Google’s quest to introduce small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into low altitude airspace within a “few years” has driven the company to launch an unexpected foray into the avionics market, says Dave Vos, head of the Internet company’s Project Wing. Continue reading
SAAB Teams with Reliance Defence for Indian Navy UAS
SAAB has tied up with Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence and Aerospace to bid for the ship-borne unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programme of the Indian Navy, valued at 1,000 crore ($160M).
Armed UAV Exports Limited Despite Demand
An arms transfer study from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) claims that only the UK and Nigeria have been the recipients of armed unmanned air vehicles, despite “widespread interest” in their acquisition. Continue reading
BNSF Railway’s Drones will Patrol the Track
Soon the BNSF will be patrolling tracks from altitudes no higher than 500 feet, but not within three miles of any airport and always during daylight hours. Continue reading
Beetle Cyborgs Could Outperform UAS
Researchers have turned beetles into cyborgs, saying that controlling real animals equipped with high-tech backpacks could offer a better alternative to remotely controlled drones.
Drone-Based Warning System from Turkey
A Turkish army-affiliated software company has introduced a new warning system boasting an integrated drone at the CeBIT technologies fair in Germany. Continue reading
Iraqi Air Force got CH-4B UAV from China
A photograph has surfaced online which purportedly shows a CH-4B unmanned combat aerial vehicle stationed at an Iraqi Air Force base, according to a March 17 report by Moscow-based think tank Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies cited by China’s Global Times.
Google Scraps ‘Wing’ Design
Google has scrapped its initial drone design because it was difficult to control and is now working on a new version, according to Astro Teller, head of the Internet company’s Google X research lab.