Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C Triton long-range drone completes first flight (video)

DNP  Northrop Grumman's MQ4C Triton longrange drone completes first flight

Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft is one step closer to serving the Navy in reconnaissance and surveillance missions, having just completed its first flight. The drone spent 80 minutes in the air, reaching an altitude of 20,000 feet. That’s child’s play compared to the aircraft’s full potential: according to the Navy, it can soar at up to 60,000 feet and stay airborne for as long as 30 hours, due in no small part to its 130-foot wingspan. By 2015, the Triton will undergo operational testing and evaluation, and the Navy hopes to add additional aircraft to its existing fleet (currently just two strong). Check out the long-range spy plane in action just past the break.

Filed under:

Comments

Source: Defense Tech

US Navy’s X-47B is the first unmanned plane launched from an aircraft carrier (video)

US Navy's X-47B is the first unmanned plane launched from an aircraft carrier (video)

After limbering up with taxi tests since December, the X-47B unmanned combat air system has finally taken off from an aircraft carrier, making it the first pilotless plane to have successfully done so, and with a catapult launch to boot. Despite the craft’s ability to fly on its own, it was controlled by a human aboard the George H.W. Bush after it was flung from the ship. Once in the air, the Northrop Grumman-built craft was guided back for a landing on a runway planted on terra firm. Now that the bird’s proved it can handle launches at sea, other excursions will put the automatic navigation and landing features through their paces. Hit the break for a video of the X-47B taking to the skies.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: IEEE Spectrum, US Navy (YouTube)

Navy launches first drone squadron, comprised of ten Fire Scout MQ-8Bs

DNP Navy launches first squadron with both manned and unmanned aircraft

The US Navy has officially introduced unmanned aircraft along with eight newly manned helicopters into its squadron, making it the latest military branch after the Army and the Air Force to embrace the drone. Indeed, ten of the 18 aircraft to be deployed are Fire Scout MQ-8Bs, an unmanned chopper the Navy wishes to operate from combat ships set in the Pacific in about a year. Built to track targets, the Fire Scout lets troops see what’s happening over potentially dangerous areas, allowing them to regroup and rearm if necessary. The drone isn’t without its fair share of detractors of course, especially after the occasional communication failure, but here’s hoping that these Linux-operated copters will remain well within human control.

Filed under:

Comments

Source: Associated Press

Northrop Grumman, Cassidian run Euro Hawk UAV through its first full test flight (video)

Northrop Grumman, Cassidian fly highaltitude Euro Hawk UAV for the first time video

Europe isn’t quite as firmly on the bleeding edge of UAVs as the US. Northrop Grumman and EADS-run Cassidian just brought the continent one step closer through the first full test flight of Euro Hawk. A new take on the Global Hawk HALE with a new mission system from Cassidian, it should be the continent’s first military UAV that mates both long flight durations with high altitude: the two partners expect Euro Hawk to collect strategic intelligence from up to 60,000 feet and for as long as 30 hours before it needs to touch down. There’s more testing to go before active service begins — the initial flight only lasted eight hours, for example — but the unmanned flyer should eventually keep watch over German troops and territories well past the limits of human endurance.

Continue reading Northrop Grumman, Cassidian run Euro Hawk UAV through its first full test flight (video)

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: Cassidian

US Army’s LEMV spy blimp spotted hovering over New Jersey, may take up cargo duties (video)

US Army's LEMV spy blimp spotted hovering over New Jersey, may take up cargo duties video

The US Army’s not-so-secret Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) spy blimp is better at staying hidden than we thought… if unintentionally. Although it was due to fly the friendly skies of Lakehurst, New Jersey in mid-June, Northrop Grumman’s usually unmanned surveillance was only just caught floating over the Jersey Shore as part of a maiden flight on August 8th. The conspicuous, delayed test run proved that the LEMV could take off, steer and land smoothly, and started a series of exercises that should culminate in combat trials over Afghanistan at the start of 2013. Northrop’s KC Brown Jr. tells Wired that there’s a possible (if purely coincidental) consolation for missing another deadline — the airship could be used in a pinch for carrying as much as seven tons of supplies without getting into harm’s way, albeit at a fairly glacial 30MPH. The successful first flight won’t be much consolation to Mav6, whose Blue Devil 2 was scuttled at the last minute after technical issues; it’s nonetheless a relief for US troops, who may get weeks at a time of constant intelligence on enemy movements. Catch a short snippet of the early LEMV journey after the break.

Continue reading US Army’s LEMV spy blimp spotted hovering over New Jersey, may take up cargo duties (video)

Filed under: ,

US Army’s LEMV spy blimp spotted hovering over New Jersey, may take up cargo duties (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 06:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceWired  | Email this | Comments