Fruity Chutes, which manufactures UAS recovery systems, and Corporate Service Supply & Manufacturing (CSSM) have announced that CSSM is now an authorized reseller of Fruity Chutes UAV Recovery systems.
Through their agreement, CSSM can now sell the Fruity Chutes systems directly to its customers. The agreement also allows CSSM to integrate the Fruity Chutes Drone Recovery Systems into the UAS and system offerings that it markets to law enforcement, government, and commercial operators.
Air
Air
AeroVironment receives contract awards from U.S. Army for its Switchblade Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System and Contractor Logistics Support
AeroVironment has announced that in April, it received contract awards from the United States Army for procurement of its Switchblade Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS) and Contractor Logistics Support (CLS), bringing the total value of Switchblade awards to $111,054,202 since August 2017.
With the AeroVironment Switchblade, warfighters are provided with “rapid-response force protection and precision strike capabilities” up to 10 kilometers from its launch location. The Switchblade has been deployed by U.S. forces for more than five years.
ULC Robotics and Los Gatos Research showcase UAS technology during Mobile Methane Monitoring Challenge
While participating in the Mobile Methane Monitoring Challenge, ULC Robotics and Los Gatos Research (LGR) deployed their patented UAS-based sensor to identify the source of controlled methane leaks.
Data collected during the challenge by the UAS and sensor will be compared to eleven other ground- and aerial-based technologies.
“Leak surveys are traditionally carried out by vehicle or by foot, which can be inefficient and dangerous to utility workers,” says Michael Passaretti, UAV Program Manager at ULC Robotics.
Arizona fire departments considering incorporating UAS into their operations
Fire departments in Arizona are considering more and more how UAS could benefit their operations.
Division Chief Don Devendorf believes that the Prescott Fire Department could find various ways to use this technology, especially considering that the department's response area includes mountain terrain right in town, along with other “usual city” firefighting challenges.
AlarisPro UAS fleet management software benefits from customer input
After being asked to help a UAS manufacturer propose their system to the Department of Defense, Tony “Pooch” Pucciarella, founder of AlarisPro, says he was surprised to learn that the company was unfamiliar with standard aviation reliability and safety metrics such as mean time between replacement and failure.
This led Pucciarella to start designing the architecture for AlarisPro, UAS fleet management software that helps keep track of vital information regarding drones.
Among many things, the software provides detailed reports, flight and maintenance logs, and a dashboard that includes pilot status, UAS status and alerts, with colors — green (good), yellow (caution) and red (item is past due) — to indicate the current standing.
CPS Energy using UAS technology to perform routine inspections of overhead infrastructure
San Antonio’s CPS Energy has announced that it is now utilizing UAS technology to perform routine inspections of overhead infrastructure in a “safer and more efficient way.”
This announcement comes a year after the energy company tested using this technology to inspect transmission towers and associated high voltage lines in May 2017. Through this testing, CPS Energy found that UAS inspections of 50 transmission line towers were completed in just two and a half days, which is a far cry shorter than the nearly two weeks it would have taken to complete these inspections using conventional methods.
Canada's Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service launching UAS program in June
In an effort to provide “safer, quicker, and more efficient response” to emergency situations, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) will launch its UAS program in June.
Equipped with a thermal imaging camera, WFPS' UAS can help first responders locate individuals and fire hot spots, and it will also be able to identify potential structural issues.
Using the UAS, incident commanders on scene will be able to see what the UAS sees in real-time, which will allow them to deploy resources “more effectively” to the emergency.
Hazon Solutions to serve as preferred training partner for PrecisionHawk's BVLOS waiver consulting program
Hazon Solutions and PrecisionHawk have formed a strategic partnership that will result in Hazon serving as the preferred training partner for PrecisionHawk's Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) waiver consulting program.
“This partnership is the perfect marriage of resources between two best-in-breed companies,” says Hazon CEO and co-founder David A. Culler, Jr. CAPT, USN (ret.).
“Under the FAA Pathfinder Program, PrecisionHawk has developed a strong safety case for enterprises to conduct BVLOS drone operations, of which training and crew experience are a key component, two services where HAZON excels.”
Intelligent Energy's fuel cell technology could greatly enhance flight times of UAS
During Xponential, United-Kingdom-based Intelligent Energy made its debut by showcasing its fuel cell technology, which includes its lightweight 650W Fuel Cell Power Module specifically designed for the commercial UAS market.
The company says that its lightweight 650W Fuel Cell Power Module “offers considerably longer flight time when compared to traditional batteries.”
Besides longer flight time, the module also offers additional benefits such as increased productivity, less downtime as a result of quick refueling, and increased payload capability.
Unmanned systems bring benefits, but risks must be observed, keynotes say
Attendees of Wednesday’s keynote addresses on “The Unmanned Lifestyle” heard calls to balance enthusiasm for all that unmanned systems can bring to humanitarian causes and public safety with caution regarding the risks of turning over too much decision-making control to intelligent machines — and those who might hack them.
Opening speaker Zeynep Tufekci, a techno-sociologist based at the University of North Carolina, emphasized the importance of acknowledging the potential for discord and destabilization during times of great transition. On balance, she said, outcomes can be overwhelmingly positive, but the progress is often painful.
