Category Archives: Applications & Testing & Experience

Kyoto Startup Drone Flies on Autopilot in Areas without GPS Reception

The “seamless drone” created by developers in Kyoto Prefecture is seen entering a warehouse that does not have GPS signal reception in the prefectural city of Nantan, on July 20, 2020

A business venture in western Japan has developed a drone that can be operated on autopilot in places with no GPS reception, such as below girder bridges or in tunnels — a promising device for infrastructure maintenance. Continue reading

GA-ASI Demonstrates AI Driven Targeting Computer with AFRL’s Agile Condor Pod

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., with the support of SRC Inc., successfully integrated and flew the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Agile Condor Pod on an MQ-9 Remotely Piloted Aircraft  at GA-ASI’s Flight Test and Training Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota Continue reading

Regulators Approve Brazil’s First BVLOS Drone Delivery Operation

Speedbird Aero team with ANAC officials after successful live parachute deployment

Latin American drone delivery company, Speedbird Aero, announced it has received regulatory approval from Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency, also known as ANAC, to operate two experimental drone delivery routes in Brazil. Speedbird Aero operates a proprietary delivery drone with an integrated ParaZero parachute recovery system, and is now the first company in Latin America to win regulatory approval for a drone delivery operation. Continue reading

Martin UAV V-BAT to be Evaluated During Operational Coast Guard Patrol

Martin UAV, in collaboration with the Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC), began a contractor-owned, contractor-operated deployment on-board a Coast Guard cutter in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility on Aug. 13-14, 2020. Continue reading

Airbus Acubed Project Wayfinder Flight Test Lab

https://youtu.be/tGzJKnlDHBY

Kicked off in 2018, Acubed’s Project Wayfinder is laser-focused on developing core technologies for autonomous flight systems for the next—or fifth—generation of aircraft. The transition from automated to autonomous flight will enable another significant increase in safety, shifting the workload of pilots by providing them tools to better understand their environment and improving their ability to make crucial decisions. Continue reading

Russia’s Su-27 Stealth Fighter: Now Remote-Controlled ?

The combat capabilities of Russia’s Su-57 fifth-generation fighter have been compared to the United States Air Force’s F-22 Raptor. The Russian aircraft’s speed and armament could allow it to respond quickly to potential threats—and if necessary back out just as quickly from fights it cannot win. But now the Su-57 could have another advantage: a remotely piloted mode that could enable the advanced fighter to be operated safely away from potentially hostile skies.  Continue reading

Schiebel and Nordic Unmanned Conduct World’s First Full-Scale Offshore UAV Flight for Equinor

Schiebel, together with partner Nordic Unmanned, successfully demonstrated to Norwegian energy company Equinor the cargo delivery capability of its Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) CAMCOPTER S-100 to offshore platform Troll A. Continue reading

Reliable Robotics Makes First Flights of Autonomous Passenger Airplanes Over Populated Regions

Reliable Robotics announced that it has achieved historic firsts for global commercial aviation by completing successful test flights of remote-piloted passenger airplanes in United States airspace. Continue reading