News
A rash of new clues surrounding the Sykipot computer virus having its way with the US unmanned aircraft fleet suggests the malware originated in China, and explains how it has been used. Mathew J. Schwartz of Information Week reports the virus appears to have been designed with the sole purpose
Aircraft Propulsion & Energy
The US Army and AAI have established a specialist team to determine the root cause of an engine issue that has affected the service's RQ-7B Shadow 200, resulting in several platforms failing during operations over Afghanistan. Speaking to Jane's in late November, the army's
Data Links & Communications
The US Army's MQ-5B Hunter unmanned ISR aircraft will be reset by Northrop Grumman from C-Band communications to a tactical common data link. The work comes under two contractor logistics support contract modifications worth $91.2 million. Each features a one-year performance period. Northrop Grumman, maker of the
Aircraft Propulsion & Energy
Queensland University of Technology Ph.D. student Wesam Al Sabban has designed an unmanned aircraft that would be powered by the sun and wind. “While all airplanes mimic the shape of birds, the Green Falcon II will literally use the wind to power its movement, just as a bird would,
Regulatory Matters
On 15 December, Claude-France Arnould, European Defence Agency Chief Executive, and Magali Vaissière, European Space Agency Director for Telecommunication and Integrated Applications, signed an Arrangement on a demonstration project for an Unmanned Aircraft System-based mission. It represents the first jointly funded activity since the entry into force of the Administrative
Accident Reporting
A US official says Iran will find it hard to exploit any data and technology aboard the captured CIA stealth drone because of measures taken to limit the intelligence value of drones operating over hostile territory. The official also said Saturday that despite Iran's latest claims to have
Military UAS
As the world watched the last convoy pass through the gates at Khabari Crossing on the Kuwait-Iraq border, they may not have realized those on the ground had some help in the skies from airmen with a historic lineage. Colonel Rodney Petithomme, 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group commander, and Lieutenant Colonel
Military UAS
The US Air Force is planning to develop a heavier, more powerful version of the jet-powered, reduced signature Predator C Avenger for deployment soon in combat zones. “General Atomics Systems Inc. has shown the ability and willingness to quickly ramp up production capacity if the Air Force and other customers
Payloads
As unmanned aircraft become increasingly common, warfighters continue to press for more imagery from a broader range of high-resolution sensors, putting more pressure on those who design the systems that collect images and send them to analysts. System developers are responding by deploying different types of sensors and electronics that
Military UAS
Australia's Defense Department removed three major projects, including the Joint 129 Phase 2 project for tactical unmanned aircraft, from its official list of contracts falling behind schedule or having cost overruns. The announcement was made by the Minister for Defense Stephen Smith and Minister for Defense Materiel Jason
Lighter Than Air
The Rapid Equipping Force (REF) has a requirement to purchase Unmanned Aircraft System to support Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Shortfalls in the environmentally inhospitable operating environment of Afghanistan. This requirement includes a requirement for operators and Field Service Representatives (FSRs) to provide FSR support and new equipment training. The
Business News
The sale of as many as four Northrop Grumman Global Hawks to help improve South Korea’s reconnaissance capability may have stalled. South Korea has raised concerns about the price of the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Block 30I Global Hawk unmanned aircraft and could open a tender for a high-altitude, long-endurance