uAvionix has announced its participation in the deployment of North Dakota’s statewide Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) UAS infrastructure and network, Vantis, which is led by the Northern Plains UAS Test Site.
uAvionix is a strategic partner to Thales’ TopSky Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) platform, so it is deploying terrestrial command and control (C2) infrastructure and a cloud-based C2 service, which enables centralized management, coordination, and C2 handoffs. In turn, this will enable BVLOS missions across the key-site deployment area of McKenzie County, North Dakota.
Technology
Technology
Drone Delivery Canada successfully tests several critical aspects of its Robin XL UAS
Drone Delivery Canada (DDC) has announced that it has successfully tested numerous critical aspects of the Robin XL drone at its ‘Tranquility Base’ test range.
Skyfront's Perimeter drone used to perform first ship-to-submarine delivery via small UAS
Skyfront has announced that its Perimeter drone was recently used to perform the first ship-to-submarine delivery via small UAS.
During the flight, the long-endurance hybrid-electric Perimeter drone showcased its ability to resupply submarines at sea in a quick and cost-effective manner.
Skyfront’s command and control handoff capability was unveiled during the flight. Pilots aboard the surface vessel launched the drone and flew it near the submarine. Once there, pilots aboard the submarine took control of the drone and released the package onto the top of the sub.
Wisk, NASA partner to safely integrate autonomous aircraft systems into UAM applications at national level
Urban Air Mobility (UAM) company Wisk is partnering with NASA to focus on the safe integration of autonomous aircraft systems into Urban Air Mobility applications at a national level.
The partnership is part of NASA's Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign strategy to develop key guidance for UAM operations. To accelerate U.S. leadership in emerging automated aviation technology, the partnership will also address key challenges such as certification and standards development.
Initially, the partnership will address critical National Campaign safety scenarios, with a focus on autonomous flight and contingency management, including collision avoidance and flight path management.
Thales completes important work to enable BVLOS ops in North Dakota
Thales has announced that it has successfully completed the preliminary design review for the key site implementation of Vantis, the statewide UAS network for BVLOS operations in western North Dakota.
As part of the BVLOS network, Thales will deploy surveillance and communications infrastructure in the greater McKenzie County area. The sensors and communications network will support mission and network operations.
“North Dakota’s Statewide UAS Network, known as Vantis, is truly the first of its kind,” says Jean Ferré, Vice President of Airspace Mobility Solutions, Thales.
Plus selects BlackBerry technology for its automated driving system for Class 8 trucks
Plus has selected BlackBerry Limited’s QNX technology for the global commercial deployment of its automated driving system for Class 8 trucks.
Plus is the first automated truck developer to use BlackBerry QNX technology for its next-generation self-driving systems. The systems are expected to be commercialized and deployed beginning in 2021 by Plus and FAW, which is China’s largest heavy-duty truck maker. In the next two years, Plus also plans to deploy thousands of intelligent, automated trucks in the US.
Weekend Roundup: November 13, 2020
This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World
Scientific Systems Company Inc. (SSCI) has demonstrated a team made up of a fully autonomous UAS and a search and rescue canine working together without intervention from a human handler to conduct a simulated search and rescue mission. During the demonstration, SSCI's newly developed Teammate Aware Autonomy (TAA) system was used together with its Collaborative Mission Autonomy (CMA) and Finding Objects thru Closed Loop Understanding of the Scene (FOCUS) software. (PRNewswire)
ULM joins FAA's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Collegiate Training Initiative
The University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) has announced that it is joining the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Collegiate Training Initiative (UAS CTI).
According to the FAA, the initiative is a collaborative effort designed to ensure that new technology is safely incorporated into the National Airspace System (NAS) and that qualified professionals are in the pipeline to satisfy the demand of the drone industry, which continues to grow at a rapid pace.
“The FAA is serving as a kind of intermediary for schools that offer this kind of program to get together,” explains Dr. Paul Karlowitz, associate professor of aviation.
Martin UAV, SOUTHCOM successfully complete counter narcotics operations demo
In support of United States Southern Command's (SOUTHCOM) counter narcotics operations in the Eastern Pacific, Martin UAV successfully demonstrated the shipboard integration of its V-BAT UAS, as well as its maritime capabilities, from Oct. 6, 2019 to July 31, 2020.
Support for the mission included the highly visible Enhanced Counter Narcotics Operations, which began on April 1, and was kicked off by the President of the United States.
Drone Delivery Canada successfully completes Phase Three of its 'AED On The Fly' project
On Nov. 6, Drone Delivery Canada successfully completed Phase Three of its Automated External Defibrillator (AED) On The Fly project with Peel Region Paramedic Services and Sunnybrook Centre for Prehospital Medicine.
DDC announced 100 percent successful Phase One and Phase Two testing in June 2019 and July 2020, respectively. During Phase Three, the Sparrow drone, with its cargo drop capability and audio announcement system, was utilized to drop an AED where a designated untrained (lay) bystander would then retrieve the AED and apply it to a simulated cardiac arrest patient in a rural environment.
During testing, response time to drop, retrieve and apply an AED, and physiological and psychological human factors in a stressful situation were all measured.
