As unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) become a more familiar presence in American skies, new companies are getting in on the action. Krossblade Aerospace Systems, a startup created in 2014, aims to put a drone that could transform emergency response systems on the market soon.
General Atomics Gets $121M US Army Contract for 19 Gray Eagles plus Satellite Communications Terminals
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, was awarded a $121,350,000 modification (P00028) to contract W58RGZ-13-C-0109 for 19 Gray Eagle unmanned aerial vehicles and 19 satellite communications air data terminals.
Moths Could Gift Low-light Vision to new Micro-UAS
A team at Georgia Institute of Techology figured out that moths can purposefully slow their brain activity so as to see better in low-light conditions, keeping their nectar-sipping position at flowers even when the plants are moving, and potentially opening the door to future machine vision systems that can react accurately even in the depth of night.
NOAA Upgrades UAS for Hurricane Season
Just in time for this year’s hurricane season, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will be upgrading its Coyote drones for storm research and climate data collection.
Skycatch – Uber for Drones
Drones cost money, and companies have to know how to operate them safely. Depending on the business, some firms may need a drone for only a short period of time, which in turn makes the investment impractical. San Francisco startup Skycatch has a product called Workmode that it claims solves that dilemma. A service called Workmode matches companies wanting a drone with qualified pilots who own and operate them. Hence the claims that it’s “the Uber for drones.” Continue reading
US Army Completes Gray Eagle Flight Tests
The US Army has finished its Follow On Test and Evaluation on the MQ-1C Gray Eagle and Initial Test and Evaluation on the One System Remote Video Terminal at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California.
New Zealand Experiments Drone Delivery
A New Zealand-first drone delivery over Auckland has given new meaning to “air mail”. Delivery company Fastway Couriers has teamed up with Sydney-based unmanned aerial vehicles UAV company Flirtey to create the aerial delivery service. Continue reading
NASA Prototypes Mars Unmanned Aircraft
NASA has revealed that it’s building a prototype for Prandtl-m (Preliminary Research Aerodynamic Design to Land on Mars), a glider drone that would launch from a descending rover and survey landing sites for the eventual manned mission. Continue reading