The MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) – designed and developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI) – has now flown more than 100 test flights as development continues towards its first delivery to the Royal Air Force (RAF) as part of the Protector RG Mk1 programme. Continue reading
Category Archives: Applications & Testing & Experience
NASA Tests BVLoS in Reno
NASA has launched the final stage of a four-year effort to develop a national traffic management system for drones, testing them in cities for the first time beyond the operator’s line of sight as businesses look in the future to unleash the unmanned devices in droves above busy streets and buildings. Continue reading
NMSU Student Project Improves UAV Flight Time
A research project in the College of Engineering at New Mexico State University is focused on increasing the endurance of UAS, or unmanned aerial systems. Continue reading
AirMap Supports NASA and FAA UTM Research Projects
The AirMap team has also been busy with several exciting drone demonstration projects throughout the United States. Continue reading
Boeing’s Cargo Air Vehicle – First Outdoor Flight
Boeing has successfully completed the first outdoor flight tests of the cargo air vehicle (CAV). In a safe and controlled environment, the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) successfully took off, hovered, transitioned to forward flight and then landed safely. Continue reading
First MQ-25A Stingray Flight Planned Late 2019
Later this year, Boeing’s prototype for the Navy’s MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aerial tanker will make its first flight from an Illinois airport. When the Stingray will start operating from U.S. carriers is less clear. Continue reading
Textron Flight Tests Block 3 RQ-7 Shadow
Textron is flight testing a new Block 3 version of its AAI-developed RQ-7 Shadow UAS, which the U.S. Army has been using for 20 years and, according to Textron, plans to use for at least 10 more. Continue reading
NASA Tests Drone Swarms
More than 100 drones rained down in a spinning swarm over Beaver Dam Airpark, Virginia, March 19, 2019, as NASA researchers tested new autonomous data collectors. The test flight consisted of four larger unmanned aerial vehicles, nicknamed Hives, which are loaded pre-flight with more than 20 smaller drones. Continue reading







