GE Aviation has announced the introduction of a new advanced avionics computer specifically built for military and commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This new computer provides an open architecture design that integrates vehicle management and advanced mission processing into a compact, lightweight design.

“Our customers have told us that they require an integrated vehicle and mission processing solution that is secure, rugged, low size, weight and power and capable of meeting the needs of demanding autonomous platforms,” said Alan Caslavka, president of Avionics for GE Aviation. “This new system hits it out of the park in this regard and then builds from there in terms of bringing new capabilities to the next generation of unmanned systems.”

This new system incorporates the processing power required for mission functions such as sensor processing at the edge and hosting autonomy enabling algorithms and then also embeds an inertial/GPS package, software defined radio, datalink and an optional solid-state storage device.

Caslavka added, “The new system incorporates diverse processing that’s capable of performing safety critical and non-critical functions while bringing a new level of security to legacy and future platforms.”

The system integrates the functionality traditionally provided by up to six separate electronic units into a single package which drives out weight, power, and cost while meeting the security, exportability, ruggedness and processing needs of customers.

GE’s advanced avionics computer has undergone flight testing and is in use by a number of military and civil customers. The computer incorporates a hardware and software open architecture approach that offers flexibility and scalability. This design also provides the capability to host GE, customer and third-party software applications to maximize its versatility.

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Target Arm has announced that it has officially unveiled v2.5 of its Talon Universal Launch and Recovery (ULaR) platform at the AUVSI Xponential Show in Chicago. The Talon system enables drone package delivery to and from trucks, or any moving platform, while moving, at speeds over 65 mph.

Talon v2.5 encompasses all past capabilities and already incorporates many new innovations, to include computer controls and programmability, full pop-up technology, minimized airflow disturbances with a wide-open breech and a pre-production aircraft-grade aluminum infrastructure. These technologies allow Talon to launch and recovery virtually any rotary wing or fixed wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)/drone from another moving platform. While Talon is initially designed for UAVs and airborne drones, the very same technology is applicable to maritime and space operations.

Talon v2.5, as the pre-production testbed, will integrate autonomous navigation systems next, allowing autonomous UAV/drone launches and recoveries for a wide range of Use Cases, including, but not limited to, package delivery and military combat operations.

Jeff McChesney, CEO & Founder, commented: “We’re really proud of Talon v2.5. Everything we’ve been innovating on is coming together into a compact, highly capable platform. Talon is unbeliebably nimble. We’ve designed it as a modular system, so we can scale the size up or down, to accommodate varying Use Cases and customers’ needs. In addition, since Talon is self-contained, it can be integrated into a truck for pop-up operations out the top for package delivery, or it can be bolted onto any moving vehicle, including boats, trains, semi-trailers, tanks, Humvees, and especially Stryker APCs.”

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Percepto has announced that it has successfully demonstrated operation of its autonomous drones over SK Telecom’s 5G trial network. SK Telecom is the largest mobile operator in Korea, and commercialized its 5G network in December 2018 .

Dain SNT, Percepto’s representative in Korea, has been collaborating with SK Telecom to apply Percepto’s solutions to SK Telecom’s commercial 5G network.

Percepto is the only Drone-In-a-Box (DIB) solution providing a range of communications schemes to its global customers. It is also the sole DIB provider offering autonomous flights over cellular networks. This milestone prepares Percepto to provide its customers with significant operational advantages including better real-time video stream quality, reduced battery consumption, which means longer mission times and greater distances and readiness for greater data processing in real-time.

Percepto was recently recognized by Frost & Sullivan for its unique on-board cutting-edge computing processing capabilities allowing Percepto to conduct real-time analytics. Supported by 5G networks, Percepto users are likely to gain faster and more accurate aerial insights.

Chief Executive Officer of Percepto, Dor Abuahsira commented on this significant achievement for the drone industry: “We are proud to have been selected by SK Telecom, to demonstrate the potential of both 5G and autonomous drones.”

Watch a video of the trial below:

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Airbus Aerial has announced the opening up of its software suite to add the ability for large enterprises and UAS (unmanned aerial system) service providers to manage the ordering, collection, processing, analysis and distribution of UAS data themselves and to deliver to their internal and external customers. This expands on the previous solutions delivered by the Aerial team to enable insurers to respond to major weather events with a full solution encompassing, drone and satellite data, analytics and custom software to enable settlements. These expanded capabilities now enable companies who want to collect data themselves has the tools they need to manage the whole process and get access to external data services when needed.

Specifically for the UAS market, this suite seamlessly connects the users’ need for site-specific information, with internal company pilots and external vendors, while managing the full chain of events in-between. The Aerial suite will be demonstrated to the public during the AUVSI XPONENTIAL Annual Conference and Expo 2019 in Chicago.

“We’re now making the robust set of software and operational tools we built to manage flight operations internally for our customers available to those who want to manage their own program globally, at scale,” explains Airbus Aerial President, Jesse Kallman.

“From flight operations to data acquisition and storage, through to image and data distribution- our suite can help customers to manage the entire process themselves – which saves them valuable time and simplifies processes – all within a single, cloud-based platform, “ Kallman said.

For many large enterprises seeking to manage UAS technologies, or to create a viable drone department, UAS technologies are especially challenging due to the diversity of domains, stakeholders, and systems that must be considered. Many important factors are involved, including: policies and procedures, airspace regulations to include LAANC and UTM, processing software, data management and data integration. The Aerial platform solves such challenges by providing its users with holistic access to imagery and data management in a one-stop, cloud-based platform. The platform also easily allows users to import their own historical data into one place for business users to access and share.

“Our suite’s capabilities make it much more practical for businesses to adopt new UAS technologies at the enterprise level,“ Kallman said.

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PrecisionHawk has announced PrecisionAnalytics Energy, a complete aerial mapping, modeling, and inspection platform that uses the latest generation of artificial intelligence and machine intelligence to automate analysis of their aerial data. Whether inspecting thousands of oil well pads or hundreds of thousands of utility towers, PrecisionAnalytics’ customers can reduce costs and improve safety in the field.

PrecisionHawk has 150-plus full-time drone pilots and more than 15,000 drone service providers in their drone pilot network. The company’s clients are using the expansive operator network to capture data over tens-of-thousands of miles of infrastructure. PrecisionHawk is also one of the only UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) services companies that can fly BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) – extending the reach of how far pilots can fly to collect data.

“By working closely with so many enterprise clients during the data capture phase, we have learned a tremendous amount about what they need to be successful. Our customers have consistently told us that they need a more efficient way to inspect their assets and analyze data. PrecisionAnalytics is that solution — utilizing advanced AI and machine learning to address the complexities of the energy enterprise,” said Michael Chasen, CEO of PrecisionHawk. “The results speak for themselves: drone-based aerial intelligence helps businesses reduce costs while improving the safety of their workers and insight into their assets.”

PrecisionAnalytics Energy consists of five distinct solutions:

PrecisionAnalytics — Distribution

Ground teams via today’s traditional manner of inspection typically find that 10% of distribution poles are out of compliance. In contrast PrecisionHawk, on average, found that the number is typically between 25%-30%. PrecisionAnalytics Distribution is a cloud-based system that uses machine learning to automate the identification of distribution pole and component damage. It cross-references the uploaded imagery against distribution pole data and flags issues, producing a collection of imagery prioritized by asset health.

PrecisionAnalytics — Transmission

With PrecisionAnalytics Transmission, utilities can replace dangerous helicopter inspections, reducing inspection costs by up to 28%, and gain unprecedented insight into the condition of assets. The platform applies machine vision to identify areas of concern such as cracked insulators, corrosion or structural issues, and aggregates collected data to provide infrastructure statistics, vegetation maps, detailed views and historical record keeping. For one top 50 American utility, PrecisionHawk’s drone services increased the areas of concern identified by 42%.

PrecisionAnalytics — Wind

Using PrecisionAnalytics Wind, some of the world’s leading turbine OEMs and servicers have reduced climbs — today’s traditional manner of inspection — by 50% and the cost of their inspections by 80%. PrecisionAnalytics Wind offers intuitive reporting features and AI-driven change detection that can identify issues such as leading-edge corrosion, lightning strike damage, small cracks and wearing, gel coat degradation and UV radiation damage on an entire fleet or a particular blade. With PrecisionAnalytics Wind, turbine operators can reduce hazardous man hours, accelerate analysis, reduce time-to-value of data and increase uptime through preventative maintenance.

PrecisionAnalytics — Solar

PrecisionAnalytics Solar can measure the condition of an entire fleet or a single module. With purpose-built machine learning, the platform detects issues such as cell-level defects, bad diodes, reverse polarity, storm damage, rack shifts and foreign objects. Users of PrecisionAnalytics Solar can integrate the solution with their existing asset management program, reducing the time required to conduct inspections—today, traditionally done by plane flyovers or by foot—by up to 90%, identifying up to 10 times as many issues and predicting future outages so that they can prioritize needed repairs.

PrecisionAnalytics — Oil and Gas

Oil and gas supermajors are using PrecisionAnalytics to replace dangerous manned aircraft inspections with drone deployments and hours of tedious image review with machine intelligence, ultimately gaining unprecedented insight into the condition of critical assets. The solution offers leading thermal, infrared and LiDAR sensors, a methane detection laser and optical gas indicators that can capture asset conditions at a single point of time. With geospatial data that does not compromise the assets themselves, managers can integrate with existing enterprise resource planning systems, report their findings and take action.

PrecisionHawk will debut PrecisionAnalytics at the AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2019 trade show in Chicago.

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Kaman Aerospace has announced that it has been awarded a contract to return two United States Marine Corps (USMC) K-MAX unmanned aircraft to flight operations. Kaman Aerospace will transport the two helicopters from Yuma, Arizona, where they are currently located, to Bloomfield, Connecticut, where they will be reactivated to flight-ready status.

The two helicopters, designated as CQ-24A, served in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom from 2011 to 2013, and exclusively flew unmanned missions. In the 33 months the unmanned K-MAX was deployed to Afghanistan on combat resupply and logistical support missions, it moved over 4.5 million pounds of cargo throughout Afghanistan between forward operating bases and remote outposts. Operating exclusively during nighttime hours, these unmanned missions replaced the equivalent of 900 convoys and eliminated 46,000 hours of exposure to IEDs, direct fire, and other threats to troops on dangerous roads. The current unmanned system on the Marine CQ-24A aircraft will be replaced with new technology advancements.

The Marine Corps recently finalized plans to return the two CQ-24A K-MAX helicopters to flight readiness and install the latest autonomous technology to support future unmanned efforts. Once the aircraft are operational, the USMC and Kaman will continue to collaborate to develop and integrate next-generation autonomous technology.

Kaman Aerospace continues to improve the design of Optionally Piloted Vehicles (OPVs) for future commercial applications, with plans to provide this capability as an option for future new and existing aircraft. “We are honored to have the opportunity to pair manned and unmanned capabilities to support our deployed troops and government agencies at home. We have also identified a number of missions that will benefit from unmanned capabilities, including aerial firefighting and humanitarian relief, and are looking forward to aligning with domestic and international operators in need of these capabilities,” said Darlene Smith, Vice President and General Manager of the Kaman Air Vehicles & MRO division.

The K-MAX is a rugged low-maintenance aircraft that features a counter-rotating rotor system and is optimized for cyclical, external load operations. The aircraft can lift up to 6,000 pounds (2,722 kg).

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Collins Aerospace Systems has announced that it has launched a next-generation Piccolo Elite autopilot featuring advanced sensors, powerful processing upgrades and a new separated lift thrust take-off and landing (VTOL) controller for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The new Piccolo Elite system is being showcased at the AUVSI Xponential 2019 trade show in Chicago.

“The Piccolo Elite upgrade will provide customers with a huge increase in processing power, longer hardware lifespan, easier support and more integration options to meet both government and commercial UAV needs well into the future,” said Matt Lendway, site general manager, Piccolo Autopilots and TASE Imaging Systems for Collins Aerospace.

The Piccolo flight management system, developed in the company’s Hood River, Oregon facility, consists of an air vehicle autopilot, a ground station, a simulation environment and operator interface software, supporting fully autonomous flight operations for small UAVs. This next iteration of Piccolo technology adopts a more open architecture that allows the system to be deployed in any type of qualified hardware environment, helping to reduce cost and allow for easier support and implementation onto more platforms.

The Piccolo family of systems have operated in over one million flight hours on a variety of UAV platforms such as the Arcturus UAV Jump 20 and T-20, Textron Systems Aerosonde Small Unmanned Aircraft System, Griffon Aerospace Outlaw, Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation TigerShark, PAE ISR Resolute Eagle and others operated by multiple U.S. Department of Defense and commercial customers.

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Schiebel has announced that its CAMCOPTER S-100 Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) has been selected by Norway’s Andøya Test Center for extensive search and rescue trials as part of the Arctic 2030 project.

The CAMCOPTER S-100 was selected for its international reputation and its successful record of accomplishments in the maritime domain with customers all around the world. In a typical configuration, the CAMCOPTER S-100 operates six hours continuously and is able to simultaneously carry multiple payloads, offering significant payload flexibility to the user. Therefore, the S-100’s missions deliver aerial views that reach considerably farther than manned helicopters.

The S-100 also offers a number of key advantages for naval operations in the Arctic. As a VTOL platform, the CAMCOPTER does not require any additional start or recovery equipment and its minimal footprint is perfect for offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) with small deck sizes. The S-100 also distinguishes itself through its ability to perform in the harshest weather conditions, flying at temperatures down to -40°C. This has been successfully proven in a series of intensive trials, such as the Canadian icebreaker operations. In this particular case, the CAMCOPTER S-100 was deployed 60 nautical miles north of Fogo Island, providing a wide-view image of the ice structure as well as identifying the boundaries between flat and rough ice.

The goal of the Andøy Municipality project is a demonstration of VTOL UAS use in the Arctic region in an effort to increase maritime safety. For this purpose, the CAMCOPTER S-100 will be equipped with an Electro-Optical/Infra-Red (EO/IR) camera gimbal, an Overwatch Imaging PT-8 Oceanwatch payload, an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver and a Maritime Broadband Radio (MBR) by Radionor. Such a combination of payloads is intended to strengthen emergency preparedness in the region and provide search and rescue mission support.

Tests are scheduled to commence in the fall of 2019 with the UAS being deployed from Norwegian Coast Guard vessels in Andfjorden, Northern Norway. More operations are planned in Spitsbergen in the spring of 2020.

“This is clearly an important milestone in the project,” said Gunnar Jan Olsen, General Manager of the Andøya Test Center. “We have already gained some experience with the Schiebel CAMCOPTER S-100 UAS during an impressive demonstration in 2017. We believe that these current, more extensive S-100 trials will demonstrate that maritime safety in the Arctic can effectively be increased with the help of VTOL UAS.”

“The CAMCOPTER S-100 has performed a series of challenging demonstration flights in the Arctic over the years and has proven its operational value and mission effectiveness,” added Hans Georg Schiebel, Chairman of the Schiebel Group.

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Hirth Engines has announced that it has demonstrated its future innovation programme to develop hybrid applications to harness the power of both an internal combustion engine and electrical motors to deliver unmanned aerial system (UAS) solutions for the future.

The need for endurance, reduced footprints, lightweight platforms, cost-effectiveness and safer operations are at the forefront of customers’ minds when looking for solutions across a wide spectrum of UAV applications. These needs are best met by highly efficient and effective two-stroke propulsion systems.

Hirth Engines is now looking toward hybrid applications to harness the power of both an internal combustion engine and electrical motors to deliver solutions for the future.

“This is only the beginning and confirms that two-stroke provides a unique role in the future of UAV applications,” explains Peter Lietz, Head of International Business Development for Hirth Engines. “The performance, durability and ease of maintenance for two-stroke engines is unbeatable and provides an ideal platform for the future of aviation, manned or unmanned. We are very excited to be exploring deliverable solutions for the future of UAVs”.

Leveraging Hirth’s heritage in two-stroke technology and utilising existing invention protections registered by the company, the development engineering team has committed to a journey of designing an engine that will achieve a hybrid future. The experts at Hirth recognise that the two-stroke engine is the perfect partner for electrical power units; low power to weight ratios enable higher payload capacity whilst lower torque and the absence of voltage peaks reduce energy requirements.

This research will deliver a whole new generation of applications across maritime, land and civilian sectors. UAVs, and in particular VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) platforms, will move to the next level of their development. Hybrid applications will bring significant benefits to UAV manufacturers, including extended ranges and longer endurance levels, lower emissions and increased fuel efficiencies.

Lietz continues: “The key partnership between advanced two stroke propulsion systems and electric power offers significantly better power-to-weight ratio and improvements in safety levels. Thanks to the use of a hybrid engine application, VTOL platforms in the future will be able to fulfil a wider variety of tasks in comparison to their fixed-wing counterparts.”

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Raytheon has announced that its Ground Based Detect and Avoid (GBDAA) system is now operational at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport and will be used to test the safety and efficiency of small drone operations in the 200 square mile UAS (unmanned aerial system) test range.

“GBDAA allows drone pilots to make safe decisions about flight maneuvers beyond visual line of sight without using ground observers or chase planes,” said Matt Gilligan, vice president of Raytheon’s Intelligence, Information and Services business. “The data gathered at this test site will go a long way toward ensuring the safe integration of drones throughout the national airspace system.”

Contracted by the U.S. Air Force through the Department of Transportation’s VOLPE center, GBDAA is a key component of SkyVision, the only mobile beyond visual line-of-sight system certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to provide drone operators with real-time aircraft display data, satisfying a key ‘see and avoid’ requirement.

SkyVision operators inside the mobile unit will give drone pilots situational awareness and proximity alerts by syncing their display with the drone pilot’s display, allowing for safe passage through the airspace by showing airborne tracks from multiple sensors.

GBDAA is based on Raytheon’s Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System, or STARS, which is used by air traffic controllers at more than 400 FAA and military locations to provide safe aircraft spacing and sequencing guidance for departing and arriving aircraft.

GBDAA comes in numerous configurations to meet varying mission needs; the U.S. military uses a fixed version to manage larger unmanned systems like the Predator, Reaper, and Global Hawk.

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Silvus Technologies, a developer of Mobile-Networked MIMO (MN-MIMO) wireless communications systems, has announced a partnership with Anduril Industries, a defense technology company specializing in AI powered solutions, to provide MN-MIMO technology for high bandwidth, meshed video and data communications through Silvus’s StreamCaster 4200 tactical radios. Anduril is leveraging this technology for relaying information between its intra-tower/drone mesh network, allowing it to operate in communications-challenged environments.

Leveraging emerging innovations and deep roots in advanced U.S. military research, Silvus Technologies provides wireless communications systems that work in the world’s most challenging conditions for high stakes industries like military, law enforcement, and broadcast. The powerful implementation of mesh technology found in Silvus radio sets a new standard for video and data transmission in urban, remote, highly-mobile, high-scatter and at-sea environments.

“The work we do at Anduril is mission critical – there is no room for error. We chose to partner with Silvus because their radios are easy to configure, are reliable, and have a robust system design that is near unbreakable,” Matthew Steckman, head of corporate and government affairs, Anduril. “Further, their white glove service for all their products reduces time spent troubleshooting, maximizing our ability to rapidly field technology.”

“Increasingly challenging real-world usage requirements are driving the need for long-range, mobile and non-line of-sight communications that can transmit a greater volume of HD video, voice and telemetry data than ever before,” said Babak Daneshrad, PhD, chairman and founder of Silvus Technologies. “The products that Anduril produces are radio critical and rely on dependable, world-class technology that integrates seamlessly. We’re proud that our partnership is supporting Anduril’s pioneering, life-saving AI platforms for protecting troops, performing search & rescue missions, and more.”

Mobile Networked MIMO (MN-MIMO) is a state-of-the-art waveform that solves many of the problems that face today’s wireless systems, such as limited range, poor performance outdoors and interference. Silvus’s Mobile Networked MIMO technology (MN-MIMO) was developed as a result of over 15 years of advancements and more than $60M in U.S. government-funded R&D and commercial IRAD in the areas of MIMO and Mobile Ad Hoc Networking (MANET). This breakthrough waveform is a blend of Coded Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (COFDM), Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna techniques and Mobile Ad Hoc Networking (MANET) to deliver digital communications with performance and flexibility.

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Yuneec, a developer of unmanned aerial vehicles for commercial and federal applications, and Mobilicom, a global provider of high-security communications solutions, have announced that the two companies have presented their jointly developed drone solution, the H520 SkyHopper, at AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2019 in Chicago.

The H520 SkyHopper is the first of two new high-end drone solutions that the two companies are currently co-developing for the government, federal and commercial markets, and which will be available shortly. Both UAVs are ideal for long-range, non-line-of-sight, beyond-line-of-sight and urban operations.

The H520 SkyHopper combines Yuneec’s proven six-rotor H520 drone platform, which has been successfully established in the commercial mass market for many years, with Mobilicom’s innovative SkyHopper technology, which provides secure data transmission, high-end cyber security and encryption and has already been validated by the Israeli Ministry of Defense and other government organizations.

The comprehensive security package of the H520 SkyHopper includes high-end encryption, dedicated and ISM frequency ranges, software-defined radio with secure data links and ISM jamming resistance. In addition, the drone solution minimizes backdoor cyber risks.

The H520 SkyHopper is a flexible end-to-end solution with practical add-ons for teams on land and sea, including ruggedized controllers and remote viewing terminals, networking, relay and more.

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UAV Turbines, Inc. (UAVT), a developer of microturbine technology, has announced the introduction of its Monarch RP family of microturbine engines, which will provide defense and commercial partners with reliable, quiet, and powerful propulsion systems. Designed for Group 3 and 4 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), the Monarch engines can run on heavy fuel of varying qualities. The Monarch RP has passed all critical tests in the cell, working through its operating cycle repeatedly, and for extended times. As a result, UAVT is now working with a commercial airframe partner to conduct ground testing.

“After several years of intense effort, our talented team of engineers has developed a complete, turnkey microturbine propulsion system for Group 3 and 4 UAVs that is unique in both utility and function,” said Kirk Warshaw, CEO of UAV Turbines. “Throughout the design process, we focused on creating the world’s first reliable, lightweight, high-performance microturbine engine for small aircraft that runs on heavy fuel. As we have matured the design, we now recognize that a microturbine in this category has limitless possibilities across the propulsion spectrum.”

The Monarch RP microturbine was carefully designed to outperform conventional reciprocating engines in several ways:

• Monarch RP will provide more time in the air and less time being serviced on the ground with upwards of a 2,000 hour increase in operation time between overhauls when compared to available Class 3 engines.
• Monarch RP’s variable pitch propeller will enable UAVs to climb faster and reach greater dash speeds, enabling greater performance and efficiency in both commercial and military aircraft.
• The reliability of Monarch RP eliminates the need for extra engines for a single aircraft.
• The flexibility to run efficiently on all types of heavy fuels, such as jet fuel, makes Monarch RP safer and more convenient than engines running on volatile aviation gasoline.
• Monarch RP generates useful on-board electrical power that is 2-3x greater than what is produced by conventional engines.

“The Monarch RP propulsion systems changes the game for unmanned flight,” said William T. “Tim” Crosby, MG (R) Chairman of UAVT’s Board of Advisors. “The U.S. Military is in critical need of a reliable heavy fuel engine that ensures our troops consistently have the support of their UAVs when they need them. The successful evolution and testing of the Monarch RP propulsion systems proves that reliability, added safety, and efficiency is possible and will soon be available to the warfighter in a variety of platforms.”

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Kongsberg Geospatial has announced the release of IRIS UxS 2.0, an updated and enhanced version of their Fleet Control Station and Airspace Management System for unmanned aerial systems (UAS). IRIS UxS provides drone operators with enhanced airspace awareness, navigational tools, and deconfliction and air safety features for BVLOS operators, while providing airspace managers with an integrated airspace picture that consolidates data from a wide range of real-time data feeds and sensors.

The IRIS system was first developed as a prototype adapted from air defense technology, as a way of providing civilian drone operators with a safe way to conduct missions beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS). The first commercial version of the product appeared in 2017, with new features and capabilities being added over time.

The Kongsberg Geospatial IRIS UxS Fleet Control Station technology enables multiple drones to be monitored and controlled simultaneously by a single operator and provides real-time calculation of aircraft separation, airspace monitoring alerts and communications line-of-sight prediction to enable detect and avoid for safe BVLOS operations. IRIS UxS integrates a variety of real-time data feeds including ADS-B, local radar and National Airspace Feeds to calculate “detect and avoid” warnings. IRIS UxS provides real-time 2D and 3D visualization of airborne track and weather data, as well as geo-fencing capabilities.

IRIS UxS has been adopted for fleet operations by drone delivery start-ups in the United States and Canada, and for BVLOS inspections of electrical transmission systems and oil and gas pipeline infrastructure. IRIS UxS is also used for monitoring airspace security and for emergency operations that integrate drones with other air traffic by a variety of police and security organizations.

IRIS UxS 2.0 is powered by the new high-performance Kongsberg Geospatial TerraLens 9.1 engine, providing very fast 3D map and terrain performance on large 4K displays. The system has been given an entirely new user interface, and a host of new features, including support for new sensors; an integrated live national airspace data feed; and integrated autopilots – allowing operators to control drones directly from the IRIS system.

The Kongsberg IRIS UxS Fleet Control and Airspace Management System was recently selected as an Xcellence Award finalist in the Detect-and-Avoid category by AUVSI.

“We’re very pleased to be acknowledged by a world-leading organization like AUVSI” said Ranald McGillis, President of Kongsberg Geospatial. “The Xponential show is an excellent venue for the demonstration of our technology.”

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Drone Aviation Corp, a leading developer of unique aerial solutions for national security and defense, has partnered with Unmanned Systems Technology (“UST”) to demonstrate their expertise in this field. The ‘Silver’ profile highlights how their tethered aerostat systems, based around a proprietary “smart leash” technology that provides persistent and reliable control, power and communications, can bridge the gap between large, complex aerostats and small short-endurance drones.

The Winch Aerostat Small Platform (WASP) is a mobile tactical aerostat capable of fielding a variety of payloads for communications, ISR and SIGINT, extending network range and enabling persistent connectivity.

Requiring only two crew members to operate, the WASP tethered aerostat can be deployed from a truck or a HMMWV (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle/Humvee). The balloon can be set up and launched in 30 minutes, the system is rapidly reconfigurable and provides operational endurance of more than 72 hours. Its unique aerodynamic construction provides superior lift efficiency and stability enabling it to operate in winds up to 35mph with gusts up to 45mph.

The WASP system features a universal payload mount with a payload capacity of 20 to 130lbs and a flight altitude of up to 1500 ft AGL. It can be configured at a variety of levels, providing operational ranges of up to 8 km for human detection and up to 40 miles for communications.

The WASP Lite is a compact aerostat offering a smaller footprint than the larger WASP system. Highly mobile, it can be deployed virtually anywhere – from a rooftop, pickup truck, boat or utility vehicle.

The balloon can be set up and launched by a single operator in 20 minutes, and while deployed or moored it can be relocated at speeds of up to 40mph. Providing more than 36 hours of flight endurance, the WASP Lite aerostat takes it primary power from batteries, which can be recharged with a small generator.

Like the WASP tethered aerostat, the WASP Lite can be equipped with a variety of payloads for ISR, communications and SIGINT missions, providing an extremely versatile solution for extending situational awareness on the battlefield.

To find out more about Drone Aviation Corp and their tactical tethered aerostats for surveillance and defense, please visit their profile page:
https://www.unmannedsystemstechnology.com/company/drone-aviation-corp/

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AeroVironment and Kratos Defense & Security Systems have announced the formation of a new strategic relationship to develop and demonstrate highly integrated and operationally effective multi-domain unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) solutions for near-peer, denied environments.

“AeroVironment’s small unmanned aircraft systems and tactical missile systems have transformed the way ground forces train, equip, plan and operate to deliver battlefield superiority,” said Trace Stevenson, vice president and deputy general manager of AeroVironment’s UAS business. “Working with Kratos, an innovative host aircraft partner, together we are developing and will demonstrate the integration of tube-launched UAS and tactical missile systems into long-range, high speed and low cost unmanned systems for their transport and delivery into near-peer, denied environments.”

“With sufficient onboard autonomy, sensors, payloads and an integrated system design, we aim to demonstrate the deployment of large quantities of smart systems that overwhelm and disable enemy systems, while bending the cost curve to make it financially prohibitive for unfriendly nations to challenge our armed forces,” Stevenson added.

“Kratos and AeroVironment offer complementary capabilities while sharing an intense focus on disruptive and affordable unmanned aircraft solutions for the DoD,” said Steve Fendley, president of Kratos Unmanned Systems Division. “Deploying AeroVironment’s tube-launched UAS and tactical missiles from Kratos’ highly survivable, long-range jet UAS creates an exciting opportunity to substantially increase the effectiveness and stand-off range of our existing technologies. Using internal funding, Kratos rapidly developed and demonstrated the Mako Tactical UAS in 2015, proving the speed advantage of the internal funding approach. By teaming together and investing in this capability in support of the American warfighter, Kratos and AeroVironment seek to further enhance our nation’s defenses with an affordable, comprehensive mission solution that will be ready in months, not years.”

Kratos and AeroVironment’s first collaborative project is designed to demonstrate the ability to launch, communicate with, and control a small, tube-launched loitering aircraft from a larger runway-independent unmanned aircraft. The overall system-of-system effectiveness will be evaluated for its ability to coordinate the effects of the smaller AeroVironment systems, relay useful information back to the Kratos mothership, and either pass information back to a ground control station or act upon that information to modify mission taskings.

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UMS SKELDAR has announced that its SKELDAR V-200 UAS (unmanned aerial system) has been selected as the base system for the Canadian Armed Forces’ new enhanced situational awareness capability. QinetiQ has been awarded a C$51m (c£30m) contract to deliver the project from its state-of-the-art unmanned vehicle manufacturing and operational facilities in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

The vertical take-off UAS will provide Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) services to the Royal Canadian Navy and Special Operations Forces Command, for both domestic and international operations. The system will be equipped with a number of sensors including an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and Electro-optic infrared (EO/IR) camera.

Robert Aube, Managing Director of QinetiQ in Canada, said: “We are delighted with this contract win to deliver critical over-the-horizon situation awareness to the Royal Canadian Navy and Special Operations Forces Command. This generates tactical advantages for commanders while minimising the risk to manned helicopters and personnel. As a result of the contract, we will be pleased to see a large number of jobs created in the Southern Alberta region where UAS repair and overhaul services will be carried out.”

Aube continued: “We are dedicated to providing a world-class service for the Canadian Armed Forces and the information collected and used by a UAS system of this calibre will be critical for the men and women serving Canada, both domestically and abroad.”

Iain Farley, Managing Director International Business at QinetiQ, said: “International growth is a core part of QinetiQ’s strategy and to facilitate this, we continue to make significant investments in our subsidiary businesses and complementary acquisitions. This contract provides an important proof point that this strategy is delivering. The investment we have made in Canada has helped secure our largest Canadian contract to date and provides us with a solid foundation for delivering further QinetiQ products and services into the Canadian market and beyond.”

QinetiQ will work with four principal partners to deliver the ISTAR services: Canadian-UAV, Leonardo, UMS SKELDAR and Wescam.

“This is an important contract win for us alongside our partners including QinetiQ and confirms our stated strategic commitment to working with global navies following our announcement last year with the German Navy,” explained Axel Cavalli-Björkman, CEO of UMS SKELDAR. “With multiple systems to be delivered in Q3 this year, the Royal Canadian Navy have secured a maritime UAV platform that not only includes our heavy fuel engine manufactured by German-based Hirth Engines, but also has an ability to carry multiple payloads.”

“L3 WESCAM is proud to have been chosen by QinetiQ, as it confirms our role as a trusted global supplier of advanced imaging technologies to the UAS market,” said Cameron McKenzie, Vice President, Global Sales & Business Development of L3 WESCAM. “In fact, this order marks many strategic firsts for WESCAM in the Canadian marketplace, including a first for our MX Series turrets to be used by the Royal Canadian Navy, a first order for our MX-8 and MX-10D in Canada and our first contract with QinetiQ in Canada.”

Sean Greenwood, President, and CEO of Canadian UAVs, said: “It’s a privilege and an honor to be able to work with the Canadian Armed Forces and QinetiQ, especially on such a novel project. This is the foundational contract the Canadian UAV industry has been waiting for to become world-class in autonomous vehicle service delivery and technology development. QinetiQ’s recognition of CUAVS’ work to date with Transport Canada in developing advanced UAV operations and their commitment to supporting local SMEs has been fundamental to our growth and cannot be understated.”

Wayne Smith, Head of Radar Campaigns from Leonardo, said: “We are pleased to be a part of this project with QinetiQ. Our PicoSAR Active Electronically Scanned Array radar provides an unrivalled all-weather capability for Unmanned Aerial Systems. It delivers a high resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar imaging and Ground Moving Target Indication capability that will allow the SKELDAR V-200 to easily acquire a true, all-weather ground mapping and surveillance capability.”

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BAE Systems has announced that its MAGMA unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has demonstrated two innovative flow control technologies in a series of flight trials that took place in north-west Wales. For the first time in aviation history, an aircraft was manoeuvred in flight using supersonically blown air, removing the need for complex movable flight control surfaces.

MAGMA, designed and developed by researchers at The University of Manchester in collaboration with engineers from BAE Systems, successfully trialled the two ‘flap-free’ technologies at the Llanbedr Airfield.

The technologies have been designed to improve the control and performance of aircraft. By replacing moving surfaces with a simpler ‘blown air’ solution, the trials have paved the way for engineers to create better performing aircraft that are lighter, more reliable and cheaper to operate. The technologies could also improve an aircraft’s stealth as they reduce the number of gaps and edges that currently make aircraft more observable on radar.

Developing such technologies helps to ensure the UK has the right technologies and skills in place for the future and could be applied to the development of a Future Combat Air System. It is the latest technological breakthrough to come from a number of BAE Systems collaborations with academia and industry, that will help the UK to deliver more advanced capability, more quickly, and through shared investment.

Julia Sutcliffe, Chief Technologist, BAE Systems Air, said: “MAGMA is a great example of how collaborating with bright minds at British universities can deliver ground-breaking research and innovation. Our partnership with The University of Manchester has identified cutting-edge technology, in this case flap-free flight, and turned what began as a feasibility study into a proven capability in just a number of months. It demonstrates how STEM can be applied in the real-world and I hope the success of these trials inspires the next generation of much-needed engineers and scientists.”

Bill Crowther, senior academic and leader of the MAGMA project at The University of Manchester, added: “We are excited to have been part of a long-standing effort to change the way in which aircraft can be controlled, going all the way back to the invention of wing warping by the Wright brothers. It’s been a great project for students to be part of, highlighting that real innovation in engineering is more about finding practical solutions to many hundreds of small technical challenges than having single moments of inspiration.

“The partnership with BAE Systems has allowed us the freedom as a university to focus on research adventure, with BAE Systems providing the pathway to industrial application. We made our first fluidic thrust vectoring nozzle from glued together bits of plastic and tested it on a hair drier fan nearly 20 years ago. Today BAE Systems is 3D printing our components out of titanium and we are flight testing them on the back of a jet engine in an aircraft designed and built by the project team. It doesn’t get much better than that.”

The technologies demonstrated in the trials were:

Wing Circulation Control: Taking air from the aircraft engine and blowing it supersonically through narrow slots around a specially shaped wing tailing edge in order to control the aircraft.
Fluidic Thrust Vectoring: Controlling the aircraft by blowing air jets inside the nozzle to deflect the exhaust jet and generate a control force.

The trials form part of a long-term collaboration between BAE Systems, academia and the UK government to explore and develop flap-free flight technologies, and the data will be used to inform future research programmes. Other technologies to improve the aircraft performance are being explored in collaboration with NATO Science and Technology Organisation.

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Sky Power has announced that, in addition to the company’s engines and propulsion systems for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), it will begin to offer additional items and consumables with the aim of providing customers with everything necessary for the reliable operation of a Sky Power engine in one place.

“Our plan is the constant development of this product segment,” stated Karl Schudt, CEO of Sky Power GmbH. 2-stroke engine oils from various manufacturers have been available from Sky Power since the founding of the company. Sky Power recently entered into further cooperation with the Czech propeller provider Mejzlik, and soon air filters and spark plugs of different sizes will be included in the product range. “Other products are in the planning stages and will be offered to our customers one by one,” continued Schudt.

“All products match our engines and are tested by us so that the customer does not have to do any research if he wants to reorder a consumer product,” added Schudt. Sky Power will also offer a subscription service for consumables. “If the customer knows how high his consumption is, we can supply the consumables at intervals that are defined by the customer. These delivery dates can be set in advance, so that no further orders must be initiated by the customer. One single order at the beginning of the subscription is sufficient.”

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Harris Corporation has announced that it has been awarded a contract by The Boeing Company to partner with Boeing AvionX in supplying the mission management open systems processor for the MQ-25 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) refueling program.

“Harris and Boeing have invested substantial R&D to develop affordable, high-performance solutions that allow for faster and easier upgrades,” said Ed Zoiss, president, Harris Electronic Systems. “This contract reaffirms Harris’ strategy to leverage open systems processors into new platforms.”

The mission management processor is based on an advanced open systems architecture solution and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technology. The mission management processor manages sensor and communications functions on the MQ-25, providing the onboard processing capacity necessary to support advanced computing needs. Harris will provide hardware and firmware in conjunction with Boeing’s open systems architecture solution.

The MQ-25 is the U.S. Navy’s first operational carrier-based unmanned aircraft and is designed to provide a much-needed refueling capability. The contract supports Boeing’s engineering and manufacturing development program to provide four MQ-25 aircraft to the U.S. Navy for Initial Operational Capability by 2024.

Harris has been a supplier to Boeing since the 1980s on a wide range of military aircraft, munition, and satellite programs. This latest contract will continue job growth for Harris in Florida, which is a supplier of mission management processors to Boeing and other major aircraft programs.

“The MQ-25 program is vital because it will help the U.S. Navy extend the range of the carrier air wing, and Boeing and our industry team is all-in on delivering this capability,” said Dave Bujold, Boeing’s MQ-25 program director. “The work we’re doing is also foundational for the future of Boeing – where we’re building autonomous systems from seabed to space.”

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