an independent online news service for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems world
Drone manufacturers claim UAVs could slash the death toll of of-piste skiers by finding victims faster, and allowing ski patrollers to clear snow on high-risk slopes using explosives – without endangering themselves. Some mountain rescue services claim drones reduce their search times by up to 50%, because a drone can scan a large avalanche site more quickly than a person on foot. Continue reading
The new automatic Facade Scan tool of UgCS for drone inspection mission planning is a time and cost saver for construction, engineering and mining industries. Continue reading
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) continues the ontime development of its latest RPA, the MQ-9B. GA-ASI designed MQ-9B as the next generation of multi-mission Predator B fleet and named its baseline MQ-9B aircraft SkyGuardian, and the maritime surveillance variant SeaGuardian. Continue reading
The Dash X is a foldable Class II UAV – manufactured by VX Aerospace – that can loiter on targets for over 10 hours and carry electronic warfare payloads. (VX Aerospace)
Complex electronic warfare (EW) platforms – such as the U.S. Navy’s EA-18G Growler – could soon release swarms of drones from the aircraft, allowing the smaller vehicles to fly ahead to scout out for radar and other battlefield emitters, and potentially even take part in electronic attack missions themselves by jamming enemy sensor networks.
Among the companies that have been working on counter-UAS (C-UAS) technologies is Raytheon, drawing on its long experience in the air defence arena, and associated sectors such as air traffic management. The company has not only been working on detection and tracking systems, but also on a range of technologies that can disrupt or destroy small UAVs and drones. Continue reading
The UK has reduced its number of operational General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc MQ-9 Reaper medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), with one of the 10 aircraft currently in the US for decommissioning. Continue reading
Alpha Unmanned Systems, a Spanish designer and manufacturer of remotely piloted gasoline-powered UAV helicopters, has been selected to participate in Inmarsat´s UAV Pop-up lab, a unique innovation programme exploring the value of satcoms in the commercial UAV sector. Continue reading
AeroVironment, Inc. has introduced the next generation of its Quantix VTOL hybrid drone and the AeroVironment Decision Support System (AV DSS) for precision agriculture. Enhancements across the Quantix & AV DSS ecosystem deliver a combination of new features, performance improvements and product package offerings – designed to meet the needs of individual growers, precision ag service providers and large-scale farming operations. Continue reading