Testing of the pan-European nEUron unmanned combat air vehicle demonstrator is due to move to Italy following the completion of French testing of the aircraft. Following 100 test flights by Dassault Aviation in France, during which the sensor, data-link and stealth characteristics of the demonstrator were tested, responsibility for the six-nation nEUron aircraft will be transferred to Alenia Aermacchi ahead of a follow-up test phase by Saab in Sweden.
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress Flyover
The United States Air Force flew this B-52 Stratofortress all the way from Guam to Avalon in Australia to provide visitors to the Australian International Airshow with a chance to see this awesome aircraft flyby at speed. Continue reading
Unmanned Aircraft Inspect Energy Pipeline Route
The first Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership at Virginia Tech test flight using a fixed-wing unmanned aircraft to inspect an energy pipeline route—with a piloted chase plane following behind to ensure safety beyond the ground observers’ sight line —was completed last week. The flight was a step toward making aerial inspections of energy pipelines safer and more economical, researchers say.
Drone Racing at 150 KPH
True believers hope they’re at the start of what’ll be a global movement, but for now they gather in fields, beaches and even car parks for fun – which involves flying drones at night, seeing what the drone sees.
China’s SF Express Delivers 500 Parcels per Day
China’s largest mail company is set to deliver more than 1,000 packages a day by drone. S.F. Express has revealed it already has a fleet of aircraft flying 500 parcels a day to remote areas, and it is now looking to double the capacity. The all-weather drones deliver parcels between couriers before automatically return to base, according to People’s Daily Online.
Octocopters to Detect Unexploded Bombs in Laos
Austin-based ArchAerial‘s new drone mission could potentially save lives in war-torn regions that are prone to accidents and fatalities from unexploded bombs. Continue reading
Google Project Leader Predicts Unmanned Passenger Aircraft “in his lifetime”
The head of a project that is developing commercial drones predicts the day will come when passenger aircraft will fly without pilots. Dave Vos, head of Google’s Project Wing, said Monday his personal view is that it’s completely doable and that it will occur in his lifetime.
Israel Tops UAV Exporters List
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in the period between 1985 and 2014, 60.7% of all exported unmanned aircraft in the world were produced in Israel. The United States comes second as a manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles, as it supplied 23.9% of all (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) UAVs exported during this period. Canada came third with 6.4%. Continue reading