Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

European Micro-UAVs in Combat

'Many European nations have contributed troops to help out in Iraq and Afghanistan, and, like the United States, they are using the opportunity to try out new weapons and equipment. The Netherlands, for example, is sending German made Aladin...

Mystery cloaks Predator B 'drone' crash

'Unmanned aerial vehicle went down 10 miles north of Nogales The crash and destruction of a $6.5 million unmanned aerial vehicle on Tuesday morning 10 miles north of Nogales remains a mystery but is under investigation. Michael Friel, director...

UGV/UAVs: Combined Attack Demo Planned By US Arrmy

'US Army will combine UAVs and UGVs (umanned ground vehicles) together at Ft Benning in 2007 to run first ever tests of a combined robotic assault. The tests will use Yamaha R-Max UAVs as the UAV elements, together with...

Border Patrol's unmanned aerial vehicle crashes

'News 4 has learned that an un-manned air vehicle belonging to the Border Patrol has gone down. An agent says it happened between midnight and 6 Tuesday morning while it was patrolling the Arizona/Mexico border. It crashed on Morning...

Asia Pacific UAV Day One

'Sydney, Australia: About 130 military, government and industry representatives began a two-day conference sessions here, part of the Asia pacific UAV conference and exhibition designed to probe the state of UAS developments across he region. Sessions are ranging widely,...

Arotech wins UAV battery development contract

'Arotech (Nasdaq: ARTX) announced last week that its Electric Fuel subsidiary was awarded a development contract to develop a high energy density rechargeable lithium battery and smart charger from a supplier of Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs). The supplier was...

Budget document discloses existence of secret US Air Force UAV programme

'Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works is believed to be developing a high-altitude, stealthy unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for the US Air Force (USAF) under a secret programme, funded with money taken from the terminated Joint Unmanned Combat Air System (J-UCAS)...

UAVs do battle with the troops

'The US military has tested a system that helps soldiers to move faster and further into enemy territory while maintaining contact with their commanders via a UAV-enabled communications network. The system, developed by Northrop Grumman and the US Office...

UAV Surveillance From the Stratosphere

'High-altitude airships could provide a host of surveillance and intelligence advantages. But policy makers have yet to put serious resources behind the concept. Still, some companies have jumped into the market on their own with early research and development....

Boeing Apache and Unmanned Little Bird Demonstrator Test Expands UAV Control

'Boeing [NYSE: BA] has demonstrated for the first time the ability of an AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter to control an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) weapon payload. Boeing demonstrated the capability in February at its Mesa, Ariz., facility, home of...

Drone slated to replace U-2 over budget

'The unmanned aerial vehicle that is supposed to replace the U-2 spy plane when it is retired next year is over budget and behind schedule, and the acquisition program is being restructured for the fourth time, according to government...

Cost overruns put Global Hawk at risk

'Twenty-five of the USA’s major weapons programmes have experienced “critical” cost growth, although few, if any, face the risk of cancellation. But the US Department of Defense will have to justify continuing the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned...

Northrop Grumman Opens $13M Fire Scout UAV Production Center in Mississippi

'Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) today opened its Unmanned Systems Center production facility in Moss Point, Miss., where the MQ-8B Fire Scout, and portions of the RQ-4B Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will be produced. The facility signifies Northrop...

Opening of UAV center seen as comeback signal

'They called it the launch of Mississippi's recovery. State and federal officials at Tuesday's ribbon-cutting ceremonies for Northrop Grumman's Unmanned Systems Center called its official opening an indication that the Mississippi Coast is making a comeback from Hurricane Katrina....

Northrop Grumman Opens $13M Fire Scout UAV Production Center in Mississippi

'Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) today opened its Unmanned Systems Center production facility in Moss Point, Miss., where the MQ-8B Fire Scout, and portions of the RQ-4B Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will be produced. The facility signifies Northrop...

Opening of UAV center seen as comeback signal

'State and federal officials at Tuesday's ribbon-cutting ceremonies for Northrop Grumman's Unmanned Systems Center called its official opening an indication that the Mississippi Coast is making a comeback from Hurricane Katrina. They also predicted the center would draw more...

Unmanned subs would revolutionize warfare, analyst says

'To counter China's rapidly strengthening submarine fleet, the United States should spur a revolution in undersea warfare by focusing greater attention and resources on developing advanced unmanned underwater vehicles, a top naval analyst said Tuesday. Such a move could...

UAVs to track pollution

'These days, drones are often associated with military surveillance missions. But autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (AUAVs) can also be used for more peaceful tasks, such as tracking pollution in South Asia. With funds from the National Science Foundation (NSF),...

US should build robot submarines, expert says

'The United States needs to invest in unmanned subs that could neutralize Chinese ones, a top naval analyst says. To counter China's rapidly strengthening submarine fleet, the United States should spur a revolution in undersea warfare by focusing greater...

Raytheon tests multiple UAV control system

'A single control system developed by Raytheon has successfully controlled simultaneously unmanned aerial vehicles and an unmanned surface vehicle. The Multiple Vehicle Control System (MVCS) is aimed at eventually placing multiple unmanned assets under the control of a single...

Nigeria develops unmanned coastal capability

'Nigeria is developing a national coastal defence alignment based mainly on unmanned platforms, Jane's has learned. Under a USD260 million contract signed in March, Israeli Aeronautics Defense Systems will design and build the naval array, providing manned and unmanned...

An Unmanned System for Every Occasion

'At least 20 different types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are currently being developed by the U.S. military. Each program may be fine individually, but in sum might some of them represent a duplication of effort? At a hearing...

Predator UAVs Deliver The Goods In Iraq

'The capabilities and importance of Predator UAVs are becoming clearer with each day the unmanned vehicles are deployed on the front lines of Iraq and Afghanistan. From intelligence gathering, to eradication of insurgent forces, the Air Force wants its...

Malaysian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to be Tested

'The first Malaysian made prototype of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is expected to be ready in three months time, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. "In three months time we will have a full scale...

Red tape hampers UAV operations

'Calling for a better method of approving unmanned aircraft operations in civil airspace, manufacturers have warned US Congress that delays in Federal Aviation Administration certification are affecting testing and training. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) cannot fly the first...

Chile examines UAV options

'Chile may buy what could become a family of unmanned air vehicles encompassing hand-launched close-range, short-range tactical and endurance tactical systems. The Chilean armed forces are assessing the potential of a joint programme, although immediate requirements have been identified...

Global Hawk 'sets sail' from Edwards

The N-1, an RQ-4A Global Hawk -- one of two acquired by the U.S. Navy through the Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration Program -- is the first of its kind delivered to the Navy, and is being prepared for participation...

Global Hawk's soaring costs blasted

'When San Diego aerospace engineer Alfredo Ramirez sketched his first design for the Global Hawk more than a decade ago, he wanted to create a robotic spy plane that could fly above harm's way at altitudes above 60,000 feet....