As part of the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) operation the Schiebel CAMCOPTER S-100 UAS (Unmanned Air System) is helping to save the lives of refugees in the Mediterranean Sea. Desperate people fleeing conflict, economic desperation and violence in their homeland look towards Europe as a safe haven. They travel by all means possible for days or weeks on end to get to countries of transit from which they will sail out in makeshift sea craft. The lucky ones reach Europe where they can claim asylum, the unlucky ones perish.
Category Archives: VTOL
Malloy Aeronautics Hoverbike on Kickstarter
An interesting Kickstarter project aims to jump-start sales of a drone version of a fully-functional hover bike. The quadcopter drone acts as a proof of concept for the full-sized manned vehicle, with proceeds from the crowdfunding effort intended to fuel the continued development of the final vehicle. With more than a week remaining before the Kickstarter campaign concludes, its funding goal has been exceeded and development is moving forward at pace. Though the manned Hoverbike is what tends to garner the most attention, the one third scale drones are actually the focus of the Kickstarter effort.
Drone-Vertising – Only in Russia
Russian creative agency Hungry Boys created a new advertising technique for noodle company Wokker, which incorporated unmanned aerial vehicles. The aim was to draw potential customers’ attention and raise the number of orders from a number of local business centers. Continue reading
Matternet Tests Medecine Delivery by UAS In Bhutan
It’s one of the world’s first drone-based delivery networks, but it’s not in the Silicon Valley. It’s in Shangri-la. A Silicon Valley startup is piloting a low-cost drone-based delivery project in the remote Himalayan nation of Bhutan that could save lives in far-flung rural communities—and perhaps pioneer the system globally.
New Kamov Rotary UAV
Kamov has revealed details of its new Ka-175 vertical takeoff and landing reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which could make its maiden flight within a year. Continue reading
DJI’s New Heavy-Load UAS has Retractable Landing Gear
DJI is continuing to expand its horizons into the pro market with the new Spreading Wings S900. Continue reading
Hummingbirds Hover Better than Black Hornet
When it comes to flight, nature just has the edge on engineers. This is according to a study comparing hummingbirds with one of the world’s most advanced micro-helicopters. Researchers found that – in terms of the power they require to lift their weight – the best hummingbird was over 20% more efficient than the helicopter.
Kansas City Man to use UAS for Search and Rescue
A Kansas City man plans to explore the lifesaving potential of drones. Lance Nash of Hex FX Aerials has been using unmanned aircraft to shoot video of events for the last two years. Continue reading