In advance of potential floods this spring, the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) and Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS) are joining forces to help improve and supplement their current UAS program.
“We are very excited for this partnership and what it means for our UAS program and the state of North Dakota,” says NDDOT Director Bill Panos. “This imagery will provide us with valuable information and give us a new prospective on flooding.”
To enhance emergency response to flooding across the state, UAS will be used to capture photo and video for NDDOT. NPUASTS will use its own resource and local vendors to accomplish the emergency response efforts.
UAS
UAS
Drone Delivery Canada to begin commercialization of Condor UAS
Drone Delivery Canada (DDC) has announced that it will begin the commercialization of its cargo delivery drone, the Condor.
According to DDC, this phase of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flight testing will take place at the Foremost UAS Test Range in Alberta, Canada this summer under a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC), which is anticipated in Q2 2020.
UAVOS to demonstrate unmanned helicopter for search and rescue maritime missions
During UMEX 2020, UAVOS and its partner ISR Unmanned Technology will conduct search and rescue maritime missions using their joint ISR350-5 unmanned helicopter.
Designed for civilian and security missions, the ISR350-5 UAS will perform rescue tasks, including dropping a life jacket into the water. In preparation for these exercises, UAVOS has modified the lifejacket by fitting it with a water anchor.
The demonstration flights will seek to prove the advantages of using an unmanned helicopter for maritime patrolling, especially when the aircraft is equipped with multiple sensors.
GA-ASI completes second multi-domain operations demonstration with Gray Eagle UAS
During flight operations at Yuma Proving Grounds, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) showcased a suite of long range sensors on its Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER) UAS during the second demonstration in a series of Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) demonstrations.
GA-ASI worked with industry for the Jan. 30 demo to equip the GE-ER UAS with best-of-breed long-range ISR payloads and Air Launch Effects (ALEs). The UAS showed a persistent stand-off capability with up to 40 hours of endurance, which can be used by commanders to orchestrate forces in the MDO environment.
uAvionix introduces new ADS-B transponder to its General Aviation and UAM lineup
uAvionix has introduced a new ADS-B transponder, tailBeaconX, to its General Aviation (GA) and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) lineup.
The new Mode S Extended Squitter (ES) ADS-B OUT transponder is designed to address global air traffic surveillance system requirements for current and future ADS-B mandates. uAvionix notes that integration with the uAvionix AV-20-E and AV-30-E Electronic Flight Instrument Systems (EFIS) “introduces transponder control into the popular multi-function displays.”
Matternet, Robotic Skies partner to provide field service and repair support for Matternet M2 UAS operators
Matternet has partnered with Robotic Skies to provide field service and repair support for operators who fly the Matternet M2 drone logistics system.
Currently, Matternet’s systems operate at WakeMed Health & Hospitals and UC San Diego Health. Since 2017, the systems have also served hospitals in Switzerland.
“Our technology has the power to transform healthcare and the world of logistics at large. As we expand Matternet’s U.S. and global operations, maintenance by certified technicians in the geographies where we operate is an important component to scaling our operations,” says Matternet CEO and founder Andreas Raptopoulos.
Swiss Army selects Parrot as its micro-UAS provider
As part of the “Swiss Mini UAV Program” (Swiss MUAS) call for tender against major civilian UAS players, Parrot has been selected to provide the Swiss Armed Forces with micro-drones.
A number of factors played into Parrot’s selection, including the company’s knowledge in professional UAS, the performance of its technologies dedicated to Defense and Security, and Parrot's ability to meet the high level of cyber security that the Swiss armed forces required.
Black Swift Technologies unveils American-made UAS for automated industrial and structural inspections
Black Swift Technologies (BST) has introduced its American-made, advanced UAS called the Black Swift E2, which is designed for automated industrial and structural inspections.
Equipped with advanced navigation, the Black Swift E2 UAS can conduct highly accurate, up-close inspections of infrastructures even in extreme environmental conditions. Considered an intelligent drone because of its leveraging of advances in computer vision and machine learning, the UAS can complete autonomous flights when combined with an inspection payload.
The UAS can safely and reliably navigate around complex structures thanks to this optional laser navigation technology, all while providing real-time actionable data to its operator.
Collins Aerospace, NASA entering final stage of project to integrate UAS safely into NAS
Collins Aerospace Systems is entering the final stages of a nine-year project with NASA to facilitate the safe operations of UAS in the National Airspace System (NAS). The project is expected to be completed in September of this year.
Co-funded by Collins Aerospace, the project has led to the development of a Command Non-Payload Control (CNPC) data link waveform that informed the initial certification standards for UAS Command and Control in the NAS.
Parrot, RIIS partner to develop custom applications of AI for Parrot's ANAFI drone platform
Parrot has partnered with mobile app, web development and IT consulting services provider RIIS to develop custom applications of artificial intelligence for Parrot’s ANAFI drone platform.
Together, the companies will explore how AI and computer vision technology, combined with drone data capture, can be used to solve a number of industry challenges using an efficient and cost-effective approach.
“We are excited to explore the immense capabilities AI and drones will deliver to our clients through our ongoing partnership with RIIS,” says Jerome Bouvard, Parrot director of Strategic Partnership.
“At Parrot, we are always looking for innovative solutions for our enterprise partner’s every-day pain points.”
