The U.S. Army has begun evaluating tactical unmanned aircraft systems intended to replace the venerable RQ-7 Shadow drone, which has been in service since the early 2000s.
The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division conducted the first soldier-operated flight on April 7, flying an Arcturus Jump 20, a 210-pound aircraft with an 18-foot wingspan that is capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL).
It's also quieter than the Shadow.
"We’re used to screaming at each other and having to use radios in order to communicate,” Spc. Christopher McCoy, a crew chief, said in an Army press release. “You can stand right next to this aircraft and not even raise your voice."
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Weekend Roundup: April 10, 2020
This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World
On April 7, the Arcturus UAV JUMP 20 underwent its first soldier-operated flight in a capabilities assessment. Arcturus is the first candidate in the running to replace the Army’s RQ-7 Shadow UAS. (Defense News)
Kraken Robotics, Greensea Systems partner to 'rapidly advance the capabilities of marine robotics'
Kraken Robotics Inc. has entered into a partnership agreement with Greensea Systems Inc., which is known for its open architecture robotic platform called OPENSEA.
Under the agreement, Greensea will support development, integration, and testing work with Kraken across several of the company's technology platforms.
“The partnership we have signed is very significant. It is a relationship formed between the most disruptive, agile, and aggressive technology developers in the industry,” says Ben Kinnaman, CEO of Greensea.
GA-ASI flies SkyGuardian RPA in NAS above Southern California as part of joint demo with NASA
As part of a joint flight demonstration with NASA, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA‑ASI) flew its SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) in the skies above Southern California on April 3.
Since 2014, GA-ASI and NASA have worked together to prove the safety of flying large UAS in the National Airspace System (NAS). GA-ASI was selected to participate in NASA’s Systems Integration and Operationalization (SIO) activity, which includes multiple flight demonstrations that focus on different types of UAS and their respective flight environments.
Rakuten Mobile, Rakuten AirMap to use drones to conduct completion inspections of base stations
Rakuten Mobile Inc. will work with Rakuten Group company Rakuten AirMap Inc. to conduct completion inspections of base stations for its mobile network using drones.
Traditionally, completion inspections would be conducted by an engineer that climbs the antenna tower on which the base station is installed and visually inspects the equipment, but these inspections raise several concerns regarding safety, the time required to conduct the inspections and personnel costs.
Using drones for completion inspections would allow them to be conducted in a shorter amount of time, more efficiently and with a higher degree of safety, as the UAS will be used to take multi-angle photographs of the newly constructed base stations.
Nuro granted permit to test driverless, passengerless vehicles on public roads in California
The State of California has granted Nuro the first permit ever to test a self-driving vehicle on public roads that is both driverless and passengerless.
Only the second driverless testing permit California has granted to any company—Waymo received the first in 2018—the permit allows Nuro to begin testing its R2 vehicle in service with its partners, starting in the Silicon Valley region.
“California is Nuro’s home, and we are excited to bring our neighborhood-friendly R2 vehicle into our communities, in close cooperation with the DMV, local leaders, and law enforcement,” Nuro says.
FAA awarding $2.6 million in grants to universities to advance drone ops
U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao recently announced that the FAA is awarding $2.6 million in research, education, and training grants to universities that make up the agency’s Air Transportation Center of Excellence (COE) for UAS, which is also known as Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE).
The grants are designed to advance specific goals and projects.
“The research funded by these grants will provide valuable data as the Department leads the way to chart a course for the safe integration of drones into our national airspace,” Secretary Chao said.
AeroVironment receives contract award for Puma 3 AE UAS for U.S. Navy and Marine Corps SUAS program
AeroVironment Inc. has announced that on Feb. 18, it received a $10,677,987 firm-fixed-price contract award for its Puma 3 AE systems and spares for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SUAS) Program.
Delivery of the technology is anticipated by this month.
“Puma 3 AE is a combat-proven enabler of U.S. Navy and Marine Corps tactical operations, providing persistent situational awareness, expeditionary reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition, force protection and overwatch – anywhere and at any time,” explains Rick Pedigo, AeroVironment vice president of business development.
Woolpert to develop strategic plan and concept of operations for Indiana's UAS program
The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has contracted Woolpert to develop a strategic plan and concept of operations for the state’s UAS program.
RE2 Robotics fabricating face shields for small- and medium-sized clinics in Pittsburgh region
In collaboration with PPE Connect PGH and its coalition of local universities and manufacturers, RE2 Robotics has begun fabricating face shields for small- and medium-sized clinics.
PPE Connect PGH is helping healthcare workers on the front line in the fight against COVID-19 locate sources of existing idle Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Using its 3D-printing capabilities, RE2 is fabricating parts for face shields that are being collected and distributed by PPE Connect PGH. Smaller health care entities such as community clinics, nursing homes, and independent facilities in the Pittsburgh region can get the face shields and all of the PPE donations for free.