Robotics Trends

AeroVironment Receives $37.9 Million Raven UAS Order Orders for Raven systems, a 4.2-pound, backpackable, hand-launched visual sensor platform, represent initial portion of Raven funding from United States Department of Defense Fiscal 2010 Budget. AeroVironment, Inc. (AV) (NASDAQ:AVAV) announced that it received firm fixed-price orders valued at $20,731,992 for digital Raven unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and digital retrofit kits, and $17,141,648 for Raven system spare parts, repairs and training services for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. The Raven system and retrofit order represents a portion of the $121 million appropriated for RQ-11 Raven system procurement in the 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, which was signed into law in December 2009. The balance of government fiscal 2010 procurement funding that is anticipated to be converted into orders is proceeding through the procurement process.… View this post
Filed in: Security & Defense Robotics • Feature • Robotics Features
Tagged: Uas, Unmanned aerial system, Department of defense appropriations act, Raven, Aerovironment

Northrop Grumman’s Bat Unmanned Aircraft System Successfully Completes First Flight Designed for the irregular warfare environment, Northrop Grumman’s “Bat” UAS offers real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, communications relay, and future capabilities in a modular system that is fully autonomous. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) today that it has flown the first in a new series of Bat unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in January, 2010. Configured with a 12-foot wingspan, the Bat-12 incorporates a highly-reliable Hirth engine as well as a low acoustic signature five-blade propeller. The new configuration increases the mission portfolio of Northrop Grumman’s scalable Bat UAS product line. Northrop Grumman has been engaged in the development of unmanned systems for more than sixty years, delivering more than 100,000 unmanned solutions to military customers across the world. Since acquiring the Bat product line from Swift Engineering… View this post
Filed in: Security & Defense Robotics • Feature • Robotics Features
Tagged: Uas, Northrop grumman, Unmanned aircraft systems, Bat, Bat-12

Northrop Grumman’s MQ-8B Fire Scout Demonstrates Interoperability With the Army’s OSRVT MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned autonomous helicopter has been shown to work with the Army’s One System Remote Video Terminal (OSRVT) video and data system, enabling warfighters to remotely downlink live surveillance images and critical geospatial data. A Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) land-based MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Unmanned Aircraft System, designated P7, successfully demonstrated interoperability with the Army’s One System(R) Remote Video Terminal (OSRVT) at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., the week of November 23. Fire Scout’s OSRVT demonstration illustrates its readiness to support Brigade Combat Teams. Designed and produced by AAI Corporation, the OSRVT provides direct receipt of full-motion video and targeting metadata by capturing the Omni broadcast from UAS that are within a unit’s area of operations. This demonstration is one in a series to prepare… View this post
Filed in: Security & Defense Robotics • Latest News • RT News
Tagged: Robot, Uav, Uas, Unmanned aerial vehicle, Mq-8b, Robotics autonomous, Fire scout, Unmanned aerial system

Insitu Demonstrates One Launch and Recovery System Developer of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) vehicle releases common launch and recovery system suitable for Insitu’s ScanEagle, Integrator and NightEagle platforms. Insitu Inc., a Boeing [NYSE: BA] subsidiary, announced the successful demonstration of its interoperable unmanned aircraft (UA) launch and recovery system. The SkyHook wing-tip recovery system and next generation launcher support all of the company’s UA–Integrator, ScanEagle and NightEagle–reducing the overall operational footprint in challenging terrain. The rugged and powerful launcher is based upon the same pneumatic technologies that have proven reliable and effective on some 15 ship classes as well as on land. SkyHook eliminates the need for runways or complicated net captures and enables safe shipboard recovery and expeditionary capability for tactical missions on land or sea. “Insitu is focused on helping customers… View this post
Filed in: Security & Defense Robotics • Latest News
Tagged: Robot, Robotics, Uas, Skyhook, Integrator, Scaneagle, Insitu, Unmanned aerial systems

Northrop Grumman’s Hunter Unmanned Aircraft System Fielded With Automatic Takeoff and Landing System Second generation Hunter UAS, the MQ-5B, now equipped with an ATLS, successfully completes its first launch and recovery. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has equipped and fielded its Hunter Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) with an Automatic Takeoff and Landing System (ATLS) to the Army’s UAS Training Battalion, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., where it successfully completed its first launch and recovery. Hunter, which has been in use with the Army since 1996, was originally designed using an External Pilot (EP) for take-offs and landings. Like a radio-controlled airplane, the EP required someone manually controlling Hunter during approach and landing as well as take-off. Using differential GPS, ATLS eliminates the need for an EP and allows Hunter to take-off and land automatically and do so precisely at pre-surveyed points on… View this post
Filed in: Security & Defense Robotics • Feature
Tagged: Robot, Unmanned, Uas, Unmanned aircraft system, Northrop grumman, Atls, Hunter, Mq-5b