The Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection intends to issue a Firm Fixed Price contract to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for the procurement of up to three additional Predator B Guardian UAS . The anticipated delivery period will be twelve months from date of contract. The official notice can be consulted here.
Category Archives: Non-Military & Commercial UAS
UAS Detects Water Leaks
UAS adapted for water leak detection Photo: Arad
An Israeli company, Arad Technologies, a world leader in wireless automatic meter reading systems, has recently developed a two pound Unmanned Aircraft that can travel 900 feet above ground and detect water leaks. It can collect data from water meters every 11 to 30 seconds and capture readings of a whole city in less than one hour.
Brock Launches the Shark – A New Small UAS
Brock Technologies has announced its new Shark Unmanned Aircraft System. A small UAS capable of performing silent ISR at low altitudes for long periods of time, it is designed to fit within a five inch inner diameter launch tube. The Shark is built with the latest in composite materials and processes to produce an affordable system that weighs only 5.5 pounds.
UAS to Survey Super Bowl ?
Police in Arlington, Texas are considering flying a miniature unmanned helicopter over the Cowboys Stadium to survey Super Bowl XLV crowds on Sunday, February 6. The department is the first in the country to get an unmanned aircraft. Officials say officers are finishing certification and will deploy the UAS if considered necessary.
New FAA Rules Spark Privacy Debate in US
News that by 2013, the FAA expects to have formulated new rules that would allow police across the country to routinely fly lightweight UAS up to 400 feet above the ground – high enough for them to be largely invisible eyes in the sky – has sparked off fresh debates about the boundaries of privacy in the US media, lead by The Washington Post.
US Customs Predator B Extends Northern Border Patrol
A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Air and Marine Predator B aircraft successfully completed the first long-range unmanned aircraft patrol to utilise the expanded certificate of authorization (COA) that was issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) this week-increasing the effectiveness of homeland security unmanned aircraft missions in support of counternarcotics, counterterrorism and border security operations.
Rotomotion Announces World’s Smallest VTOL UAS
Rotomotion has announced what it claims to be “the smallest, most affordable professional short endurance electric Vertical Take Off and Land Unmanned Aerial System (VTOL UAS) in the industry” – the SR5 Parvus. The company describes the SR5 as “the most advanced professional VTOL UAS in its weight and payload class providing military-grade autonomous flight with features such as stable hoover, event-driven automatic craft return and pre-loaded map and flight path tracking that allows in-flight switching between manual and autonomous modes”.
UAS Civil Airspace Integration Webinar
Avionics Magazine is hosting a Webinar entitled: UAS Civil Airspace Integration: Progress and Challenges on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011, from Noon to 1 p.m. ET. Continue reading