All Civil UAVs articles – Page 89
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Darkstar trials
The second Tier III Minus Dark Star unmanned air vehicle (UAV) has completed its first high altitude flight, to 25,000ft (7,600m). The 2h 37m flight, from Edwards AFB, California, included an automated take-off and landing using global positioning navigational data. The mission demonstrated the UAV's ability to update preplanned mission ...
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Global Hawk test
The eighth flight of Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical's Global Hawk long-endurance unmanned air vehicle, on 4 December, demonstrated wideband satellite communications between the aircraft and its ground station. The second flight of air vehicle number two, it lasted 3h 18min, reaching 50,000ft (15,250m). Source: Flight International
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General Atomics flies ELINT Predator
General Atomics has test flown a Predator unmanned air vehicle adapted to carry specialised Radio Frequency payloads for a wide range of applications, including electronic intelligence gathering (ELINT). The Predator carried a suite of antennas during the flight evaluation, including three mounted on each wing and a single antenna integrated ...
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NASA's Pathfinder solar-powered wing soars to 80,000ft
NASA's Pathfinder Plus solar-powered, remotely piloted flying wing reached an altitude of over 80,000ft (24,400m) on a 6 August test flight from Hawaii. The flight, which lasted for almost 15h, paves the way for testing the Pathfinder's successor, the Centurion, a solar-powered unmanned air vehicle which is designed to reach ...
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GM/Williams team up on microturbine generators
General Motors (GM) and Williams International have teamed up to develop microturbine generators for aerospace applications, primarily unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). The powerplants, which will also be used for distributed power generation, will be produced from a 40kW microturbine generator that was developed for an advanced hybrid electric car, ...
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Supersonic rising sun
Paul Lewis/MITIKA Japanese engineers have long displayed a distinctive flair for futuristic transportation thinking. While there may be a tendency in the West to confine many such notions to the realms of science fiction, it is worth remembering that Japan is the home of the Shinkansen "bullet train" and the ...
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On the prowl
General Atomics flew the Prowler II unmanned air vehicle (UAV) for the first time on 4 June. Reaching an altitude of 7,500ft (2,300m), the UAV flew for over 30min at 80kt (150km/h). The improved Prowler tactical UAV has an endurance of up to 20h. Plans call for the Prowler II, ...
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DARPA and Frontier develop long endurance UAV rotorcraft
The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has teamed with Frontier Systems to flight test a revolutionary unmanned helicopter that can stay airborne for as long as 62h and achieve an unrefuelled maximum range of 8,550km (4,600nm). The newly revealed long endurance unmanned helicopter and the rival Boeing ...
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Canada may replace Germany for NATO project
Technical problems that have dogged development of the Daimler-Benz Aerospace (Dasa) Seamos vertical take-off and landing unmanned air vehicle (VTOL UAV) could force Project Group 35 of the NATO Naval Armaments Group to drop Germany from the Maritime UAV International Technology Demonstrator Programme (ITDP). Other nations involved include the ...
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Aerospatiale continues work on long range UAV
Julian Moxon/Paris Aerospatiale is working on a follow-on to work on high altitude, long endurance unmanned air vehicle (UAV) in a programme, called SAROHALE. Delivery of the initial system is set for "around 2007-10", says project manager Philippe Matharan. The project aims to develop a fully automated twinjet-powered ...
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Hydraulic loss spoils Global Hawk UAV test
Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical (TRA) is investigating a hydraulic failure which marred the otherwise successful third flight of the Global Hawk unmanned air vehicle (UAV). The aircraft lost hydraulic pressure on approach to the runway at Edwards AFB, California, after the 5h 22min flight on 30 May. The landing gear ...
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Silver arrow buy
Israel's El-Op confirms that it has taken over the 50%stake in the unmanned air vehicle (UAV)developer Silver Arrow, previously owned by its parent Federmann group. The UAV company, half owned by Elbit Systems, had sales of $15 million last year but that is due to double by 2000, says El-Op. ...
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Global Hawk flies second mission
THE Global Hawk reconnaissance unmanned air vehicle has flown for a second time at Edwards AFB, California, performing what the company describes as a "text book" mission lasting 2h 24min. The aircraft reached 41,000ft (12,500m) during the sortie, which also included the successful hand-off of command and control via ...
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Japan promotes unmanned helicopters for crop dusting
Paul Lewis/GIFU, JAPAN Two Japanese aerospace manufacturers have begun to promote the commercial use of unmanned helicopters for agricultural crop dusting and airborne surveillance missions. Kawada Industries has developed the RoboCopter 300 based on the Schweizer 300CB and had accumulated 40h of flight time by mid-April. The company hopes ...
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US Coast Guard starts replacement programme
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC The USCoast Guard has launched a programme to replace its fleets of aircraft and surface vessels. A request for proposals for the Integrated Deepwater System programme was released in March, and up to three teams will be awarded concept development contracts in July. The Coast ...
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NASA steps up high flier testing
NASA plans to conduct extra test flights of its small fleet of high altitude long duration air vehicles this year as it steps up environmental research work. The Aero Vironment Pathfinder solar powered unmanned air vehicle, which is the most visible aspect of the US space agency's Environmental Research ...
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Silver Arrow unveils long endurance UAV
Israeli unmanned air vehicle (UAV) manufacturer Silver Arrow has rolled out the very long endurance Hermes-1500. The UAV, powered by two Rotax-914s, is to begin flight tests shortly. The vehicle is capable of flying for up to 40h at altitudes of up to 30,000ft (9,000m). Source: Flight International
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Algerian UAV deal
South Africa's Denel has delivered a Seeker reconnaissance unmanned air vehicle (UAV) system to Algeria, in a deal worth R20 million ($4 million). Source: Flight International
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Ranger UAV simulated
Switzerland's Oerlikon Contraves is developing a mission simulator for the Israel Aircraft Industries Ranger unmanned air-vehicle (UAV) ordered by the Swiss armed forces. The device, representing the ground-control station, is due to be delivered in 1999. Source: Flight International