Renowned New Zealand warbird pilot Brett Emeny puts his Yakovlev Yak-52 trainer through its (aerobatic) paces during a display at a New Zealand Warbirds airshow held at Ardmore Aerodrome, Auckland, New Zealand. Continue reading
AeroVironment Gets $19M DARPA TERN Phase 2 Contract
AeroVironment Inc., Monrovia, California, has been awarded a $19,035,007 modification (P00002) adding Phase II base period within the general scope of the cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (HR0011-13-C-0099) for the Tactically Exploited Reconnaissance Node (TERN) programme. Continue reading
Blue Bear Furthers UAV Automation Research
Blue Bear Systems and the University of Bristol have introduced a new concept that automates unmanned air vehicle (UAV) flight for use in challenging conditions. Dubbed Smart Boomerang, the system comprises two cameras and a mobile phone-derived computer that enables UAVs to learn a route and be able to automatically retrace its path. Continue reading
FAA Issues Requirement for All UAS to Show Aircraft Registration Number
The FAA UAS Integration Office issued an email to the industry outlining the requirement for all commercial UAS to bear an aircraft registration number when applying for a COA:
UAS, other than those owned by the Armed Forces, intended to operate under a new COA must be registered and marked prior to COA application. The aircraft registration number (N-number) must be entered into the “Aircraft Registration” field, of the System Description section in COA on-line.
DHL’s ‘Parcelcopter’ Flies to German Island
Logistics firm DHL is using a quadcopter to fly parcels to the German island of Juist, in what it says is the first time an unmanned aircraft has been authorized to deliver goods in Europe.
US Navy Says Better Reliability Could Trim Triton Order
A senior U.S. Navy official on Tuesday said improved reliability may allow the Navy to buy fewer than the 68 Northrop Grumman Corp high-altitude, unmanned Triton aircraft now planned. Continue reading
FAA to Announce Approval for UAS Use In Filming
The FAA will approve Hollywood’s request to use UAS for filming, government and industry sources familiar with the process have told Forbes. On Thursday afternoon the FAA will announce its decision, and explain the procedures under which production companies will operate and the aviation rules which they are exempted from, the sources say. Continue reading
Indian Students Develop QuadCopter with Facial Recognition
A group of students at SRM University in Chennai, India, led by Sobin Santhosh, final year student in the Aerospace department have designed and implemented an autonomous copter equipped with an automatic face and person recognition system in a day. They have trained their intelligent software to detect a person irrespective of his/her attire, face orientation, posture and/or background. Continue reading