UAV news

US Navy Release Request For Proposal On Carrier-Launched Drones.
Flightglobal (6/18, Rosenberg) reports the US Navy released a request for proposal to Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) “to bring four potential Unmanned Carrier-Launched Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) designs to maturity prior to a downselect.” As yet just Lockheed has publicly revealed its likely UCLASS offering, which has “a strong resemblance to the classified RQ-170 reconnaissance drone.” Northrop Grumman is expected to base its aircraft on the X-47B, Boeing use a derivative of its Phantom Ray, and GA-ASI its Avenger. ”

China Working On Many UAV, But Capabilities Unknown.
Robert Beckhusen at the Medium (6/13) “War is Boring” blog writes how China is developing a large number of UAVs, even if some of these “are simply non-flying models wheeled out at international trade shows” or copies of US modes. For instance, Beckhusen notes a recent image to appear shows a UAV that is very similar to the RQ-170 Sentinel Iran obtained. Beckhusen questions how capable all these UAVs really are as “software and control systems are likely not as advanced as comparable US systems, and there is a relative lack of experience among pilots operating drones for extended periods of time.” However, when considering the question of how China will use these vehicles and what lies ahead, “one caveat is that drones are part of a much broader Chinese military modernization program that also includes a giant new transport plane, stealth fighter prototypes and designs for a new stealth bomber.”

Scientists Hope To Lengthen Tornado Warning Times With Drones.
The Los Angeles Times (6/9, Kelly) reported that scientists hope to lengthen the warning time for deadly tornadoes “from minutes to hours by sending unmanned aircraft – drones – into a brewing storm,” although “pulling that off would require not only technological expertise but also flexibility in government rules that block most such flights.” The Times continued, “Although careful not to criticize the FAA, noting the agency’s emphasis on safety, researchers voiced frustration about the slow pace of changes to regulations that have limited the use of technology ready for deployment.”

Israel The Largest Exporter Of UAVs.
The AP (6/6, Goldenberg) reports US consulting firm Frost & Sullivan determined Israels is the largest exporter of UAVs in the world, even outselling the US although the numbers on Israeli sales are estimates. UAVs in Israel “are being used in a growing number of operations” which are experts say the country is a “dominant force in the industry.” According to the article, part of the reason Israel has outpaces the US is Israeli companies face fewer regulations when exporting defense technology, causing some to call for those rules to be loosened. US companies also “have for years been able to rely on large contracts from the US government” but those are being cut along with the US budget.”

Gray Eagle UAV Has Electronic Jamming Capability With NERO.
The Army Times (6/2, Bacon) reported the Army’s Gray Eagle UAV now has “an electronic jamming capability” called the Networked Electronic Warfare, Remotely Operated (NERO). The article noted that with a “proven design” and a “proven asset,” this is not likely to be the last UAV the Army fields with jamming capabilities. However, because the Government Accountability Office has “raised a red flag in the airborne electronic attack mission area” because of multiple systems in development with overlapping missions, there could be a merging of some of these programs .”

Deutsche Bahn Wants To Use UAV To Capture Graffiti Artists.
Popular Science (5/29, Diep) reports, “Germany’s national railways company, Deutsche Bahn, plans to test drones as a deterrent to people who tag trains with graffiti.” By using infrared cameras, Deutsche Bahn hopes it can identify and prosecute defacers. However, the article notes that because of “Germany’s history of opposition to projects that seem to violate privacy, including Google’s ‘Street View’ cameras,” this plan is not guaranteed. ”

EADS, Northrop To Continue Working With Germany On Euro Hawk.
Reuters (5/28, Bryan, Siebold, Martin) reports despite Germany canceling the Euro Hawk program, EADS and Northrop Grumman still plan to work with the country to address Germany’s concerns like reportedly with the UAV’s flight control system and costs ”

X-47B UAV Makes Its First Touch And Go Landing .
Popular Science (5/21, Dillow) reports on a new milestone for the X-47B UAV. It “executed its first touch and go landings--that’s when an aircraft touches down like it’s landing but then accelerates and takes off again--aboard the USS George H.W. Bush on Friday, bringing this technology demonstrator ever closer to being fully carrier-capable.” The article notes that the tests also demonstrated the ability for the UAV and the carrier crew “to each other over the super-fast datalink that they share--which is really the linchpin of this system.” The article notes this is especially important if conditions become unsafe for a landing and it needs to be waved off. Because of this test, the article does not expect the X-47B to have any issues when cleared for full carrier landing tests. ”

DHS Approved To Fly UAVs.
The UK's Daily Telegraph (4/23, Sanchez) reports the Department of Homeland Security is one of several non-military agencies that has requested permission from the Federal Aviation Authority "to fly drone aircraft, many of which can carry cameras and surveillance equipment for spying within the US." The Telegraph cites information obtained by civil liberties group Electronic Frontier Foundation, which indicates DHS, FBI, and DOJ had all "been cleared to launch drones." The Telegraph says that even more amazing is "that individual city police forces are also drawing up plans to use the reconnaissance aircraft more regularly associated with top secret missions against terror suspects in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen."

FAA Releases List Of Those Approved For UAVs.
Forbes (4/21) reported, "After suing the Federal Aviation Administration for its failure to respond to a FOIA, civil liberties group EFF finally got a response to its inquiry about who in the US has authorization to fly drones. ... The FAA released a list of the private manufacturers who have 'Special Airworthiness Certificates,' which is what a non-government entity needs to fly a particular drone model. Last year, the FAA told me that there were just 18 active certificates. The lucky few holding those are primarily big defense companies."

Hawaii-Owned UAV Not Allowed To Monitor Harbor.
Hawaii News Now (4/11) reports in an "Exclusive" that the Hawaii "Department of Transportation's Harbors Division has been unable to use an unmanned drone aircraft purchased with $75,000 in federal grant money to provide security at Honolulu Harbor because it falls within restricted airspace near Honolulu International Airport." Dan Meisenzahl, a spokesman for the department, commented, "I'm not trying to make any excuses for the Department of Transportation. We're not making any excuses. We made a mistake." Meisenzahl says the drone has never flown. He added that his department "never checked if we could fly a UAV around Honolulu harbor" and noted "that the FAA said the state can't fly the drone at the harbor because it's too close to Honolulu International Airport."

Navy Adding LIDAR To Fire Scouts To Hunt Down Pirates.
Popular Science (4/10, Dillow) reports, "The Office of Naval Research has plans to imbue its Fire Scout unmanned, ship-launched helicopters with electronic brains capable of identifying the small boats generally used by pirates." The Fire Scouts will have LIDAR and "a database of watercraft profiles for boats commonly used by pirates in places like the Horn of Africa, where Somali pirates have been increasingly brazen in their attacks on commercial ships" so that it can notify operators if a pirate is detected.

Fire Scout Operations On Hold After Crashes.
Flight International (4/10, Rosenberg) reports, "After two incidents resulting in crashes, Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout operations are on an 'operational pause' for the indefinite future. One aircraft was damaged on 30 March after landing in the ocean." The article notes that it was salvaged and not considered a total loss. Another Fire Scout crashed while in Afghanistan on April 6. In that incident, "sources with knowledge...declined to speculate on the cause or circumstances of the crash, except to say that enemy action was unlikely to be involved."

US Requests Return Of Drone From Iran.
The CBS Evening News (12/12, story 5, 0:45, Pelley) reported, "Today President Obama confirmed what we first reported here last Thursday. The aircraft captured by the Iranians earlier this month is, in fact, one of America's most sophisticated spy planes." CBS added, "In Iran, experts have been poring over the drone. Iranian TV claimed they've recovered data from the RQ-170 aircraft and a top Iranian military official says they can now reproduce it-- though US experts doubt that."

First US Citizens Arrested With Assistance From CBP Drones.
The Los Angeles Times (12/11, Bennett) reported that in June of this year, police in North Dakota "made the first known arrests of US citizens with help from a Predator, the spy drone that has helped revolutionize modern warfare." The suspects, a family of five, were allegedly armed when they chased off a local sheriff who had been tracking a half-dozen missing cows. "The drones belong to US Customs and Border Protection, which operates eight Predators on the country's northern and southwestern borders to search for illegal immigrants and smugglers." According to the Times, "the previously unreported use of its drones to assist local, state and federal law enforcement has occurred without any public acknowledgment or debate."

UAV Industry Thriving In Southern California.
The Los Angeles Times (9/11, Hennigan) reported on General Atomics Aeronautical Systems complex where they make "the Predator and Reaper drones." This "1.9-million-square-foot facility is a showcase for Southern California's drone industry, which employs an estimated 10,000 people. The fast-growing business is fueled by Pentagon spending...and billions more chipped in by the CIA and Congress." Some experts feel "the military and private companies alike will have fleets of robotic planes that can do just about everything piloted aircraft can do, such as carrying cargo and engaging in aerial combat."

Jets Almost Launched To Take Out Rogue Drone Near DC.
NBC Nightly News (9/9, story 12, 0:30, Williams) reported, "We also learned today US fighter jets were nearly launched last month to shoot down an unmanned Navy drone that had gone astray in the air space near the nation's capital. The admiral in charge of the Northern Command said he was in the operations center when controllers lost contact with the drone on radar and it flew into restricted air space. Just as the fighter aircraft were about to launch apparently the Navy managed to reprogram the drone and bring it back."
        The AP (9/10, Baldor) reports the news "underscores safety concerns with unmanned aircraft" flying in civilian airspace. "The FAA has been working for some time on new regulations governing the use of drones, but has yet to complete them." Navy Adm. James Winnefeld "said discussions are continuing with the FAA to find ways to streamline the approval process. At the same time, he said the Defense Department also must address FAA's safety concerns by insuring that the drones have the software and systems necessary to fly safely."

Napolitano Announces More Drones For US-Mexico Border Security.
The Arizona Republic (8/31, Wagner) reports that "the number of Predator drone aircraft flying surveillance along the Southwest border will double by Jan. 1, reflecting the Obama administration's commitment to securing the US-Mexico line." Listing "the government's Top 10 goals for a reinforced border, along with achievements in each category," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the President "has dedicated unprecedented levels of manpower and technology to combat smuggling and illegal immigration."

Skunk Works Reveals Two UAVs.
Flight Daily News (8/26, Trimble) reports that Lockheed Martin's advanced development program division "Skunk Works" revealed "two previously internal concepts for new unmanned air vehicles (UAVs)" at AUVSI. The concept image of "the multipurpose long-endurance (MPLE - pronounced "maple") reveals a twin-boomed UAV with a high-aspect ratio wing set against a desert backdrop at a medium altitude elevation." Bob Ruszkowski, a Skunk Works systems engineer said the MPLE "will challenge the Aurora Flight Sciences' Orion vehicle for a new Air Force Research Laboratory contract." Skunk Works also "described its approach to the US Navy's new requirement for an unmanned, carrier-launched, airborne surveillance and strike (UCLASS) system."

Northrop Unveils Two UAVs For Potential Military Use.
In a series of reports on this year's AUVSI conference, Flight Daily News (8/24, Trimble) reports, "The revelation of two all-new aircraft concepts from Northrop Grumman show that the manufacturer is planning an aggressive new push to expand deeper into the market for unmanned air vehicles." The company unveiled "two concept designs - MQ-X and MUVR" which represent the company's "internal strategy for addressing two of the US military's potential requirements in the next decade."

Euro Hawk UAS Completes First Flight.
Seattle Post Intelligencer (6/30, Cohen) reported Northrop Grumman's Euro Hawk UAS completed its first flight Tuesday. The UAS "took off at approximately 10:32 a.m. from Northrop Grumman's Palmdale, Calif., plant and climbed to 32,000 feet over the desert skies before landing nearly two hours later at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif." The Intelligencer notes that "the German Ministry of Defence in 2007 awarded a contract for the surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to EuroHawk GmbH - a 50-50 joint venture of Northrop and EADS Defence & Security, which will provide a new signals intelligence system for the aircraft."

Navy Releases RFI For Carrier Based, Stealth UAV.
Aviation Week (3/29, Norris) reported aerospace companies have until May to respond to a US Navy RFI for a "carrier-based, stealthy, unmanned, strike and surveillance system capable of integrating with manned aircraft as part of a carrier air wing by 2018." This unmanned carrier-launched airborne surveillance and strike RFI "calls for a notional system made up of 4-6 autonomously launched and recoverable vehicles to operate in 'irregular and hybrid warfare scenarios.'" This UAV "must be able to receive fuel from hose-and-drogue Navy-style tankers as well as from probe-equipped U.S. Air Force tankers." Furthermore, the aircraft must be able to utilize "lethal precision weapons to suppress, defeat, destroy, deceive or influence a range of enemy targets," and will likely have folding wings and tie-down points.

Israel Defense Forces Considering AirMule UAV For Battlefield Ambulance.
Aviation Week (3/9, Eshel) reported the IDF medical corps "is looking at procuring an innovative unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that will evacuate critical casualties directly from the battlefield to the hospital." One of the candidates is the AirMule, "a vertical takeoff and landing UAV developed by Urban Aeronautics Ltd., an Israeli company specializing in Fancraft technology." Lt. Col. Gil Hirschorn said "an important benefit of AirMule is its ability to land in areas of a fire-saturated battlefield that would be inaccessible to other vehicles" and that the UAV "will be equipped with stretchers, air conditioning and a communications system that establishes video contact between injured soldiers and the medical center." The AirMule, which is currently being tested, utilizes a ducted-fan vehicle and Vane Control System.

 

"Flying is for droids." Obi-Wan Kenobi