The Kansas State University Department of Agronomy recently purchased a new MAJA Unmanned Aircraft System, with the intent of installing imaging systems on it for studying plant productivity, monitoring plant growth stages, assessing plant health, and mapping plant composition for characterizing changes in distribution of invasive and toxic plant species. Continue reading
Category Archives: Applications & Testing & Experience
CAE and Aeronautics Begin Miskam UAS Test Flights
CAE and Aeronautics have announced that the first series of flights of the Miskam unmanned aircraft system (UAS) have been conducted successfully over the past several weeks at the UAS Centre of Excellence (Centre d’excellence des drones) located at Alma airport in Quebec, Canada. Continue reading
Australian Hoverbike Ready for Take Off
An Australian named Chris Malloy has built a Hoverbike from motorbike parts, which he claims can fly at 173mph at an altitude of 3,000 metres. Continue reading
US Army Slow to Deploy Cargo UAS
The US Marine Corps made history on December 17, 2011, by flying a cargo UAS in a war zone. Controllers on the ground flew a K-MAX unmanned helicopter from Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan, to Camp Payne in Helmand province, ferrying 3,500 pounds of supplies to fellow Marines. Continue reading
Electric Power Research Institute Tests UAS to Asses Storm Damage on Power Cables
The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has completed tests determining that unmanned aircraft systems can be used effectively to assess storm damage on utility distribution systems. Continue reading
Terrafugia Transition Flying Car First Test Flight
The video below shows the production prototype of the Transition Street-Legal Airplane completing its successful first flight at Plattsburgh International Airport in Plattsburgh, NY on March 23, 2012. Continue reading
ScanEagle Flies with Hydrogen-Powered Fuel Cell
Insitu Inc. announced  that its ScanEagle unmanned aircraft system (UAS) successfully completed its first hydrogen-powered fuel cell flight during a two-and-a-half-hour flight test. Continue reading
Solar Impulse Plans 2,500 km Solar-Powered Flight to Morocco
In preparation for their attempt at round-the-world flight in 2014, the Solar Impulse team has announced the destination of its 2012 mission: the Kingdom of Morocco. Continue reading