Drones could become useful for surveillance and remote monitoring in many industries, and perhaps one day will even ferry the latest Amazon order to your front door. But there’s one big limiting factor: drones can stay in the air for only so long on a charge. The Parc drone developed by CyPhy Works. Not the latest model developed by the Boston-based drone maker CyPhy Works, though. Cal...
A unique unmanned tiltrotor has successfully completed a new testing stage by performing its first flight. The aircraft was created by VR-Technologies, an innovative design bureau, part of Russian Helicopters. A number of oil and gas companies and various government agencies are already showing interest in the unique project. “The development of the unique air...
The Afghan military is expected to field its first specialized surveillance drones as soon as March, a U.S. commander in Kabul said on Thursday, as the Asian nation slowly expands its own air force. The boost in military hardware comes as Afghan security forces, fighting largely alone since the withdrawal of most international forces in 2014, have struggled for months to hold back a Taliban ins...
It looks a cross between a helicopter and a hovercraft and can take off and land vertically: AirMule is a giant drone that can pick up and drop off supplies or people. Built by Israeli firm Urban Aeronautics, It is meant to be used in areas too dangerous for other aircraft. Rafi Yoeli, chief executive officer of Urban Aeronautics, explains how it works: “It can operate inside villag...
UMS Skeldar, the newly-formed joint venture between Saab and Swiss UAV company UMS Aero, can be found here on the stand of its regional partner CWT Defense Services (D87). The stand features full-scale models of the Skeldar rotary-wing UAV that Saab developed, and the smaller R350 unmanned helicopter that UMSdesigned. CWT is a d...
ST Aerospace is showing off a proof of concept unmanned air vehicle that can both fly and swim. The company’s Unmanned Hybrid Vehicle (UHV) has been tested in the water, but has yet to conduct its first flight. “Not many countries are comfortable with a 25kg [55lb] experimental aircraft in their airspace,” says Milly Tay, senior vice-president at ST Aero’s engineering...
Elbit Systems has unveiled its new Skylark 3 mini unmanned air system, and also revealed it has gained selection by an undisclosed customer. Intended to support brigade- and division-level units, the Skylark 3 has an operating range of more than 54nm (100km) and a flight endurance of up to 6h, says the Israeli manufacturer. Deployed from a pneumatic launcher on the ground or mounted on a v...
The police report says drone crashed into the 4oth floor. And the man who crashed the drone into the famous building charged with crashing the drone. The man claims he asked an officer an officer told him it will be okay to fly there. There is no intel which drone was it, but Sean Nivin Riddle was charged with reckless endangerment and illegal navigation of an aircraft in and over the city. A...
Drone enthusiasts are being urged to practice their hobby only in accredited clubs for safety and security reasons. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said that "light air sports" enthusiasts must only operate their drones in clubs that have been approved by the authority, according to the state news agency Wam. The announcement is part of a new campaign organised by...
Africa is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world. But, while the rise in trade is boosting airfreight, infrastructural problems remain. Studies show that drones will be able to cater for 10 to 20% of regional cargo transportation in the future. Vincent Chappard reports. Data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for global airfreight markets show a very modes...
Transport Canada is preparing to introduce new guidelines for the operation of unmanned air vehicles similar to those being proposed in Europe. The new regulations were first introduced in May 2015, and are considered to be more risk-based than those currently used, which only distinguish between the commercial or recreational operation of small UAVs. A consultation between May and August ga...
The first public flight of the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Heron TP unmanned air vehicle (UAV) happened almost nine years years ago. The maiden flight of the Elbit Systems Hermes 900 occurred nearly seven years ago. Yet, since 2009, neither of Israel’s largest UAV makers have released a new design for a large clean-sheet UAV on the export market, appearing to end a two decade stre...
