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.
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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.
ANRA Technologies' SmartSkies platform helps UAS pilots obtain approval for ops in controlled airspace
ANRA Technologies has released what it describes as a “scalable and highly adaptable family of software services” called SmartSkies that enables coordination.
According to ANRA Technologies, SmartSkies provides execution and management of drone operations in controlled and uncontrolled airspace. SmartSkies CTR specifically addresses airspace management for Airport Control Zones and other sensitive airspace.
“We are proud to announce an addition to our family with the launch of SmartSkies CTR,” says Amit Ganjoo, CEO and Founder of ANRA Technologies.
DroneUp acquires AeroVista Innovations to provide full-service drone training to private and public sector organizations
To provide private and public sector organizations with full-service drone training, DroneUp has acquired AeroVista Innovations LLC (AVI).
DroneUp’s acquisition includes AVI’s assets, employees, and customer contracts. It will also transition merged business operations into the DroneUp brand as The DroneUp Training Academy.
“DroneUp is looking forward to the expansion through this acquisition. Bringing AVI into DroneUp allows us to extend our capabilities to create valuable solutions for our customers. We have an exceptional network of pilots and an experienced team of leaders,” says Tom Walker, founder & CEO of DroneUp.
Iris Automation launches first onboard DAA system with 360-degree radial field of view for UAS
Iris Automation has launched Casia 360, the first onboard detect-and-avoid (DAA) system with a 360-degree radial field of view to enable commercial beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations for UAS.
When equipped with Casia 360, a UAS can see and react to the aviation environment around the aircraft, as the DAA system detects other aircraft in all directions. Using computer-vision algorithms, Casia 360 classifies the aircraft and makes intelligent decisions about the threat they may pose to the UAS, before triggering an alert to the pilot in command and automating maneuvers to safely avoid collisions.
Weekend Roundup: April 3, 2020
This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World
As part of a modification to a previously awarded contract, the Navy has exercised contract options with Boeing worth $84.7 million to buy three MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aerial refueling tankers. According to the contract announcement released by the Pentagon on Thursday, April 2, the three MQ-25s covered by the contract options are to be completed by August 2024. (USNI News)
UAV Navigation, Sky Power collaborate to design flight control technologies for UAS
UAV Navigation and Sky Power have worked together to design flight control technologies.
The companies recently came together and agreed to equip UAV Navigation’s Flight Control technologies with Sky Power’s Engine, which led to UAV Navigation’s flight control system being able to seamlessly integrate with Sky Power’s 2-stroke and Wankel engines. Thanks to this seamless integration, it is “extremely easy and convenient” to use these two systems together in one UAS platform, the companies say.
Virtual Surveyor introduces new feature in drone surveying software
Virtual Surveyor has introduced a new feature in Version 7.2 of its drone surveying software that automatically highlights terrain slopes that exceed dangerous steepness thresholds.
The capability is called Slope Threshold lens, and according to Virtual Surveyor, it greatly enhances the safety of operations in a variety of dynamic environments with steep terrains such as sand pits and quarries.
NWUAV partners with Inertial Labs to enhance UAS technologies and services offerings
Northwest UAV (NWUAV) is adding Inertial Labs' positioning, navigation, and orientation technologies to its list of UAS technologies and services, thanks to a recently announced partnership between the two companies.
NWUAV says that Inertial Labs offers the “best value, smallest, most accurate, and lowest power consumption products.” As a result, the companies share a philosophy and commitment to providing the highest quality and best value building blocks for the unmanned industry.
“We’re excited to partner with a company that shares our high standards for quality, value and performance,” says Inertial Labs Business Development Manager, Anton Barabashov.
GA-ASI's first production-representative MQ-9B SkyGuardian completes first flight
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has announced the completion of the first production-representative MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA).
The aircraft completed its first flight on March 30 at GA-ASI’s Flight Operations Facility in El Mirage, California.
“With first flight of the production-representative aircraft, we remain on schedule for delivering MQ-9B Protector to the RAF,” says Linden Blue, CEO, GA-ASI.
Protector RG Mk1 is being acquired for the UK Royal Air Force’s configuration of SkyGuardian.
