SimActive Inc., a developer of photogrammetry software, has announced the purchase of multiple Correlator3 licenses by SNCF. The software is used in conjunction with UAVs from Delair-Tech, SimActive’s partner. Continue reading
One-Eyed Bug Vision Helps Drones Land
In an effort to build—and control—ever smaller drones, researchers have been looking at how insects navigate. Insects use a technique called optical flow, based on the apparent speed of objects passing by in their field of vision. In fact, humans use optical flow to give us a sense of how fast we’re going when we’re driving. Continue reading
Future UAS Should be VTOL – US Army Aviation Chief
The US Army aviation chief, Maj. Gen. Michael Lundy, wants to spend the service’s shrunken aircraft acquisition budget — down about 40 percent over the past three years — on manned rather than unmanned aircraft. After all, this is the Army. Continue reading
Saab to Deliver UAS to Swedish Police
Saab will deliver three UAV systems to the Swedish Police. Each system comprises air vehicles equipped with day/night sensors and a ground station, plus spare parts, consumables, documentation, training and technical support. The contract will be in effect from 2016 to 2018. Continue reading
California Prepares New Drone Laws
Two California lawmakers have introduced two separate bills this week that would further regulate drones in America’s most populous state. If passed, one of the new state laws would require “tiny physical or electronic license plates” and inexpensive insurance, among other requirements. A second bill would compel drone pilots who are involved in incidents that damage property or injure people to leave their contact information—similar to what drivers must do following auto accidents. Continue reading
General Atomics Gets $57M Logistics Contract for UK
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a $57,401,850 undefinitized contract action for MQ-9 contractor logistics support. Continue reading
High-Precision Open-Source UAS Autopilot Toolkit
Sentera LLC and the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering have developed a high-precision autopilot toolkit for use with unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The toolkit’s hardware and software are now available under a broad open-source license.
Fuel Cell Quadcopter Flies 2 Hours with 4K Video
EnergyOr Technologies Inc., a supplier of advanced PEM fuel cell systems for aerospace applications, has demonstrated the world’s longest multi-rotor drone flight in real-world operating conditions. On December 16th , 2015, EnergyOr’s H2Quad 400 flew for over two hours while recording 4K video, using a 3-axis stabilizing gimbal to control the camera. Continue reading