The North American Aviation XB-70 Valkyrie was the prototype version of the planned B-70 nuclear-armed, deep-penetration strategic bomber for the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command. In the late 1950s, North American Aviation designed the Valkyrie as a large, six-engine bomber capable of reaching Mach 3+ while flying at 70,000 feet (21,000 m). Continue reading
Grand Canyon Fire Crews Use Drones Against Wildfires
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the wildfire season is about 78 days longer than it was in 1970. In 2013, the last report available from the National Interagency Fire Center, the agency stated 1,759 wildfires burned about 105,281 acres in Arizona. Continue reading
Drone Swarms Could Spoof the Enemy
A web of swarming unmanned aircraft systems that can spoof enemy drones could be a solution to the shot doctrine problem when exercising counter-UAS capabilities, the vice president of science & technology at Cintel, the company developing the technology, said at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference on Tuesday.
General Atomics Gets $400M USAF Reaper Contract
General Atomics – Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a $399,979,895 firm-fixed-price contract for MQ-9 Reaper production. Continue reading
Drones: Is the Sky the Limit? Exhibition Now Open at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City
Drones: Is the Sky the Limit?, the first major museum exhibition on pilotless aircraft, often called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), will open at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City on Wednesday, May 10. The large-scale exhibition, which will be located in a 6,000-square-foot custom-designed pavilion on the Museum’s Pier 86, will explore the history of drone technology, from its modern origins in World War I and its military development to its current applications in solving complex humanitarian and commercial challenges. The exhibition will be open through December 3, 2017. Continue reading
Toronto Engineering Students Team Gets the Goose Egg
Left to right: U of T Engineering students Oliver Wu, Andrew Ilersich, Erik Chau, Winston Liu, Kevin Dong, Kevin Xu, Rikky Duivenvoorden and Spencer Zhao. This team took first place at the Unmanned Systems Canada UAS Student Competition. (Courtesy: UTAT)
A University of Toronto Engineering student team earned first place at the Unmanned Systems Canada Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Student Competition, held April 28 to 30 in Alma, Quebec.
Maritime Heron Replaces Israel’s Manned Sea Scan Fleet
Israel is acquiring the naval version of Heron 1 (Shoval), equipped with a maritime radar and electro-optical payload to replace its manned Sea Scan maritime patrol aircraft. Continue reading
US Navy Fire Scout Gets Improved Submarine Hunting Technology
The US Navy’s helicopter-like Fire Scout will soon operate an advanced sensor giving it increased ability to detect and destroy enemy mines and submarines from a Littoral Combat Ship, service officials said. Continue reading