After a long career in information technology and communications systems, Ben Berry’s company that he founded in 2011, Lake Oswego-based AirShip Technologies Group, is set to begin production on a solar-powered, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) — a drone called the V2.
Lockheed Martin Conducts Collaborative Unmanned Systems Demonstration
Lockheed Martin demonstrated its ability to integrate unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations into the National Airspace System (NAS) using its prototype UAS Traffic Management (UTM) capabilities. During the demonstration on Nov. 18, the Stalker XE UAS provided data and a precise geolocation to the unmanned K-MAX cargo helicopter, which conducted water drops to extinguish a fire, while the UTM tracked the UAS operations and communicated with Air Traffic Control in real time. Continue reading
Saft Gets Multi-Million Dollar Textron Systems Contract for Lithium-ion Batteries for UGCS
Saft, a designer and manufacturer of advanced technology batteries for industry, announced a new contract from Textron Systems Unmanned Systems for Integrated Charger Batteries (ICBs) to power its next-generation Universal Ground Control Stations (UGCS). The lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries will provide back-up power to the stations which control unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Continue reading
FX Glider Display Team at UK Airshow
The FX Glider Display Team shows off their Marganski MDM-1 Fox glider at the Little Gransden Air and Car Show in the UK. Continue reading
MQ-8C Fire Scout Concludes Operational Assessment
The U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) completed a successful land-based operational assessment (OA) with the unmanned, autonomous helicopter MQ-8C Fire Scout, at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, Nov. 20. The OA demonstrated the endurance and sensor integration capabilities on the new MQ-8C airframe.
Australian Operator Focusses on Inspections
When a tiny hobbyist drone revealed the damage inside Christchurch Cathedral in New Zealand, just after the 2011 earthquake, very few had an inkling of the enormous potential these flying objects had to emerge as a major commercial infrastructure inspection tool. Continue reading
Australian Maritime Safety Authority Selects ViDAR for Search and Rescue
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s (AMSA) four new Challenger 604 jet search and rescue aircraft which begin to enter service in August 2016 will have an unprecedented ability to visually detect and track objects and people in the water, thanks to prime contractor Cobham Aviation Services’ selection of Sentient Vision’s Kestrel Maritime ViDAR (Visual Detection and Ranging) system as part of the program’s sensor suite. Continue reading
Add-on Scans Disaster Zones to Locate Survivors
A technology firm has developed a small robot module that clips on to any small drone and can be used to search for survivors from the air in a disaster zone. Continue reading