Unmanned Vehicles

The FAA has approved Reliable Robotics process to certify a system designed to turn a variety of aircraft into remotely piloted vehicles. Rather than concentrate on the airframe, the company is instead working on the technology to apply remotely operated flight systems to existing aircraft. Its initial testbed has been a Cessna Caravan but the […]

The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) will be holding its UAS4STEM competition at the 2023 Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in convention. Now in its third year, the competition will include both beginner and advanced divisions for the first time. UAS4STEM is open to teams of students ages 11 to 19. “As the competition […]

Transport Canada has signed a one-year contract with an autonomous aircraft startup to provide pilotless cargo service to remote northern communities using a light aircraft. Ribbit Airlines founder Jeremy Yang told CTV News the Ontario-based company has developed software and hardware that will enable the autonomous missions to operate on a schedule with minimal human […]

Fifty-eight aviation stakeholders have been named members of the FAA’s unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) Detection and Mitigation Systems Aviation Rulemaking Committee. Established last March, the committee is tasked with ensuring that “new technologies designed to detect and mitigate risks from errant or hostile UAS do not adversely impact the safe and efficient operation of the […]

The Government Accountability Office says the FAA is dragging its feet on integrating drones into the National Airspace System and confounding industry efforts to get their businesses off the ground. In a report published last week, the GAO says the agency needs to step up its efforts to create a comprehensive strategy for drones to […]

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed rules to allow wireless communications for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/drones) in the 5030 to 5091 MHz band, which would give operators to access the licensed spectrum. The Commission further stated that it is seeking comments on “whether measures are necessary to facilitate such use on flexible-use wireless networks.” […]

Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have completed their first demonstration for the U.S. Army of logistics and rescue missions using an uncrewed “optionally piloted” Black Hawk helicopter. The demonstration simulated missions including an 83-mile autonomous medical resupply carrying 400 units of real and simulated blood, delivery of a […]

The Matternet M2 has become the first non-military unmanned aircraft system (UAS/drone) to earn its FAA type certificate. In an announcement on Wednesday, drone delivery system developer Matternet stated that the M2 underwent four years of evaluation by the FAA prior to certification. The company noted that the M2, along with several other drone models, […]

The FAA has awarded a total of $2.7 million to support research on using unmanned aerial systems (UAS/drones) to assist in disaster preparedness and emergency response operations. The funding will go to five universities including the University of Vermont, the University of Alabama Huntsville, New Mexico State University, North Carolina State University and Kansas State […]

Outgoing FAA Executive Director of Certification Earl Lawrence has joined Xwing as the company’s new chief compliance and quality officer. Based in California, Xwing develops autonomous flight technology designed for current and future aircraft. Before taking over as executive director of the FAA’s Aircraft Certification Service (AIR) in 2018, Lawrence served as executive director of […]