Mining computer tech company Maptek has made a significant investment in an Adelaide-based start-up, DroneMetrex . Dronemetrex has developed an innovative new system for aerial photogrammetric mapping from a small unmanned aircraft system (UAS) called the Topodrone-100. Continue reading
Category Archives: Business News
Australia to Buy Seven MQ-4C Tritons
Australia’s defence minister David Johnston informed the media this month that he intends to recommend the purchase of seven MQ-4C Triton UAS for the Australian military, at the cost of up to $3 billion. Continue reading
Singapore’s ST Aerospace Displays CM100 Gimbal from UAV Vision of Australia on its USTAR-Y UAS
Presented at the Singapore Air Show 2 weeks ago, the USTAR-Y from ST Aerospace is a portable hexa-rotor UAS, specially designed for urban and open terrain applications. The VTOL concept provides adaptability and manoeuvrability, and also has a tool-less assembly which allows for a quick system set-up, thus reducing turnaround time. Continue reading
Sweden’s Hexagon Acquires Germany’s Aibotix
Swedish measurement and design group Hexagon has acquired the German UAS manufacturer Aibotix. The acquisition was made in order to complement the Life of Mine solution put out by Leica Geosystems. The jewel in the Aibotix crown is the Aibot X6, a six-blade rotor system or ‘hexacopter’, representing a new generation of vertical take-off and landing UAS that will be used to implement aerial mine mapping through the Life of Mine software. Continue reading
Russia Budgets $9BN for UAS
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has announced a programme to spend about 320 billion roubles (US $9 billion) by 2020 on military UAS, according to local news agency ITAR-TASS. Continue reading
Navmar to Upgrade TigerShark Sensors and Airframe
Unmanned aircraft system (UAS) designers at Navmar Applied Sciences Corp. in Warminster, Pa., will upgrade their TigerShark medium-sized UAS with electro-optical sensor payload and airframe improvements under terms of a $44.7 million U.S. Navy contract announced late last week.
Guardian, Heron and Hermes 900 Compete for Canada’s Arctic Mission
Canada’s military wants its next unmanned aircraft system to be capable of dropping search-and-rescue supplies in the Arctic and in other areas as it looks to expand UAS roles into activities formerly conducted by manned platforms. Canada plans to spend between CAN $1 billion (US $998 million) and $1.5 billion on a new fleet of UAS. Continue reading
Poland Abandons Decision to Replace Strike Fighters by UAS
Warsaw is backtracking on its decision to withdraw 32 Sukhoi Su-22 strike fighters from service by 2015, and replace them with armed unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak confirmed recently that the 32 Sukhoi-22s stationed at Swidwin will remain in service for at least 3 years, or even 10. Continue reading