On April 6, 2017, as part of the Pentagon’s daily announcement of any contract awards worth over $7 million, the Air Force revealed a deal with URS Federal Services, Inc. for nearly two decades of work regarding unmanned aircraft. The official details are unusual :
New Software Simplifies Oil and Gas Inspections
Industrial Skyworks has announced the official launch of Blue VU advanced software for the accurate and efficient inspection of buildings, and oil and gas infrastructure. Industrial Skyworks’ new Blue VU software will relieve inspectors, engineers and technicians from sifting through thousands of images while providing safe visual access to hard to reach locations, such as the roofs of buildings, flare stacks, and storage tanks.
Rheinmetall Drone Detection System for Swiss Prisons
Rheinmetall AG has won two important first orders for protecting sensitive government infrastructure from aerial drones. In Switzerland, the central prison in Lenzburg and the inter-cantonal penitentiary in Bostadel have contracted with the Düsseldorf-based high-tech group to install drone detection equipment known as the Radshield system.
Tethered Drone for Security at Boston Marathon
MA-based robotics company, CyPhy Works has announced that its tethered drone, PARC, will be part of the safety and security measures used by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) at the 2017 Boston Marathon.
MQ-8C Fire Scout Successful 1st Flight from LCS
Northrop Grumman Corporation’s autonomous helicopter, MQ-8C Fire Scout, took to the air for the first time from a U.S. Navy independence-class Littoral Combat ship, USS Montgomery (LCS-8). The flight took place off the coast of California during the second phase of Dynamic Interface testing, once again demonstrating Fire Scout’s stability and safety while operating around the ship.
Navy Gun Shoots So Fast There is No Bang – Just Brrrrr
Sailors aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) perform a close in weapon system live fire exercise. Bataan is underway in preparation for a scheduled upcoming deployment. Continue reading
Drone Carries Pilot Cable for Bridge in China
As China impresses the world with its efficiency in building massive bridges, builders have found a new way to construct overpasses even faster. Workers who are building the 4,629-foot-long Xingkang Bridge in Sichuan Province have used a drone to help them install cables. Continue reading
Sweden Changes Law to Make Drones Legal Again
As reported before, in the autumn of 2016, the Swedish Supreme Administrative Court ruled that a camera mounted on a drone is considered a CCTV camera for purposes of the Swedish Camera Monitoring Act. The judgment meant that using a drone equipped with a camera, where the camera will be directed at a place to which the public has access, requires a licence from the County Administrative Board. Continue reading