Category Archives: Non-Military & Commercial UAS

NASA-NOAA Mission Studies Storm Intensification in Northern Hemisphere

A group of NASA and National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists are teaming up this month for an airborne mission focused on studying severe storm processes and intensification. The Hand-On Project Experience (HOPE) Eastern Pacific Origins and Characteristics of Hurricanes (EPOCH) field campaign will utilize NASA’s Global Hawk autonomous aircraft to study storms in the Northern Hemisphere to learn more about how storms intensify as they brew out over the ocean. Continue reading →

sUAS Helps Edwards Air Force Base Fire Fighters During Exercise

Members of the 812th Civil Engineer Squadron teamed with the Emerging Technologies Combined Test Force to use small unmanned aircraft systems to increase their emergency response capabilities during two aircraft crash exercises held July 31 and Aug. 3. Continue reading →

High Performance Hybrid Tri-Copter from FlightWave

FlightWave Aerospace Systems, Inc., a California-based startup brings new capabilities to customers who need a sustained aerial presence in high-wind, maritime, or terrestrial missions. The company also announced an investment from Breakout Labs, the Thiel Foundation’s programme of support for deep technology companies. Continue reading →

Robotic Skies Raises Venture Capital Funding Round

Robotic Skies announced it has raised a round of venture capital financing. The investment round was led by Kickstart Seed Fund of Salt Lake City, Utah, and included participation by Sun Mountain Capital of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The capital will accelerate the expansion of the Robotic Skies maintenance network for high-end commercial unmanned aircraft systems. Continue reading →

US Coast Guard Uses Drones to Expand its Reach

Unmanned aircraft do not have a long, storied history like the Coast Guard. But they already play a role in one of the Coast Guard’s earliest missions – guarding against illicit trade. Continue reading →

First Offshore Drone Survey for Norway’s DNV GL

DNV GL surveyors have carried out the classification society’s first offshore drone survey on the semisubmersible vessel Safe Scandinavia in the North Sea. This 25,383 GT tender support vessel (TSV) is owned and operated by Prosafe, supporting Statoil’s drilling operations off the coast of Norway. Continue reading →

Fixed-Wing, VTOL UAS Designed for Utility Inspections

ULC Robotics, Inc. is advancing the state-of-the-art in commercial utility industry aerial inspection after successfully flight testing a newly developed vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle last week. Continue reading →

Regulatory Framework for Dubai’s Flying Taxis

Within a matter of months that dilemma could become real. Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced that it will begin testing a two-seater autonomous flying taxi that within five years could be as familiar as the current terrestrial versions. Continue reading →