QinetiQ Supports Next Gen SAR Missions
British multinational defence technology company Qinetiq collaborates with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to investigate how drone technology can strengthen their Search and Rescue (SAR) missions.Small unmanned air systems are delivering disruptive change across the industry. Ten years ago what was predominantly a niche hobby, or military technology, has now found wide commercial success. Anyone can easily have an eye in the sky and recent publicity is changing the way organisations view their problems.The Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) oversees search and rescue operations in the UK. Their volunteer Coastguard Rescue Teams respond to time-critical calls and work tirelessly to save lives.Funded by QinetiQ’s Internal Research and Development…
Navy Maritime Tactical Unmanned Air Systems
Images of remotely piloted aircraft soaring over a naval fleet might seem like an ultramodern picture. But unmanned aircraft are nothing new to the Fleet Air Arm, which has provided remotely piloted targets for gunnery practice since 1953. This started with the jet-powered Jindivik pilotless aircraft being used as a target, then for target towing before retirement in 1998. Sea Sparrow missiles were tested by firing at Kalkara aircraft, the Jindivik’s successor. Navy now has a different generation of remotely piloted aircraft in mind with fixed and rotary-wing maritime tactical unmanned air systems undergoing evaluation. The first of these is the ScanEagle…
Navy Unmanned Aircraft Sets the Bar
The Navy's X-47B unmanned aircraft has completed its final test aboard 'USS Theodore Roosevelt' (CVN 71) and has returned to its home base at Naval Air Station Patuxent River after eight days at sea
, informs U.S. Naval Air Systems Command. While underway, the X-47B flew in the carrier pattern with manned aircraft for the first time and conducted a total of five catapult launches, four arrestments and nine touch-and-go landings, including a night time shipboard flight deck handling evaluation. "This is another detachment for the record books; all tests were safely and effectively executed," said Capt. Beau Duarte, Navy's Unmanned Carrier Aviation program manager. Testing began Aug. 17 when the X-47B performed its initial cooperative launch and recovery cycle with an F/A-18.
SCAA Supports International Oil Spill Conference
As the Voice of Spill Response Professionals, the Spill Control Association of America (SCAA) is supporting and assisting with the planning and coordination of IOSC 2014 on May 5-8 in Savannah, Ga. SCAA encouraged all members to attend IOSC, submit technical papers, volunteer as technical paper review team members and demonstrate equipment technologies. The centerpiece of SCAA's support during this year's Conference is working with the U.S. Coast Guard IOSC Program Planning Committee and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) to develop and facilitate the On-Water and Aerial Technology Demonstration schedule for 5 p.m. on May 7.
L-3 Taps Whitlow as President of Aviation and Maritime Services Division
L-3 Communications said that Bill Whitlow was named as President of its Aviation and Maritime Services division (AMSD). Whitlow assumes the role previously held by Tom Brennan before his recent retirement from L-3. Prior to his promotion, Whitlow was a Vice President at AMSD. AMSD, based in Marlton, New Jersey, is a recognized industry leader, providing engineering, management, training and technical support services nation-wide. In 2006 AMSD continued to expand its role in the development and integration of Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) under contracts with the U.S. Navy.
