The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) recently selected Aurora Flight Sciences for the Manufacturing Technologies for Remotely Piloted Vehicles (MaTeR) programme. Continue reading
Category Archives: Applications & Testing & Experience
K-Max Quick Reaction Assessment Video
Lockheed Martin/Kaman Aerospace has released this video of the coaxial-rotor K-Max successfully completing its quick reaction assessment – the last step in a roughly eight-month competition phase.
The five-day assessment will help to determine whether the K-Max unmanned helicopter will be selected for a six-month deployment to Afghanistan.
Source: YouTube
Fire-X at Yuma Proving Ground
Luis Avila, senior flight mechanic, prepares the Fire-X unmanned aerial system for a recent test at YPG (Photo by Mark Schauer)
The MQ-8B Fire Scout was the first UAS to land on a moving ship without being controlled by a ground-based operator and, five years later, a new version of the platform dubbed the Fire-X is currently undergoing test at YPG. Continue reading
Aurora Plans Retractable Landing Gear on Orion
Aurora Flight Sciences has revealed plans for future modifications of its 120 hour-endurance Orion. Continue reading
Iranian Students Design High-Altitude UAS
Iran's Karrar
Researchers at the Modern Technologies Engineering Collage of Tabriz University developed an unmanned aircraft, called the Shaparak (butterfly), which can fly at 15,000 feet and has a range of 20 km. Continue reading
Qinetiq and Northrop Offer Unmanned Gazelle to UK
Qinetiq has joined forces with Northrop Grumman to offer what it has described as a low-cost, short-term solution for an emerging Royal Navy requirement to field a vertical take-off and landing unmanned aircraft system (VTUAS). Continue reading
New, Improved Rolls Royce Engine for Global Hawk
Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has announced that the growth variant of the Rolls-Royce AE 3007H engine has successfully completed its US Air Force-funded flight test. Continue reading
MBDA Speeds Up Fire Shadow Tests
MBDA has advanced development and test activities for its Fire Shadow loitering munition design, and is on track to deliver its first operational examples to the British Army in 2012. Continue reading