UAS VISION
an independent online news service for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems world
Northrop Grumman’s MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (VTUAV) achieved a significant development milestone in November when it flew its first test flights from the U.S. Navy’s littoral combat ship, USS Freedom (LCS-1).
Kaman Aerospace Corporation and the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) recently made aviation history with the Unmanned K-MAX helicopter by successfully completing multiple guided airdrops via sling load at 10,000 ft above sea level.
Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Investments Company (ADASI) and L-3 Communications WESCAM have announced the first flight of a CAMCOPTER® S-100 UAS with the WESCAM MX-10 EO/IR payload installed in the United Arab Emirates. After brief installation and integration activities by the ADASI team, the MX-10 completed three proving flights at ADASI’s test range in the UAE.
AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems announced that it has completed a fee-for-service operation on behalf of the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Dahlgren Division. NSWC Dahlgren has been chartered to conduct UAS flights in conjunction with tests of various types of ground radars and capture and analyze those results.
The NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A) is performing a market survey for the purpose of gathering information pertaining to industry’s capability in the field of countering Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The purpose of this exercise is to obtain a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) price indication of Remotely Controlled Vehicles (RCVs) for future requirements in the forthcoming months. Input is requested by 25 February 2011.
AeroVironment has unveiled its ‘Nano Hummingbird’ – capable of climbing and descending vertically, flying sideways left and right, flying forward and backward, as well as rotating clockwise and counter-clockwise, under remote control and carrying a video camera payload. The milestone was part of the Phase II contract awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the Nano Air Vehicle (NAV) programme.
General Atomics has announced that it has successfully completed a key wind tunnel test on a model of its Sea Avenger UAS. The test validated the low-speed characteristics of a new wing, resulting in higher endurance and lower approach speeds. The new wing is also designed to increase aircraft dash speeds, decreasing the time to respond to potential threats.
University of Arizona aerospace and mechanical engineers are studying bird and bee flight to develop unmanned aircraft that stay aloft longer and cope with sudden and severe changes in airflow. The College of Engineering’s Hybrid Dynamics and Control Laboratory is developing mathematical analysis and design methods that could radically advance the capabilities of UAS and any other system that relies on autonomous decision making.