14 Oct 13. The King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in Saudi Arabia has disclosed that it has produced 38 UAS that are named Saker 2, Saker 3 and Saker 4. Their characteristics are their light weight, load bearing capacity and being programmed through a ground control room, aside from not being detected by radar and reconnaissance equipment. They are to be used for research purposes. The supervisor of the National Center for Aviation Technology in KACST Dr. Abdullah Al-Hussan said these aircraft are made of fibreglass and carbon fibres. Al-Hussan said the plane has a computerized control device. The aircraft has logarithmic programmes that can deal with and adapt to the environmental conditions while flying — like dealing with winds, different temperatures, increasing combustion in the engine, and emergency landing or take off or deviating from the plane’s route. The aircraft also has telecommunication devices and a ground operation room where the pictures and videos sent by the plane can be seen in the control room. The route and targets can be changed through direct communication while the aircraft is flying. Dr. Al-Hussan said through programming the plane’s route can be specified as well as the targets required to be photographed whether topography, valleys with running streams, mountains, farms or buildings. Moving targets can also be specified and followed like the movement of cars, trains and crowds of people. He said that this plane is programmed in advance and operates through a computerized system. It only needs an aviation engineer to monitor the devices and detectors in the plane from the ground control room. In case of a breakdown or defect it has several choices including emergency landing using a parachute or revert to the ground control room. Dr. Al-Hussan, while giving a description of the UAS types produced by KACST, said Saker 2 is a medium-sized plane with a range of 150 km. It can be developed to reach 250 km, fly for eight hours with a speed estimated at 120 kms per hour and at a height of 5,000 meters. Such aircraft are classified as medium to long range. The design of Saker 2 has proved its quality in stability and control through scientific and practical tests. The costs of the product has been cut through reducing the cost of research and development. He said that Saker 2 is comparable to its counterparts as regards analytical studies and technology used in manufacturing the aircraft’s body. Carbon fibres and fibreglass have been used so as to decrease the weight of the empty aircraft during takeoff. Saker 2 has been designed to carry photography and monitoring equipment. There is the capability to control the aircraft through satellites in the future so as to cover wider areas and longer distances. The manufacturing and tests of Saker 4, the third type, have been completed. Its takeoff weight is 25 kg. The plane can carry a load of 5 kg. Its wing is 3.75 meters long and it has a maximum speed of 120 kms per hour at a height of 5,000 meters, Al-Hussan said. (Source: UAS VISION/Saudi Gazette)
17 Oct 13. Following a comprehensive review and demonstration in September of 2013, Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) has received a Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) Special Airworthiness Certificate for its Nighthawk IV micro Unmanned Air System (UAS) operating at its Randolph, Vt. location for the purposes of research & development, customer demonstrations and crew training. This special airworthiness certificate is supported by extensive safety, manufacturing, inspection, maintenance and crew training procedures that were reviewed and accepted by the FAA as part of a recent visit to witness post certification maiden flights. Law enforcement agencies, universities and public agencies such as the Forest Service, National Park Service and Customs and Border Protection can apply for Certificates of Authority (COA) from the FAA to fly in the national airspace. Customers who purchase Ni