Aerovel Ramps Up Flexrotor Production

Diminutive, and squat on its four lunar-lander legs, Aerovel’s Flexrotor spins-up its outsize rotor and levitates into the hot, high desert twilight. As it disappears into the darkness, its legs join into a trim rear fuselage, its broad wings take over, and the rotor slows to a flickering idle for a long, efficient cruise until dawn. It comes back to base as daylight breaks over the horizon, hovers down to a gentle landing, and is stowed snugly in its coffin-size box – until, at the next sunset, the time comes to rise again. Continue reading

AT&T and Dedrone Team to Protect Against Malicious Drones

AT&T and Dedrone, a San Francisco-based drone detection technology startup, are teaming up on a drone detection solution that helps protect military bases, venues, cities, and businesses, from malicious drones. Continue reading

RQ-4B Global Hawk Accident Investigation Released

According to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board (AIB) report released today, an RQ-4B Global Hawk that crashed June 21, 2017, near Lone Pine, California, broke up mid-air after experiencing issues with one of its navigational data devices/ navigators. This caused the RQ-4B to enter an unusual flight altitude and experience airspeeds that exceeded structural limitations, from which the aircraft could not recover. Continue reading

Bell Unveils V-247 Vigilant Tilt-Rotor Combat Drone

As the U.S. Marine Corps looks to move ahead with its multi-role, vertical landing and takeoff-capable drone program, known as MUX, Bell has unveiled a new, full-scale mock-up of its V-247 Vigilant unmanned tilt-rotor at a technology exposition at one of the service’s own bases. The company has been actively pitching the design as an option for MUX project, but it has a modular design that could make it appealing to other U.S. and foreign military services, as well. Continue reading