Big IT companies have largely been mum on plans to use drones, but emerging technology from Bay-area startup PreNav appears to have at least intrigued wireless service providers and cell phone tower operators. Continue reading
FALCON – Internet for the Battlespace
The BAE Systems designed Falcon system gives the British Army and Royal Air Force a real advantage in the digital age. Falcon is a fully deployable, tactical communications system with an impressive ability to interface with a wide range of other systems. This means that voice, data and video information can now be shared securely across the battlespace using one common system. Continue reading
Qualcomm Introduces Snapdragon Flight Reference Platform for Cheaper Drones
Known for its key role in the smartphone industry, Qualcomm is now looking to expand their horizons by making a new chip reference design aimed at making drones cheaper for everyone. Continue reading
CAE Plans to Extend Predator Training
CAE has revealed plans to replicate the unmanned air vehicle training that it offers to the US Air Force to more operators of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems family of Predator UAVs.
First USAF Operational Fielding of MQ-9 Reaper ER
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. announced that its Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper Extended Range (Reaper ER) RPA fleet has achieved a historic milestone with the first operational fielding of Reaper ER by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) last month.
TR-X: New High-Altitude Jet from the Skunk Works
The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works has revealed plans for a next-generation, high-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform that could replace the U-2 and Global Hawk from 2025. The company has launched an internally-funded study of a stealthy jet designated the TR-X that might also carry alternative payloads such as a high-energy laser, or for electronic warfare. Lockheed Martin (LM) believes that a U.S. requirement for the TR-X could emerge within the next 18 months.
US Lags Behind in Commercial Drone Industry
By 2035, the number of unmanned aerial vehicles in operation in the U.S. is expected to surpass the number of manned aircraft in operation. The U.S. commercial drone market could easily be worth $5 billion, according to the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, and the global commercial market may be several times greater. Continue reading
AgustaWestland Completes UK MoD Rotary Wing Unmanned Aerial System Concept Demonstration
Finmeccanica-AgustaWestland has announced that it has completed the U.K. Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Rotary Wing Unmanned Aerial System (RWUAS) Capability Concept Demonstration (CCD) contract it was awarded in 2013, including 27 hours of demonstration flying and 22 automatic simulated deck landings using its SW-4 RUAS Solo technology demonstrator. Continue reading