Tag Archives: uav

GA-ASI Completes First Protector Unmanned Aircraft

On September 25th General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) completed the first flight of the Protector RG Mk1 Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), the fourth MQ-9B SkyGuardian air vehicle (the first three MQ-9B air vehicles are company-owned assets supporting the certification qualification). Continue reading

Australia Releases 2019 Airbus Zephyr Crash Report

In 2019 an Airbus Zephyr high-altitude UAV broke up in-flight after encountering unstable atmospheric conditions which resulted in a series of un-commanded rolls and an uncontrolled spiral descent over remote northern Western Australia, according to a new Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report. Continue reading

Northrop Grumman Gets $9M US Navy Triton Retrofit Contract

US Navy MQ-4C Triton taxis at Andersen Air Force Base on April 29, 2020

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is awarded a $9,018,804 firm-fixed-price modification (P00023) to previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-successive-target contract N00019-17-C-0018. Continue reading

Schiebel and Nordic Unmanned Monitor Sulphur Emissions in World’s Busiest Shipping Lane

Schiebel, together with partners Nordic Unmanned and the NORCE Research Institute AS, is operating the CAMCOPTER S-100 to monitor sulphur emission in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes in the strait of Pas-de-Calais, for the French Maritime Authorities. The operation started on 23 September and will run for three months. Continue reading

JARUS: Where are you? – The Silence is Deafening

The Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems (JARUS), an international working group bringing together the representatives of 61 national aviation authorities (NAAs) & EASA, has done a lot of good work and supplied the international drone community with a significant number of highly valued guidance documents.

However, since its last Plenary Meeting in Chengdu, China in October 2019, nothing has been heard from JARUS.

Continue reading

GA-ASI Conducts Sparrowhawk SUAS Flight Tests

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) conducted captive carry Sparrowhawk Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) flight demonstrations on September 16-17, 2020. The Sparrowhawk aircraft is designed as an airborne launch and recovery demonstrator aircraft tailored to fit GA-ASI platforms, and is focused on Advanced Battle Management System’s attritableONE technologies. Continue reading

USAF Global Hawks Get New Sensors

Global Hawk takes off equipped with a MS-177 multi-spectral camera system

Northrop Grumman Corporation has delivered a pair of sensors to enhance the capability of its Global Hawk high-altitude long-endurance autonomous aircraft system. Enhancements include the deployment of the MS-177 multi-spectral camera system to provide additional high resolution imaging capability for operational users. Continue reading