sUAS News

The California Air National Guard’s 163d Attack Wing operating out of March Air Reserve Base is using MQ-9 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), with full-motion video (optical and infra-red) and ground imaging Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) capability, in support of CAL FIRE’s firefighting efforts in Northern California. SAR is able to see clearly though both clouds […]

James McBurney joins Silent Falcon UAS Technologies as Chief Operating Officer after a career in finance and private equity and with executive experience with early stage energy and technology companies. During his career, Jim worked at Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch and Bank of America in New York and London, in the M&A, Energy & Power […]

Long range and endurance are capabilities not often associated with VTOL aircraft. But Aerovel’s unmanned Flexrotor, a unique miniature tailsitter, is cut from a different cloth. Last week a Flexrotor named for the sea nymph Actaea lifted off into a grey and rainy morning with 7.5 kg of fuel onboard. It transitioned from hover to […]

The benefit that drones have for a multitude of different industries is overwhelmingly apparent to the technology-minded employees of a company, but negative connotations associated with terminology – and a lack of understanding from industrial decision makers – is holding back realisation of the full potential of this disruptive technology. Ranging from search and rescue […]

Mapbox, the mapping and location platform for developers, today announced a $164 million Series C funding round led by the SoftBank Vision Fund, with participation from existing investors including Foundry Group, DFJ Growth, DBL Partners, and Thrive Capital. Mapbox provides developers and businesses with maps, location search, and direction services that are specific to mobile, AR/VR, and […]

As the number one seller of toy drones YTD August 2017*, according to NPD, Skyrocket LLC launched its new edition, the Sky Viper V2450 GPS Streaming Video Drone. Featuring a return-to-home button as well as a built-in GPS, the Sky Viper GPS Drone outperforms every drone in its class. The newest drone in Skyrocket’s Sky Viper family is […]

The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, today made the following statement about a drone incident in Quebec City: “On October 12, 2017, a Skyjet flight was struck by a drone while inbound to Jean Lesage International Airport in Québec City. This is the first time a drone has hit a commercial aircraft in Canada […]

Friday, October 13, 2017 RE: Drones and Federal Preemption President Donald J. Trump 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, DC 20006 Dear President Trump, I am writing you today to appeal not only to the President of our great country but also as a businessperson that has personal experience with the Federal Aviation Administration. The notion that […]

Helicopters are very much the mode of the moment as survey companies start to need long-range VTOL. There are very few meshing rotor machines out there. SDO 50 V2 is a multi-purpose, single engine unmanned helicopter system below 150 kg maximum take off weight, that can be operated within or beyond visual line of sight. […]

Kespry, the leading aerial intelligence platform provider, announced the appointment of Jon Wolken as senior vice president of sales and Paul Ross as vice president of marketing. Their extensive experience in scaling solution providers to enterprise organizations will help Kespry expand its go-to-market capabilities and rapidly increase the number of customers gaining value from its solutions. These industry veterans […]

Northland Community & Technical College (NCTC) and St. Cloud State University partner to enhance geospatial information technology (GIT) and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) education in the region and develop educational pathways for students. St. Cloud State Interim President Ashish Vaidya and NCTC President Dennis Bona signed an agreement Sept. 27 at NCTC to work together to develop collaborations and […]

“The digital control tower will be a significant boost for Cranfield Airport and the research capabilities of the University”, says Professor Sir Peter Gregson Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Cranfield University. How does the digital technology work? A mast will be installed at Cranfield Airport, equipped with cameras and sensors recording everything that takes place. […]

Three new startups have moved into the Odense Robotics StartUp Hub located at the Danish Technological Institute in Odense. One of them is QuadSAT, a young team with big ambitions to radically change satellite communication using drone technology. Here you can meet the team – the hub’s first drone company – and explore their vision for […]

UAVOS INC. demonstrated to the representatives of the Army and the special operation forces of Indonesia an unmanned aerial complex with a gasoline-powered helicopter UVH-29E. Officials and experts from the Indonesian Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the National Search and Rescue Agency Republic of Indonesia (Basarnas), the National Agency for Combating Terrorism (BNPT) and the Indonesian […]

This is breaking news. It appears that proceedings on the ID and Tracking ARC did not produce the desired results. Word on the street is that the last ditch DJI push did not go over so well. I guess the white paper and “Aeroscope” fix didn’t wash with the rest of the group and no […]

AeroScope Addresses Safety, Security And Privacy Concerns While Protecting Drone Pilots DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, has unveiled AeroScope, its new solution to identify and monitor airborne drones with existing technology that can address safety, security and privacy concerns. AeroScope uses the existing communications link between a drone and […]

Just park this here, it may be of interest moving forward. Read in full here Affected Public: Businesses and Small UAS operators under 14 CFR part 107. Frequency of Submission: One submission per operation. Respondent Universe: small UAS operators under 14 CFR part 107. Reporting Burden: Total Estimated Responses: 124,000 authorization requests 2017 with a 35% increase per year every year […]

Case Western Reserve researcher works with NASA, other partners to build small, battery-powered aircraft in next several years Need to catch a fast ride from Cleveland to Pittsburgh? Get ready to hail your first “air taxi”—and maybe sooner than you think. A Case Western Reserve University professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, is helping to […]

DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, today introduced the Zenmuse X7, the world’s first Super 35 digital film camera optimized for professional aerial cinematography. Designed to work seamlessly with the DJI Inspire 2 drone, the Zenmuse X7 delivers superior image quality, interchangeable lenses, and a new DJI Cinema Color System […]

The drone buzzed over U.S. ground troops in southern Syria. It was big, about the size of a Predator, and it was armed. Without warning, it fired. The munition “hit dirt,” a Pentagon spokesman later told reporters, and a U.S. aircraft shot the UAV down. But the incident, along with a similar shootdown two weeks later, are […]

The SESAR Horizon 2020 PODIUM project will demonstrate unmanned aircraft system traffic management (UTM) services, procedures and technologies at four operational sites in Denmark, France and the Netherlands throughout 2018 and 2019. It supports U-space, the European Commission’s vision for the safe, secure and efficient handling of drone traffic and a key enabler for the […]

Quantum-Systems, a leading manufacturer of professional long-range UAVs for the civilian market, announced the Trinity UAV at the InterGeo 2017 expo in Berlin. The Trinity is Quantum’s second UAV after the Tron, which was released in March 2017. The Trinity is a VTOL fixed-wing hybrid UAV that employs a unique three-motor design to take-off vertically, […]

Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc. (ESAero) announced today the opening of a new manufacturing facility in San Luis Obispo, CA to design, produce test, and certify electric and hybrid aircraft. The facility will significantly increase ESAero’s manufacturing capacity and allow for production and integration of UAS and larger format air vehicle systems at higher volumes, including […]

Plea for more space and consistent regulations for drones in Europe – concerns 1,500 jobs in Twente alone The rules for the use and testing of drones should be relaxed and harmonised in a European context. Today, the City of Enschede, the Province of Overijssel and Nokia presented this plea to the European Commission at […]

xG Technology, Inc. (“xG” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: XGTI, XGTIW), a leading provider of wireless video solutions to broadcast, law enforcement and defense markets, and private mobile broadband networks for critical communications, announces the availability of MicroLite 2 from its IMT Vislink business unit. The MicroLite 2 HD ultra-compact COFDM wireless video transmitter is the latest version of the tried-and-true MicroLite […]

Flirtey, the leading drone delivery service, and REMSA, a community-integrated emergency medical services provider, today announced a partnership to launch the first automated external defibrillator (AED) drone delivery service in the United States. Cardiac arrest is the leading cause of natural death in America, with more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cases each year, according to the American […]

Turn your passion into real-world operation and innovation. As UAS rapidly transform businesses and industries, the associated risk must be identified, understood and mitigated where possible. This new course discusses risk management as it relates to UAS and also covers international efforts at addressing that risk. Whether you are an amateur sUAS enthusiast or looking […]

It had to happen, a conventional aircraft modified to be used as a delivery drone. China Daily has reported on the modification of a utility aircraft A PAC P-750 XSTOL turboprop aircraft, built by the New Zealand plane manufacturer Pacific Aerospace, has been modified into an unmanned aircraft and has recently begun conducting taxiing tests, […]

Bigfork, MT, October 10, 2017 – uAvionix Corporation announced today that both the echoUAT and SkyEcho ADS-B Transceivers are officially supported on ForeFlight Mobile, the leading flight planning app for the iPad® and iPhone®. As part of the Foreflight Connect program, echoUAT and SkyEcho display ADS-B weather and traffic through the ForeFlight Mobile application. “We are […]

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Tokyo: 7272) announced today that it will exhibit the YMR-01 – a prototype industrial multi-rotor drone type aircraft scheduled for launch in 2018 – at the 4th Next Generation Agriculture Expo Tokyo to be held at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba from October 11 to 13. The YMR-01‘s design features coaxial rotors and a […]

There are many answers to that question, and the possibilities and complexities are endless if you can throw enough money at it. At this rate, with the quality of the proposals and the amount of funding and historical pace of the FAA, my guesstimate is a decade + for full RPAS/UAS NAS integration. All bets […]

Albuquerque, New Mexico (October 3, 2017) – Silent Falcon UAS Technologies solar electric, fixed wing, long endurance, long range Unmanned Aircraft System has been recognized with the 2017 TechConnect Defense Innovation Award at this year’s Defense Innovation Summit (DITAC) in Tampa, Florida. TechConnect is an organization that prospects, vets and connects thousands of emerging technologies […]

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) officially transitioned its production line from the MQ-1C Gray Eagle to its new long-range variant, the MQ-1C ER Gray Eagle Extended Range following the completion of the last contracted MQ-1C aircraft. GA-ASI’s investment in airframe composite tooling enabled the company to start manufacturing the MQ-1C ER ahead of schedule, […]

I suspect a back to the future 2018 as people discover that battery tech is not quite there yet and they need to map more. Experienced model aircraft handlers will come to the fore as fettling petrol motors can be a black art. A skill not picked up at a pop-up drone driver school. Batteries will […]

Creating reliable, accurate mapping and inspection products from UAVs has it’s challenges with many pain points on the path to efficiently achieving highly accurate and accessible mapping outcomes. Verity Mapper leverages it’s hardware, methodology, software and the cloud to create a flexible end-to-end solution, increasing accuracy, economy and efficiency. Verity Positioning, a powerful PPK geo-referencing […]

A telemedical drone system with holographic technology can quickly put emergency physicians and lifesaving medical supplies in the hands of disaster survivors. The Telemedical Drone Project, known as HiRO (Health Integrated Rescue Operations), was presented Monday at OMED 17 in Philadelphia, the nation’s largest conference for osteopathic physicians. This latest version of the HiRO drone is […]

AEE Technology Inc., a leader in electric aviation and camera technology, today announced Mike Kahn as its chief marketing officer. Kahn, who brings more than 25 years of experience in consumer electronics to his new position, will lead global marketing and operations for AEE’s Americas and European Divisions to launch the company’s retail and e-tail efforts in […]

Space-Based ADS-B data already displaying significant value as NAV CANADA, Enav, Naviair, the IAA, ATNS and FlightAware have established live data connections MCLEAN, VA – October 9, 2017 – Aireon announced today the successful launch and deployment of the third batch of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites, carrying its space-based automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) payloads. Conducted from Vandenberg […]

Puma 3 structural enhancements increase durability, enable concurrent operation of electro-optical (EO)/Infrared (IR) and radio frequency (RF) payloads Upgraded avionics modules to provide expanded navigation capabilities in both aircraft Digital Data Link (DDL) security enhancements to support operation in challenging electronic warfare (EW) and cyber environments, in addition to current M1/M2/M5 frequencies WASHINGTON at Association […]

Silent Falcon UAS Technologies solar electric, fixed wing, long endurance, long-range Unmanned Aircraft System has been added to Transport Canada’s list of “Compliant Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)”, a distinction allowing Silent Falcon to issue to its Canadian customers seeking to become Compliant UAV Operators in Canada, Statements of Conformity. Silent Falcon UAS Technologies is now […]

RT LTA Systems Ltd. – a world-class designer, developer, and manufacturer of aerostats for use in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and communications applications – will present the new capabilities of the Skystar 100 aerostat for the first time, at AUSA Annual Meeting 2017. The system now offers highly precise movement detection and enhanced target tracking capabilities, […]

Consortiq has completed the delivery of a beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone training course to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), in what is believed to be the first example of routine training of this type undertaken outside of segregated airspace for emergency services in the UK. Following a change in regulations […]

WASHINGTON — (Oct. 5, 2017) The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the Sept. 21 collision between a civilian drone and an Army UH-60 helicopter east of Staten Island, New York. At approximately 7:20 p.m. Sept. 21, the drone, or unmanned aerial vehicle, and the helicopter collided. The Army helicopter sustained damage to its main […]

INDIANAPOLIS and WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Kevin Sheridan and Austin Williams, students at the Purdue College of Engineering, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, completed internships over the summer at Aerotronic LLC, an Indianapolis-based company developing and manufacturing drones and other unmanned aerial systems. Sheridan believes that his experience as a Purdue student prepared him for the […]

Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) announced the release of the Trimble® GNSS Smart Target Base Station for high-accuracy mapping from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Comprised of a survey grade, multi-frequency, multi-constellation GNSS reference station complete with a foam Ground Control Target with integrated carrying case, the Smart Target Base Station logs the raw GNSS observables required to […]

Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Unmanned systems have successfully completed a proof of concept to high officials of the defense industry and the IDF. Recently developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) the Air Hopper took a part in a demonstration that covered two scenarios, one simulating carrying a seriously-wounded soldier to a extraction point for life-saving […]

Prowler Marine and Six Maritime, working in concert, have developed the first affordable Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) program designed to enhance port security. John Watts, COO/Founder of Prowler Marine, has been working with private and military executives to develop problem-solving strategies over the last decade. Mr. Watts and Six Maritime COO Paul Robinson collaborated to […]

Manassas, VA, October 5, 2017 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] plans to acquire Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a world-class innovator, developer and manufacturer of advanced aerospace platforms under an agreement signed by the companies. Aurora specializes in autonomous systems technologies to enable advanced robotic aircraft for future aerospace applications and vehicles. “The combined strength and innovation of […]

Madrid, Spain based Alpha Unmanned Systems (AUS), a leader in the helicopter UAV market, is proud to announce a new technology partnership with Planck Aerosystems, of San Diego, California (USA). “The UAV marketplace is evolving quickly and customers demand world-class technology ready to address real-world problems” says Eric Freeman, CEO of Alpha Unnmanned Systems of […]

A drone designed by the Center for Advanced Aerospace Technologies (CATEC) performs very accurate movements and includes a completely new contact device that allows decouple and dampen external perturbations that may suffer during the work done in the air. – This new aerial contact technology, called AEROX, is a further step in the use of […]