On 11 December 2014, Flight Plus, Luciad and VITO were recognised at the 2014 SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) SWIM Master Class “Best in Class Awards” which took place in Brussels. During four months, 81 international teams competed to become the 2014 SWIM “Best in Class”.
L-3 SCM to Provide Communications Link for Desert Hawk III
L-3 Southern California Microwave (L-3 SCM) has announced that it has been selected by Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems and Training (LM MST) business to provide its MICRO Secure Digital Data Link (MICRO SDDL) as the secure command & control and ISR communications backbone for the U.K. Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) digital Desert Hawk III DDL small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS) platform.
NASA Begins Flight Testing of Shape-Shifting Wings
NASA’s green aviation project, together with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and FlexSys, Inc, is one step closer to demonstrating technology that could make future airliners quieter and more fuel-efficient with the successful flight test of a wing surface that can change shape in flight. Continue reading
Chinese Air Force Shoots Down Unauthorised Flights
A drone without an operating license that was shot down by the PLA Air Force in Beijing has brought light to the need for tightened regulations on privately-owned drones and other devices.
AOPA tells Congress UAS Rules Needed Now
The FAA should expedite its rule governing the operation of small commercial unmanned aerial systems, AOPA told the House Aviation Subcommittee in comments submitted for the record as part of a Dec. 10 hearing on UAS technology. In its statement, AOPA also recommended that the FAA take steps to address dangerous operations by recreational UAS users, including stipulating penalties. Continue reading
USAF Seeks More Extended Range Reaper Conversions
The US Air Force (USAF) intends to award General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) a contract to upgrade an additional number of its MQ-9 Reaper Block 1 unmanned aircraft systems to the extended range (ER) configuration, it disclosed on 4 December. Continue reading
Dutch Army Seeks Raven replacement
The Royal Netherlands Army is preparing a request for proposals for the replacement of its AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven unmanned air vehicles. The service expects to release the RFP in early 2015. Continue reading
MQ-9 Reaper Crashes at Creech
At approximately 8:45 a.m. PST on Dec. 11, 2014, an MQ-9 Reaper crashed during a routine training mission in an unpopulated area approximately 1 mile east of Creech Air Force Base, Nevada.