Category Archives: Non-Military & Commercial UAS

Australia Releases 2019 Airbus Zephyr Crash Report

In 2019 an Airbus Zephyr high-altitude UAV broke up in-flight after encountering unstable atmospheric conditions which resulted in a series of un-commanded rolls and an uncontrolled spiral descent over remote northern Western Australia, according to a new Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report. Continue reading

Matternet Partners with Japan Airlines

Matternet announced that it is expanding operations to Asia through a new business partnership with Japan Airlines (JAL). The partnership is to deploy the Matternet M2 drone system in Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s new “drone logistics business development project”, and utilize the system to assess drone delivery opportunities in Japan. Continue reading

Schiebel and Nordic Unmanned Monitor Sulphur Emissions in World’s Busiest Shipping Lane

Schiebel, together with partners Nordic Unmanned and the NORCE Research Institute AS, is operating the CAMCOPTER S-100 to monitor sulphur emission in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes in the strait of Pas-de-Calais, for the French Maritime Authorities. The operation started on 23 September and will run for three months. Continue reading

Sonin Hybrid’s 140mph+ Drone for First Responders

Atlanta-based drone manufacturer Sonin Hybrid has just unveiled a revolutionary 140MPH+ drone (with FAA waiver) built exclusively for first responders. The Sonin Hybrid Recruit has a fully-equipped flight time over three hours and can reach speeds over three times faster than most of the fastest commercial drones available today. Continue reading

Longest Organ Delivery Flight via Unmanned Aircraft Completed in Las Vegas

MissionGO, a provider of unmanned aviation solutions that are transforming logistics, and Nevada Donor Network, an organ procurement organization (OPO) serving the state of Nevada, today announced two successful test flights carrying a human organ and tissue via an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) on Sept. 17. Continue reading

GA-ASI Gets $13.5M Upgrade Contract for Air National Guard

Predator B Block 5 Guardian

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has been awarded a $13.5 million contract to upgrade MQ-9 Block 1 and Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft for the Air National Guard (ANG). The procurement includes Generator Power Distribution Modules (GPDM) and kits to integrate the Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) pod, LITENING pod and other mission payloads. Continue reading