NATO member Poland said Tuesday it will acquire combat drones as part of a multi-billion-euro revamp of its armed forces amid heightened tensions with Russia over its role in the Ukraine crisis. Continue reading
Category Archives: News
Alaska Researchers use HexaCopters to Find Hibernating Bears
For the first time, Alaska researchers plan to use hexacopters with thermal cameras to detect hibernating polar bears and grizzly bears on the North Slope. The University of Alaska Fairbanks team is working without dedicated funding, but is seeking industry support for the project. For now, they’re relying on UAF resources like the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration. Continue reading
Insitu Announces ScanEagle 2
Insitu has announced ScanEagle 2, the next generation of its revolutionary ScanEagle platform. Leveraging lessons learned from more than 800,000 operational hours, ScanEagle 2 provides increased payload power and expanded payload options, a more robust navigation system, better image quality due to a fully digital video system and a state-of-the-art, purpose-built propulsion system. The aircraft’s new architecture also maximizes commonality with all Insitu systems, reducing training, hardware and life-cycle costs.
Drones Monitor Pollution in Beijing Before Apec Summit
The Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection has sent out 11 drones to monitor air pollution in north China ahead of the Apec summit next month in Beijing, the China Youth Daily reported.
Xtreem Atom Palm-sized RC Helicopter
Swann is now offering one of the smallest remote-controlled helicopters on the market, the Xtreem Atom Mini Drone, which weighs in at less than half an ounce with rotor diameters of just 1.25 inches. The tiny size allows for greater speed and superior maneuverability, the company said.
UAS Help Map Spread of Infectious Disease
Unmanned aerial vehicles can collect detailed information in real time at relatively low cost for ecological research. In a new Opinion piece published in the Cell Press journal Trends in Parasitology, experts demonstrate that UAS can be used to understand how environmental factors influence the spread of infectious diseases. Continue reading
Photographers Charged Over UAS Photos in Beijing
Chinese Authorities charged three photographers in Beijing for endangering public security after using an illegal drone in an attempt to take aerial photos of an airport in Hebei Province in December last year. Continue reading
First UAS Flight of OSCE Monitoring in Ukraine
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) today successfully completed the maiden flight of its unarmed/unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) before members of the media near Mariupol in eastern Ukraine. The roll-out of the UAV operations in eastern Ukraine will continue Friday with, weather permitting, routine operational flights.