Category Archives: Applications & Testing & Experience

Elbit’s THOR Completes Environmental Qualification Tests

Tests demonstrated the capability of THOR to withstand hard-gusting rain

Elbit Systems’ THOR, a multi-rotor Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) mini Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), successfully completed a series of environmental qualification tests ahead of the delivery of more than a thousand of units to an army in Southeast Asia. Continue reading

Food Drone Delivery Trials Start in Singapore

Can chickens fly? Last week, five packets of ayam penyet did, when food delivery service Foodpanda used a drone to deliver the popular fried chicken dish from the Marina South Pierin Singapore to a ship located 3 km offshore. Continue reading

NASA Small Business Partnership Prepares Drone for 30-Day Science Flights

Swift HALE during its first flight test on July 7, 2020

Aircraft play an essential role in how we study and understand Earth’s surface, climate, and atmosphere. Now, a new commercial unmanned aircraft system (UAS) aims to bring about a powerful way to observe our planet for days or weeks on end. Continue reading

HAPSMobile Successfully Completes Fourth Test Flight

HAPSMobile Inc., a subsidiary of SoftBank Corp. and minority-owned by AeroVironment, Inc., has announced the fourth successful test flight of its “Sunglider” solar-powered high-altitude platform system (HAPS). The flight took place on July 23, 2020 (PT) at Spaceport America (“SpA”) in New Mexico. Continue reading

Airbus Helicopters VSR700 Prototype Performs First Autonomous Free Flight

The prototype of Airbus Helicopters’ VSR700 unmanned aerial system (UAS) has performed its first free flight. The VSR700 performed a ten minute flight at a drone test centre near Aix-en-Provence in the south of France. Continue reading

Swift Engineering HALE UAS Completes First Flight


In partnership with NASA’s Ames Research Center, Swift Engineering’s high altitude long endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial system, completed its maiden flight. The only US-made platform in its class, Swift’s flight team, performed a full-system check, validating the vehicle’s configuration for high-altitude continuous surveillance missions. Continue reading