Tag Archives: Near Earth Autonomy

387 Personal eVTOL

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Personal eVTOL, Navy and Marines resupply drones, an Army UAS, drones on construction sites, UAS support for hypersonic missile testing, weaponized drones, a contraband-carrying drone, and drone video evidence in a high-profile criminal case.

UAV News

Personal eVTOL Vehicles: AIR CEO Believes in the Flying Cars of the Future

AIR is a Tel Aviv-based company that has unveiled its first product offering, the AIR One two-seat personal eVTOL. Designed for recreation and short commutes, the AIR One is powered by a 60 Kw-hour lithium-ion battery and offers a range of up to 110 miles on a single charge at a speed up to 155 miles per hour.

AIR CEO and co-founder Rani Plaut believes that UAM composed of commercial eVTOL vehicles like air taxis has certification and regulatory challenges that will cause the industry to move forward very slowly. Instead, personal eVTOL products based on the automotive model will be more successful short-term. The company has flown unmanned test missions of its prototypes using its Fly by Intent software.

US Navy Trials Logistics Drones for Sea, Land Missions

UAS are being tested for front-line warfighter re-supply. Trials were held by the Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems program office and Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD). The Marine-focused UAS is the TRUAS (Tactical Resupply Unmanned Aircraft System) for on-shore tactical resupply up to 150 pounds. The Navy-focused UAS is the BWUAS (Blue Water logistics UAS) with longer range but lower payload capacity (30-50 pounds).

The Army is testing drones that can deliver life-saving blood to the battlefield

Army researchers are working with Near Earth Autonomy and L3Harris Technologies to develop autonomous unmanned aircraft that can deliver blood to the battlefield. A demonstration flight of the L3Harris FVR-90 drone was conducted in Fort Pickett, Virginia. The drone maps the landing zone to identify a safe landing point. See: Near Earth Autonomy, L3Harris Demonstrate Blood Delivery via Drones.

Video: Project Crimson – Long Endurance Precision Delivery 8/21

Drones becoming ever more common on construction sites

The article provides general background information on drones and the industry, but contains some inaccuracies, as pointed out in a comment by a reader with MKE Drones, an aerial service provider in Milwaukee offering drone imagery.

Sky Range: Faster, Cheaper, Better

The military will use the Sky Range in North Dakota to test hypersonic vehicles. Range Hawk drones are repurposed Global Hawks that the Department of Defense’s Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) modifies with sensors. These then record test data from the hypersonic vehicle.

Weaponized Drones Are Likely Coming To The U.S.

Recently, three drones carrying explosives attempted to assassinate Iraq’s prime minister and drones have been used on U.S. forces in Syria. This has been mostly a threat in the Middle East but some say it’s only a matter of time until we see weaponized drones used in the U.S. for terrorism purposes.

Drones, catapults used to smuggle contraband into SC prisons

The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) reported that a drone and catapult were recently used in attempts to smuggle contraband into prisons. The smartphones, tobacco, marijuana, and other items were confiscated by corrections officers. The drone operator hasn’t been identified.

Kyle Rittenhouse defense asks for mistrial over drone video evidence

This widely-watched trial involves Rittenhouse who shot and killed several people at a demonstration and riot. The prosecution obtained some drone video of the incident and provided a copy to the defense. After the evidence window had closed, it was determined that the prosecution provided a low-resolution version of the video to the defense.

374 Drone Soccer

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Get ready for drone soccer! Also, a heavy lift unmanned rotorcraft, David get’s to say “attritable” again, making a drone invisible, a drone ground station for the military, the sound of the Mars helicopter, drones and avigation easements, flinging drones off an aircraft carrier, and Chicago’s secret drone program.

UAV News

Colorado to host nation’s first ‘drone soccer’ tournaments

In this educational “e-sport” from United States Drone Soccer, participants learn to build, program, fly, and repair drones. The racing drones are surrounded by plastic exoskeletons and the game is played in a netted arena. Each team tries to fly their drones into the opponent’s hoop. They keep the other team from doing the same by blocking and bumping the drones. In March 2021, the Academy of Model Aeronautics recognized U.S. Drone Soccer as an authorized STE(A)M program.

Flight Testing Soon for Upgraded Marine Corps K-MAX UAS

First flight of the heavy-lift K-MAX Titan unmanned rotorcraft was conducted by Kaman Air Vehicles. Two Marine Corps K-MAX aircraft are being upgraded with the K-MAX Titan unmanned system and the sensor-based autonomy suite from Near Earth Autonomy. 

Skyborg autonomy ‘brain’ flies for first time aboard Kratos UTAP-22 UAV

In a 2h 10min test flight April 29, 2021, the US Air Force’s Skyborg autonomy core system flew aboard a Kratos UTAP-22 Mako tactical UAV at Tyndall AFB in Florida. This was the first time the autonomy core has flown Kratos Mako UAV. This represented “Milestone 1” of the ongoing “Autonomous Attritable Aircraft Experimentation” campaign.

Another 360-degree ‘invisible’ drone hits the market

Current 360-degree cameras use two lenses to capture the entire world view but put one on a drone and you get the drone in the video. Now NewBeeDrone uses the Insta360 ONE R camera in its Invisi360 drone. You provide the camera and mate it with the Invisi360 and you’ve got 360-degree video without the drone.

Video: Introducing Invisi360

Portable drone hangar gets military certification

The Easy Aerial Easy Guard ground station was certified to MIL-STD 810G. The station looks like the familiar Pelican case and allows a drone system to take off, land, and charge in the field. The system is mobile and easily deployable. The Easy Guard has an automated roof opening and closing system, can be deployed from a pickup truck traveling up to 25 miles per hour, and has sensors and external cameras for situational awareness.

NASA’s Perseverance Rover Captures First Video and Audio Clips Of Ingenuity Helicopter On Mars

NASA’s  Perseverance Rover recorded the sound of the Ingenuity helicopter as it flew on Mars.

Video: NASA’s Perseverance Rover Hears Ingenuity Mars Helicopter in Flight

No “Drone Toll Lanes”: AUVSI Speaks Out Over Avigation Easements

According to USLegal.com, an avigation easement is a right of overflight in the airspace above or in the vicinity of a particular property. It includes the right to create noise or other effects as may result from the lawful operation of aircraft as well as the right to remove any obstructions to such overflight. AUVSI worries that avigation easements could be used to create “toll lanes” for drones.

Behold The Turkish Navy’s Drone Aircraft Carrier

The Turkish navy is modifying a new assault ship to include a winch-and-pulley system and a bow ramp. This would allow fixed-wing drones to easily launch from the ship. The illustration of the carrier shows Baykar TB-2/3 drones on the deck.

CPD launched secret drone program with off-the-books cash

The Sun-Times reports that last summer, the Chicago Police Department started a drone program without telling the public. The Electronic & Technical Support Unit (Counter-terrorism) funded this with off-budget cash. Training was underway in June 2020 and at the time the director of police research and development, wrote in an email, “Some of the Drone uses will be for missing persons, crime scene photos, and terrorist-related issues.” This comes to light because a transparency nonprofit called Distributed Denial of Secrets leaked hacked city emails.

UAV Video of the Week

Epic Footage From Drone Getting Wrecked By A Tornado

The drone didn’t survive, but some video did.

Video: 05-02-2021 Yazoo City, MS – Damaging Tornado Close Range Drone

Mentioned

FAA Safety Briefing – Sharing the Skies Safely | May/June 2021 [PDF]

Feature articles include:

  • Sharing the Skies Safely: An Overview of Unmanned Traffic Management
  • Rolling Out the Rules: New Drone Rules Advance the Vision
  • Don’t Fear the Drone!: Let’s Reap the Benefits that Drones Have to Offer
  • Engaging with Academia: How the FAA is Helping Prepare Tomorrow’s UAS Workforce
  • You’re Not Alone with Your Drone: Building Safer Skies Through Education

325 Drawing with Drones

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Photographs drawn with a drone, a General Atomics SkyGuardian demonstration flight, an electric flying car racing series, a proposal for a drone emoji, 5G drones and networks, using drones while on quarantine, and autonomous resupply for the military.

UAV News

Drawing With Drones Over the Salt Flats of Bolivia

Professional photographer Reubin Wu is using LED-equipped drones to make amazing photographs at the salt flats in Bolivia. For some images, Wu uses light from the drone to illuminate the subject. For others, he “draws” shapes in a time exposure. He calls them aeroglyphs.

GA-ASI Flies SkyGuardian in So Cal NAS as Part of NASA Demonstration

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) flew its SkyGuardian remotely piloted aircraft as part of a joint flight demonstration with NASA. GA-ASI and NASA have worked together since 2014 to demonstrate the safety of flying large UAS in the National Airspace System. This is under NASA’s Systems Integration and Operationalization (SIO) activity.

General Atomics SkyGuardian
SkyGuardian, courtesy General Atomics.

It’s Happening: Airspeeder Flying Car Company Gets Cash Infusion

Airspeeder calls itself the world’s first electric flying car racing series. Under the proposed series, each team would get an Airspeeder chassis or two, engines, and spares. Teams would be free to develop speeder parts to gain a competitive advantage. The hope is that the series will advance the technology and the regulatory standards needed to make flying cars viable commercially.

Where Is The Drone Emoji?

DroneUp submitted a proposal to the Unicode Consortium for a drone emoji. Consider signing the petition: Add a Drone Emoji to the Unicode Consortium.

Early 5G drones face slow upload speeds and frequent 4G handovers

Austrian researchers say early 5G drones and networks might not be ready. They can’t maintain consistent 5G connections, which limits their data transfer rates. Max says, “Don’t hold your breath.”

23 Ways People Stay Connected Using Drones While in Quarantine

Drones are being used to cope with pandemic quarantines, and to counter the virus. Here’s a list.

FAA investigating mystery drone telling New Yorkers to socially distance

The FAA is investigating whether a drone filmed telling New Yorkers to socially distance was violating aviation regulations. Using a loudspeaker, the drone proclaims, “This is the Anti-COVID-19 volunteer drone task force. Please maintain a social distance of at least six feet. Again, please maintain social distancing.”

Autonomous Resupply for Military is Flying Into Reality [PDF]

Near Earth Autonomy has developed unmanned aerial contingency management systems as part of a Joint Capabilities Technology (JCTD) Unmanned Logistics Systems Aerial (ULS-A) Demonstration. Near Earth’s technology offers obstacle avoidance for safe flight and landing enabling reliable cargo delivery in dynamic environments. 

Mentioned

Chris Anderson, The Drone Trainer, is offering free drone courses during April 2020 to help battle quarantine boredom. There is a real estate drone course and a drone mapping course that are regularly $199 each, but free this month. Learn more at thedronetrainer.com/covid.