The DC-10’s story begins in the early 1970’s, at a pivotal time when air travel was undergoing a revolution. A new generation of wide-body airliners like the Boeing 747 introduced for 1970’s increased passenger capacity at a time when air travel was becoming more affordable. Continue reading
Caltech and JPL Fire Quadrotors Out of Cannons
At IROS in Macau earlier this month, researchers from Caltech and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) presented a prototype for a ballistically launched drone—a football-shaped foldable quadrotor that gets fired out of a cannon, unfolds itself, and then flies off. Continue reading
US Justice Department Updates Drone Policy
The US Justice Department has released an updated policy on the use of drones for investigations and other activities. The updated policy on the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) lays out a framework for federal law enforcement to “safely and responsibly” use drones for things like crime scene investigations, search and rescue, and security, the DOJ said, and acts as a model for state and local authorities. Continue reading
US Army to Get Joint-Air-To-Ground Missiles
Lockheed Martin has won a $134.7 million modification contract to supply Joint-Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGMs) to the US Army. Continue reading
New Hampshire Town Deploys New Police Drone Squad
The job of law enforcement and first responders in Portsmouth, N.H., will be slightly easier with the addition of seven grant-funded drones. Continue reading
Altitude Angel Adds Recreational LAANC Service
Altitude Angel, an unmanned traffic management (UTM) technology provider, announced it has added Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) Exception of Recreational Flying/Section 44809 service in its products, meaning its U.S.-based recreational drone pilots can now join commercial pilots and use the company’s capabilities to access airspace at around 600 U.S. airports – free of charge. Continue reading
Bell’s First APT 70 Flight with Payload
Bell on 16 October performed the first flight of its Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) 70 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a payload. Continue reading
Researchers Improve Next Generation Aircraft Engines
Eric Wood (left) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Eric Mayhew (right) from the CCDC Army Research Laboratory prepare for high-speed X-ray phase contrast imaging experiments of reacting fuel spray breakup
The Army’s Future Vertical Lift program is one of the modernization priorities for Army leadership. With the use of advanced X-ray diagnostics, scientists have a better understanding of gas turbine combustor inlet conditions, which is critical for the design and development of engines for the next generation of Army aircraft. Continue reading