Officials from NASA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management project selected Corpus Christi as one of two nationwide test sites. Continue reading
DARPA Reveals Details of CODE Program
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has given further details on the capabilities of its Collaborative Operations in Denied Environment (CODE) program aims to adapt and respond to unexpected threats for existing unmanned aircraft that would extend mission capabilities and improve U.S. forces’ ability to conduct operations in denied or contested airspace. Continue reading
Oklahoma State University Gets FAA Authorization to Fly in Swarms
Student Seabrook Whyte and USRI research engineer Taylor Mitchell performing test flights at the FAA UAS IPP site
Oklahoma State University’s Unmanned Systems Research Institute (USRI) received its certificate of authorization from the FAA to permit flights of a fixed wing aircraft swarm within national airspace, making them the first in the country to receive this authorization. Continue reading
DroneShield Signs MoU with Saudi Telecoms Company
DroneShield and Saudi Arabia’s national telecommunications company Saudi Telecoms Company (STC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) committing to the exploration of the potential for collaboration on counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) opportunities for government customers in the Middle East. Continue reading
IARPA Announces the UG2+ Prize Challenge to Improve UAV-Captured Imagery
The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, today announced the UG2+ Prize Challenge, a competition that leverages a unique computer vision dataset of unmanned aerial vehicle, glider, and ground (UG2) data. This second edition of the challenge aims to advance the analysis of images collected by small UAVs by improving image restoration and algorithm performance. Continue reading
Ukraine Army Receives First Bayraktar Armed UAVs
According to a 20 March press release from state-owned company UkrOboronProm the Armed Forces of Ukraine has received into service its first Bayraktar TB2 armed unmanned aerial vehicles. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Starokonstantinov handed over 420 units of aircraft and military equipment to the Ukrainian military, including the first Bayraktar TB2 unmanned systems. Continue reading
Iran Holds Massive Drone Exercise over Persian Gulf
Squadrons of unmanned aerial vehicles flown by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps attended a large-scale war game over the Persian Gulf last week to practice an assault operation. Continue reading
GA-ASI Breaks Ground on New Hangar in El Mirage
L-R: GA-ASI Vice President of Facilities Dennis Garegnani, GA-ASI President Dave Alexander, San Bernardino County First District Supervisor Robert A. Lovingood, and GA-ASI Vice President of Flight Operations Gary Bender
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI) held a ground breaking ceremony today for a new hangar being built in El Mirage, Calif. The new facility in the high desert of southern California will be close to 150,000 square feet and be used to house and test GA-ASI’s latest Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) variant, the MQ-9B SkyGuardian. Continue reading