Altaeros Energies, a wind energy company formed out of MIT, announced that it has demonstrated high altitude power production from an automated prototype of its airborne wind turbine. Continue reading
Category Archives: Aircraft Propulsion & Energy
US Navy Wants Thermal Batteries for UAS-Launched Spike Missile
The US Navy is sending out an urgent request to industry for weapons-grade thermal batteries to power a new generation of the Spike missile from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems which naval designers are adapting to unmanned aircraft such as the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper and the Northrop Grumman MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned helicopter. Continue reading
Fat Head Solutions – a New One-Stop Shop for the sUAS Market
A new company, Fat Head Solutions, LLC with bases in Wichita Kansas and two other major operating locations, will provide low cost, high value, and complete subsystem solutions for small unmanned aircraft systems. Continue reading
Secret Nuclear-Powered UAS Plan Aborted
Last year, Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation favourably assessed a certain technology that could extend the mission duration and capabilities of unmanned aircraft. But they concluded regretfully that “current political conditions will not allow use of the results.” Continue reading
Avio and MTU Agree to Develop MALE and UCAV Engines
Avio Group and MTU Aero Engine GmbH have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to jointly explore and identify opportunities related to the propulsion system of Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAV). Continue reading
Boeing Phantom Eye Completes First Medium-Speed Taxi Tests
Boeing has announced that the Phantom Eye high altitude long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft has conducted its first medium-speed taxi test. Continue reading
Schiebel Camcopter Now With Heavy Fuel Engine
Schiebel has announced the first flight of a heavy-fuel powered CAMCOPTER S-100 UAS. Continue reading
Taiwan University Flies Turbojet UAS
Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University in Tainan successfully flew an unmanned aircraft powered by a turbojet engine last week. Continue reading