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
Valkyrie UAS Launches Small UAS from Weapons Bay
The March 26 test flight at Yuma Proving Ground was also used to expand the Valyrie’s performance envelope.
Rotorcraft
Bell Continues Cautious Swim into AAM Pool
Bell continues to move cautiously on its two marquis electric demonstration aircraft, the Nexus and APT.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Elbit and KAI Join Forces for Military UAS Collaboration
Links between Korean and Israeli industry are growing, particularly in the field of unmanned air systems.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Australia’s Loyal Wingman Flies For the First Time
The Airpower Teaming System air vehicle is the first military aircraft to be designed and built in Australia in over five decades.
Rotorcraft
Turkey Unveils Unmanned, Electric Attack Helicopter
Turkish Aerospace Industries expects to fly the new, electric-powered, unmanned T629 attack helicopter later this year.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
NATO’s Phoenix Fleet Achieves IOC
Initial operational capability has been reached by the Northrop Grumman RQ-4D fifteen months after the first was delivered.
Aircraft
United Airlines to Operate eVTOL Aircraft As SPACs Hover For Merger Deals
United Airlines to Operate eVTOL Aircraft As SPACs Hover For Merger Deals
Accidents
Drone Injures Helicopter Crewmember
Drone pierces windshield of Chilean Navy UH-57B, injuring front seat crewmember.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Groups Urge Coordination for European Drone Integration
A cross-section of aviation groups issued an open letter to EU member states, urging further collaboration in a number of areas for drone integration.
Rotorcraft
VFS Cancels In-person Forum 77
The Vertical Flight Society has canceled its annual in-person Forum gathering due to continuing covid concerns.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Helicopters Flightlab To Test UAM Technologies
Airbus flying laboratory dedicated to evaluating future UAM and helicopter innovations.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
General Atomics Advances SeaGuardian Systems
The SeaGuardian is the maritime surveillance version of the MQ-9B, capable of anti-submarine warfare.
Accidents
Pilot To Be Sentenced after Drone Hits LAPD Helicopter
Andrew Rene Hernandez, 22, could receive up to one year in federal prison.
Aircraft
How Autonomous Flight Could Soon Revolutionize Air Cargo Services
How Autonomous Flight Could Soon Revolutionize Air Cargo Services
Regulations and Government
FAA Issues Final Remote ID Rule for Unmanned Aircraft
The FAA has issued new rules requiring the remote ID of unmanned aircraft and permitting small drones to be flown over people and at night.
Safety
Pilot Captures Video of 'Jetpack' Flying in LA Airspace
The video of what appears to be a manned jetpack shows it flying at 3,000 feet over the ocean near Palos Verdes, California.
Aircraft
U.S. Air Force Conducts Advanced Connectivity Trials
For the first time the F-22 and F-35 fifth-generation fighters “talked” to each other securely via datalink.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Eurodrone Looks to Development and Production Contract
The four-nation program for a MALE UAV is awaiting a contract to launch the development and production of 60 air vehicles for service-entry in 2028.
Rotorcraft
Airbus VSR700 Makes ATOLs from Moving Deck
Airbus's optionally piloted vehicle recently made fully autonomous takeoff and landing approaches to and from a moving deck simulator.
Accidents
Los Angeles Drone Pilot Faces Year in Prison
The pilot of drone that hit an LAPD helicopter is facing federal charges for the unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft.
Aircraft
UAE Cleared to Buy F-35A Fighters and MQ-9B Drones
The United Arab Emirates has long sought the F-35 fighter in order to maintain its qualitative edge over its neighbor Iran.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
U.S. Approves MQ-9B SeaGuardians for Taiwan
As well as being cleared for a potential sale to Taiwan, the maritime version of the SkyGuardian is also being demonstrated to Japan’s Coast Guard.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Helicopters Takes New Look at Urban Air Noise
Airbus research into helicopter noise is being used to evaluate potential eVTOL designs.
Rotorcraft
CAAM Debuts with Bell as Launch Member
This week saw the official launch of the Canadian Advanced Air Mobility (CAAM) Coalition, with Bell Textron as a founding member of the group.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
UAM's Challenges Outlined at Bavarian Conference
Safety, noise, and economics will challenge urban air mobility infrastructure development, panelists at Invest in Bavaria's UAM 2020 Conference note.
Safety
FSF Establishes UAS Advisory Committee
Flight Safety Foundation has launched the autonomous and remotely piloted aviation systems advisory committee to address the safety of these operations.
Aircraft
Bell and Xwing Complete NASA Unmanned Demo with APT 70
After demonstrating its detect-and-avoid capability on Bell's APT 70 cargo drone, Xwing is preparing to start flight trials in a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
UAS Groups Prod DOT on Remote ID Rule
DOT and FAA urged not to delay rulemaking covering remote identification requirements (ID) for unmanned aerial systems.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Reliable Robotics Flies Unmanned Cessnas
Gaining experience with unmanned aircraft should give Reliable Robotics a leg up on the race to bring new technologies to market.
Regulations and Government
NBAA Endorses FCC Recommendation of Drone C-band Use
The FCC, evaluating both the L-band and C-band for drone use at the behest of Congress, is concerned that a number of critical systems already use L-band.
