BAE Systems and the University of Manchester have successfully completed the first phase of flight trials with a small scale UAS called MAGMA.
The flight trials are part of an ongoing project between the two entities, as well as a long-term collaboration between industry, academia and government to explore and develop innovative flight control technology.
“The technologies we are developing with the University of Manchester will make it possible to design cheaper, higher performance, next generation aircraft,” says Clyde Warsop, Engineering Fellow at BAE Systems.
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BAE Systems and the University of Manchester successfully complete first flight trial with MAGMA UAS
Intel uses its Falcon 8+ UAS to help preserve cathedral in Germany
Intel’s Falcon 8+ UAS is being used to help preserve the 15th century Halberstadt Cathedral in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
Recently, the UAS was used to capture nearly 1,000 detailed images—along with additional footage—in less than an hour of total flight time.
That data was post-processed to create precise 3-D structural models for Intel and its partners on the project, experts from Bauhaus University Weimar and Kulturstiftung Sachsen-Anhalt, to analyze.
The Falcon 8+ UAS is providing the conservation team with a new, affordable way of conducting a visual inspection of structures that are fragile and hard-to-reach.
Leptron UAS to manufacture Black Swift S1 UAS as a result of strategic alliance
Black Swift Technologies (BST) and Leptron Unmanned Aircraft Systems have formed a strategic alliance that will result in Leptron UAS manufacturing the Black Swift S1 UAS integrated with BST’s SwiftCore Flight Management System.
Leptron and Geotech Environmental Equipment, Inc.—which Leptron is a subsidiary of—will market the resulting aircraft as the GeoSwift Mapper.
Los Angeles Fire Department uses UAS for first time as it battles Skirball Fire
According to KTLA, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) deployed its UAS for the first time on Dec. 7, as the department battled the Skirball Fire burning near the Bel-Air neighborhood in California.
Two of the department’s eight UAS were used to conduct reconnaissance for about 30 minutes, as one UAS provided visuals of property damage, while the other located hotspots. After the hotspots were located, firefighters or a water drop were dispatched to the exact location where they were needed.
American Robotics unveils UAS platform for precision farming
An industrial UAS developer called American Robotics has unveiled its flagship product, Scout, which is a self-charging, self-managing UAS platform capable of autonomously conducting daily scouting missions in the field of precision farming.
Specializing in agricultural automation, American Robotics says that traditional scouting techniques are “inadequate at detecting plant stress early enough to offset the billions of dollars of lost yields.” A lot of the times, these methods, which can include first-generation and consumer UAS, are time-consuming, complicated, and not financially prudent.
Moore County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina adds UAS to its fleet
According to ThePilot.com, the Moore County Sheriff’s Office in Moore County, North Carolina has added a DJI Matrice 210 UAS to its "Air Force."
The “first-ever” dual-camera UAS for simultaneous thermal and standard color imagery, the DJI Matrice 210 has a weather resistant design, an upward-facing gimbal mount, dual battery bays, thermal imaging and an extensive zoom. It also has two controllers; one for the pilot and one for the observer to control the cameras.
University of Maryland UAS Test Site acquires 11 TigerShark UAS
The University of Maryland UAS Test Site has acquired 11 TigerShark UAS, which adds to the test site's fleet of more than 40 aircraft, and will ultimately help enhance and expand the long-range testing efforts of the site.
Some of the TigerShark’s characteristics include its ability to carry up to 100 pounds of payload, being able to stay airborne for up to seven hours, and being able to operate as high as 14,000 feet.
Before acquiring the TigerShark UAS, test site pilots and engineers could only perform operations where sensors and other equipment weighed in under 20 pounds, so the TigerShark UAS will be extremely beneficial according to the director of the UAS Test Site, Matt Scassero.
Weekend Roundup
This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World
The State of Nevada has completed the first step for applying to participate in the FAA’s UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP). The Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) filed the notice of intent, so it will serve as Nevada’s lead applicant for the program. (Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems)
Big Bend Community College's UAS program receives accreditation
According to the Columbia Basin Herald, students in Big Bend Community College’s (BBCC) UAS program will be able to receive an Associate of Applied Science degree in the program starting in January, after the program received accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
BBCC also received accreditation for a “certificate of achievement” in its mechatronics program.
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