The MITRE Corporation‘s Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD), the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), recently published a study characterizing the impact on the current Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system performance due to the potential use of ADS-B by low-flying, small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). Continue reading
Category Archives: Data Links & Communications
Vigilant Aerospace Completes Beyond Line-of-Sight UAS Detect-and-Avoid Flight Testing at NASA Armstrong
Vigilant Aerospace has completed successful beyond line-of-sight flight testing of its new FlightHorizon detect-and-avoid collision avoidance system for unmanned aircraft at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Continue reading
ARRL Complaint Asserts that Illegal Drone Transmitters Could Interfere with Air Traffic Control
In what it calls an “extremely urgent complaint” to the FCC, ARRL has targeted the interference potential of a series of audio/video transmitters used on unmanned aircraft and marketed as Amateur Radio equipment. Continue reading
Amazon wants to run Wireless Tests in Washington State
Amazon is preparing to test experimental wireless communications technology, including mobile devices and fixed-base stations, in rural Washington and Seattle, the company disclosed in government filings this week. Continue reading
Succesful First Launch for Space-Based ADS-B Netwok
Aireon has announced the successful launch and deployment of the first ten satellites hosting its space-based automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) system. Part of the Iridium NEXT satellite constellation, Aireon’s space-based ADS-B network will transform air traffic management capabilities, providing real-time air traffic surveillance and flight tracking across 100 percent of the planet. Continue reading
Northrop Upgrades Fire Scout Software
The US Navy and Northrop are upgrading software designs for the Fire Scout to harden its technology and secure video feeds from intrusion. Continue reading
NovAtel’s Next-Generation OEM7 GNSS Technology
NovAtel Inc., a supplier of high precision OEM Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning technology, has unveiled its new OEM7 positioning engine. Leveraging previous generations of precise positioning know-how, the OEM7 incorporates new innovative capabilities and features that significantly enhance GNSS-based positioning reliability, accuracy and availability. Continue reading
GA-ASI Demonstrates Advanced Communications Capability
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI) has announced that its Network Centric Communications Pod (NCCP) successfully demonstrated the ability to provide a robust communications data link between Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) ground and air forces during an exercise held at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms, California, in July. Continue reading