Category Archives: News

US Navy’s New, Bigger Fire Scout To Fly in Autumn

There’s a new Fire Scout in the pipeline — bigger, faster, longer legs, more muscle. It’s still being assembled and won’t fly until later this year, but it’s headed for the fleet as soon as late 2014. And it could fundamentally change some of the parameters expected of the US Navy’s seagoing unmanned helicopter programme. Continue reading

France Committed to nEUROn says Defence Minister

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian wrote an article for Les Echos on May 31, stating his commitment to buy 2 MQ-9 Reaper UAS from the USA, for delivery before the end of 2013. After so much procrastination, with only 2 Harfangs operational, and with pressing commitments in Mali and elsewhere, he says that France must take the immediately available choice. Continue reading

US Forest Service Drops Plans to Use UAS in Montana and North Idaho

Last week, the US Forest Service officials said they’ve dropped plans to use unmanned aircraft systems  to survey forest fires because of clashes with Federal Aviation Administration rules. While some national forest firefighters in Alaska touted the remote-control planes’ ability to map forest fires in thick smoke, their legality proved a limitation. Continue reading