Tag Archives: RQ-21A Blackjack

340 Wide-Area Motion Imagery

Wide-Area Motion Imagery (WAMI) for a Navy drone, deliberately hitting an airplane with a drone, drone delivery service in Alabama, quadcopter disrupts MLB game, UAS pilot program for Virginia, the first drone to make a commercial delivery goes to the Smithsonian, and a drone finds a missing whale.

UAV News

With this new sensor, Blackjack drones can monitor an entire city at once

The Boeing Insitu R1-21A Blackjack is a Navy and Marine Corps small tactical unmanned air system (STUAS) that can provide ISR coverage day or night. The Blackjack now has a new wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) sensor from Logos Technologies that can simultaneously monitor 5 square miles.

What happens when a drone hits a plane?

A series of collisions were staged between an Antonov AN-2 biplane and some DJI Phantoms. These were recorded in slow-motion video which documents the resulting damage to the Antonov and the destruction of the Phantoms.

Video: First drone vs Plane crash in slow motion

The future of doorstep delivery being tested in Mobile; Drones could soon deliver orders in minutes

Deuce Drone is testing drone delivery in Mobile, Alabama. They’ve partnered with the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant and Rouses food market, hoping to get food to deliveries in 10-15 minutes from order. Deuce Drone says they “will design and build your company’s drone delivery system, leveraging your existing infrastructure. Last-mile delivery is key. Drones are the solution.”

Drone interrupts Twins-Pirates game; irritates Jose Berrios on mound

A drone appeared over center field during a major league baseball game in Minneapolis. The Twins were ahead of the Pirates by three runs when the quadcopter was spotted. Umpires cleared the field while some of the pitchers tried to hit the drone. After about 5 minutes, the drone disappeared and the game resumed.

Virginia to Launch Unmanned Aerial Systems Flight Information Exchange

The Virginia Department of Aviation (DOAV) and the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) have launched the Virginia Flight Information Exchange pilot program. VA-FIX is a platform for state and local governments to share UAS advisory information with stakeholders, including UAS Service Suppliers (USS), UAS operators, and the public. It is being called the first state-sponsored authoritative Supplemental Data Service Provider (SDSP) to exist in the FAA’s UAS Traffic Management (UTM). For more information on the Virginia Flight Information Exchange, visit the Virginia Department of Aviation website.

This Drone Made the First Home Delivery in the United States

The first commercial drone delivery to a home in the United States was made on October 19, 2019. Wing’s drone A1229 delivered a purple vest ordered by an 81-year-old retiree in Virginia. Now A1229 has a new home, at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. Roger Connor, curator of vertical flight for the National Air and Space Museum said, “Ten years ago I had no rational reason to expect drone technology to have advanced to where it is now, and Wing is really the next phase of that. Not only is Wing’s aircraft actually making residential deliveries, but they’re figuring out how the technology fits in with the local economy and society.”

Drone Rescue of Beluga Whale in the Arctic Sea

Last July, an endangered white whale was spotted swimming up a river in Norway from the sea. Whales are easily trapped in a river like this with sandbanks and changing river depth. A wildlife rescue operation was initiated, but the whale was lost from sight. The Norwegian People’s AID Midt-Troms Search & Rescue Unit was contacted to help locate the whale, which they did in 10 minutes using Atlas Dynamics drone technology.

UAV044 Small UAS and Large UAS

DraganFlyer X6The LAPD is evaluating drones, quadcopter pilot assaulted over privacy concerns, a novel delivery by drone concept, Switzerland picks the Hermes, RQ-21A Blackjack deployment in Afghanistan, and the U.S. Navy tests an Aerostar.

The News

LAPD Chief Beck to Vet Drones Before Use

The Los Angeles Police Department has received two Draganflyer X6 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles from the Seattle Police Department, to be used for manhunts and standoffs. The LA Police Chief says he will work with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to ensure that the Draganflyers do not infringe on individual privacy rights.

Consumer drone pilot gets ass kicked by chick

A man at Hammonasset State Park in Madison, Connecticut was approached by a woman who felt that the quadcopter he was flying was a violation of privacy. She called the police, then allegedly assaulted the man, which was captured on video.

HorseFly ‘Octocopter’ Primed to Fly the Future to Your Front Door

The University of Cincinnati and AMP Electric Vehicles have partnered to create the HorseFly. This octocopter is paired with a delivery truck, and together they deliver packages. As the truck travels to make deliveries, the drone autonomously delivers a package, then returns to the truck to pick up the next one.

Switzerland selects Hermes 900 MALE UAV

With an endurance of around 36 hours, the Israeli Elbit Systems Hermes 900 will certainly provide a big increase in capability over the 4-hour endurance of the Rangers they use now. However, the bigger aircraft also comes with a larger operational footprint.

Blackjack UAS deploys to Afghanistan

The U.S. Marine Corps has deployed the Boeing/Insitu RQ-21A Blackjack to Afghanistan. The 61.2kg (135 pound) Blackjack is about 86 pounds heavier than the ScanEagle it replaces. Payload is up to 11.3kg (25 pounds), it has an internal bay, and electro-optic and infrared cameras.

First UAV Flight Over National Airspace at Dahlgren Supports Navy Combat System Tests

A fixed-wing Aerostar Unmanned Aerial System is being tested at the Naval Support Facility (NSF) Dahlgren. The Aerostar can perform various missions such as: target acquisition, artillery fire adjustment, targets designation, and battlefield and borders control.

Photo of the Week

From Isaac Alexander @Jetcitystar: A “drone street sign.”

Video of the Week

Dji Phantom 2 Vision : Fly Over Purling Brook Falls, Springbrook National Park, Australia. This single drop “horsetail” fall of about 100 meters is in Queensland, south of Brisbane.