Scion UAS, developers of VTOL unmanned and optionally piloted aircraft systems, has received FAA certification for the SA-400 Jackal optionally piloted vehicle. The vehicle, which can carry a 100 lb payload for more than 5 hours, received an FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate for Experimental Research and Development. Continue reading
Category Archives: Business News
Polish Deputy Defence Minister Accused of Favouring Israeli UAS
Poland’s Deputy Defence Minister General Waldemar Skrzypczak has been stripped of his security clearance over suspicions that he gave preferential treatment for acquiring Israeli military equipment and over his close personal ties with Yedidia Yaari, the head of Israeli armaments maker Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Continue reading
3D Robotics Unveils $700 Semi-Pro Quadcopter
3D Robotics gave a sneak preview of a semi-pro UAS at an unmanned aircraft convention in San Francisco last week. The company’s new quadcopter, or four-rotor helicopter, can be controlled from a tablet running an Android flight system or other similar app. Continue reading
Improved Gray Eagle Completes Initial Flight Test
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. has announced the successful first flight of the U.S. Army’s Improved Gray Eagle (IGE), a next-generation derivative of the combat-proven Block 1 Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) that has accumulated over 70,000 flight hours since 2008. The flight occurred today at the company’s El Mirage Flight Operations Facility in Palmdale, California.
China Grounds Cake Deliveries by UAS
Chinese authorities have had their way – the UAS transporting cakes for romantic couples has been grounded. Continue reading
China Buys Insolvent German UAS Engine Manufacturer
Aviation Industry Corp. of China, the country’s biggest aerospace company, agreed to buy Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH, focusing the insolvent German supplier fully on powering private aircraft and away from American UAS. Continue reading
Professional UAS Images from Smartphone Camera
Lehmann Aviation (France) has launched the LA300, an automatic UAS for professional, still aerial images (41MP) and video, for most accurate mapping and surveying. Designed for professional applications, including georeferenced orthomosaics and digital elevation models (DEM), the LA300 achieves professional imaging using the Nokia 1020 smartphone camera.
L-3 Link Wins Predator Mission Aircrew Training System Recompete
L-3 Communications announced that its Link Simulation & Training (L-3 Link) division has won the recompete for the U.S. Air Force’s Predator Mission Aircrew Training System (PMATS) programme. Continue reading