an independent online news service for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems world
As he went around Napa Valley in the past two years, Ken Giles had the unenviable task of notifying nearby residents that UC Davis would be conducting a demonstration project using UAS to spray pesticides at its vineyard in Oakville. Continue reading
Aeronautics Defense Systems is offering its Dominator XP unmanned platform for maritime surveillance applications. Deputy chief executive Dany Eshchar points to a growing demand for such a long-endurance asset to help protect nations’ exclusive economic zones and monitor offshore infrastructure such as natural gas pumping installations.
The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine tractor two-seat biplane which was in service with the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) from 1912 until the end of World War I. About 3,500 were built. Initially used as front-line reconnaissance aircraft and light bombers; variants of the type were also used as night fighters. Continue reading
The US Army is field testing more than a dozen hand-launched ArrowLite unmanned air vehicles manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries, which has long sought a foothold in the US military unmanned air systems (UAS) market.
Neah Power Systems, Inc. will be partnering with Silent Falcon UAS Technologies (‘Silent Falcon’) to integrate the formic acid reformer (Formira™) based fuel cell technology into the Silent Falcon UAV. The fuel cell could significantly increase the mission endurance by between two times to three times the current duration, as well as enable heavier payloads. Formic acid is a safe, energy dense fuel, allowing easy handling, distribution, and refueling in remote locations worldwide, unlike compressed hydrogen.
The Canadian Federal Government announced Tuesday that they are financially backing a new defence and aerospace innovation programme at UBC Okanagan. Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, Michelle Rempel, was on hand to announce the $3.8 million in funding to support the establishment of the Survive and Thrive Applied Research Facility (STAR). Continue reading
A Boeing-assisted team at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Center has developed a blended-wing UAV featuring integrated electric ducted fan motors built with modular components made largely via Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). This is the type of 3D printing in which successive layers of molten plastic are extruded one on top of another, to build up complete objects. Continue reading
Canada’s Pete McLeod upset the Red Bull Air Race World Championship leaders in Qualifying on Saturday in Las Vegas to win pole position for Sunday’s race. McLeod turned in a flawless performance under bright sunshine and temperatures above 30 degrees to win Qualifying in the world’s fastest motorsport series for the fourth time this season and the 30-year-old Canadian, still searching for his first career win, hopes that the luck of Las Vegas will finally be on his side in Sunday’s race. McLeod’s time was 49.588 seconds with Lamb in 49.734 and Dolderer on 50.016. Continue reading