A new drone company has taken flight on Tyneside which aims to save the oil and gas industry millions. Inspect Air, based in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, carries out aerial inspection surveying and photography using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
General Atomics Gets $310M US Army Gray Eagle Contract

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Poway, California was awarded a $310,000,000 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for logistics support of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system sustainment operations. Continue reading
Risky Fighter Jets Low Flyover Moments
US Navy’s First Operational Triton Squadron Stands Up

The Navy will stand up its first unmanned-only aviation squadron this week, as the MQ-4C Triton community establishes its first operational squadron in a ceremony Friday, the Navy’s director of air warfare told USNI News. Continue reading
Sweden Bans Camera-Equipped Drones

The Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden has banned the use of camera-equipped drones without a permit, overturning a previous decision to not consider them surveillance equipment. Continue reading
US Air Force Zaps ISIS Drone with Electronic Weapon
The U.S. Air Force recently zapped an Islamic State drone with an electronic weapon, the service’s top civilian said. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James on Monday said the service targeted a small, weaponized drone operated by militants “a week or two ago” because it was responsible for killing four non-U.S. citizens in the Middle East.
No GPS, No Problem: Next-Generation Navigation
A team of researchers at the University of California, Riverside has developed a highly reliable and accurate navigation system that exploits existing environmental signals such as cellular and Wi-Fi, rather than the Global Positioning System (GPS). The technology can be used as a standalone alternative to GPS, or complement current GPS-based systems to enable highly reliable, consistent, and tamper-proof navigation. Continue reading
Centrik Operational Management Systems Now Available for UAS Operators
UAS operators concerned by growing calls over regulation of the sector can now hold the key to successful self-regulation, thanks to operational management system Centrik. Already used by airlines, operators, airports and regulators worldwide, Centrik is now available for unmanned operators who require robust, high-quality management systems built on a firm aviation foundation.