Sponsored by The British Robotics Seed Fund
http: www.britbots.com/fund
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04 Apr 24. Kraus Hamdani Aerospace Wins Contract to Provide the U.S. Navy with its First Solar-electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). The U.S. Navy PMA 263 has selected Kraus Hamdani Aerospace to provide the K1000ULE solar-electric VTOL UAS. It will be fielded by the United States Marine Corps Small Unit Remote Scouting System.
The Navy ultimately selected the K1000ULE through a comprehensive down selection evaluation process. Conducted at a government test facility and overseen by the University of Maryland UAS Research and Operations Center, the following capabilities were evaluated:
- Enhanced maneuverability, enabling operations from disadvantaged locations
- Reduced transportation and logistics enabling rapid transportation into theater
- Minimized crew requirements with a maximum of two operators (pilot and sensor operator)
- Silent operations to minimize detection
- Airborne endurance (extended flight time). The K1000ULE remains a world leader in long-endurance aerial operations
- VTOL capabilities, ensuring independence from traditional runways
- Durability, with the ability to operate in various environmental conditions
- Day and night operations and sensor capabilities
- Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance with Target Acquisition capabilities
- Compliance with the SOCOM Modular Payload (MOD Payload) standard
- Command and Control (C2) range between operator and aircraft
- Mission systems include simplified Command and Control of the K1000ULE, Full-Motion Video (FMV) interfaces, and Target Acquisition capabilities
Once in the hands of the U.S. Marine Corps., the attributes above will enhance the Navy’s capacity to perform Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance operations simpler, faster, and more cost-effective with the ultimate objective of saving lives. Additionally, the Navy will get enhanced long-range communication capabilities enabling continued coverage in denied and contested environments.
World-leading hardware. Game-changing software.
The K1000ULE, while providing the longest endurance in the electric Group-2 VTOL category, is enabled to share critical data between platforms within its network. This allows for the repositioning of aircraft on-demand based on sensor input while dynamically populating the Common Operating Picture.
A single operator can control a swarm of K1000ULE UAS through a simple user interface, identifying specific coverage areas and launching the correct number of aircraft to fulfill dynamic missions. The pilot has full situational awareness and can dynamically re-task aircraft in real-time as mission objectives change using gamified user interfaces.
About Kraus Hamdani Aerospace
Kraus Hamdani Aerospace is the world leader in building Ultra-Long Endurance (ULE) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) that mimic nature by utilizing onboard artificial intelligence to silently glide through the air like a bird and generate clean onboard energy. The K1000ULE is the world’s longest endurance fully electric zero emissions autonomous unmanned aircraft in its size and weight category.
The K1000ULE comprises aerial-based data, ISR, and communication services enabled by multi-drone coordination systems (coordinated swarming). This addresses critical customer needs within various sectors, such as emergency and disaster relief, data and telecommunications, defense, agriculture, oil and gas, climate change, and wildlife preservation. (Source: PR Newswire)
04 Apr 24. First Type Certification Application for 1st Class Fixed-Wing Drones in Japan. ITOCHU Corporation (Keita Ishii, President & COO) has announced that Wingcopter GmbH, a drone development and manufacturing company with which ITOCHU has concluded a capital and business alliance as well as a sales agency agreement, has applied for and received the acceptance of the 1st Class first type certification for a fixed-wing drone under the unmanned aircraft (drone) type certification by the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
The drone subject to evaluation is Wingcopter’s eVTOL-type drone “W198*1,” and this marks the first application and acceptance of a foreign company’s drone in Japan. The type certification process will commence today.
In Japan, the amendment to the Aviation Act in December 2022 legalized Level 4 (beyond visual line of sight) *2 flights in manned areas, significantly expanding the application range of drones. First type certification ensures the safety and uniformity of the design and manufacturing process for aircraft intended for Level 4 flights in the unmanned aircraft field. When the first type certification is granted, flights equivalent to Level 4 will be accessible.
ITOCHU and Wingcopter conducted a verification experiment in May 2023 for the implementation of medical blood product transportation by drones, the one of the first of its kind in Japan. With medical supervision and cooperation, the experiment aimed to demonstrate the use of fixed-wing drones as an effective logistics means for solving various social issues by verifying the possibility of temperature-controlled transportation of blood products, which has been challenging for conventional multi-copter drones, as well as high-speed and long-distance stable movement achieved through full automation, which has also been considered difficult to achieve, together with quality management.
Through this application, both companies will continue to establish a drone delivery network using the high-performance tilt-rotor*3 drone “W198” and aim to provide services that meet diverse needs and address various social challenges.
*1The official name of the drone is Wingcopter 198.
It has a tilt-rotor mechanism that was developed and manufactured in-house by Wingcopter. The fixed-wing drone is capable of vertical takeoff, landing and hovering, similar to a multicopter. It flies autonomously.
*2Level 4 flights (flights beyond visual line of sight in populated areas)
Unmanned aircraft (drone) flights over populated areas, such as urban centers, without constant visual monitoring. These flights were uniformly banned before Civil Aviation Amendment which took place last December.
*3Tilt-rotor
Tilt-rotor technology enables vertical or short-distance takeoffs and landings by tilting the drone’s rotors (rotating airfoils similar to propellers). (Source: UAS VISION)
02 Apr 24. IAI and Aerotor Unmanned Systems Have Signed an MoU. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and Aerotor Unmanned Systems have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that includes the development of products and promotion of their commercial cooperation. Within the framework of the MOU, advanced drone systems for a variety of tactical military missions for users on land, at sea and in the air will be developed. The agreement includes the engineering development and marketing of Aerotor’s Apus multicopter, which is based on a unique configuration which uses a central heavy-fuel propulsion system piloted through a variable-pitch mechanism. This provides a distinct operational advantage in terms of the payload that can be carried, flight duration, and maneuverability.
CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries, Boaz Levy: “Cooperation between IAI and Aerotor will allow us to leverage synergies in our product lines and promote the business growth of both companies. Both in normal times and during times of emergency, IAI continues to provide its customers with the best solutions. Collaboration agreements like the one we have just signed bring us to the forefront in all the fields in which we are active, thus increasing our portfolio of solutions.”
Chairperson and CEO of Aerotor Unmanned Systems, Raz Geva: “Aerotor develops pathbreaking platforms in terms of their flight duration and the payload they can carry. Together with IAI as a leading partner in the aviation sector and in unmanned platforms in both the military and paramilitary fields, we will expand our customer base around the world. Aerotor and IAI have already begun to cooperate, and together, the two companies will create new business opportunities, for the benefit of both our companies.” (Source: ASD Network)
01 Apr 24. Exosonic Successfully Flies EX-3M Trident. Exosonic today announced the successful first flight of its EX-3M “Trident” high-speed, developmental unmanned aerial system (UAS) test aircraft. This test took place out on a dry lake bed in Southern California and reached a top speed of over 130 knots at an altitude of roughly 600 ft AGL. This represents a significant milestone in Exosonic’s company history as it proves that the company can translate its supersonic aircraft engineering design techniques into an airworthy aircraft. Even though the aircraft is a subscale version of the supersonic UAV, Exosonic went through several of the integration and flight test challenges that would come from a larger aircraft program. Exosonic now joins a small group of supersonic / hypersonic aircraft start-ups that have successfully flown their own prototype vehicle designs. With minimal cost spent on the program relative to its peers, the company demonstrated how cost-efficient it can be in producing an airworthy vehicle.
As for the Trident’s future, it will serve as subscale testbed to validate autonomy software and sensors for both commercial and government customers. Exosonic has already had conversations with other companies about incorporating sensors and software on Trident as part of their own internal or customer efforts. The company plans to expand its scope of joint development and testing efforts. One feature that attracts customers is how open the Trident platform is to new software, payloads, or even manufacturing techniques. With a proven planform, Trident helps other customers de-risk their technologies.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our Engineering team for working through our flight test program to achieve our company’s first flight.” said Norris Tie, Exosonic’s CEO and co-founder. “It’s amazing to see Trident fly. We are honored to join the small group of companies who have flown a privately developed supersonic / hypersonic designed airframe.”
Exosonic Chief Technology Officer and co-founder Timothy MacDonald, PhD described the flight as “validation that our team and design methods can produce a well-behaved airplane with the type of configuration needed for supersonic flight.” Exosonic looks forward to expanding its commercial or government opportunities by leveraging the EX-3M as an autonomy testbed or as a research vehicle for its customers. (Source: ASD Network)
02 Apr 24. Aurora Collaborates with Zurich University on eVTOL Research. A collaboration between professors at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) School of Engineering and Aurora Swiss Aerospace, a Boeing company, is streamlining the development of EVTOL aircraft. Aurora Swiss Aerospace, located in Lucerne, is a subsidiary of US-based Aurora Flight Sciences. Aurora Swiss first joined forces with ZHAW in September 2023, aiming to explore the challenges of advanced modeling and simulation for complex aircraft development, certification, and continued airworthiness. The project, titled Model-SI, is funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe program. Aurora Swiss is providing ZHAW with flight testing services using the SKIRON-X aircraft in order to validate the ZHAW VTOL digital twin model. What sets this venture apart is the collection of data through Aurora’s Skiron Expeditionary sUAS (SKIRON-X), an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft that combines the simple operation of an eVTOL configuration with the longer range and endurance of a fixed-wing design. The company’s collaboration with ZHAW is led by Angelo Esposito, structures engineer at Aurora Swiss Aerospace.
“We are proud to work with ZHAW as they discover new ways to advance the future of flight,” said Angelo. “The university is dedicated to assessing digital solutions in eVTOL development and their impact on the certification approach.”
As part of the program, ZHAW will assess the impact of digital twin multiphysics modelling techniques applied to eVTOL aircraft and the potential savings in flight testing cost during certification. Aurora is providing flight test data that will help the ZHAW team assess the accuracy of its digital model. ZHAW aims to better model the peculiar aerodynamics phenomena and structural dynamic response that are posing new challenges in the development of eVTOL aircraft configurations. ZHAW and Aurora jointly defined flight test conditions, maneuvers, and test points in every flight condition. Aurora engineers outfitted a SKIRON-X aircraft with accelerometers and strain gauges on the aircraft’s wings, fuselage, and booms to provide comprehensive data on the vehicle’s accelerations and wing deformations. Aurora executed two days of flight testing, providing calibrated data that fueled ZHAW’s exploration into the structural intricacies of the virtual model. The collaboration covered everything from requirements and instrumentation definition to flight test. ZHAW plans to present its results to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) later this year. (Source: UAS VISION)
28 Mar 24. Kraken Technology Group, a maritime technology leader specialising in the disruptive design and manufacturing of high-performance platforms, and Auterion, the company building the software-defined future for mobile robotics and powering the world’s leading drone manufacturers, have announced a strategic partnership to exponentially develop autonomous capabilities in the high-performance littoral security boat sector.
The partnership is focused around the development and implementation of modular, low-cost autonomy software and UxV systems for the maritime domain. The agreement will initially focus on integrated autonomy architecture for Kraken’s K3 SCOUT and K4 MANTA uncrewed platforms.
Auterion’s Skynode X, AuterionOS and numerous capability ‘Apps’ have already been developed and integrated into Kraken’s K3 SCOUT USV, which is currently undergoing open water sea trials. AuterionOS’ open software architecture unlocks the ability to create new apps as needed, continuously expanding Kraken’s ability to serve the wide variety of use cases necessary in maritime domains.
“We are thrilled to be able to extend our expertise into the maritime domain alongside like-minded pioneers and littoral platform experts Kraken. The work done and the progress achieved to date on the development of K3’s uncrewed capability has been impressive and visionary,” said Lorenz Meier, CEO at Auterion.
Mal Crease, Founder and CEO of Kraken Technology Group, said: “Collaborating with Auterion on the rapid development of the K3 SCOUT USV has opened our eyes to the size and scale of the technical transformation already underway and has already delivered unique capabilities in record time. We very much look forward to an exciting future transforming littoral manoeuvre with Auterion.”
28 Mar 24. Japan ground forces expand trials on uncrewed systems. The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) will acquire more uncrewed aerial and ground vehicles (UAVs and UGVs) for testing and evaluation, the service announced on its social media account on 26 March.
The latest initiative is aimed at developing effective operational concepts that will support widespread adoption of uncrewed aerial and ground systems within the JGSDF, it added.
“In order to fundamentally strengthen defence capabilities, [we are] working to strengthen unmanned capabilities, such as reconnaissance and transportation, in order to gain advantages in the air and on the ground while limiting personnel risk,” the JGSDF stated.
“We will conduct demonstrations using UAVs and UGVs that can operate continuously for long periods of time in missions, and accelerate consideration toward full-scale introduction,” it added.
According to the JGSDF, it is already testing the Fuji IMVAC E-5L UAV supplied by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) but also in the process of acquiring and fielding UGVs such as the tracked THeMIS manufactured by Estonian company Milrem, the six-wheeled Mission Master SP manufactured by Rheinmetall Canada, and the Vision60 quadrupedal UGV manufactured by Ghost Robotics. The UGVs will be delivered to the JGSDF by several local suppliers including trading house Marubeni Aerospace Company Ltd and technology company ST.Japan Inc. Earlier in January, the JGSDF’s Ground Material Control Command (GMCC) announced competitive tenders for concept demonstrations of two types of cargo UAVs. The GMCC has also actively invited bids for a diverse array of projects including capability upgrades for reconnaissance UAVs, concept demonstrations for a multi-role fixed wing UAV, as well as technical assessments related to communications for disaster response UAVs. Some of the JGSDF’s recently acquired uncrewed systems have already been put to the test in actual operations. For example, several Ghost Robotics Vision60 UGVs were used to survey evacuation routes for residents affected by the Noto Earthquake in January. The UGVs were also used to support relocation of displaced residents to secondary evacuation centres outside the affected areas. (Source: AMR)
26 Mar 24. The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) is working with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) to make important upgrades to their growing fleet of MQ-9A Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). The RNLAF announced in 2023 that they will double their number of MQ-9A Reapers from four to eight and now are making upgrades to their aircraft to include capabilities such as maritime radars, a communications relay, extended range fuel tanks, electronic support measures (ESM), and weapons. The upgrades will take place incrementally over the next three years.
“The RNLAF is using the MQ-9A for an increasing set of NATO missions,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Jan Ruedisueli, commander of the RNLAF’s 306 Squadron. “With these upgrades, we will support NATO’s ISR and maritime surveillance missions throughout Europe.”
GA-ASI will integrate the new payloads for the RNLAF, including a maritime radar currently operating in other areas of the world, ESM, weapons, and a communications relay that is purpose-built to connect all services of the Netherlands Ministry of Defence.
“We’re excited to continue upgrading and increasing the mission capabilities of the RNLAF’s fleet of Reapers,” said Jaime Walters, vice president of International Strategic Development at GA-ASI. “One of the key aspects of our aircraft is the modularity of our platforms allowing them to rapidly meet the full spectrum of customer requirements.”
The MQ-9A Block 5 has a 3,850-pound (1,746-kilogram) payload capacity that includes 3,000 pounds (1,361 kilograms) of external stores. It provides a long-endurance, surveillance capability with full-motion video, Synthetic Aperture Radar/Moving Target Indicator/Maritime Radar, and ESM. An extremely reliable aircraft, MQ-9A Block 5 is equipped with a fault-tolerant flight control system and a triple-redundant avionics system architecture. It is engineered to meet and exceed manned aircraft reliability standards.
28 Mar 24. New Strategic Partnership Between Innoflight Technology and JR UAV. INF and JR UAV’s new partnership is committed to continuous innovation and the development of solutions that address the complex challenges faced by the defense and commercial sectors.
Innoflight Technologies (INF) has made a strategic partnership with JR UAV, set to redefine standards in both the defense and commercial unmanned systems sectors, leveraging each company’s unique technological strengths and manufacturing capabilities.
The partnership between INF and JR UAV is more than a merging of technologies; it’s a synergistic alliance that aims to drive innovation and set new benchmarks in the unmanned systems market.
JR UAV and INF will be exhibiting together at the upcoming AUVSI Xponential in San Diego April 22nd – 25th at booth #3224.
INF is renowned for its innovative fuel injection systems, offering enhanced efficiency and performance in various operational environments, significantly benefiting unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in the defense sector.
Coupled with its advanced autopilot solutions, INF provides unparalleled control and reliability, ensuring mission success in critical operations.
JR UAV, with its expertise in high-precision servos and sophisticated electronics, brings to the table a level of precision and durability that is unmatched in the industry.
The integration of JR UAV’s components into unmanned systems promises to deliver superior manoeuvrability and functionality, essential for both defense and commercial applications.
By combining INF’s state-of-the-art fuel injection and autopilot capabilities with JR UAV’s advanced servos and electronics, the collaboration is poised to offer comprehensive solutions that are both technically superior and highly reliable.
Both INF and JR UAV pride themselves on their commitment to quality and excellence, with manufacturing processes certified under the rigorous standards of ISO 9001. This certification underscores their dedication to producing products of the highest quality, reliability, and safety, meeting the demanding requirements of their global clientele.
“We are excited to join forces with JR UAV, a company that shares our vision for innovation and excellence in the unmanned systems industry,” said Stephen Greig, Director of INF. “This partnership is a significant milestone for us and for the industry as a whole, promising to deliver next-level solutions that meet the evolving needs of our defense and commercial clients.”
Tomohisa Konishi, CEO of JR UAV, added, “Collaborating with INF is a strategic move that aligns with our commitment to providing cutting-edge technology and products. Together, we are set to redefine what’s possible in the unmanned systems market, offering our clients unparalleled performance and reliability.” (Source: https://www.defenseadvancement.com/)
29 Mar 24. Leidos-designed low-profile vessels participate in U.S. Army’s Project Convergence Capstone 4 exercise. Two Leidos-designed uncrewed and autonomous-capable low-profile vessels (LPVs) recently participated in the Project Convergence Capstone 4 military exercises in California. Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a Fortune® 500 innovation company, delivered the vessels to the U.S. Marine Corps last year.
“Leidos once again designed and delivered innovative solutions with these LPVs, and it was great to see them participate in Project Convergence,” said Dave Lewis, Leidos senior vice president, Sea Systems Business Area. “The prototypes we’ve delivered will help create new disruptive logistics capabilities for the Marine Corps. Its low profile and long range are intended to help the vessels achieve a higher mission success rate supporting dispersed Marine fire units than conventional methods.”
The LPV’s low-to-the-water visual profile helps to reduce probability of detection. The vessels are intended to transport a logistics payload of up to five tons over a range of 2,000 nautical miles, and have been built to experiment with different autonomous control systems. The two LPV prototypes were delivered last year to the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory for testing and technical assessment. Their participation in the joint and multi-national Project Convergence Capstone 4 exercises represents the next stage of testing and experimentation with the vessels’ capabilities alongside warfighters. Leidos designed the LPVs under contract with MilTech, a Montana State University research lab and an authorized National Government Partnership Intermediary. The delivery of the LPV prototypes complements Leidos’ extensive maritime autonomy portfolio. Leidos-designed and built autonomous vessels recently completed joint naval exercises in the western Pacific as part of the Navy’s Integrated Battle Problem 23.2. Last year, Leidos was awarded a U.S. Navy task order to manage, operate and maintain the Navy’s Overlord and medium unmanned surface vessels. (Source: PR Newswire)
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The British Robotics Seed Fund is the first SEIS-qualifying investment fund specialising in UK-based robotics businesses. The focus of the fund is to deliver superior returns to investors by making targeted investments in a mixed basket of the most innovative and disruptive businesses that are exploiting the new generation of robotics technologies in defence and other sector applications.
Automation and robotisation are beginning to drive significant productivity improvements in the global economy heralding a new industrial revolution. The fund allows investors to benefit from this exciting opportunity, whilst also delivering the extremely attractive tax reliefs offered by the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS). For many private investors, the amount of specialist knowledge required to assess investments in robotics is not practical and hence investing through a fund structure makes good sense.
The fund appoints expert mentors to work with each investee company to further maximise the chance of success for investors. Further details are available on request.
www.britbots.com/fund
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