29 Dec 16. ANKA-S to be Delivered to Turkish Army in 2017. Delivery of 10 ground systems for the ANKA-S Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), currently being developed for the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), will begin next year and is planned to be completed by 2018 while the qualification process was in progress. In a written statement, the Undersecretariat of Defense Industry said the contract to mass produce the ANKA UAV system, which is being developer to meet the TSK’s aerial reconnaissance, surveillance, target identification and detection needs, was signed between the Undersecretariat and Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TAI) on Oct. 2013. The statement added that the UAV, will have the capability to operate for 18 hours at an altitude of 23,000 feet, and in addition to all the available capabilities, ANKA-S will feature control over satellite (SATCOM TÜRKSAT 4B), communication relay, cryptographic data link, locally developed flight control computer and high-definition EO/IR cameras. Through its Operation, Simulator and Training Center (OSEM), it will be possible to control more than one ANKA-S UAV system at the same time via the satellite beyond the sight line. Within the framework of the contract, the delivery of the 10 ground systems is planned to be completed by 2018. The qualification process of the UAV is currently in progress. (Source: UAS VISION/Daily Sabah)
29 Dec 16. New Drone Can Hoist 500 Pounds. The GRIFF 300 is the first in a planned line of unmanned aerial systems (U.A.S) designed to lift and carry huge loads. The 300 refers to its gross lifting weight in kilograms, so this one can carry up to 496 pounds (payload).
The company’s website proclaims two more “megadrones” are on the way: A 125 (about 275 lbs.) and an 800. Yes that’s right, 800 kilograms, over 1,700 lbs.
The true payload will be somewhat less than that, but still come in at more than a half-ton.
According to reports, the GRIFF 300 can carry its 500-lb. payload for up to 45 minutes.
No price has been released as yet, but we’re guessing if you have to ask, you’d better have corporate or government sponsorship.
The implications of a drone that could lift over 1,000 lbs. could be big.
A first-of-its-kind, the GRIFF line foreshadows a day when small drones rival manned helicopters for carrying capacity. In the future, these drones could be used in place of operations that are potentially hazardous for human operators.
Think construction, fire and mountain rescue, or wind turbine maintenance. Imagine a drone that carries and holds a firehose or needed supplies. As a U.A.S., the drones are still less favorable than an actual human-controlled vehicle for rescues, for now. But with the rapid cascade of developments in recent years, it seems as though this type of application could be just over the horizon. GRIFF Aviation already received approval by the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority and its systems are compliant with European UAS safety regulations. While similar regulatory hurdles will need to be addressed for more uses in the U.S., it seems that with a little creativity, the sky’s the limit for new heavy lifting drone technology. (Source: UAS VISION/Gear Junkie)
27 Dec 16. Japan’s Drone Sector Flying High. From high-street playthings to sophisticated commercial and military aircraft, drones are seen as being at the sharp end of technology. Yet, paradoxically, traditionally low-tech countries such as India and Pakistan are now churning out their own models. The commercial drone business is driven by advances in key components such as sensors, lenses and radio control devices – and manufacturers buy these from producers in advanced tech countries.
“Such components are typically made only in the most advanced nations, particularly Japan,” says the Ireland-based journalist Eamonn Fingleton.
“In fact, Japan is the power behind the throne in the drone business,” says Mr Fingleton, who has written three books on the economies of east Asian count