As federal regulators consider opening new radio frequencies to wireless services, Google is already eyeing the frequencies to deliver Internet access from the sky via drones and balloons. In a letter to the Federal Communications Commission Friday, Google said new bands could “be useful for offering broadband access via airborne platforms such as high-altitude balloons or unmanned aerial vehicles.” Continue reading
DJI Fixes Bug that Caused Inspire 1 Crashes
DJI has issued a firmware update to owners of the brand new Inspire 1, a drone that caught the industry’s attention last year for its filming abilities and futuristic form.
New RPAS Positioning Technology Unveiled
Novadem, France has unveiled a new positioning technology for RPAS allowing automatic inspection of structures without GPS coverage. The LPS (Local Positioning System) technology, using its own terrestrial beacons and totally independent of satellite coverage, permits, for the first time, to perform fully automatic inspection with centimeter accuracy of structures. Continue reading
Poland Launches Tactical UAV Tender
Poland’s Ministry of Defence has launched a tender to acquire 12 sets of middle-range tactical unmanned aerial vehicles and 15 sets of mini-UAVs for the armed forces. The Ministry says it is aiming to significantly boost the military’s surveillance capacity.
All initial bids are to be submitted by Feb. 16, with the price criterion representing some 60 percent of the points tbe assigned to offers submitted in the tender procedure.
Russia’s Unmanned NextGen Fighter Based on MIG Skat Stealth UCAV Prototype
Russian designers are proceeding with development of an unmanned “sixth-generation” fighter jet, former Air Force chief Pyotr Deinekin said Monday.
Drone Interceptor Drone Concept
Rapere is a concept for an “intercept drone” designed to hunt down nearby drones, hover overhead and drop a tangle-line into their rotors, forcing them to crash.
Drone Alarm at Elysée Palace in Paris
The French Presidential palace confirmed on Tuesday that an alert was sparked at the Elysée Palace after a drone was seen flying over the building. Continue reading
Japan Selects Northrop Grumman’s RQ-4 Global Hawk
The Japan Ministry of Defence has selected two Northrop Grumman Corporation systems to enhance its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.