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19 Jul 24. Overwatch Group and PteroDynamics Conduct First Ever UK Flights of Transwing® UAS. Following the recent announcement of a strategic relationship between Overwatch Group and PteroDynamics, the companies have this week completed the first ever UK flights with the pioneering Transwing® unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Overwatch are a UK-based end-to-end design and manufacture company specialising in advanced unmanned system and munitions technologies, and PteroDynamics are innovators in vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft systems. Overwatch and PteroDynamics will be conducting the first flight demonstrations of the Transwing® capability to government and industry stakeholders at their site in the UK on 22nd and 23rd July.
Transwing® has been designed to overcome the challenges of carrying significant payloads whilst delivering the range required to provide enhanced operational effect. The unique dihedral folding wing system generates more surface area for greater lift and load carrying stability with less power, providing the ability to launch and land on small footprints regardless of the angle. The dual-use autonomous Transwing® series of variants also provides a range of innovative UAS capabilities designed to push the boundaries of operational flexibility and efficiency. Next week’s demonstrations will feature the smaller electric version of the Transwing® with its 6.8kg payload, 65 knot cruising speed and 60nm range. Its enhanced manoeuvrability in austere conditions and confined spaces, and impressive beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) capabilities brings greater opportunity for mission success in civilian and defence maritime, land and air operating environments.
Traditionally, critical items delivered by air for resupply are conducted using manned aviation assets. On the basis of ‘Think Big, Start Small and Scale at Pace”, the payloads selected for the Transwing® X-P4 and X-P5 variants have been driven by studies into critical resupply to ships. The study of 3500 sorties using helicopters found that 46% had a payload under 1Kg and over 90% were under 25Kg. The ability of Transwing® to carry payloads that land and launch on moving vessels and vehicles, coupled with a significantly reduced real estate footprint underscores its adaptability for at sea and land applications, where autonomous operation and payload delivery are becoming increasingly critical requirements.
Central to Overwatch’s strategy is to drive innovation and efficiency in UAS technology across their range of capabilities, with a keen focus on meeting evolving requirements. The Transwing® UAS enhances operational effect by seamlessly integrating reduced platform operating costs, quicker mission turnaround times, and improved safety protocols. The system can perform potentially dangerous, high-risk evolutions with maximum efficiency and minimal risk to personnel by removing human exposure to certain threats.
Drew Michael, CEO at Overwatch Group said, “We are extremely proud to have completed the first ever UK flights working in collaboration with PteroDynamics, with progress to introduce the Transwing® UAS to the UK accelerating rapidly since the recent announcement of our strategic partnership. After today’s successful training flights, excitement is building towards the Overwatch UK Transwing® flight demonstrations next week. It will be our first opportunity to deploy the Transwing® and for visitors to see its unique proprietary advantages over traditional VTOL platforms.”
16 Jul 24. UK’s First Permanent Vertiport Opens at Snowdonia Aerospace Centre. The UK’s first permanent vertiport will be officially unveiled on July 17th. in Llanbedr, North Wales. SLiNK-TECH designed the first vertiport of its kind in the UK, the launch of which marks a significant milestone for the UK drone industry.
Snowdonia Aerospace Centre (SAC) purchased PORTAL in January and completed installation last week. The advanced landing solution is highly automated and provides integrated flight management at any location.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with SAC to bring this innovative new system to the UK,” said John Goudie, CEO of SLiNK-TECH. “Our PORTAL vertiport system is a game-changer for the future of flight, and we are confident that our installation at SAC will provide significant benefits to testing of future use cases.”
To mark the occasion industry leaders and policymakers will be travelling to Llanbedr for the PORTAL Party, an event featuring state-of-the art demonstrations and expert talks over two days.
The addition of a vertiport to its site highlights SAC’s commitment to encouraging innovation and supporting technological advancement in the UK.
CEO of SAC, Lee Paul, said: “Snowdonia Aerospace is excited to be supporting SLiNK- TECH with the testing of the PORTAL vertiport concept and we look forward to working together to create a legacy capability at the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre for the drone and air mobility communities to test and train in an archetype of future UK lower airspace management”
PORTAL was installed at SAC at the end of June and will be used for testing and trials at the site.
About SLiNK-TECH
SLiNK-TECH Ltd (SLiNK) is a Bristol, UK-based technology company, pioneering drone and vertiport automation solutions built to scale the future of flight economy, enabling safe, low cost, automated drone launch and landing with minimal infrastructure in any environment.
The company, founded in 2018, has been developing their advanced landing solution, which is safe, low cost and highly automated. Their vision is to make the benefits of drone logistics available across all industries and applications.
About Snowdonia Aerospace Centre
Snowdonia Aerospace LLP operates the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre, Llanbedr, Gwynedd, the premier commercial UK test centre for next-generation aerospace including “drones-for-good”. They have also established Snowdonia Aerospace Drone Services Ltd. to further develop and commercially exploit the output of their research. (Source: UAS VISION)
16 Jul 24. Skyfront Launches Water-Cooled Drone for Desert Operations.
The Skyfront Perimeter 8+ WC is now available for operations in the hottest environments globally, from the Australian Outback to the Arabian Desert. Skyfront, the global leader in high endurance hybrid drones, today announced that the Skyfront Perimeter 8+ WC, a variant of the hybrid-electric Perimeter 8+ drone equipped with a water-cooled engine and heat-tolerant avionics, is now available for desert operations worldwide.
“The Skyfront Perimeter 8+ WC is now available as a retrofittable upgrade for existing customers and as a new system for new customers.”
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The Skyfront Perimeter 8+ WC is designed to provide reliable drone operations in the most austere desert environments in temperatures up to 50°C (122°F). Traditional battery-powered drones face significant challenges in high-temperature conditions, including faster battery degradation, reduced lifespan, and the risk of battery fires. Similarly, air-cooled engines on drones can overheat. The Skyfront Perimeter 8+ WC addresses these issues with its advanced water-cooled engine and heat-tolerant avionics, offering drone operators peace of mind in extreme conditions.
Skyfront’s Perimeter 8+ WC was recently stress tested at the White Sands Missile Range U.S. Army testing facility in New Mexico, where it successfully carried heavy payloads at high altitudes during mid-day operations in temperatures of 45°C (113°F). The drone can operate at density altitudes that are typically infeasible for traditional multirotor drones, making it a game-changer for various applications.
Skyfront’s Perimeter 8+ WC is ideal for high endurance defense and commercial applications in extreme environments. It is effective for detecting improvised explosive devices (IEDs), landmines, and unexploded ordnance (UXO). Additionally, it is designed for geophysical exploration and long linear inspections of utilities, pipelines, oil, gas, and power transmission lines.
The Skyfront Perimeter 8+ WC is available as a retrofittable upgrade to the popular Skyfront Perimeter 8. The Perimeter 8, deployed by customers in over 30 countries, is renowned for its endurance, payload capacity, and range. It boasts proven flight times of over 5 hours and can carry 5 kg (11 lb) for 3 hours and 10 kg (22 lb) for one hour.
“Alchemy Analytics provides advanced unmanned geospatial solutions and services, and we’ve seen firsthand the Skyfront Perimeter 8+ WC unlock reliable high endurance drone operations in the deserts of the Middle East and enable peace of mind for drone operators,” said Conrad Wright, CEO of Alchemy Analytics.
“Skyfront is excited to deploy the first water-cooled hybrid-electric multirotor drone in the Middle East,” said Troy Mestler, CEO of Skyfront. “The Skyfront Perimeter 8+ WC is now available as a retrofittable upgrade for existing customers and as a new system for new customers.”
To contact Skyfront, email: .
About Skyfront:
Skyfront manufactures the highest endurance hybrid-electric multirotor drones in the world, with proven flight times over 5 hours. Skyfront’s proprietary fuel-injected hybrid-electric power source converts gasoline into electricity in flight, giving customers extreme endurance and redundant power. Customers use the Perimeter 8 for missions worldwide including beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations because of Skyfront’s extremely long flight times, communications range, safety, rapid deployment, and ease of use. For more information, please visit www.skyfront.com. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
15 Jul 24. Rising tide of underwater drone funding highlights US-China rivalry. US-China race fuels surge in underwater drone advancements, shaking up multiple sectors.
The increasing competition between the US and China in underwater drone technology is spurring investment and innovation, such as the Manta Ray underwater drone.
In an era where geopolitical tensions between the US and China often dominate headlines, a quieter but equally significant race is unfolding beneath the ocean’s surface. This competition drives investments in underwater drone technology, with implications for military sectors. GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, reveals that these technological advancements reshape national security.
Underwater drones are a niche segment primarily focused on military uses. According to GlobalData’s “Technology Foresights,” 157 patents related to underwater drones were filed between 2015 and 2023, indicating a burgeoning field of innovation.
” The underwater drone market is drawing new companies and substantial investments, signalling rapid growth potential,” says Rahul Kumar Singh, Senior Analyst of Disruptive Tech at GlobalData. These drones are becoming indispensable for applications such as environmental surveillance, facilitated by advancements in autonomous navigation and real-time data processing technologies.
Navies around the globe are increasingly investing in the development and integration of unmanned surface vehicles (USV) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) to create ‘hybrid’ fleet structures in the interest of enhancing survivability, increasing efficiency, and reducing the long-term costs of naval operations, according to GlobalData’s “Thematic Intelligence: Unmanned Maritime Vehicles 2023” report.
Northrop Grumman‘s Manta Ray prototype unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) has completed in-water testing, demonstrating its modular design and readiness for real-world deployment.
Recent funding highlights from GlobalData’s Deals Database illustrate a clear trend toward rapid innovation. For instance, US-based Terradepth has raised $28m to advance its Absolute Ocean platform, making ocean data accessible via the cloud. Similarly, Beijing Haizhou Unmanned Ship Technology’s Pre-Series A financing in March 2024 marks progress in autonomous maritime systems, reflecting China’s focus on this sector.
This trend is not confined to the US and China. South Korea’s Kalman, backed by a $370,000 investment from The Invention Lab, is enhancing its Lobster robot for nuclear plant inspections, emphasising the technology’s role in maintaining safety in high-risk environments. Meanwhile, Turkish startup AISField secured funding from Tupras Ventures to develop underwater drones for the energy sector, highlighting the global reliance on unmanned technologies.
However, the rapid advancement of underwater drone technology also presents challenges. Singh points out that issues such as cost-effectiveness and scalable production need to be addressed to fully realise the potential of these innovations. Despite these challenges, the continued investment and technological progress promise to improve how we interact with underwater environments, making them more resilient and adaptable to changing conditions.
While the US-China tech rivalry is a significant driver of innovation in underwater drone technology, the benefits of these advancements are poised to extend across multiple sectors, most obviously the military industry. As global powers invest heavily in enhancing their underwater capabilities, the resulting technological breakthroughs are set to transform military applications. (Source: naval-technology.com)
09 Jul 24. Police trial drone as a first responder technology on the Isle of Wight. In one of the first Drone as First Responder (DFR) trials in the UK, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police trialled the technology as part of policing the 2024 Isle of Wight Festival.
DFR is a concept being developed and tested by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) pathways programme. DFR sees police drones launched and piloted remotely to provide a fast response to incidents, feeding back real time information to police control rooms and operational units.
The trial at the Isle of Wight Festival created a simulated DFR capability in addition to the force’s routine police drones resource and saw a drone being flown from an IDI Automated Deployment System – essentially a remote box from which the drone is launched.
Pilot and NPCC BVLOS Project Lead, Chris Stagg, led the experienced team running the trial which was stationed at a temporary heliport set up for the festival within a temporary restricted area. He said the event was the first time the team had been able to put the DFR technology to use in a live environment. “It gave us a great insight to just how effective it could be as part of a routine policing response in the near future, helping keep people safe and providing a dynamic and responsive view of the situation on the ground.”
In addition to the live view, the DFR capability was deployed in response to a request to check that road closures were correctly in place.
The NPCC said the trial will inform future development of drone use in policing. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
12 Jul 24. NAVAIR Selects Near Earth Autonomy for USMC Aerial Logistics Connector Program. NAVAIR has selected Near Earth Autonomy to lead one of the teams demonstrating optimized logistics using rotorcraft for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program through an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) under the Naval Aviation Systems Consortium (NASC).
In collaboration with industry leaders Leonardo and Honeywell, Near Earth will showcase advanced autonomy on the Leonardo AW139 helicopter to provide logistical support during expeditionary operations in contested environments.
The AW139, renowned for its versatility in defense, medical rescue, law enforcement, and energy operations worldwide, combined with Near Earth’s logistics mission autonomy system, will be the centerpiece of this program.
The objective is to field a flexible solution capable of transporting various types of cargo and serving in casualty evacuation roles, operating in both crewed and uncrewed configurations. This dual capability will significantly expand the range of missions USMC rotorcraft will be able to undertake. Specifically, the 20-month initiative will demonstrate the rapid deployment of cargo up to 3,000 lb. over a 200 NM radius.
For the ALC program, Leonardo will implement a fast loading, securing, and unloading system for Joint Modular Intermodal Containers (JMIC) on the AW139 helicopter. This system will integrate seamlessly with the helicopter, maintaining payload capacity and structural integrity. Honeywell, which already provides the AW139’s autopilot, will augment it to enable autonomous take-off and landing capabilities.
As the prime contractor, Near Earth will demonstrate a fully integrated logistics system featuring onboard autonomy that guides the aircraft and modifies the flight trajectory to avoid hazards without requiring a remote operator. Additionally, Near Earth will demonstrate mission autonomy, enabling lightly trained personnel to request, dispatch, monitor, and retask supply deliveries in contested environments.
The ALC program marks an operational-scenario implementation of Near Earth’s foundational vision — to pioneer autonomous solutions for full-scale helicopter logistics. This initiative underscores Near Earth’s commitment to enhancing efficiency, safety, and reliability in aerial logistics.
Sanjiv Singh, CEO of Near Earth, stated, “We started the company in 2012 to demonstrate autonomous resupply operations in austere environments at an unprecedented scale. We proved feasibility in 2017 with an autonomous UH-1, and now the Aerial Logistics Connector program allows us to demonstrate a complete system that meets this operational need in the near future. We look forward to working with our partners at Leonardo, Honeywell and NAVAIR to build upon state-of-the-art to advance the efficiency and safety of military logistics. ”
“Leonardo Helicopters is excited to introduce the USMC to the world-class AW139 helicopter for this next-generation FVL mission,” said Scott Volkert, Dir. of USMC Programs for Leonardo Helicopters. “The combination of Near Earth’s autonomy and AW139 platform will provide the Marines relief on their combat rotorcraft fleet and reduce their workforce requirements.”
“The future of aviation will include several layers of autonomy, and Honeywell is proud to work with our partners to provide the cutting-edge technologies that enable safe and secure autonomy solutions across a range of vehicles, including the AW139,” said Matt Milas, president, Defense & Space, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies.
This project builds on Near Earth’s extensive experience with numerous defense logistics products and initiatives. In 2010, the founders demonstrated the first autonomous helicopter flight for the Army Combat Medic program. From 2012 to 2017, Near Earth focused on the USMC Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS), to demonstrate an aircraft-agnostic autonomy system suitable for logistics.
Currently, Near Earth is actively integrating autonomy into various other aircraft to support USMC logistics needs. Near Earth also leads Project Crimson to enable autonomous delivery of blood and medical supplies for Army Telemedicine and the Army Heavy VTOL UAS program to demonstrate a multipurpose uncrewed aerial system. (Source: UAS VISION)
15 Jul 24. New $100m drone package to grow ADF SUAS fleet. Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy has announced that the federal government is investing $100m to boost the ADF’s small uncrewed aerial systems (SUAS) fleet.
The package covers the acquisition of two small uncrewed aerial systems: the Quantum-Systems Vector 2-in-1 and the SYPAQ Systems CorvoX.
The government expects that the package will enhance the Australian Defence Force’s surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, potency, and improve force protection across land and littoral environments. The acquisition ensures “Australian military personnel are provided with cutting-edge lethal and non-lethal capabilities and underscoring an unwavering commitment to National Defence,” a release from the Minister said.
The capabilities can also be deployed as a complement to Australia’s crewed systems, and are scheduled for delivery in 2025.
Despite the acquisition, Defence has committed to continue trialling low-cost and expendable uncrewed and autonomous systems which can be constructed at scale.
The government explained that the announcement will grow the more than 20 drone systems in operation by the ADF.
It comes as the Albanese government has earmarked more than $10bn on expenditure for uncrewed systems.
Minister Conroy said the announcement was important in ensuring that the ADF can overcome current and emerging threats.
“Defence’s partnership with two pioneering companies is an example of how the Albanese government is not only investing in Australian ingenuity but also in the capabilities our ADF personnel needs to keep Australians safe,” Minister Conroy said in a recent statement.
“With this investment, the Albanese government will grow our defence industrial base, supply chains and create highly skilled, well-paid jobs.
“The delivery of these uncrewed aerial systems in 2025, within a year of project approval, is a significant demonstration of Defence and industry’s strong partnership and intent to enhance the speed at which we introduce capabilities in support of current and future Defence requirements.”
The contract is expected to create 30 skilled jobs in Brisbane and Melbourne. (Source: Defence Connect)
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LAND:
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AIR;
BCB`s sister company UAVE have been manufacturing since 2013, the Dragon MK3, large, long range (1,000km) long endurance (12hours), versatile and mission-ready UAV. It is proven and operational from the polar regions to 45deg C heat in the Middle East and Asia. The larger of the 3 models, carries 25 kilos payload.
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