U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joseph M. Buliavac
A ScanEagle launches from the flight deck of the amphibious dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45).
ScanEagle Launches from USS Comstock Deck
Fukushima – First Video from Unmanned Helicopters
Tokyo Electric Power is putting remote controlled machinery to use at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. This video was shot by one of the Hélipse unmanned helicopters on Sunday and shows the plant’s number four reactor building.
Gray Eagle and Shadow Lethal Partners in Iraq
Gray Eagle with Hellfire missiles at Camp Taji, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Jason Sweeney)
Gray Eagle operators of QRC-1-R1 Camp Taji, Iraq recently demonstrated firing six Hellfire missiles into the abandoned hulks of light military tactical vehicles positioned at Shadow Range in western Iraq. A Shadow from the 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division out of Al-Asad was flying nearby and laser designated the target.
Northrop Grumman’s Automated Aerial Refuelling Programme Flight Test Success
Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Relative Navigation system exceeded accuracy requirements during recent flight tests for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s Automated Aerial Refuelling (AAR) programme.
Brazil:Embraer to Enter UAS Market with Elbit Subsidiary
Embraer Defense and Security and AEL Sistemas, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd announced in LAAD 2011 in Rio de Janeiro, the signature of a strategic agreement envisaging the evaluation of joint exploration of UAS, including the potential creation of a company with majority participation of Embraer Defense and Security to work in the segment.
Z Microsytems Acquires Enhanced Video Devices to Grow UAS Activity
Z Microsystems, a leading provider of mission-ready computing systems, announced that it has acquired the intellectual property and product development team of Enhanced Video Devices (EVD), a developer of image enhancement technology.
India Develops Domestic UCAV Programme
India’s Defence Research and Development Organization told the Times of India recently that the aim of the secretive AURA (autonomous unmanned research aircraft) programme is to develop a UCAV for the Indian Air Force in seven to eight years.
US Army Orders $14.8 Million Digital Raven Retrofit Kits from AeroVironment
AeroVironment, Inc. announced that it received a firm-fixed-price contract order valued at $14,773,816 under an existing contract with the U.S. Army. The order comprises digital Raven small UAS retrofit kits. Work is scheduled to be completed by December 2011.