeller Loss
The video shows an automatic failsafe algorithm that allows a quadrocopter to gracefully cope with the loss of a propeller. The propeller was mounted without a nut, and thus eventually vibrates itself loose. Continue reading
QinetiQ Targets Single Control Solution for Unmanned Systems
QinetiQ North America is aiming to undertake a live demonstration of its Unmanned Platform Common Control System before the end of 2014.
Northrop Grumman RQ-180 – More Stealth, More Efficiency
A large, classified unmanned aircraft developed by Northrop Grumman is now flying—and it demonstrates a major advance in combining stealth and aerodynamic efficiency. Defence and intelligence officials say the secret unmanned aircraft system (UAS), designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, is scheduled to enter production for the U.S. Air Force and could be operational by 2015.
US Navy Launches UAS from Submerged Submarine
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) with funding from SwampWorks at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Department of Defense Rapid Reaction Technology Office (DoD/RRTO) demonstrated the launch of an all-electric, fuel cell-powered, unmanned aerial system (UAS) from a submerged submarine.
Parrot Drones ‘Vulnerable to Flying Hack Attack’
A security researcher has created a flying contraption that he says can hijack control of other UAS made by one of the industry’s leading manufacturers, Parrot. Samy Kamkar said he was able to achieve the feat because the company’s products do not support a way of encrypting or authenticating the wi-fi data they use.
Jeff Bezos Promises Half-hour Shipping by UAS with Amazon Prime Air
Jeff Bezos is nothing if not a showman. Amazon’s CEO loves a good reveal, and took the opportunity afforded by a 60 Minutes segment to show off his company’s latest creation: drones that can deliver packages up to five pounds, to your house in less than half an hour. They’re technically octocopters, as part of a programme called “Amazon Prime Air.” Continue reading
Cloud Seeding in Sierra Could Get Boost from UAS
Efforts to coax a little extra punch out of the Sierra’s winter storms could soon involve the use of UAS, with the unmanned aircraft potentially offering significant benefits when it comes to boosting the region’s water supply and putting more snow on its ski slopes. Continue reading