Virginia’s Fairfax County has announced that it is developing a comprehensive Public Safety UAS program, which is designed to support a number of government mission types including, but not limited to, search and rescue operations, flooding assessments, and wildlife estimation.
Fairfax County is interested in getting feedback from its residents about the program, so during the month of January, it will host six public information meetings throughout Fairfax County.
During each meeting, there will be a static display of UAS, followed by a presentation that outlines the program.
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University of North Dakota and partners test UAS network
On Friday, Dec. 21, the University of North Dakota (UND), along with research partners from Harris Corporation and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS), completed what they are calling the first-ever test flights over a “specially developed UAS network of technologies” that opens the skies for broad commercial use of UAS.
Known as the Harris UAS Network, the North Dakota-based network combines detect-and-avoid capabilities developed at UND with UAS technology and services from Harris. The network is described as a “system of integrated ground infrastructure” that enables commercial UAS to fly much farther and safer beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) in national airspace.
PAE ISR selects Persistent Systems' MPU5 Wave Relay MANET tech for its Resolute Eagle UAS
PAE ISR recently chose Persistent Systems’ MPU5 Wave Relay mobile ad hoc networking (MANET) technology for its Resolute Eagle UAS.
Capable of running live voice-over-internet-protocols, video, and other high demand applications, the system augments the capacity of a wireless network using existing infrastructure.
Additionally, users can incorporate a variety of meshed devices into the network—thanks to the radio's algorithm—in which the devices themselves form the communication infrastructure.
“We're excited about the capability of the MPU5 radio,” says Joe Sartiano, PAE ISR chief operating officer.
NUAIR Alliance hosts first official UTM kick off meeting with partners
From Dec. 11 to 12, the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR Alliance) hosted its first official unmanned traffic management (UTM) kick off meeting with partners in Syracuse.
According to the NUAIR Alliance, the goals of the meeting were to establish a joint roadmap to advance research and development opportunities, identify and resolve technical issues, and lay the framework for a detailed implementation plan to build an operational beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) UTM system.
California's Monterey County Sheriff's Office uses UAS to locate and arrest armed suspect
On Sunday, Dec. 9, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) in California used its UAS to locate an armed suspect that had broken into the historical buildings at the Point Sur Lighthouse in Monterey, California the night of Saturday, Dec. 8.
Using its UAS, MCSO deputies directed California State Park Rangers to the suspect’s location, where he was subsequently arrested.
The sheriff’s office notes that this situation was dangerous for several reasons, including the steep terrain of the location, the involvement of a firearm, and the unknown intent of the suspect.
With all of these factors, the UAS proved to be a beneficial option for the sheriff’s office.
uAvionix selects Leesburg, Virginia, as the location for its 'HQ2'
Amazon isn't the only company to select northern Virginia for its second headquarters. On a smaller scale, uAvionix has announced plans to establish an office location in Leesburg, Virginia.
Known as “HQ2,” the location was selected after uAvionix compared important criteria such as transportation options, talent availability, and local craft beer quality during a nationwide search for the perfect location.
Expected to open in Feb. 2019, HQ2 will focus on business operations, development, and regulatory engagement, especially in the UAS market.
Insitu's ScanEagle UAS used in support of firefight against Northern California's Camp Fire
Insitu’s ScanEagle UAS, paired with its TacitView and Catalina software, recently provided remote aerial survey information during the firefight against Northern California’s Camp Fire.
Daily operational maps and full motion video detailing the fire’s movement were generated using the ScanEagle’s camera payload data and applied software.
Flight testing unmanned systems is more complicated than you may think
By Hannah Lemon, Marketing Publisher for the University of Kansas Edwards Campus
June’s flight of NASA’s Ikhana, a modified MQ-9 Predator B unmanned aircraft, into commercial airspace without a safety chase airplane marked a milestone for sense and avoid development and underscored the challenges of testing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), according to George Cusimano.
Kansas State Polytechnic granted waiver to introduce BVLOS flights into curriculum
Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus has announced that its UAS flight and operations degree option is the first in the nation to introduce flying beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) into college curriculum.
The FAA has granted Kansas State Polytechnic a waiver that allows these operations to be conducted at the university.
“It is a significant opportunity for our students to learn how to fly UAS beyond their visual line of sight because they are preparing their skills and knowledge for the future of the industry,” says Kurt Carraway, UAS executive director of the Applied Aviation Research Center at Kansas State Polytechnic.
