Piaggio Aero has secured the first export order for its P.1HH Hammerhead unmanned air vehicle, following the United Arab Emirates’ decision to acquire eight of the type.
Category Archives: News
Area 6: America’s Secret Drone Testing Ground?
The asphalt runway stretches for a mile on Yucca Flat, deep in the Nevada National Security Site about 80 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Built in 2005, the runway covers a dirt landing strip from the 1950s, when the wide, flat valley was used for atomic bomb test shots. A small complex of buildings dominated by a large hangar with unusual clamshell doors dominates the southern end of the asphalt strip.
Laser-Based Aircraft Tracking System in Development
A ground-breaking tracking system called HYPERION based on eye-safe lasers could enable aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and even orbiting satellites to transmit vital data to ground stations more securely, quickly and efficiently. Continue reading
Drones Over Water Collect and Test Samples
Amphibious drones are being developed to collect and test potentially dangerous water samples from difficult to access watercourses. Dan Squire founded Drones Over Water last year in South Australia and has developed a sensor unit, which attaches to amphibious drones to allow the collection of samples from watercourses.
Pentagon Office Plans Drone Swarms
High over Alaska last summer, the Pentagon experimented with new, secret prototypes: Micro-drones that can be launched from the flare dispensers of moving F-16s and F/A-18 fighter jets. Canisters containing the tiny aircraft descended from the jets on parachutes before breaking open, allowing wings on each drone to swing out and catch the wind. Inch-wide propellers on the back provided propulsion as they found one another and created a swarm. Continue reading
Israel Wants to Increase Heron TP Endurance
The Israeli air force (IAF) and Israel Aerospace Industries are working to “significantly” increase the endurance of the Heron TP unmanned air vehicle from its current 36 hours. Continue reading
First Drone Delivery to Ship at Sea
Maersk Tankers says that it has completed the first drone delivery to a vessel at sea as part of a test to see whether or not drones can become a part of the supply chain.
Another Aerial Imaging Platform
Straight Up Imaging has announced the launch of its very own unmanned aircraft, the Endurance. The company describes the Endurance as “a powerful, cost-effective, and easy to use professional grade platform that will allow customers to leverage the full potential of aerial imaging.”