As the Air Force works to retire its fleet of MQ-1 Predators, Air Force Magazine spoke with the man whose engineering feats of the 1970s and 1980s first made unmanned systems reliable. Continue reading
Global Hawk – 1,000 Sorties Without Maintenance
A 380th Air Expeditionary Wing EQ-4 Global Hawk, carrying a communications enhancing payload, completed 1,000 continuous sorties without occurring a single maintenance cancellation while supporting Operation Inherent Resolve here. Continue reading
Low Fly By Video
Textron to Demonstrate Vertical Capability for Aerosonde on US Navy Vessel
Textron has developed a modification to its Aerosonde unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to give it a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capability and will demonstrate it at sea this summer. The modification allows for more flexibility in operations and a reduction in footprint for launch and recovery equipment. Continue reading
Triton Tests to Begin in the Pacific
The U.S. Navy is moving ahead with plans to kick off a series of tests in Guam this summer of its MQ-4C Triton autonomous signals-intelligence aircraft, a service official said April 4. Continue reading
Thales Positions Spy’Ranger for Army Reconnaissance Requirements in Asia-Pacific Region
Riding on its success with the French Army after being selected for the Système de Mini Drone de Reconnaissance (SMDR) requirement, Thales is now positioning the man-portable Spy’Ranger unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for surveillance and reconnaissance requirements of armed forces in the Asia-Pacific region. Continue reading
Aurora Revives Orion Production for 2019 Delivery
Aurora Flight Sciences will revive production of the Orion ultra-long-endurance unmanned air vehicle (UAV) and the proof-of-concept aircraft will transfer from US Air Force storage to perform a series of demonstrations with the Coast Guard. Continue reading
New Prediction Method Sheds Brighter Light on Flight
Resembling a feathered flying ace with his miniature protective goggles and chinstrap, the parrotlet named Obie stood ready to take off. On signal, Obie propelled into the air, flapped through a laser field infused with micro-particles and landed on another perch three feet away. Continue reading