Tag Archives: HAPS

298 High Altitude Pseudo Satellite

HAPSMobile plans to fly a High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) over Hawaii, Amazon petitions for drone delivery exemptions, NASA plans to test UAS traffic management in Texas, researchers find that drones are better than people studying whales, a female drone pilot seeks to encourage women, and drones that provide medical assistance.

UAV News

FAA Approves Solar Drone Flights Over Hawaiian Island

Japanese drone company HAPSMobile has a waiver to fly a solar-powered UAV over Lanai. The HAWK30 will act as a stratospheric telecommunications platform – a High Altitude Platform Station, also called a High Altitude Pseudo Satellite. The project is a collaboration between HAPSMobile, the University of Hawaii, and the Pan-Pacific UAS Test Range Complex which is managed by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. AeroVironment is HAPSMobile’s aircraft development partner for the HAWK30.

In related news, see HAPSMobile Working Together with Facebook to Accelerate the Adoption of HAPS.

Amazon requests FAA approval of delivery-drone plans

Amazon has filed a 29-page petition with the FAA requesting approval to use their MK27 delivery drone before getting a certificate of airworthiness. Amazon would like to fly BVLOS and they ask for exemptions from certain aviation regulations that are more applicable to manned aircraft. The petition says delivery drones will fly autonomously but with one operator for each drone in flight. Eventually, Amazon would like to have one operator for multiple drones “subject to FAA approval based on flights and simulations that demonstrate required levels of safety.”
The FAA will take public comments on the petition until August 28, 2019. See Petition for Exemption; Summary of Petition Received; Amazon Prime Air in the Federal Register.

NASA drone testing schedule in Corpus Christi: What you need to know

NASA selected the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s Lone Star UAS Center of Excellence & Innovation as a nationwide drone testing site. Testing will focus on urban UAS traffic management and they plan to close or restrict access to several downtown streets.

Tests show multi-rotor UAVs can improve cetacean behavioral studies

New Zealand researchers found that small, multi-rotor UAVs are better than expert observers on research vessels. When it comes to surveying and studying humpback whales, the drones captured some social activities not detected by the observer and there was no observable effect on the whales’ behavior. See Insights into the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to investigate the behavior of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga.

Introducing Derbyshire Police’s First Female Drone Pilot

Victoria Atherton, Derbyshire Police’s first female drone pilot, has said she wants to inspire others and fight crime. She was recently deployed to a damaged dam that forced the evacuation of about 1,500 residents. She commented: “Personally, I think the best way to encourage women to get involved is to support each other. The future of aviation appears to be heading in the direction of unmanned aircraft and it’s important that men and women are equally represented in this field.” Also, “It’s an achievement to be labeled the first, however, I think it’s more important to ensure that I am not the last.”

Drones, smartphones and sensors could provide a new solution to elderly falls

Researchers from Baghdad’s Middle Technical University and the University of South Australia have designed a system to remotely monitor elderly people. It detects heart rate and temperature abnormalities and provides urgent first aid via a drone if a fall occurs.

UAV Video of the Week

DARPA video shows autonomous drones swarming a building

The demonstration took place under the agency’s OFFensive Swarm-Enabled Tactics (OFFSET) program, which “envisions future small-unit infantry forces using swarms comprising upwards of 250 unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) and/or unmanned ground systems (UGSs) to accomplish diverse missions in complex urban environments.”

Video: Teams Test Swarm Autonomy in Second Major OFFSET Field Experiment

UAV010 HAPS, LADs and Chicks

Astrium Zephyer

This Episode:

The Zephyer High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite, lethal autonomous drones, policy recommendations that make UAVs safe for civilians, the X-47B wins an award, and a mother hen and friendly chicks UAS.

The News:

Solar Powered High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite Successful Test Flight

EADS company Astrium successfully completed the first flight of Zephyr, a solar powered High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) which holds a world record for flight endurance – more than two weeks at altitudes in excess of 70,000 feet.

Why America Wants Drones That Can Kill Without Humans

A lethal autonomous robot, or LAR, would make drone targeting decisions without human intervention. The idea is such a system would be less emotional and more accurate than a human operator, with less collateral damage.

Civilian Safety Crucial in World of UAVs

Isaac Asimov on Throne by Rowena Morrill

Isaac Asimov on Throne by Rowena Morrill

This looks at the need to regulate unmanned aerial systems used by the military and law enforcement to ensure civilian safety and privacy. Five policy recommendations are offered:

1. Apply the laws of war to UAS.

2. Respect international law and country sovereignty.

3. Do not violate the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Convention.

4. Fully-autonomous UAS should “respect the laws of war when used militarily and the liberties of citizens when used by law enforcement” even in the event of malfunction.

5. No domestic surveillance “in violation of the Constitution and of domestic and international law.”

X-47B Wins Popular Mechanics Magazine 2013 Breakthrough Award

The Navy Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) Program’s X-47B aircraft received one of the Popular Mechanics 2013 Breakthrough Awards, calling it the “Navy’s Smartest Jet.”

UAV Concept: Mother Hen and Friendly Chicks

Canadian company Eqquera proposes SQ-EQQ, a concept where a “mother hen” autonomous delta-wing UAV is loaded with “friendly chick” UAVs that can be deployed on their own missions.