LaserMotive will be showcasing examples of its wireless power system for unmanned aircraft, including models of electric helicopters and aircraft, at the SPIE Defense, Security and Sensing Exhibition April 26-29 in Orlando, Florida.
Category Archives: Data Links & Communications
US Defense Department Plans 15-year Dedicated Satellite Lease
The Pentagon spends $500 million a year on commercial satellite communications to support operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Defense Information Systems Agency wants to cut those costs dramatically with a $440 million, 15-year lease of a single commercial satellite.
US Navy Wants ‘Mouse-Click’ Controls for X-47B
At the Navy League’s annual Sea Air Space convention outside Washington, Northrop and the Navy unveiled new details about the X-47B and their schedule to get it flying off a carrier. Rule number one: it’s not “remotely piloted.”
Next Generation Goggles Give Soldiers Direct Interface with UAS
Vuzix Corporation announced that it has been awarded a $1 million research contract under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) Programme. The funding will go towards research and development of a next generation holographic optical display system for use by Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC).
US Army to Fuse Video Feeds & Sensor Data on Single Ground Control Station
The U.S. Army is testing prototypes of a new high-tech synchronization engine at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala., which can combine video feeds and sensor data from multiple Unmanned Aircraft Systems on a single Ground Control Station.
Wireless Data Links for UAS – New White Paper
A new white paper entitled “Wireless Data-link for Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Requirements, Challenges and Design Ideas,” has just been published by Dr. Raj Jain,Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis and Fred Templin of Boeing. The full paper can be seen here: Wireless Data Links
ABSTRACT:
Bell’s Kiowa Warrior Upgrade Gets Live Feeds from UAS
Kiowa Warrior Photo: Bell
The U.S. Army is beginning mission equipment upgrade modifications to its fleet of Bell OH-58 Kiowa Warrior scout aircraft to build a new, high-tech “F” model helicopter. The OH-58 is configured with Level 2 Manned-Unmanned teaming, or L2MUM – which means that the pilots in the cockpit can view feeds from nearby unmanned aircraft systems in real time.
Smart-Phone App from Harris to Control UAS Cameras
Harris, a Pentagon contractor with experience in commercial broadcast video products, is currently developing an application for Apple’s iPad and other tablets that that will act as a remote display for images and video captured by UAS.