Phase 1 of DARPA’s Fast Lightweight Autonomy (FLA) program concluded recently following a series of obstacle-course flight tests in central Florida. Over four days, three teams of DARPA-supported researchers huddled under shade tents in the sweltering Florida sun, fine-tuning their sensor-laden quadcopter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during the intervals between increasingly difficult runs. Continue reading
Category Archives: Research
MIT’s Drones that Drive
Researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) are aiming to develop robots that can both maneuver around on land and take to the skies. In a new paper, the team presented a system of eight quadcopter drones that can fly and drive through a city-like setting with parking spots, no-fly zones, and landing pads. Continue reading
Drones and WiFi for 3D Through-Wall Imaging
Researchers at UC Santa Barbara professor Yasamin Mostofi’s lab have given the first demonstration of three-dimensional imaging of objects through walls using ordinary wireless signal. The technique, which involves two drones working in tandem, could have a variety of applications, such as emergency search-and-rescue, archaeological discovery and structural monitoring. Continue reading
FAA Establishes Drone I.D. Rulemaking Committee
The FAA is setting up a new Aviation Rulemaking Committee that will help the agency create standards for remotely identifying and tracking unmanned aircraft during operations. The rule-making committee will hold its first meeting June 21-23 in Washington, DC. Continue reading
MITRE UAS Study Needs Participants
Do you fly RC Aircraft as a hobby? Are you a Commercial UAS pilot? Are you interested in supporting cutting-edge aviation research? If so, please consider this opportunity with The MITRE Corporation. Continue reading
Fixed-Wing mini UAV with Transitioning Flight Capability
In cooperation with the drone lab of ENAC in Toulouse, MAVLab of Delft University of Technology has developed a hybrid UAV, called ‘Cyclone’. It is hybrid in the sense that it can hover, as well as fly like an airplane. Continue reading
DARPA Gives $1M or Intelligent, Autonomous Flight Control Sytem
Researchers at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Creare LLC have received a Phase II $1 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a highly sophisticated autonomous flight control system to navigate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in unknown dynamic environments, such as crowded urban locations, or in dangerous or hostile situations. Continue reading
Lockheed Martin Reveals Info on Skunk Works SR-72 Programme
Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works recently divulged some information about the SR-72 programme to build a successor to the iconic SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft. Continue reading