Ingenuity, which weighs about 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms) on Earth and has a fuselage about the size of a tissue box, started out six years ago as an implausible prospect. Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California knew it was theoretically possible to fly in Mars’ thin atmosphere, but no one was sure whether they could build a vehicle powerful enough to fly, communicate, and survive autonomously with the extreme restrictions on its mass. Continue reading
Category Archives: VTOL
New Order for Kaman K-MAX Helicopter
Kaman Air Vehicles, a division of Kaman Corporation, announced the receipt of a signed purchase agreement for a K-MAX medium-to-heavy lift helicopter. Delivery of this aircraft is expected in the first quarter of 2021 and follows the delivery of two aircraft in the fourth quarter of 2020. Continue reading
Nordic Unmanned Acquires Two CAMCOPTER S-100 Systems
Nordic Unmanned has acquired two CAMCOPTER S-100 systems. The first was delivered last week and the remaining will be delivered in Q2 2021. Continue reading
NAVAIR Seeks to Replace Seahawks and Fire Scouts
Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has posted a request for information (RFI) for an Analysis of Alternatives for what it is calling the Future Vertical Lift-Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) program. Continue reading
Hatzolah Air Rescue Pre-Orders 4 EMS CityHawks from Urban Aeronautics
Urban Aeronautics Ltd. has announced that it has reached an agreement to provide four CityHawk VTOL aircraft to Hatzolah Air for emergency medical service (EMS) applications, company executives announced. Continue reading
Four Additional Schiebel Camcopter S-100 VTOL UAVs for French Navy
Naval Group, on behalf of the French Navy, has accepted for operational use two further CAMCOPTER S-100 Unmanned Aerial Systems with a total of four Unmanned Air Vehicles. Continue reading
Second Navy Fire Scout Mishap at California Base
An unmanned MQ-8C helicopter was damaged in a ground mishap Nov. 16, the second major mishap involving the new Charlie variant of the Fire Scout this month.
Chinese Helicopter Drones Ready for Delivery
Developed by the state-owned China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (NORINCO), the CR500 Golden Eagle unmanned helicopter system recently passed final inspections for delivery, the company said in a statement. Continue reading