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AOPA and nine other aviation groups signed a letter opposing a proposed amendment to the U.S. Senate’s FAA Reauthorization Act that would do away with federal preemption in the integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System. Continue reading
Unlike most quadcopters, the Aqua-Quad doesn’t take off from solid ground. Dr. Kevin Jones and his team from the Naval Postgraduate School developed it to fly straight up from the ocean or any body of water. And it can land back on water after it has fulfilled its mission, staying on or under the surface until it’s deployed again. Continue reading
The U.S. Army successfully fired a Stinger missile from its newest launch platform, at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida on March 23. The missile was fired as part of a demonstration of the Army’s new Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2-Intercept platform’s multi-mission launcher.
Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems this week unveiled its newest development, the Drone Dome defence system, design to intercept enemy unmanned aerial vehicles. Rafael is also the developer of the Israeli military’s highly successful Iron Dome missile defence system.
The US Air Force recently approved two initiatives for the remotely piloted aircraft career field. First, eight RPA reconnaissance squadrons will be redesignated as attack squadrons. Second, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III authorized RPA aircrews to log combat time when flying an aircraft within designated hostile airspace, regardless of the aircrew’s physical location.
The US Army is looking to develop an autonomous unmanned aerial system that can act as a kind of scout for ground vehicles, following the road in front of the vehicle at a fairly low altitude while matching the vehicle’s speed, with the ability for ground crew to manually override the UAS controls when necessary. Continue reading
European Emergency Number Association (EENA) has announced that it is working with DJI to look for ways to integrate the use of drones into first-response missions. Based in Belgium, EENA is a non-governmental organisation that serves as a discussion platform for emergency services, public authorities and researchers to transfer knowledge and best practice to better serve the needs of the public. Continue reading
The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) initiated a concerted effort into the application of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) for transmission research in 2012. The effort has accelerated and grown as UAS have increased in their capability and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations have relaxed. Continue reading