Two days after receiving experimental airworthiness certification from the Federal Aviation Administration Aeros Corp. began flight-testing the Aeroscraft airship. For safety, the current flights are tethered, and, according to John Kiehle, communications director at Aeros, untethered flights are expected to follow within few weeks. Continue reading
Category Archives: Applications & Testing & Experience
Raytheon and Cranfield Team on Lightweight Civil UAS
Cranfield Aerospace and Raytheon UK are testing a new lightweight unmanned air system, which is now being promoted to potential buyers. Continue reading
Boeing QF-16 Aerial Target Completes 1st Pilotless Flight
Boeing and the U.S. Air Force have completed the first unmanned QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target flight, demonstrating the next generation of combat training and testing. Continue reading
Northrop Grumman Readies MQ-8C Fire Scout for Flight Operations
Northrop Grumman Corporation turned on the power to the U.S. Navy’s first MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter and rotated the aircraft’s four blades for the first time during initial ground testing and engine runs at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu, California, on Sept. 20. Continue reading
US Navy X-47B Completes 100th Flight
The X-47B (AV-2) conducted the 100th flight for the Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) programme at Patuxent River on Sept. 18. The Navy UCAS programme successfully completed all objectives for the carrier demonstration phase with the X-47B in July. Continue reading
US Navy Expands Surveillance Mission for Northrop Grumman BAMS-D
The US Navy will increase by 50 percent the monthly surveillance flights of a Northrop Grumman Corporation-built maritime unmanned demonstrator under a contract awarded September 6. The contract will allow Navy commanders to keep closer tabs on activities in the ocean and coastal regions of the Middle East. Continue reading
Northrop Grumman Improves Key Triton Unmanned Aircraft Sensor
Northrop Grumman Corporation has completed more than 25 flight tests of the U.S. Navy Triton unmanned aircraft system’s (UAS) primary maritime surveillance sensor in preparation for its installation on the aircraft. Continue reading
Boeing Little Bird Completes Autonomous Landing Procedures
Lyle Chamberlain a Research Engineer at Near Earth Autonomy, shows how Boeing’s Unmanned Little Bird uses LIDAR to identify the best landing site. Continue reading