Seattle startup Vtrus has raised investment for a different kind of drone — one that’s designed to conduct precision inspections of industrial facilities. Continue reading
Japan Plans Drone Ban Over Military Installations
The Japanese government on Tuesday approved a bill to revise the drone regulation law to prohibit the flying of drones over U.S. military bases and Self-Defense Forces’ facilities as part of its measures to prevent terrorist attacks using drones. Continue reading
Thales and Vodafone Join UK BVLoS Experimentation Corridor
Thales and Vodafone have joined the National Beyond visual line of sight Experimentation Corridor (NBEC) partnership alongside founding partners Cranfield University and Blue Bear Research Systems. The addition of these two global industry leaders is a significant boost in the capabilities of NBEC, as the corridor continues to be developed. Continue reading
Red Cat Releases Beta Version of Blockchain-Based ‘Black Box’ Flight Recorder for UAS
Red Cat ,a provider of distributed data storage, analytics and services for the drone industry, has announced the beta release of its blockchain-based black box storage, analytics and services platform to make drones trackable and accountable. Continue reading
Herding Sheep with a Barking Drone
Farmers in North Canterbury, New Zealand are now herding sheep with a drone outfitted with a speaker that barks like a dog. They say that a single drone can do the work of multiple dogs. Continue reading
NAVAIR to Test Autonomous Cargo UAS Payload Requirement
The US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) plans to conduct an ‘Autonomous Cargo UAS (unmanned aerial system) Experiment’ to identify and evaluate proposed UAS systems’ ability to autonomously deliver payloads weighing up to 50 lb (23 kg) between ships and shore locations. Continue reading
Improving Cockpit Awareness of UAS Near Airports
In recognition of the increasing risk of operating in shared airspace near airports, the Aviators Code Initiative has released a working paper titled Improving Cockpit Awareness of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Near Airports. The paper describes a method to provide pilots of manned aircraft with enhanced awareness of nearby sUAS in certain kinds of airspace. Continue reading
XQ-58A Valkyrie Demonstrator Completes First Flight
The XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator, a long-range, high subsonic unmanned air vehicle completed its inaugural flight March 5, 2019 at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona
The XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator, a long-range, high subsonic unmanned air vehicle completed its inaugural flight March 5, 2019 at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona. The Air Force Research Laboratory partnered with Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems to develop the XQ-58A. Continue reading