A 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing unmanned aerial vehicle ditched earlier today in the Neuse River at approximately 9:48 a.m., north of MCAS Cherry Point. It was recovered at approximately 4 p.m., with the help and assistance from U.S. Navy and Cherry Point personnel. The search and recovery took about six hours — the aircraft has been returned to the unit.
Construction Starts at Grand Sky Tech Park
America’s first unmanned aerial systems business and aviation park has officially entered the construction phase. About 200 guests including officials from Northrop Grumman, Grand Forks County and Grand Forks Air Force Base gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Grand Sky UAS tech park after a highly publicized enhanced use lease signing earlier this year. Continue reading
US Navy Wants Cosworth Engine on RQ-21A
Insitu Inc., Bingen, Washington, is being awarded $6,874,313 for cost-fixed-price delivery order 0052 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-12-G-0008) for technical studies, conceptual design modifications and engineering development, including associated preliminary test assets necessary to integrate the Cosworth AG engine onto the RQ-21A unmanned aircraft system. Continue reading
Indian Government Approves $400M Armed Heron TP Contract
The Indian government has quietly approved the purchase of 10 missile-armed UAS from Israel — a crucial acquisition that will enhance India’s cross-border military strike capability. The $400-million proposal for buying armed Heron TP UAS from Israel was cleared last week.
Crashed UN Drone Abandoned in Congo
On a cloudy October morning last year, an unarmed United Nations drone on a surveillance mission over eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo crashed and burned in farmland just north of the city of Goma. Local residents quickly gathered at the crash site, where U.N. officials later retrieved some of the drone’s pieces, including its black box, radar, and camera system. But its engine and tail arm — clearly emblazoned with U.N. insignia — stayed in a resident’s home in the poor territory for months, and other debris remained untouched in a field whose owner could no longer afford to farm.
Airogistic Launches Portable Drone Cage
Airogistic LLC, a pioneer for developing UAV infrastructure products and services, has announced the product rollout of the DroneDome. The DroneDome is an outdoor netted shelter that allows for the use and testing of small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) in a controlled and personnel safe environment.
Multinational Law Firm Hires Gretchen West
Multinational law firm Hogan Lovells has hired unmanned aircraft systems advocate Gretchen West, who will provide business and regulatory consulting to the firm’s clients who use or seek to use drones commercially.
West, a nonlawyer with an MBA, joins the firm’s Silicon Valley government regulatory practice as senior advisor for innovation and technology. She joins from commercial drone software startup DroneDeploy, where she was vice president of business development and regulatory affairs. She expects to work quite a bit with Hogan Lovells’ clients in the energy, agriculture and mining industries.
UAV Inspection Services for Wind Turbines
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles to inspect wear and tear on wind turbines is coming into its own, and may well be a $6 billion business by 2024, Navigant Research reports.