Prime Minister Tony Abbott travelled to South Australia two days out from the state election to announce that the government would buy Tritons, to be based at RAAF Edinburgh outside Adelaide. The deal will be conditional on the US Navy proving this advanced and expensive technology works properly. Continue reading
Category Archives: Business News
Israel Bans Elbit & IAI from UAS Sales to Poland
Israel’s Ministry of Defence has reacted to a potential procurement scandal in Poland by banning two of it’s leading manufacturers from selling unmanned air systems to the European nation. Continue reading
Algeria Evaluates Chinese CH-4
Algeria is evaluating the Chinese CH-4 unmanned aircraft system (UAS) and is reportedly very interested in acquiring the type, which can be armed with guided weapons. Continue reading
Northrop Grumman/HAV-Developed Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) Reappears as HAV Airlander
A 300-foot-long aircraft originally developed for, by then dropped by, the US Army was recently re-unveiled in Great Britain as the world’s largest aircraft. The HAV 304 “Airlander” is an amalgamation of airship, airplane, helicopter and hovercraft features, and is referred to as a hybrid air vehicle. Continue reading
AeroVironment Announces Fiscal 2014 Third Quarter Results
AeroVironment, Inc. has reported financial results for its third quarter ended January 25, 2014. UAS sales in the third quarter of Fiscal 2014 were up compared to Q3 2013, but overall year-to-date revenue was down 4% for the first three quarters of Fiscal 2014. Continue reading
Aeronautics to Supply 2 Dominator UAS to Mexico
Aeronautics has signed a contract to supply two Dominator XP unmanned air systems to the armed forces of Mexico. Based on Diamond Aircraft’s twin-engined DA42, the Dominator XP has a flight endurance of 28 hours and is capable of carrying a 300 kg (660lb) payload. The modified aircraft can be flown to an altitude of up to 30,000ft (9,150 m) and has a top speed of 190kt (351 km/h). Continue reading
Facebook in Talks to Acquire Titan Aerospace for $60M
Facebook, one of the primary backers of the Internet.org initiative, which aims to bring affordable Internet access to the 5 billion people in the world who still lack connectivity, is in talks with a company that could help further that agenda. Facebook is buying Titan Aerospace, makers of near-orbital, solar-powered UAS which can fly for five years without needing to land. According to a source with access to information about the deal, the price for this acquisition is $60 million. Continue reading
Turkey May Request Unarmed Reaper
Turkey’s defence bureaucracy could soon follow in the footsteps of a 2013 French move and request U.S. congressional approval for the sale of an unarmed version of an American UAS after its appeal for an armed version failed. Defence sources said Turkey acknowledged its prior request and could now renew it for an unarmed version of the Reaper, made by the U.S. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. Continue reading