User blog: Bruce McPherson

Anyone in the world

Sweden’s Heart Aerospace will now build a 30-seat hybrid-electric regional aircraft called the ES-30, dropping previous plans for a 19-seater called the ES-19.

However, that also sees service entry slip to 2028 from an earlier target of 2026.

ES-30

Source: Heart Aerospace

Thirty-seat design features a wing-fuselage brace and large battery compartment

Heart has also revealed two new shareholders, with Air Canada and Saab taking minority stakes in the business.

Revealing the change of course at an event at its development centre at Save airport near Gothenburg on 15 September, Heart founder and chief executive Anders Forslund said the ES-30 “is an airplane the industry can use

“We have designed a cost-efficient airplane that allows airlines to deliver good service on a wide range of routes,” he says.

ES-30

Source: Heart Aerospace

Service entry for the ES-30 is expected from 2028

Heart in June said it was changing the certification basis of the ES-19, moving from the European CS-23 to CS-25 standard for larger aircraft.

Although the ES-30 retains the four-motor layout of its ES-19 predecessor, the design now features a wing-fuselage brace and a large battery compartment below the fuselage.

Range with 30 passengers on board in all-electric mode is a claimed 108nm (200km), or 215nm using reserve power from two turbogenerators. In addition, range of up to 430nm is possible if only 25 passengers are carried.

ES-30 over water

Source: Heart Aerospace

Heart Aerospace says its ES-30 will have an all-electric range of 108nm

Existing customers Mesa Airlines and United Airlines – which between them have ordered 200 aircraft, plus 100 options – have reconfirmed their interest in the ES-30, Heart says.

The company also holds letters of intent for a further 96 ES-30s from carriers including Braathens Regional Airlines, Icelandair and SAS, plus lessor Rockton, which accounts for 40 units on its own.

New shareholders Air Canada and Saab have each invested $5 million in the business, with the airline also placing a purchase order for 30 aircraft.

Heart will build the ES-30 at a new campus at Save airport, which it has dubbed Northern Runway. Comprising design, production and flight-test facilities, the company hopes this will establish the electric aviation industry at the location.

By Dominic Perry, Gothenburg
 
Anyone in the world

A Wing Aviation LLC drone delivers a package at a customer’s home in Christiansburg, Virginia, U.S., on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. The offshoot of Alphabet Inc.’s Google, in partnership with Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc., became the first drone operator sanctioned by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation to deliver packages to customers. Photographer Logan Cyrus/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Photographer: Bloomberg/Bloomberg)


For package delivery, the “last mile” has always been the most complicated and expensive to complete. Now with companies large and small pursuing drone deliveries, the last few feet of the parcel delivery will become the sticking point. A recent FAA decision brings the possibility closer to reality, but don’t expect a fleet of package-bearing drones to ever darken the sky.


The delivery idea is attractive as drones become more common. They give great overhead shots of outdoor events. Documentaries have a new flair that wasn’t possible when using a helicopter and pilot. Businesses, from railroads to food growers to insurance companies, employ drones for inspections without risking workers climbing on damaged buildings or dangling from a rail bridge. The military, scientists and first responders use drones in all kinds of situations. People fly them as a hobby all over the place — a park, beach, in the woods — sometimes invading others privacy.


For package delivery, the hurdles are both technical and strategic. The safe handoff from a flying machine the size of a push lawnmower with rotors whirling at high speed is an obvious one.  Another is weather. And drone delivery of a single package defies any economy of scale.

Still, package delivery by drone has received much hype, but this use always stretched the technology and requires new regulations. To unleash the delivery potential, the Federal Aviation Administration would have to allow drones to fly beyond the line of sight of an operator with the faith that the technology would keep them from crashing into something or someone.


The FAA took a big step toward this reality last week when it granted so-called type certification to a delivery drone built by Matternet, a startup in Mountain View, California. This certification marks the first nonmilitary drone that the cautious FAA has deemed safe to fly over people and will be able to fly everywhere regulations allow the aircraft. This process took four years, so the technology is being rolled out methodically as drone operators prove themselves.


The FAA currently gives exemptions to companies for long-distance flights on specific routes without an eyes-on monitor. Wing Aviation LLC, Amazon.com Inc. and a United Parcel Service Inc. unit have delivered packages by drone under this certification. The agency plans to replace its current practice with general rules for flying beyond visual line of sight, and when that happens, drones like those made by Matternet will be unleashed. This will allow long-distance flights for inspecting pipelines or railroad tracks or delivering packages.

Matternet is one of the more advanced drone delivery companies and underscores how the technology can work in a niche setting. It has been shuttling health-care items for years between hospitals that are 3 miles apart in Zurich. The startup is setting up a citywide medical drone network in Abu Dhabi. In the US, the company has worked with UPS to make deliveries of laboratory-type items on hospital campuses in the US and parcels from a CVS Health Corp. pharmacy to a Florida retirement community.


Health care is a unique market because there’s urgency for some deliveries, which command a price premium for speed. Deliveries of lab results can fetch $20 to $40 for each item even over short distances. These deliveries usually follow specific routes, say between laboratories at two separate hospitals. For these deliveries, Matternet has designed a large pod that the drone can land on without getting near people. The packages are left and picked up at the pods, and the drone can even autonomously swap out a spent battery for a charged one.


This won’t be the case for e-commerce. People have become accustomed to finding their packages close to their doorsteps or building entrances. This creates a “last meter” problem because of the difficulty for drones to safely drop off packages without nipping the ears of the family dog or getting tangled in holiday yard decorations. The FAA isn’t keen on these vehicles taking off and landing by themselves near people.


Companies pursuing drone deliveries, including Amazon and Walmart Inc., are trying different solutions to drop packages at homes. Parachutes and winches are a couple of the common methods, as is dropping from low altitudes. All of them have complications.


The biggest hurdle is that drones will be making point-to-point deliveries, which is the quickest but most inefficient way to take packages to homes or businesses. The drone will travel out and back from a warehouse to deliver one item. This may create a premium market for emergency deliveries, but it would take a small army of drones to service the 150 to 200 packages that just one truck normally takes on a route.


It’s true that a large majority of packages weigh 5 pounds or less and that the drones being tested can handle that weight. Still, it would take two drones to deliver two items to a household that together weighed more than the drone’s payload limit. For a delivery truck that second package increases efficiency exponentially. That efficiency equation applies to dropping off a package at one house and then another across the street.


In logistics, this is called density, and it’s the holy grail for increasing profits. Drones, because they only make point-to-point deliveries, have no density. In fact, an Amazon drone shipment may take away a package that would have provided a nearby delivery for a route serviced by an Amazon truck. 


While drone technology has improved and the aircraft can detect and avoid objects in the air, they can’t fly in heavy wind or rain nor icy conditions. UPS doesn’t stop delivering when the weather is bad. That’s why UPS Chief Executive Officer Carol Tome said in January, “There are lots of issues with drones.”


Then there is the reaction from consumers. Do they truly want drones buzzing around their neighborhoods? How often do they need to receive an air-dropped item 30 minutes after placing an order?

There is a place in the logistics world for delivery by drone. Despite the hype in the e-commerce market, it’s unlikely the sky will be studded with packages coming in for a landing on doorsteps.


This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.


Thomas Black is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering logistics and manufacturing. Previously, he covered U.S. industrial and transportation companies and Mexico’s industry, economy and government.


Analysis by Thomas Black | Bloomberg


 
Anyone in the world

AURA Network Systems has published its latest white paper, “Unlocking the Potential of Certified BVLOS Operations: The Value of Greenfield Aviation Spectrum.” The report outlines the standards and policies being developed to enable safe integration of uncrewed aircraft (UA) into controlled airspace. It also addresses the technological innovations necessary to meet those standards for certification.

As the paper notes, “The potential of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA)–also referred to as uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) or commercial drones–has sparked tremendous excitement and investment across the world. From a distance, Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) seems simple enough given that thousands of aircraft fly daily. But the process of remotely piloting an uncrewed aircraft reliably and safely from Point A to a point beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) is a task that requires an extraordinary amount of reliability, engineering, technology innovation and an unwavering commitment to safety.”

The company’s dedication to safety is emphasized by AURA President and Chief Technology Officer Tamara Casey: “Every piece of AURA’s network has been clean-sheet designed to enable operators using our network to assure regulators and demonstrate means of compliance with DO-377A and beyond. The performance. The reliability. The latency. Ultimately, the FAA is the North Star for this communications network built on greenfield spectrum–specifically for aviation.”



[ Modified: Thursday, 15 September 2022, 7:06 AM ]
 
Anyone in the world

Australian company Skyportz has identified 400 sites in the country as possible locations for vertiports once advanced air mobility (AAM) arrives in the region. Skyportz Image

Skyportz released the design for Australia’s first vertiport at the Caribbean Park business precinct outside of the Melbourne central business district. The design was unveiled in August at the AAM Summit, organized by the Australian Association for Uncrewed Systems (AAUS).


Designed by Contreras Earl Architecture, the vertiport features a modular, pre-fabricated, aluminium monocoque structure that can be assembled in a short period of time and is lightweight and sustainable, according to Rafael Contreras, director of Contreras Earl Architecture. Interior modules will be installed in a plug-and-play approach, he said.


Skyportz worked on the design with the architect, along with the Caribbean Park business park, aviation consultancy To70, planning and engineering firm Arup, and Australian helicopter operator Microflite, to ensure the design meets operational requirements. Microflite already operates helicopters to Caribbean Park and has commitments for up to 40 eVTOL aircraft from Eve Air Mobility.


Skyportz CEO Clem Newton-Brown said it is seeking investment partners to fund the construction of the Caribbean Park vertiport, which is expected to be the first in a network of sites around the country. With US$10 billion already invested in eVTOL aircraft development, Newton-Brown anticipates investment of hundreds of millions of dollars into infrastructure to follow in the next wave of development for the sector.

Newton-Brown said Skyportz has been doing the ground work for the last four years, identifying sites, working with aviation consultants, regulatory authorities and operators, and building a business case to attract investors. It will be ready to partner with serious investors and get the necessary approvals so that vertiport infrastructure is ready as soon as it is needed.


“We are assembling the pieces of the puzzle on a table to ensure it makes sense,” he said.


Caribbean Park is the perfect testbed, according to Newton-Brown, with helicopter operations already permitted on site.


The crucial aspect is to get a property partnership and identify sites for vertiports, Newton-Brown told delegates at the AAM Summit, with airports being “low-hanging fruit” that need to be involved in the network.


“The least difficult part is building the vertiport,” acknowledged Kevin Cox, CEO of Ferrovial Vertiports, during the summit.


Ferrovial is looking to build a network of vertiports across the U.S. and Europe, with projects underway in Florida, the U.K. and Spain. Its first vertiport location will be in West Palm Beach, Florida, where it is in advanced conversations regarding locations and seeking approvals, he said.


Skyports, which is already active in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region in Singapore, Japan and Korea, is keen to access the Australian market.


“We are very interested in entering Australia. We have experience to bring to Australia,” said Yun Yuan Tay, head of APAC at Skyports. In Singapore, Skyports developed the first vertiport prototype as part of Volocopter’s flight trials from Marina Bay.


Since then, the company has been building the safety case and regulatory work, with the first commercial eVTOL flights planned in Singapore in 2024. Construction of the vertiport at Singapore’s Seletar Aerospace Park will start next year.

Tay said lessons from this will be applied across the region, including in Australia. Skyports is part of the Australian AAM collaborative platform Greenbird, which is seeking to advance the commercialization of AAM in Australia, and is in discussions with many local players.


“Infrastructure takes time. The end-to-end process of vertiport network design and development takes three years or longer. It’s essential to begin the process of identifying sites as soon as possible,” Tay said, pointing to the lengthy process of site selection, design, planning, construction and certification.


How a vertiport will look and feel inside must be different to airports, delegates at the summit agreed.


“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. There are tons of things we’ve learned in aviation, but we are also looking at it like a blank piece of paper,” Cox said. “It’s a different form of aviation. Passenger time-savings is the hallmark of this nascent industry. If it feels, looks and operates like an airport then we have failed.”


Security screening is the aspect that could potentially make or break AAM, according to Jane Logan, senior aviation planner at Arup.


Cox agreed with that sentiment. “If we have the same type of security we have in airports today, we will crush this industry before it even takes off,” he said, making note of the lack of security for those getting in a taxi or train. “Our objective is to have some level of security, but nothing like you see in airports. It’s not necessary or appropriate.”


Australia will also have its own unique design requirements, particularly with one of the biggest business cases for AAM in the country likely to be connecting regions. Almost all of the work done on vertiports to date has involved urban vertiports, said Peter Smith, CEO of Barton Vale Technologies.


“We need to look at regional vertiports,” he said.


BY EMMA KELLY



 
Anyone in the world

The Switchblade 300 is a portable killer drone that dive-bombs into its target.   -   
Copyright  Cpl. Alexis Moradian/U.S. Marine Corps via AP

By Natalie Huet  with Reuters  •  Updated: 17/03/2022 - 19:30

The United States is reportedly sending "kamikaze" drones to Ukraine, as part of a new $800 billion (€722 billion) weapons package to help the country fight off Russia’s invasion.

The package will include 100 "tactical" unmanned drones, which US officials speaking on condition of anonymity say are Switchblades - small “suicide” drones that explode on impact.

What exactly do we know about this flying weapon, and what difference can it make in the war in Ukraine?

‘Precise targeting’

The Switchblade is basically a single-use drone that’s small enough to fit in a backpack, cruises at around 100 km/h and carries cameras, guidance systems and explosives to dive-bomb into its target.

Unlike most weapons, the Switchblade can also disengage or abort a mission at any time, and then recommit to another target depending on what the operator commands.

This aims to ensure that strikes are precise and can be called off at the very last minute if they endanger civilians or properties nearby.

Anti-armour warhead

There are two versions of this suicide drone: the Switchblade 300 and the Switchblade 600.

According to manufacturer AeroVironment, the Switchblade 300 can fly for up to 15 minutes and 10 km before striking its target.

The kamikaze drone uses real-time GPS coordinates and video for "precise targeting with low collateral effects," the company says.

It’s launched from a tube and its small size allows it to take off from a variety of air, sea, and ground platforms. The whole kit - including the payload, launcher, and transport bag - weighs just 2.5 kg.

AeroVironment, Inc.
A launch of the Switchblade 300 drone.AeroVironment, Inc.

The larger Switchblade 600 is a next-generation loitering missile that’s able to destroy armoured targets like tanks, but can still be set up and operational in less than 10 minutes, according to AeroVironment.

It has a range of around 40 km and an endurance of about 40 minutes - but is much heavier as a result, with the drone and missile it carries together weighing close to 55 kg.

AeroVironment, Inc.
A launch of the Switchblade 600 droneAeroVironment, Inc.

What other drones are used in Ukraine?

Ukrainian forces are already using a fleet of Turkish-made drones that drop laser-guided bombs.

These are Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles, which Turkey has already sold to more than a dozen countries, including Azerbaijan, Libya, Morocco and Ethiopia.

The drones have carried out unexpectedly successful Ukrainian attacks in the early stages of Russia’s invasion - before the Russian forces were able to set up their air defenses in the battlefield, according to Jack Watling of the London-based Royal United Services Institute.

He said Ukrainian forces "have been essentially flying in at a low-level and then coming up and raiding with them. So striking targets of opportunity.”


[ Modified: Friday, 18 March 2022, 9:32 AM ]
 
Anyone in the world

A man walks past a building damaged following a Russian rocket attack in the city of Kyiv, Ukraine on Feb. 25, 2022.Photo: Emilio Morenatti (AP)

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense has called on all citizens of Kyiv who own hobby drones to bring them in and help monitor the city as Russia invades, according to a new Facebook post by the military. Even if people don’t know how to fly their own drones very well they’re still being encouraged to bring them in so that experienced drone pilots can put them to good use during this critical time.

“Do you own a drone? Give it to experienced pilots to use!” the Facebook post says according to an English language translation.

“Do you know how to drive a drone? Join the joint patrol with units 112 of the separate brigade of the city of Kyiv!” the post continues.

Russia invaded Ukraine on the flimsiest pretext this week, when President Vladimir Putin said he wanted to “denazify” and demilitarize the country. It’s still not clear what Putin’s end goal with Ukraine might be, but the Biden administration warned on Thursday that Russia could expand its desire for territory beyond Ukraine.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky is still in Kyiv with his family and made an announcement Friday he had no plans to leave, even though he’s been identified as a primary target for Russian violence.

“If you don’t help us now, if you fail to offer a powerful assistance to Ukraine, tomorrow the war will knock on your door,” Zelensky warned the global community.

The Russians have already paid a high price for this horrific invasion, according to the Ukraine Ministry of Defense, with an estimated 800 enemy forces killed in the past 24 hours. There’s been no word yet on the number of Ukrainian casualties.

“Kiev is our home, defending it is a common task #STOPRUSSIA,” the Facebook post by the Ukraine Ministry of Defense says. “You and your drone need Kyiv in this fierce moment!”

ByMatt Novak

[ Modified: Friday, 4 March 2022, 11:14 AM ]
 
Anyone in the world

Teara Fraser, lead executive officer and founder of Iskwew Air, said Indigenous Peoples can play a significant role in the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry, believing that the Indigenous community can reap many rewards from entering the sector in its early stages.

Fraser should know — she was the first Indigenous woman to launch an airline in Canada. We recently connected with Fraser who shared her own perspective as an Indigenous individual working in the aviation field. The interview has been edited for clarity

eVTOL.com: Which organizations are you involved with in the AAM sector, and why do you choose to be a voice at those tables?  

Teara Fraser: Iskwew Air is one of 18 founding members of the Canadian Advanced Air Mobility Consortium (CAAM). I choose to be a voice at that table because there is care and intention around equity, and what that means as we work toward a different kind of industry with the emerging technology. The Indigenous voice is valued and welcomed.

I also sit on the board of the Aerial Evolution Association of Canada (formerly Unmanned Systems Canada), and I’m newly on the board of the Canadian Robotics Council. I’m part of these other organizations because I believe they will help us move forward to more sustainable skies.

eVTOL.com: What are some of the career opportunities you see developing in the AAM sector?

Teara Fraser: I see all kinds of careers. There are different kinds of technical skills that will be required for the aircraft of the future — technical skills from flying them, to fixing them, to charging them, to landing them, and everything else in between.

eVTOL.com: Why do you feel it’s important for Indigenous Peoples to have opportunities to get involved in the aviation industry as a whole, and in particular, the emerging AAM sector?  

Teara Fraser: It’s important for Indigenous Peoples to be involved in anything that is happening on the land that they have been stewarding for generations after generations.

The connection that Indigenous Peoples bring, the wisdom that offers us new and broader ways of thinking and being and doing will help us to redesign systems that are rooted in humanity.

Involve Indigenous Peoples because you should and you have a responsibility to, and really understand the gift that that perspective brings.

Since time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples have been creating, innovating, and working together for a better future. I want to see Indigenous Peoples in all different kinds of roles, in all places in the system, and most importantly, I want to see Indigenous Peoples leading in the space.

eVTOL.com: What are some of the obstacles that Indigenous Peoples face when pursuing opportunities in AAM or aviation in general?

Teara Fraser: The aviation industry as it is now has very little diversity. To me, the barrier is just so obvious. We need to dismantle the systems that create this inequity, that create the barriers for anyone who’s diverse to be part of the system.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, we have a really precious opportunity to disrupt that formidable status quo and reimagine, rematriate, and rebuild something that serves all peoples. It’s critically important for us to resist the ease of just building back the industry exactly as it was the way before.

eVTOL.com: Do you have any suggestions for what non-Indigenous Peoples can do to help remove obstacles?

Teara Fraser: Look at how you, your team, and your organization are uplifting those who have been historically, colonially, and intentionally excluded from the system. At every opportunity, uplift those who haven’t had the same access or opportunities to be part of aviation and aerospace.

Even just think about who are you hiring, by what metrics are you measuring the competence of people to be part of your team, and who’s in your leadership?

When it comes to Indigenous Peoples specifically, people need to understand the history of colonization and genocide to understand how our current and existing systems are built upon the oppression of Indigenous Peoples. In that understanding, people can then see where the inequities in the system need to be reconciled.

Teara Fraser IskwewTeara Fraser is the lead executive officer and founder of Iskwew Air in Vancouver, British Columbia. Image: Ida Adamowicz, Wonderful Ida Content Creation Co.

eVTOL.com: Iskwew Air’s Give Them Wings program works to introduce young Indigenous Peoples to aviation. What other training, support programs, education, etc., do you see as being needed to help encourage more Indigenous Peoples to enter this sector — and who do you see as being primarily responsible for providing these supports?

Teara Fraser: What’s needed is an examination of a system that isn’t working, and dismantling the parts of that system that lead to this in the first place, while at the same time offering the specific supports that will encourage meaningful engagement.  

Indigenous Peoples need to be able to see themselves in the industry and feel like they have access. There are significant socio-economic gaps that have been created as a result of colonization. So, how do we increase opportunities for access and reduce financial barriers?

If we’re really interested in engaging Indigenous Peoples now or in the future of flight, then everyone has a role in that.

Industry leaders have a responsibility to not rely on the way it’s always been, but to really think about how we can create an ecosystem where everyone belongs. Organizations have a responsibility to create culturally competent work environments.

It’s important to never underestimate the difference that individual humans can make in creating change. You can always be looking at: “What impacts can I have on the larger system?” and “What can I do right now that can be of service?”

eVTOL.com: Do you see any possibilities for AAM technology benefiting Indigenous communities, particularly ones that are more remote?  

Teara Fraser: Absolutely. Making transportation more equitable and accessible. Creating more resilient supply chains to those remote communities. Communities using this emerging technology to uplift their own Indigenous land, story, sovereignty, and stewardship. Giving access to supplies, access to the basic human rights of medical care and medical supplies. The list goes on and on.

eVTOL.com: What things should eVTOL developers and/or urban air mobility companies keep in mind when looking to partner with Indigenous communities?

Teara Fraser: I know that when I’m looking at who I might partner with, I’m specifically looking at what is their justice lens on their work, whether it’s social, racial, ecological, or economical justice — who cares about those things not in a performative way, but an actual way?

I think many developers and companies will want to partner with Indigenous companies and communities, and I think that’s great if it is done in an authentic, meaningful way. From an Indigenous worldview, everything is about relationships.

eVTOL.com: Anything else you’d like to add? 

Teara Fraser: With Iskwew Air, we see ourselves as a bridge between traditional air transportation and the sustainable technology of the future. As a Métis woman, I’m already a bridge builder. I believe that together we can reimagine, rematriate, and rebuild an industry that centers around equity and sustainability. We can together decolonize and de-carbonize our skies for the next seven generations.

By Tamara Botting
 
Anyone in the world

UAV Factory, a leader in unmanned and autonomous technology, announced today that the Company has rebranded and will go to market as Edge Autonomy following its recent merger with Jennings Aeronautics (“JAI”). Edge Autonomy brings together two of the world’s leading small unmanned aerial vehicle platforms and camera payload manufacturers and represents a new chapter for a unified, innovation-driven company to lead the market in multi-domain unmanned and autonomous systems applications.

Edge Autonomy represents decades of proven unmanned systems technology delivered to government, commercial, and academic customers in nearly 60 countries. The former JAI headquarters in San Luis Obispo, California will serve as the new headquarters for Edge Autonomy. The Company is backed by AE Industrial Partners, a private equity firm specializing in aerospace, defence & government services, space, power & utility services, and speciality industrial markets.

John Purvis, Chief Executive Officer of Edge Autonomy, stated, “When UAV Factory and JAI came together in September of last year, it was clear that we wanted a new brand that reflects the true breadth and power of our global platform. Edge Autonomy captures our mission to help our clients gain a critical edge by harnessing the latest UAV technology. Building on the stellar reputation of the legacy companies, we are confident Edge Autonomy will become synonymous for innovation and quality in the autonomous systems market. We’re excited for the opportunities ahead.”

AE Industrial Partners Principal Jeff Hart added, “The name Edge Autonomy reflects the vision of the organization and speaks to our ability to drive and deliver innovation at the tactical edge. We have successfully provided unmanned technologies to the military, first responders, commercial, and academia while never losing sight of the customer mission. As we expand our multi-domain offerings, Edge Autonomy will lead the way with unprecedented capabilities, quality, and customer service.”

Edge Autonomy brings a diverse ecosystem of unmanned platforms, EO/IR camera payloads, and unmatched global reach with manufacturing and flight test facilities that service customers with innovation, speed, and agility. With an experienced talent pool and a global base of employees, including some of the world’s top unmanned systems engineers and payload sensor experts, Edge Autonomy is well-positioned to help customers positively impact Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations in innovative and cost-effective ways.

To learn more about Edge Autonomy, including brand, customer, and application-specific information, please visit the company’s new website at www.EdgeAutonomy.io.

About Edge Autonomy

Headquartered in San Luis Obispo, California, Edge Autonomy is a leader in unmanned and autonomous technology and was established with the goal of developing the most advanced platforms and sensors in the unmanned market. The company’s unmanned technologies are used in nearly 60 countries by government, commercial and academic customers. Edge Autonomy benefits from its vertically integrated operations and global footprint, including over 150,000 square feet of manufacturing facilities on two continents, with key support offices located in Bend, Oregon, and Herndon, Virginia. More information is available at www.EdgeAutonomy.io  For updates, follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

About AE Industrial Partners

AE Industrial Partners is a private equity firm specializing in aerospace, defense & government services, space, power & utility services, and specialty industrial markets. AE Industrial Partners invests in market-leading companies that can benefit from its deep industry knowledge, operating experience, and relationships throughout its target markets. AE Industrial Partners is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment and the ILPA Diversity in Action initiative. Learn more at Learn more at www.aeroequity.com.

By PRESS
 
Anyone in the world

  • Key technology will enable the adoption of self-flying aircraft, drones and advanced air mobility vehicles.
  • Honeywell’s radar determined the best path and autonomously swerved around an intruder drone that did not have a transponder.

PHOENIX, Feb. 2, 2022 — A drone piloted by the Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON) IntuVue RDR-84K radar system has triumphed in a high-stakes game of dodgeball, repeatedly swerving around intruder aircraft in a series of tests that are key to the future of pilotless aviation.

Recently conducted in the Phoenix area, the tests showed that the radar can not only detect airborne traffic but can also decide autonomously on a course of action. The radar can take over navigation and pilot an aircraft to safety using its onboard processor.

“We set up the ultimate game of ‘chicken,’ but the RDR-84K simply wouldn’t let these aircraft get into danger,” said Sapan Shah, product manager, Advanced Air Mobility, Honeywell Aerospace. “This is a leap forward in safety that could have far-ranging impacts across aviation.”

Avoiding unforeseen objects is a key requirement for autonomous drones and other aircraft that fly beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) of an operator. However, this detect-and-avoid capability is extremely difficult in the air. Radars must have long ranges because of the high speeds involved, and they must pick out airborne traffic from ground clutter, including moving cars. They also require precise location information to make sense of radar echoes.

This is difficult on the ground and even more complex in the sky. To compensate, pilots, and even huge air traffic control radars, rely on cooperative aircraft to beam out their locations using onboard transponders. Objects without transponders — hobby drones, kites, birds and aircraft with broken transponders — are known as “noncooperating” traffic.

The RDR-84K, which is the size of a paperback book, has proven its ability to detect noncooperating traffic during extensive testing while mounted on helicopters and drones. But the new tests marked the first time it has performed the avoidance function without human intervention.

With both drones on autopilot, Honeywell engineers flew two quadcopter drones directly at each other 300 feet above the ground at a test site in the desert.

In multiple flights, the drone equipped with the RDR-84K detected the noncooperating “intruder” drone and evaluated its flight path. Then it calculated an avoidance maneuver and took over navigation — flying left, right, up, down or stopping midair, depending on winds and other factors.

Once the danger of a collision had passed, the radar released control of the drone, and the autopilot guided it back to its original course.

“This was all automatic,” said Larry Surace, lead systems engineer for the RDR-84K, Honeywell Aerospace. “The radar recognized the danger, decided on a course of action, flew to safety and then made sure the danger had passed — all without input from anyone on the ground.”

The team then challenged the RDR-84K with increasingly difficult encounters, such as approaching from below to blend into ground clutter and from offset angles, testing the radar’s peripheral vision and high angular detection capabilities. In other flights, the team instructed the radar to wait longer before acting, forcing it to make more aggressive maneuvers.

“The radar handled everything we threw at it,” Surace said. “It saw the danger immediately and successfully executed multiple avoidance maneuvers.”

Compared with most aircraft radars, the RDR-84K is tiny, weighing less than 2 pounds. Its face is only 8 inches wide and 4 inches high, and it is about 1 inch deep. Its onboard processor calculates avoidance paths, meaning aircraft do not need a separate computer to do this work.

Despite its small size, the radar can see targets 3 kilometers away. It uses monopulse technology — a system of overlapping beams — to increase accuracy and eliminate ground clutter. The radar steers its beams electronically, so it has no moving parts.

In addition to detecting traffic, the RDR-84K can map terrain and provide alternate navigation in the case of GPS failure. It can also act as a radar altimeter during landing.

The RDR-84K is part of Honeywell’s Beyond-Visual-Line-of-Sight suite of technologies, along with the small UAV satellite communications transmitter, hydrogen fuel cells and inertial navigation systems. These technologies are aimed at extending the range of uncrewed aircraft.

Learn about Honeywell’s other technologies for both large and small uncrewed aerial systems here.

 

About Honeywell

Honeywell Aerospace products and services are found on virtually every commercial, defense and space aircraft. The Aerospace business unit builds aircraft engines, cockpit and cabin electronics, wireless connectivity systems, mechanical components and more. Its hardware and software solutions create more fuel-efficient aircraft, more direct and on-time flights and safer skies and airports. For more information, visit www.honeywell.com or follow us at @Honeywell_Aero.  

Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 technology company that delivers industry-specific solutions that include aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer and more sustainable. 

By Adam Kress
[ Modified: Monday, 14 February 2022, 8:34 AM ]
 
Anyone in the world

Traditional storage tank inspection or inspection in hazardous environments require workers to risk their safety by working at great height or exposing themselves to harmful elements.

Today, we launch a solution that will reduce safety risks while improving operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Introducing Lumicopter, a collision-resistant drone that increases the safety and efficiency of indoor inspections. Designed to fly in enclosed/hazardous facilities, detects damages, and send a live video feed to the controlling tablet. It can be deployed quickly without any complex installation

Lumicopter is the most cost-effective collision-resistant indoor inspection drone designed to roll around tight corners and prevent being trapped. It enables professionals to easily inspect the interior of buildings, powerplants, ships, and other confined spaces.

“We want to use our expertise in drones and robotics to design reliable, cost-effective, collision-resistant indoor inspection drones for industrial use, to help other businesses improve their inspection efficiency at a fraction of the current market cost”. – Wei Liang,
founder of Lumicopter.

Lumicopter is not only capable of flying in complex indoor environments but also capturing crystal clear videos of up to 4K 60 fps. Combined with a 4000 lumens LED system, Lumicopter is perfect for low light indoor inspection.

Additional features include a controllable single-axis camera tilt of up to 108°, reducing drone manoeuvre during the inspection. Superior flight stability thanks to downward vision sensor for altitude position hold. Signal penetration of up to three floors in a concrete
stairwell (no line of sight). Safety feature such as a forward distance sensor for obstacle avoidance is also available.

Our product brings a new perspective to indoor visual inspection, which can be used in various fields such as oil & gas, construction, power & utility, public safety, sewers etc.

About Lumicopter:

We are a team of young engineers and drone operators who have years of industrial and military drone experience. We have been providing Confined Space Inspection since 2017.

Over the years, we faced many challenges doing indoor inspections. As drone technology advances, we saw an opportunity that can solve most of our indoor inspection problems.

We did some R&D work and created the Lumicopter intending to help other businesses improve their inspection efficiency at a fraction of the current market cost.

Website: https://www.lumicopter.com/

By PRESS