To defend against military lasers, Adsys Controls of Irvine, California, has created Helios, which can be carried on drones. To do much damage, an offensive laser needs to remain focused on its target for several seconds. Helios stops a laser from doing this by disrupting the systems controlling the beam – the Achilles’ heel for all such weapons.
USAF Selects Candidates for New RPA Bases
The US Air Force has selected candidate bases for a potential new MQ-9 Reaper wing with units at up to two locations. For the first location, the Air Force identified Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona; Moody AFB, Georgia; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; Offutt AFB, Nebraska; and Shaw AFB, South Carolina, as candidate bases to potentially host an operations group with mission control elements.
AeroPoints – Hardware for Accurate Drone Surveying
Australian technology company Propeller Aero has announced the launch of AeroPoints: smart ground control points that makes it easy for anyone to capture survey-accurate mapping using drones.
Insitu Gets $10M US Navy Service Contract
Insitu Inc. is being awarded a $9,896,412 modification (0007) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-14-C-0070) to procure intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services using its unmanned aircraft system in support of the Navy. Continue reading
New, Improved Kespry Drone 2.0
Kespry, which designs automated drone systems for commercial use, has announced the new Kespry Drone 2.0. The new lighter-weight drone flies 2X as long, covers 2X the ground area, and has 2X the wind resilience, due to the new airframe, battery, and flight system improvements. Continue reading
Project Wing to Drop Burritos on Virginia Tech Students
Alphabet’s innovation lab X drone-focused team called Project Wing has just announced a plan to commence aerial burrito delivery, in partnership with Chipotle, on the campus of Virgina Tech this week.
New Polish UAS on Display
Both international and local companies are already positioning themselves to respond to the inevitable UAS tenders that will surface over the next few years. Polish UAS speciailists Flytronic, part of the WB Group, is just one of those companies. Continue reading
Egg-Shaped Domestic Drone
The PowerEgg, the first consumer drone from Chinese robotics company PowerVision has a body is shaped like an egg, and it’s not until the landing gear extends and you pull out each of the four propeller arms that it looks like something that can fly. Propellers are bolted onto the arms, so you don’t have to worry about attaching them before flight. Continue reading