UAS VISION
an independent online news service for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems world
The U-2 Dragon Lady is a legendary platform in the U.S. Air Force inventory. Previous variants were created to overfly the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War. The USAF’s current models continue to be a coveted surveillance asset well after newer aircraft have come and gone. Continue reading
In an until-now secretive program, the United Kingdom has rapidly developed and flight-tested a number of “complex” drones that would be suitable for use by Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. While it’s unclear which of any of the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in question were ultimately selected for supply to Ukraine, it’s obvious that a range of different capabilities was explored in the process, including surveillance drones and, most intriguingly, what is described as a “3D-printed delta-wing ‘suicide’ drone.” Continue reading
A father of two accused of causing a security alert by flying a drone into a “critical area” of Dublin Airport has been granted bail. Gardaí arrested Ainis Guzauskus (41), of Ridgewood Close, Swords, Dublin, on Tuesday afternoon after getting preliminary directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to charge him with an offence under section 43 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act, 1988. Continue reading
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is aiming to evaluate the viability of using small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) in augmenting maintenance operations, troubleshooting, restoration, emergency response activities, as well as evaluating potential risks and impacts in/around National Air Space (NAS) facilities and infrastructure. Continue reading
Princeton Infrared Technologies, Inc. (PIRT), has been selected by AFWERX for a SBIR Phase II contract in the amount of $749,961 focused on the development of extended wavelength short wave infrared (SWIR) for hyperspectral imaging on unmanned systems to investigate its potential to fill capability gaps in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). Continue reading
Over a decade ago, Iran claimed rolling out its “fifth-generation” Qaher-313 stealth fighter jet, projected as the country’s most advanced warplane. An Iranian defense ministry now says the country is ready to convert this stealth fighter into an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Continue reading
The Current Situation
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly referred to as “drones”, embody the technological progress made in several key technology areas, and the constantly growing number of their potential applications holds the promise of supplying substantial societal benefits. The design, production, and the use of UAS, and the associated ecosystem, represent a sector with significant economic value and have the potential to create a wide variety of jobs in all 27 European Union (EU) Member States. Continue reading
It likely wouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that the United States Department of Defense (DoD) oversees a number of classified programs of which few know all the details. Known as “Special Access Programs” (SAPs), these are established to control access and distribution and provide protection for sensitive classified information beyond that normally required. As previously reported, this is a high state of enforced need-to-know, and only a minimum number of cleared employees are given access to SAP information. Continue reading