Small-deck ships such as destroyers and frigates could greatly increase their effectiveness if they had their own unmanned air systems (UAS) to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and other capabilities at long range around the clock. Current state-of-the-art UASs, however, lack the ability to take off and land from confined spaces in rough seas and achieve efficient long-duration flight. Continue reading
Category Archives: VTOL
Saab and UMS Aero Group AG Create UMS Skeldar AG
Swedish defence company Saab and UMS Aero Group AG, a Swiss supplier of tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are forming a joint venture under the name UMS Skeldar AG. Continue reading
Lockheed Martin Conducts Collaborative Unmanned Systems Demonstration
Lockheed Martin demonstrated its ability to integrate unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations into the National Airspace System (NAS) using its prototype UAS Traffic Management (UTM) capabilities. During the demonstration on Nov. 18, the Stalker XE UAS provided data and a precise geolocation to the unmanned K-MAX cargo helicopter, which conducted water drops to extinguish a fire, while the UTM tracked the UAS operations and communicated with Air Traffic Control in real time. Continue reading
MQ-8C Fire Scout Concludes Operational Assessment
The U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) completed a successful land-based operational assessment (OA) with the unmanned, autonomous helicopter MQ-8C Fire Scout, at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, Nov. 20. The OA demonstrated the endurance and sensor integration capabilities on the new MQ-8C airframe.
Songbird Hybrid UAS
Aerolution, a Berlin-based company specialising in developing and marketing UAS for professional purposes, has recently launched the Songbird 1400. This UAS combines the pros of both the fixed wing and the chopper in one and the same aircraft. Continue reading
Flexrotor Finds Fish on US Coast Guard Trial
“We panned the camera out over the Chesapeake, and there they were, four-and-a-half kilometers away” recalls Aerovel’s Tad McGeer. “It was our first day of demonstrating Flexrotor for the US Coast Guard.” Flexrotor, Aerovel’s exceptional unmanned aircraft, has caught the Coast Guard’s attention with its unique combination of small size, light footprint, VTOL, long endurance, and economy. “They asked us to come to the Potomac so they could see it for themselves.” Continue reading
Persistent Aerial Reconnaissance and Communications
CyPhy Works Parc hexrotor can stay aloft as long as its services are needed, monitoring its surroundings 24-7 with a gyro-stabilized high-definition camera until its humans owners decide it’s time for a break. Continue reading