Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.
Safety
Minimal Consequences Noted in Drone-human Collision Study
"Worst case impacts are very difficult to achieve" say researchers.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
FAA Approves Kansas for First BVLOS Drone Flight
Kansas officials credit the state’s participation in the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program for approval of the flights.
Charter & Fractional
Flapper Technologies Extends Its Horizons
Via its booking platform, Flapper will soon offer new routes, new country markets, and new services—including crowdsourced flight sharing.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Russia Releases S-70 Okhotnik Flight Video
The short video provides the first official glimpse of Sukhoi’s stealthy unmanned combat air vehicle prototype.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Swiss U-space Deploys Drone Flight Info Management
Skyguide , AirMap, and the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) have deployed a flight information system for drones
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
UAS Flies BVLOS Without Ground Observers In Alaska
Demonstration BVLOS pipeline inspection flight used Echodyne radars
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
UAS Used For Part 77 Airport Inspections in Washington
AeroTEC is using UAS for runway inspections in Washington, claiming significant cost savings.
Rotorcraft
Unmanned Korean MD500 Flies for the First Time
Korean Air’s Aerospace Division has modified a former armed forces helicopter to an unmanned configuration with the aim of creating an armed platform
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Light UAV Family Launched in Hungary
The Ku-ME Invest MP-H family uses a similar central body matched to various wing sizes to cater for a wide range of payload options
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Satcom Tested for Civil UAS Beyond-line-of-sight Ops
ASO, Cobham, Inertial Labs test satcom for commercial UAS beyond line of sight flights
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Prison Drone Dope Operation Thwarted
Georgia man pleads guilty to attempted drone delivery of marijuana to prisoners.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Redesigned Sabrewing Cargo Drone Can Carry Much More
Sabrewing cargo drone has a range of up to 1,000 nm and a useful load of 8,000 lbs.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Northrop Grumman Adding Sigint Capabilities to Triton
Fielding expanded mission capabilities for the unmanned Trito patroller is timed to coincide with the expected out-of-service date for the EP-3E Orion.
Rotorcraft
Elevated UAM Landing Sites Pose Challenges
Expert cautions care in designing rooftop landing pads for eVTOLs.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Flirtey To Begin Drone Delivery Service in 2020
Company plans to use drones to delivery AEDs, packages.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Airbus Displays Vahana eVTOL Demonstrator at AirVenture
Airbus executive says better batteries needed before eVTOLs will gain wider acceptance
Aircraft
NASA Brings UAM Testbed Aircraft to AirVenture
Modified Columbia 300 will be used to test various facets of fully autonomous flight.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
UPS Applies for Part 135 Certificate for Drone Deliveries
Global delivery company UPS says it ultimately wants to conduct day and night, beyond visual line of sight operations
Safety
FAA Moving To Smooth Aircraft Certification
FAA certification head Earl Lawrence counsels UAM designers to stress the safety case.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Continental Enters UAM Fray
Engine maker Continental is investing in eVTOL builder VerdeGo
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Teal Report Sees Civil UAS Market Tripling in Size by 2028
Commercial applications for unmanned aerial systems are increasing rapidly, drawing large investment from venture capitalists and spurring consolidation.
Aircraft
Firebird Deliveries Imminent as the OPV Makes European Debut
Northrop Grumman says that both government and commercial customers are in line to get the Firebird optionally-piloted vehicle
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
MQ-8C Cleared for Operations
The Bell 407-based unmanned air system is now ready to begin training crews for fleet operations
Airlines
Summit Seeks Solutions for Drone Disruption
The Drone Disruption Summit in October 2019 will address the costly disruption caused by drone near-misses and airport incursions.
Security
Drone Maker DJI Launches 'Government Edition'
DJI's new drone package safeguards against unauthorized data sharing
Safety
UTM Provider Unifly Draws More Investors
Unmanned Traffic Management software provider Unifly has raised another $20 million from investors including Germany's ATC authority
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
NASA Plans Drone Flights On Saturn Moon Titan
NASA's Dragonfly eight-rotor drone will search for signs of life on Saturn moon Titan beginning in 2034.
Environment
Uber Elevate Summit Lays Out 2023 Flight Plan
Uber's two-day June summit in Washington, D.C., laid out its ambitious air mobility plans, tempered a bit by regulators' remarks.
Rotorcraft
Boeing Partners With Kitty Hawk On UAM
Boeing is partnering with Kitty Hawk, builder of the Cora eVTOL air taxi, on urban air mobility solutions
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Plug Power Buys UAV Hydrogen Fuel Cell Maker EnergyOr
Plus Power acquires EnergyOr, maker of ultralight hydrogen fuel cells for UAVs and other robotics
