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.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Piaggio Resumes Flight Testing of Unmanned HammerHead
A second prototype of the unmanned P.180 Avanti derivative returned to flight test status after a first prototype crashed in May 2016.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
U.S. Military Budgets More for Small Unmanned Aircraft Services
The Naval Air Systems Command and Special Operations Command have awarded IDIQ contracts of $1.7 billion and $475 million, respectively.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
General Atomics Rolls Out Improved Ground Station for Reaper
Plans call for the Block 50 Advanced Cockpit Ground Control Station to replace existing ground stations for U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reapers.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
FAA Offers To Delete Names, Refund Drone Hobbyists
Complying with a federal appellate court ruling, the agency will delete the information it has collected on drone hobbyists—at their request.
Safety
Portugal Studies Near Midairs Involving Drones
Safety study will examine recent incidents involving the presence of drones in aircraft flight paths near Portuguese airports.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
FAA Still Taking Names for Drone Registry after Court Ruling
The agency is considering legal or legislative options after a federal appellate court said its registry for drone hobbyists is unlawful.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Textron Systems, Boeing Win U.S. Special Ops Tasking Contracts
The Mid-Endurance Unmanned Aircraft Systems III program has a potential value of $475 million.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
UMS Skeldar Lands Contract for Maritime Mission
Swiss/Swedish joint venture UMS Skeldar is to supply its V-200 UAV for operations on behalf of the European Maritime Safety Agency.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Spanish Project To Introduce Drones at Airbus Plant
Spain’s Center for Advanced Aerospace Technologies and the University of Seville lead project under European Robotics Challenges effort.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Elbit Systems debuts 'SkyStriker' loitering munition
Elbit will also feature a new wide-area persistent surveillance system at this year's Paris Air Show.
Aircraft
Operation Inherent Resolve Takes its Toll on Air Forces
Airforces involved in the non-NATO airstrike campaign against ISIS are seeing success but tension is high with Russian/Syrian forces.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Raytheon Further Develops Multi-Mission Coyote UAS
Raytheon envisions the Coyote serving ISR, strike, swarming applications.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Chinese UAV Spreads Its Wings
The Chengdu/AVIC Wing Loong II is making its international show debut in Paris. Its appearance highlights global export success for Chinese UAVs.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
ACSS Among Teams Advancing Collision Avoidance for Unmanned Aircraft
The avionics manufacturer has joined General Atomics and Northrop Grumman to test ACAS Xu software
Aircraft
Russia and Iran Cooperate on UAVs, UCAVs
The relationship is highlighted by recent operations over Syria.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
New Multi-mission Sky Guardian UAS Is More Than a Strike Drone
The latest iteration of the Predator B UAS has a longer wingspan with greater endurance and payload capacity
Regulations and Government
HAI Sees Local Drone Regulations as Major Threat
HAI chief is nervous that localities imposing UAV restrictions will see a regulatory parallel between UAVs and helicopters.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
French Drone Company, Utility Demonstrate 3G Flight Control
Delair-Tech and utility company RTE said they flew a small fixed-wing drone beyond visual line-of-sight for a distance of 30 miles.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Parties Await FAA's Move After Court Rejects Drone Registry
More than 750,000 small drone owners registered after the FAA in rushed circumstances created an on-line system in December 2015.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Principals Report Progress on Large Drones Entering Airspace
While most of the excitement has centered on small drones, communications and detect-and-avoid standards for large drones are advancing.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Airbus Launches Drone Imagery Capture, Analytics Subsidiary
U.S.-based Airbus Aerial will provide imagery services to customers using both drones and satellites.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
AeroVironment Unveils 'Snipe' Nano Quadrotor Drone
Designed for close-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, the Snipe is worn on the operator's clothing and launched by hand.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Commercial UAS Operators Urged To Mitigate Liability
Given current trends, “It’s highly likely your organization will get involved with UAVs in the next decade."
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
EASA Proposes To Regulate Small Drones in Europe
Proposal allows EASA Member States to define zones in their territory where either drone operations are prohibited or restricted.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
U.S. Military, Federal Agencies Join on Counter-drone Efforts
FAA executives described a multi-pronged federal campaign to control and counter small drones at a meeting of the Drone Advisory Committee.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
FAA Amenable to Discussing Jurisdictional Issues Over Drones
What the FAA wants is direction from state and local governments about what authorities they would like to control small drone operations.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
FAA Study Assesses Injury Potential of Drone Striking Person
The study by the FAA's ASSURE center of excellence suggests the potential of serious injury is less than for firmer objects of similar mass.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Mississippi Is New Base of Homeland Security Drone Testing
After a competitive selection process, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security chose Mississippi for a program orginally started in Oklahoma.
Charter & Fractional
Uber Partnering with Aurora on Urban eVTOL Network
The agreement calls for the delivery of 50 test vehicles by 2020.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Northrop Grumman Officially Opens North Dakota UAS Facility
The Global Hawk manufacturer is one of two anchor tenants at the Grand Sky unmanned aircraft systems business park with General Atomics.
