Skirted on all sides by snow-clad pine forests, Latvia’s remote Lake Ninieris would be the perfect picture of winter tranquility — were it not for the huge drone buzzing like a swarm of angry bees as it zooms above the solid ice surface. The powerful three-meter-long (nine-foot) drone, sporting 16 spinning propellers, is fitted with long tow ropes with handles, the kind used in water-skiing. Continue reading
General Atomics Gets $12M MQ-9 Italian Contract
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $11,752,919 undefinitized contract action for Italy MQ-9 Contractor Logistics Support Phase V Program. Contractor will provide depot repair, life cycle sustainment, and software maintenance services for Italy’s MQ-9A fleet. Continue reading
AUVSI XPONENTIAL Announces Conference Program
The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) has announced the conference program for the upcoming AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2017, the largest trade show for the unmanned systems and robotics industry. As the regulatory environment has evolved to open up new opportunities, speakers from government, industry and academia will participate in more than 200 presentations and panel discussions addressing the potential for drones, robotics, and other unmanned systems. XPONENTIAL 2017 will take place at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas from May 8 to 11, 2017. Continue reading
Pilot Spots Drone Flying 12,000 Feet Above Mumbai
The pilot of a GoAir aircraft, approaching to land at Mumbai airport on Saturday morning, spotted a drone flying at an altitude of 12,000 feet. The white drone reportedly had four rotors and was flying at a horizontal distance of about two kilometres from the aircraft. Continue reading
Amazon Patents In-Flight Transformer Drones
Amazon.com has patented technology for drones with retractable in-flight wings. Amazon originally filed for the patent in October 2014 under the name “in-flight reconfigurable hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle.” The hybrid foldable-wing design is covered in a patent that was published last Tuesday.
UAE to Charge $14k p.a. Fee for Commercial Operators
Commercial operators of drones in the UAE have to shell out a fee of $13,624 (AED50,000) per year, according to the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operators using drone for non-commercial purpose are charged $1,107 (AED4,063) a year though the operator has to pay $273 (AED1,000) every 90 days. The fee for UAS training entities has also been set at $13,624 (AED50,000), but for five years. Continue reading
Trig Avionics Announces TT26 UAS Transponder
Trig Avionics has announced its latest product, the TT26. As an ETSO certified UAS transponder product, the TT26 is capable of operations up to 70,000 feet, thanks to its 250-watt Mode S transponder with altitude encoder and ADS-B Out (1090ES). Continue reading
General Atomics Names SkyGuardian Predator Variant
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI) launched a “Type-Certifiable” (STANAG 4571) version of its Predator B product line, called SkyGuardian, last week before an audience of international dignitaries from nine nations including the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Australia, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and the United States.