A German company claims to have broken a world record: the first time a human has been lifted into the air with a remote-controlled helicopter. Heligraphix, an RC helicopter company known for its gravity-defying stunts, enlisted the help of H.U.L.C. — Heavy Ultra Lift Crane model helicopters. Continue reading
Facebook in Talks to Acquire Titan Aerospace for $60M
Facebook, one of the primary backers of the Internet.org initiative, which aims to bring affordable Internet access to the 5 billion people in the world who still lack connectivity, is in talks with a company that could help further that agenda. Facebook is buying Titan Aerospace, makers of near-orbital, solar-powered UAS which can fly for five years without needing to land. According to a source with access to information about the deal, the price for this acquisition is $60 million. Continue reading
Turkey May Request Unarmed Reaper
Turkey’s defence bureaucracy could soon follow in the footsteps of a 2013 French move and request U.S. congressional approval for the sale of an unarmed version of an American UAS after its appeal for an armed version failed. Defence sources said Turkey acknowledged its prior request and could now renew it for an unarmed version of the Reaper, made by the U.S. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. Continue reading
Germany Reports High Rate of UAS Losses
According to Israel’s Homeland Security, the German Army has reported a record attrition rate of UAS in the last decade. Continue reading
UAS Film Napa Valley Vineyards
Two Napa Valley filmmakers are using emerging and somewhat controversial technology to capture spectacular aerial footage of vineyards, wineries and other wine country locations. Adam Krolfifer and Bret Lyman teamed up last year to purchase a custom-made, remote-controlled helicopter and create their aerial cinematography company, ActionChopper. Continue reading
US Air Force to Flight Test Hyperspectral Sensor
The US Air Force is planning to test a high-powered spectral sensor for unmanned aircraft systems capable of spotting such things on the ground as improvised explosives or camouflaged targets by identifying what those objects are made of. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center has announced plans to negotiate a contract with Raytheon Co. to test a podded version of the Airborne Cueing and Exploitation System-Hyperspectral (ACES-HY) on the Predator UAS. Continue reading
Schiebel Camcopter at Sochi Games
During the entire Olympics Games – the XXII Winter Games and Paralympics – the CAMCOPTERS-100 UAS Unmanned Aircraft System (in cooperation with JSC Gorizont Russia: Gorizont Air S-100) is operating in Sochi.
Busting Myths About the FAA and Unmanned Aircraft
The FAA has sought to dispel what it considers to be a lot of misconceptions and misinformation about unmanned aircraft system (UAS) regulations by publishing this information on its own web site. Continue reading