Aurora’s XV-24A LightningStrike Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) XPlane subscale vehicle demonstrator (SVD) aircraft completed its planned flight test program in early March at Webster Outlying Field in Southern Maryland. Continue reading
Category Archives: Military UAS
MQ-4C Triton Improves Mission Capability with Software Upgrade Test
The U.S. Navy’s MQ-4C Triton, built by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC), completed formal lab testing and a successful first flight of an improved software suite that enhances the autonomous unmanned system’s operational capabilities and enables Early Operational Capability (EOC) deployment in early 2018. Continue reading
New Chinese Drone for Export
BZK 005
China is the largest exporter of military drones today, and it is ready to place a new model on the international market. The TYW-1, developed by Beihang University in Beijing, one of China’s top institutes for science and technology, is an unmanned aircraft for reconnaissance and combat based on the BZK-005 high-altitude, long-range reconnaissance drone, which the university also developed. Continue reading
As the Predator Retires, its Inventor Remembers its Birth
As the Air Force works to retire its fleet of MQ-1 Predators, Air Force Magazine spoke with the man whose engineering feats of the 1970s and 1980s first made unmanned systems reliable. Continue reading
Global Hawk – 1,000 Sorties Without Maintenance
A 380th Air Expeditionary Wing EQ-4 Global Hawk, carrying a communications enhancing payload, completed 1,000 continuous sorties without occurring a single maintenance cancellation while supporting Operation Inherent Resolve here. Continue reading
Textron to Demonstrate Vertical Capability for Aerosonde on US Navy Vessel
Textron has developed a modification to its Aerosonde unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to give it a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capability and will demonstrate it at sea this summer. The modification allows for more flexibility in operations and a reduction in footprint for launch and recovery equipment. Continue reading
Triton Tests to Begin in the Pacific
The U.S. Navy is moving ahead with plans to kick off a series of tests in Guam this summer of its MQ-4C Triton autonomous signals-intelligence aircraft, a service official said April 4. Continue reading
Thales Positions Spy’Ranger for Army Reconnaissance Requirements in Asia-Pacific Region
Riding on its success with the French Army after being selected for the Système de Mini Drone de Reconnaissance (SMDR) requirement, Thales is now positioning the man-portable Spy’Ranger unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for surveillance and reconnaissance requirements of armed forces in the Asia-Pacific region. Continue reading