Tag Archives: Natilus

423 Ameriflight Cargo Drones

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Ameriflight plans to purchase cargo drones from Natilus and Saberwing, a plan for autonomous wind turbine inspections and repair, the American Security Drone Act, an arrest made for flying a drone at Dublin airport, a new hydrogen-powered octocopter drone, and Green and Blue UAS.

UAV News

Ameriflight adds 35 heavy-duty cargo drones to wish list

Ameriflight is a regional cargo airline (Part 135) that operates 156 turboprop twins for customers such as FedEx, UPS, and DHL. They recently signed a tentative agreement with Natilus for pilotless cargo planes. Now Ameriflight has signed a Letter of Intent to purchase 35 VTOL cargo drones from Sabrewing Aircraft Co.

Saberwing Rhaegal VTOL UAV on the ground. — Saberwing Rhaegal

Ameriflight has 15 bases across the Western Hemisphere with 200 service destinations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as the Caribbean and South America. They typically experience over 1,500 weekly departures.

The Natilus agreement to purchase is for the Kona aircraft, a 3.8-ton payload, short-haul feeder uncrewed aerial vehicle. Nautilus says the Kona planes will be operated by remote control and have the ability to be fully autonomous at some point in the future.

Project Using Automated Drones for Offshore Wind O&M Aims for Reducing Downtime and CO2 Emissions

The Flexible Offshore Drone for Wind (FOD4Wind) project envisions a system that can conduct autonomous wind turbine inspections and repair as well as package deliveries from service operation vessels to offshore turbines.

FOD4Wind illustration, courtesy University of Southern Denmark.

Drones would take off from service operation vessels and carry gear and tools to the nacelles of Siemens offshore wind turbines. The Upteko partner says “If we can replace sailing with drone flights from larger ships, then many of the trips around the wind farm will be saved. There is great potential in that – both in terms of time and CO2 emissions.”

The project, which runs until the end of 2024, is first working with payloads of 12 kilograms, with a long-term goal for the drones to be able to carry a cargo of up to 100 kilograms.

The FOD4Wind project is being undertaken by Siemens Gamesa (produces wind turbines), ESVAGT (operates the service operation vessels), Upteko (developer of the automated UAS), and the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) with Energy Cluster Denmark managing FOD4Wind.

Warner, Scott Introduce Legislation to Ban Purchase of Drones Manufactured in Countries Identified as National Security Threats

The American Security Drone Act of 2023 was introduced by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Rick Scott (R-FL)

Senator Warner: “…the purchase of drones from foreign countries, especially those that have been deemed a national security threat, is dangerous. I am glad to introduce legislation that takes logical steps to protect our data from foreign adversaries and meanwhile supports American manufacturers.”

Senator Scott: “I’ve been clear for years: the United States should never spend taxpayer dollars on anything made in Communist China, especially drones which pose a significant threat to our national security. Xi and the Communist Party of China are on a quest for global domination and whether it’s with spy balloons, TikTok or drones, they will stop at nothing to infiltrate our society and steal our data.”

The American Security Drone Act:

Prohibits federal departments and agencies from procuring certain foreign commercial off-the-shelf drones or covered unmanned aircraft systems manufactured or assembled in countries identified as national security threats, and provides a timeline to end the current use of these drones.
Prohibits the use of federal funds awarded… to state or local governments from being used to purchase [these drones].
Requires the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report to Congress detailing the amount of foreign commercial off-the-shelf drones and covered unmanned aircraft systems procured by federal departments and agencies from countries identified as national security threats.

The legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Josh Hawley (R-MO).

Man accused of flying drone at critical area of Dublin Airport

They charged the man under section 43 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act, 1988. He is accused of knowingly flying a drone into the critical area of Dublin Airport which interfered with the operation of an aerodrome on July 2nd, 2022. The 41-year-old was remanded on bail to appear again on March 21, 2023. Meantime, he’s banned from flying drones and going within two kilometers of the airport.

Commercial and military hydrogen drone unveiled by Heven Drones

Israel-based Heven Drones unveiled its H2D55 hydrogen octocopter drone. It can fly for over 90 minutes with a 15-pound payload. This is the first in a series of hydrogen-fueled drones to be released. The others will have longer flight times and greater payload. The drones are built to spec and take two-three months to complete. The price is not announced

The drones are built in-house, in a 20,000 sq. ft. production facility adjacent to R&D and administrative offices in the North of Israel. Up to 200 fully customizable drones per month can be built at the current capacity.

AUVSI Green UAS: Expanding the Pool of Trusted Drone Options

Green UAS is part of AUVSI’s Trusted Cyber Program, which seeks to verify a greater number of commercial UAS in line with the highest levels of cybersecurity and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) supply chain requirements.

AUVSI launched the Trusted Cyber Program in August 2022 in collaboration with cybersecurity firm Fortress Information Security.

Green UAS is an industry-standard assessment process that mirrors the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)’s Blue UAS certification program. It is administered by AUVSI to vet drones that are seeking Green UAS certification. Green-compliant drones that have a DoD customer/sponsor willing to sponsor and fund a DoD Authority to Operate (ATO) will have the opportunity to transition from the Green UAS cleared list to Blue UAS cleared list.

Green UAS builds on the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)’s Blue UAS certification program, an approach to rapidly prototyping and scaling commercial UAS technology for the DoD. Green UAS is meant for customers without an immediate need for Department of Defense (DoD) authority to operate and provides a more straightforward pathway to the Blue UAS 2.0 cleared list.

421 Cargo Drone

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A large autonomous blended-wing cargo drone and a smaller electric cargo drone, the Eaglet takes flight, taser drones at public schools, the GAO recommends the FAA create a comprehensive strategy, the Dronut for inspections, two MQ-9 Reapers for a Dollar, and a BVLOS autonomous inspection solution.

UAV News

Artist drawing of the Natilus 3.8T cargo drone. — 3.8T Cargo Drone, courtesy Natilus.

Drones will ‘push the boundaries of what is possible’ in air cargo

The Natilus Kona cargo drone looks a lot like the NASA X-48B blended-wing prototype. It’s autonomous so no need for pressurization and the blended wing design is efficient with up to a 50% reduction in emissions. It has a claimed 4.3-ton cargo capacity with a 900 nautical mile range. Natilus says they have “designed and developed” the aircraft. The patent-pending ‘Diamond’ cargo bay allows for 60% more volume. It’s designed for cargo and can hold a large configuration of standard pallets and outsized cargo. A remote pilot watches over.

World’s largest electric cargo plane unveiled, here’s how far it can fly on its own

Pyka unveiled a large, zero-emission autonomous electric cargo plane. The second-generation Pelican Spray is an autonomous electric aircraft designed for complex agricultural operations on farms. The Pelican Cargo features an extended range, increased payload capacity, and maximized cargo volume. A payload of up to 400 lbs can be carried in 66 feet of cargo space for a range of up to 200 miles (with a 20 min reserve).

Video: Pyka Pelican Cargo Unveil – Large Autonomous Electric Cargo UAS

GA-ASI’s Eaglet Takes Its First Flight

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) conducted a flight demonstration of the Eaglet Air-Launched Effect (ALE) at the Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah. The Eaglet was launched from a U.S. Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER) UAS. The Eaglet is a low-cost survivable UAV that can be launched from a Gray Eagle, rotary-wing aircraft, or ground vehicles.

Taser drones in schools? The idea isn’t completely kaput

There was some talk about the ethics of putting tasers on small UAVs to subdue dangerous people and using “shock drones” to protect schools. Several years ago, law enforcement company Axon asked its ethics board for input on the idea. After a year-long study, the board said it was not a good idea. Then the mass shooting at the school in Uvalde, Texas happened. Axon may be rethinking the idea.

FAA Should Improve Its Approach to Integrating Drones into the National Airspace System

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) says the FAA has developed planning documents to manage efforts to integrate drones into the national airspace, but it does not have a comprehensive strategy. According to the GAO, a comprehensive strategy includes seven elements and the FAA has only four of them. The FAA’s documents do not identify drone integration goals and objectives and they only partially include milestones and performance measures for all activities. The GAO recommends that the FAA address this as well as some other process deficiencies.

Cleo Robotics’ drones fly into tight spaces to gather data

The Cleo Robotics Dronut® X1 is a small bi-rotor ducted drone with no exposed propellers. It fits in the palm of your hand and is powered using bi-rotor thrust vectoring technology. Applications include inspections in dangerous and confined spaces and an ISR solution for GPS-denied environments.

Two MQ-9 Reaper UAVs just for a dollar but there are nuances

According to The Wall Street Journal, General Atomics is offering Ukraine two Reapers for $1.00. But Ukraine has to pay about $10 million to prepare and deliver them, and about $8 million for maintenance and support. The Pentagon would have to approve of the sale.

Flying Beyond Visual Line of Sight at Record-Breaking Altitude with Percepto

Percepto has FAA authorization to execute unmanned drone-in-a-box operations 200 feet above ground level without a pilot or visual observer on site. The FAA authorization is only for a large Texas solar power plant but Percepto will use this as a model for other industries, including oil and gas, mining, and utilities.

398 Cargo Drone

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The design for a large autonomous cargo drone, important noise research, Ford’s idea for a vehicle inspection drone, a high-speed VTOL concept challenge, identifying human trash on the beach, UAS in unsegregated airspace, Western parts in a Russian drone, the longest BVLOS waiver issued by the FAA so far, and an intelligent drone controller that “looks ahead.”

UAV News

Cargo drone concept from Natilus. — Cargo drone concept, courtesy Natilus.

Drones as Big as 747s Will Fly Cargo Around the World With Low Emissions, Startup Says

Natilus has designed a blended wing cargo drone that the company says allows it to carry 60 percent more cargo, slashes cost by 60 percent, and produces 50 percent fewer carbon emissions. Founded in 2016, the company announced $6 billion worth of pre-orders for over 440 of its aircraft. Four models are envisioned with cargo capacities ranging from 3.5 to 130 tons. Natilus has completed two wind tunnel tests and the first flight of a full-scale prototype is planned for 2023.

Video: Natilus Wind Tunnel Test 2021

Natilus Announces $6 Billion in Advance Purchase Commitments to Deliver Autonomous Cargo Aircraft to Customers

The advanced purchase commitments are for the delivery of 440+ aircraft in pre-orders, from Volatus Aerospace, Astral Aviation, Aurora International, Dymond Group, and Flexpo rt. Others are to be announced. Flexport completed a $900 million investment round and has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for two 100T Natilus aircraft, with an option for a third.

Drowning Out the Sound of Drones

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati are studying aeroacoustics using microphones in an anechoic chamber to test the frequency, wavelength, and amplitude of sound from drones. However, the “acceptable” noise level depends on where people are, the time of day, and the goal of the technology. For example, you might not mind the noise if the drone is delivering key medical supplies, but you might mind if it’s a pizza delivery to your neighbor.

Ford wants to hide spy drones in autonomous cars

Ford has patented a concept where a drone is hidden somewhere inside the vehicle, specifically, inside an autonomous ride-hailing car. The secret drone could inspect the vehicle for damage after the ride. Ford is co-owner of the Argo AI autonomous car company which plans a ride-hailing service.

Jaunt Air Mobility attracts market research investment to advance “U.S. DoD high-speed VTOL capabilities”

The AFWERX High-Speed Vertical Take-Off and Landing (HSVTOL) Concept Challenge is a crowdsourcing effort for the United States Air Force and U.S Special Operations Command. Jaunt Air Mobility is one of 11 companies selected from 200 applicants to research solutions that enable optimal agility in harsh and difficult environments. Under the contract, Jaunt will develop two conceptual designs – the initial aircraft for the Multi-Mission Air Vehicle (MAV 55). That combines the features of a fixed-wing aircraft with VTOL. The AFWERX Challenge is a high-quality market research program, that uses design thinking workshops, crowdsourcing, events, and innovative contracting.

AI-enabled drones will tell human teams where to find marine debris

Researchers from Oregon State University and the NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) began a research project in June 2020, to use drones to identify human-made debris on the beach. Machine-learning algorithms were used to locate and classify synthetic-material objects. Drones would fly along the coastline and identify the debris to be removed.

Israel becomes 1st country allowing drones flight in civilian airspace: minister

The Israeli Civil Aviation Authority has given its approval for a UAS to operate in civilian airspace. The Elbit Hermes Starliner will be able to fly in the same unsegregated airspace as piloted vehicles. Planned missions include border security and anti-terror operations, security at large public events, maritime search and rescue, commercial aviation and environmental inspection, and precision agriculture work.

Russian drones shot down over Ukraine were full of Western parts. Can the U.S. cut them off?

A Russian surveillance drone was shot down in 2017 when Ukrainian forces were fighting Russia-backed separatists. When it was opened, the drone contained a German-made engine, navigation and communication chips made by U.S. companies, a motion-sensing chip from a British company, and Other components from Switzerland and South Korea.

The Longest Distance BVLOS Waiver Yet: Censys and Soaring Eagle Technologies

The BVLOS waiver is for 12 miles to inspect power lines. That’s the longest waiver the FAA has granted. Censys Technologies Corporation builds remote sensing solutions for UAS service providers, enterprise organizations, and government entities. Soaring Eagle Technologies is focused on structure inspections and aerial mapping. The companies are using Casia, the detect-and-avoid system from Iris Automation.

UAV Video of the Week

NFL Creates Super Bowl Show In The Sky With 500 Drones

The NFL flew 500 drones over the Convention Center to create a Super Bowl show in the sky.

Mentioned

Built-in Intelligence Comes to Small, Pilotless Fixed-wing Planes

Commercial controllers work well for simple paths, but high winds can cause a pilotless aircraft to go off course and crash. Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder are developing an onboard guidance algorithm for precision path-following. In tests, the controller allowed an autonomous drone to adjust to disturbances and modulate its airspeed as it followed a demanding path. It was faster and more accurate than a commercial guidance controller. The aircraft used a nonlinear numerical model for predictive control.

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UAV236 A Folding Arm Drone

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Picking up objects with a folding arm drone, a drone that protects dropped objects with an airbag, a large air freight drone, training drone photographers and videographers, a first night flight for the NTSB, a general aviation company partners with an unmanned company, and an autonomous vehicle accident.

A folding arm drone developed by South Korean researchers.

UAV News

This Drone Has Retracting Arms that Allow it to Pick Up Objects

South Korean scientists have created a drone with folding arms that can pick up objects. They are calling it an “origami-robot” because it uses the origami principle of perpendicular folding. A collection of rigid rectangular boxes and elastic bands allows the arm with a gripper to extend from 40 millimeters collapsed to 70 centimeters fully extended. This is described in the in the Science Robotics journal article, An origami-inspired, self-locking robotic arm that can be folded flat.

Amazon receives patent to literally ‘drop’ packages from a drone on your doorstep or patio

Amazon received U.S. Patent 9,914,539 for an “Airlift package protection airbag,” or APP. The concept is for a drone to drop an airbag-protected package from some height. The Amazon drone would have cameras to verify that the drop-zone is clear. The patent also describes a package that travels “partially horizontally” to land on “an elevated balcony of a tall building.”

This Leviathan Could Disrupt Unmanned Global Air Freight: Natilus CEO Aleksey Matyushev

Natilus is the California company that wants to reduce global air freight costs by 50% through the use of large autonomous drones. Company CEO Aleksey Matyushev says the prototype was completed in December 2017 and low-speed taxi tests were conducted in February 2018. Modifications to the prototype are now being made and medium speed taxi testing should begin at the end of March 2018.

3rd Rock Air Announces Drone Training in Tampa, Fl

Tampa, Florida-based 3rd Rock Air announced a new drone photography/videography course to address a basic lack of understanding of camera controls. Students can bring their personal drone to the class and be taught how to use the camera controls on their specific model. The company provides drone training for both commercial users and hobbyists.

NTSB Deploys Drone at Night

Bill English is the senior NTSB investigator who developed the agency’s drone procedures for accident investigations. Contemplating the use of drones in investigations of aircraft crashes, the NTSB received a waiver from the FAA to fly night. However, the first night opportunity presented itself when a bus carrying a high school band veered off the road into a ravine at night. In that accident, the bus driver was killed. The NTSB used a DJI Phantom 4 Pro at night to try and capture what the bus driver would have seen.

Aspen Teams with Drone Company

Aspen Avionics and drone maker Sensurion Aerospace are partnering to develop avionics for autonomous air taxis and other unmanned aircraft. Aspen offers glass panels that fit in general aviation airplanes. Sensurion provides drone-based data collection services and has developed their own unmanned platforms.

Uber self-driving car kills pedestrian in first fatal autonomous crash

A woman walking her bicycle across a street in Arizona was struck and killed by a self-driving Uber Volvo being operated by an Uber test driver. Uber said it has stopped testing the vehicles throughout the United States and Canada.

UAV184 AOPA Welcomes Drone Pilots

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Drone pilots are welcome to join AOPA, drone sightings increase again, a large autonomous freight drone prototype, a beyond visual line of sight record, and autonomous package delivery by UPS.

UAV News

AOPA believes manned and unmanned pilots are more alike than different: “…both groups are part of general aviation, and share a fascination for flight and a craving for new perspectives.” To bring drone pilots into the organization, AOPA created a senior director of UAS programs and selected Kathleen “Kat” Swain to fill the position in April 2016. More recently, AOPA entered into a formal agreement with DARTdrones to offer their online training course free to AOPA members. Also, AOPA members will be eligible for a discount on an online Part 107 test preparation course, and members can experience drone demonstrations and live seminars at major airshows and at AOPA’s Regional Fly-Ins.

FAA Releases Updated Drone Sighting Reports

The reports of potential encounters with UAS come from pilots, air traffic controllers, law enforcement, and citizens. The latest data cover February through September 2016 and show reports increasing to 1,274 during that period compared to 874 reports for the same period in 2015. The FAA makes the data available through their UAS Sightings Report page.

Exclusive: Natilus Offers First Look at Freight Drone Prototype

Natilus wants to build a large autonomous freight drone and reduce global air freight costs by 50% over that of a 747 freighter. The San Jose, California-based company received $750,000 in seed funding in June 2016 from Draper Associates. Their Nemo prototype “is about the size of a small predator military drone.”

Nevada-based Consortium using Drone America UAV Completes First Long-Distance Beyond Line of Sight Urban Package Delivery

The 39-mile beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flight was flown under the Nevada UAS Test Site’s FAA Certificate of Authorization (COA) on February 15, 2017. Led by the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems, which manages the UAS Test Site, the fixed-wing Drone America Savant™ UAV flew at up to 1,500 feet AGL.

UPS tests residential delivery via drone launched from atop package car

UPS announced that they successfully tested the autonomous delivery of a package by a drone launched from the top of a UPS truck. Under the UPS concept, while the drone is making its delivery, the driver continues on to make a separate delivery. Tests were conducted in Tampa, Florida with a Workhorse Group HorseFly™ octocopter.