General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. and Rohde & Schwarz, a manufacturer of wireless communications, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Test and Measurement (T&M) equipment, and broadcasting T&M equipment for digital terrestrial television, announced that they have signed a Teaming Agreement to integrate and flight demonstrate Rohde & Schwarz’s air traffic control radios on the Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper RPA.
Explaining the European Approach To Civil RPAS
On 23 June 2014, the RPAS 2014 conference in Brussels, Belgium will be opened with a speech by Mr Siim Kallas, Vice President of the European Commission & Commissioner for Transport. The RPAS 2014 conference, which is coordinated with ICAO, European Commission, European RPAS Steering Group, EASA, SESAR JU, EUROCONTROL, EDA, JARUS, ECAC, and the International RPAS Coordination Council, will be Europe’s most important RPAS event in 2014. Continue reading
Next-Gen UAS – Armed, Modular and Smaller
Asked what market trends he sees for the future, Michael Blades, an analyst with Frost & Sullivan, told an audience at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) annual conference, that the ability to defend itself in contested environments is No. 1 on his list. Continue reading
Textron Unmanned Systems at 4,500 Hours Per Month with New US Navy ISR Contract
Textron Systems Unmanned Systems has announced a new task order under the U.S. Navy Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Services programme that is expected to reach full operational capability by the end of May. Award of this new task order is in addition to extension of existing task orders, bringing the total monthly mission hours provided under the contract to 4,500 across all international sites. Continue reading
Lockheed Martin Kestrel Autopilot and Indago UAS Cleared for Export
The Lockheed Martin Kestrel autopilot has received its commodity jurisdiction, allowing for quick, affordable deployments for international markets. The Kestrel autopilot and a version of the vertical takeoff and lift Indago quad-rotor unmanned aircraft system (UAS) are no longer restricted by International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and they are now controlled under the Export Administration Regulations. Continue reading
UAV Industry Winners and Losers in 2015 US Defense Department Budget
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or UAVs, have emerged as the largest growth industry in the global aerospace industry, with worldwide expenditures projected to reach $89 billion by 2025. However, with the commercial use of drones awaiting Federal Aviation Administration regulations, and considering that export licenses are difficult to obtain, U.S. companies remain dependent on government contracts to fuel their contributions to the UAV industry’s growth.
Successful First Flights of the Production Silent Falcon
Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc., a manufacturer and developer of state-of-the-art, flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules, along with Silent Falcon UAS Technologies (SFUAS), announced the successful first flights of the production Silent Falcon Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) powered by Ascent Solar’s ultra-lightweight, flexible photovoltaic modules. Continue reading
Ex-Insitu Employee Convicted of Trade Secrets Theft
Trade secrets cases in the employment context usually provide valuable lessons on what not to do when leaving a job. The recent conviction of Stephen Marty Ward by a Washington federal jury imparts one such lesson: when you are terminated after working on a project for the Navy involving drones, don’t threaten to blackmail your former employer with trade secret disclosure. Continue reading