El edificio del nuevo Centro de Excelencia de Impresión 3D y Fabricación Digital Directa de HP, cuya construcción se ha completado en dos años, tiene una superficie de más de 14.000 m2 dedicados a la investigación y desarrollo en fabricación aditiva, de los cuales 4.500 m2 corresponden a laboratorios.
Este centro de excelencia contará con 750 investigadores que apoyarán este nuevo área de I+D centrada en la tecnología de Impresión 3D, interactuando con otros 25 centros internacionales de investigación y desarrollo de HP ubicados en China, Estados Unidos y Singapur.
El nuevo centro nace con el propósito de convertirse en una referencia internacional que ayude a la compañía a liderar esta pujante industria desde España. La apertura de este centro constituye además un importante motor de crecimiento económico y generación de empleo para España, ya que atraerá inversión, talento y desarrollo tecnológico. En palabras de Helena Herrero, presidenta de HP Iberia, “España ha sido clave para HP en el nacimiento y desarrollo de la tecnología de Impresión 3D, y lo será aún más a partir de ahora con la apertura de este nuevo centro de excelencia, probablemente el laboratorio de tecnología 3D más importante del mundo no solo para nuestra compañía, sino para toda la industria. Desde este nuevo espacio dedicado a la innovación, queremos asimismo contribuir a la generación de riqueza, empleo y avance tecnológico para situar a España a la cabeza de la revolución digital”.
China has unveiled an unmanned fighter jet named "Dark Sword" that could fly at supersonic speeds and prove a 'nightmare' for US defence systems.
Dark Sword represents a very different design philosophy than US unmanned combat plans, and could give China a huge advantage if its military is able to mass-produce the aircraft, as it could rapidly expand its fighter fleet without training new pilots: In words of Justin Bronk, expert at the Royal United Services Institute"If produced in large numbers without having to train pilots, could at the very least soak up missiles from US fighters, and at the very best be an effective fighter by itself.''
Much about Dark Sword remains a mystery, but experts believe it is capable of flying like a fighter jet. This hints China is building the aircraft for use as a combat jet rather than a reconnaissance or precision missile strike vehicle, like the unmanned MQ-1 Predator drone used by US forces.
A recent report by Accenture Technologies suggests that by 2035 Artificial Intelligence (AI) might add as much as 1.6 percentage points to China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The researchers at Accenture argue that to yield maximum economic benefits from AI,China needs to use it as an additional factor of production, relying on AI for intelligent automation, labor and capital augmentation and innovation diffusion.
Analysts from other institutions also support such claim: PricewaterhouseCoopers projected that by 2030 global GDP could increase by $15.7 trillion, with almost half of these gains coming from China. PwC estimates that AI will account for a 26 percent GDP boost, or $7 trillion, in China in the next 13 years.
However optimistic these economic projections sound, rapid development of AI in the PRC might also bring about significant challenges to freedom and security, both in China and beyond: Chinese companies are barely constrained by legal issues over data collection and users’ privacy. They can freely use the data of China’s 750 million internet users, match photos and personal IDs and then train facial recognition algorithms and other types of neural networks on large datasets.
Currently the Chinese government not only does not restrict the uses of personal data by domestic tech giants such as Tencent, Baidu and Alibaba, but actively uses their resources to surveil Chinese citizens: Beijing has successfully used advanced facial recognition systems to analyze data from millions of cameras to track down law violators. On the one hand, this might help police to catch criminals faster. But on the other hand, and bearing in mind that China is more rapidly than any other country moving towards becoming a surveillance state where no one can hide from the government, the AI can also be used to censor online environments and identify people who spread “sensitive” information online. Through the use of the AI, any news considered "not good enough" for the government could be censored automatically as it gains steam, and then relaxed after the storm has passed. And there would be almost no trace that it had ever happened. Applying these techniques to the internal affairs, the possibility of implanting an Smart Dictatorship could be enormous.
Regarding military uses of AI, the U.S. is already alarmed about China potentially using AI for that purposes: In February, Elsa B. Kania, an analyst with The Long Term Strategy Group at the Aspen Institute, testified before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army has reportedly begun incorporating AI into unmanned weapon systems, including UAVs and UUVs: “The Chinese defense industry has likewise made significant progress in its research and development of a range of cutting-edge unmanned systems, including those with supersonic, stealth, and swarming capabilities, but appears to face continued challenges in UAV engines, data links, and sensors,” she said. Of course, U.S. still has an advantage in terms of AI development, but China is catching up fast: Given the amount of resources available in China for the AI development, chances are Beijing will be able to fulfill its goal of becoming the industry leader by 2030.
An US startup named Natilus is now testing a new seaplane concept that could evolve into huge cargo UAVs that fly freight across the Pacific, touch down autonomously over water, and unload at ports around the world. These early remote-controlled flight tests could lead to semiautonomous and then fully autonomous flights in which the UAV autopilot navigates over a route of waypoints set by a human controller.
By removing human pilots, Natilus wants to create a streamlined aircraft with just a single engine and more room for jet fuel or cargo. One potential market for cargo UAVs could be in servicing midsize cities in regions such as China and Africa that lack major airport infrastructure but want to ship goods to international markets.
“BAF has identified the need of UAVs for ISR to meet future challenges and to fulfill the requirement of the Forces Goal 2030,”the BAF (Bangladesh Air Force) stated, adding,“Suitable UAV was an outstanding requirement since the advancement of defense technology and its future implication in BAF.”
In its Request For Proposals (RFP), the BAF is requiring the UAV to have a minimum cruise speed of at least 140 km/h and a loiter speed capped at 140 km/h (or lower). Also, The UAV must have a maximum speed of 200 km/h or more and a flight ceiling of approximately 6.000 m, if not higher.
In terms of the communication data-link between the GCS (Ground Control Station) and UAV, the BAF is requiring that the data-link have a minimum range of 200 km. The bidder must also include available Electro-Optical and infrared (EO/IR), SAR/GMTI (Synthetic Aperture Radar with Ground-Moving Target-Indication and precision-guided air-to-surface munitions (i.e. air-to-ground missile and precision-guided bomb).
TAI (Turkish Aerospace Industries) can offer the Anka, which has a payload of 200 kg, service ceiling of 9.000 m and endurance of 24 hours. TAI can also include Aselsan and Roketsan sensors and air-to-surface munitions, respectively, providing a complete package to the BAF.
Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) can offer several options, such as the CASC (China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation) CH-4 and the CAIG (Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group) Wing Loong II. The CH-4 and Wing Loong II have a payload of 345 kg and 400 kg, respectively, and endurance of 40 hours and 32 hours, respectively. AVIC can also leverage a portfolio of precision-guided air-to-ground weapons and EO/IR and SAR/GMTI equipment. CASC has also begun marketing the CH-5, its largest MALE UAV with a payload of 1.200 kg and endurance of 60 hours.
The specified UAV will provide the BAF the ability to form a persistent ISR coverage net with time-sensitive targeting and targeted-strike capabilities. It could provide an important boost for its border control and asymmetrical operations efforts without having to commit costlier platforms, such as fighter aircraft.
All levels of China’s government and all Chinese industries will work together on a three year AI (Artificial Intelligence) action plan, focused -among other smart things- on smart UAVs able to perform intelligent obstacle avoidance, automatic cruise, autonomous flight for complex environment, group work and other key abilities. The 12 page document is quite specific and can be found through this link:
After modifying it for certain missions, China has started commercial production of its deadliest UAV: an UAV named CH-5, able to fly for up to 120 hours, and that many experts believe it could be a rival to the Reaper. The initial output of this UAV will be relatively small: 10-20 units a year, and it is unlikely to exceed 20 due to the size and sophistication of the aircraft. Regarding weapons payload, this UAV can carry up to 16 air-to-ground missiles.
The CH-5 can be operated by an undergraduate student with basic knowledge of aviation after only one or two days of training, according to state media reports. This is because of the simplicity of its user interface, and the fact that operations like the take-off and landing can be automated. The UAV can also be modified to become a low-cost airborne early warning system, or equipped with high-tech sensors such as wall and ground-penetrating radars developed by China.
Summarizing: with the commercial production of the CH-5, China could be ready to offer international buyers a heavy military UAV with many features comparable to the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, but at around half the cost.
More and more, Additive Manufacturing is now seen as a complementary technology, as witnessed by the increased in hybrid printers that combine 3D Printing and CNC machining.
Now, Stratasys, one of the leading players in the 3D printing industry, is sharing some of that expertise via a new whitepaper titled "How Additive and Traditional Manufacturing Mix".
An Iranian UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) operating in Pakistan’s Parom area of Panjgur district was shot down by a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) JF-17 fighter.
Iran’s army chief recently warned that Tehran would strike militant safe havens inside Pakistan ─remarks that drew a strong protest from Islamabad─ after 10 Iranian border guards were killed by militants allegedly from across the border earlier this year.
It was unknown when the UAV was shot down but the wreckage was recovered by local security forces last monday. According official sources, the UAV was shot down by a JF-17 in the Parom area of Panjgur district after it ventured “deep inside Pakistani airspace” on a spying mission.
The JF-17 (Joint Fighter-17) can be used for aerial reconnaissance, ground attack and aircraft interception. Technically is a lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the PAC (Pakistan Aeronautical Complex) and the CAC (Chengdu Aircraft Corporation) of China.
China ha informado que el UAV solar Caihong-T4 (CH-T4) ha logrado volar por primera vez a una altitud de 20.000 metros, lo cual representa una importante amenaza para la US Navy ya que podría ser capaz de funcionar durante varios meses o incluso años gracias a la ausencia de nubes a esa altura.
De acuerdo con los expertos, el CH-T4 combina un gran tamaño (39 metros de envergadura) y un reducido peso (450-490 Kg), gracias a sus componentes de plástico y fibra de carbono. Puede alcanzar velocidades de hasta 201 km/h y planear a una altitud de hasta 19 kilómetros, lo cual le permite cubrir una superficie de hasta un millón de kilómetros cuadrados.
Todas estas capacidades del CH-T4 permiten al Ejército Popular de Liberación (PLA) poner en peligro a los portaaviones estadounidenses en el Pacífico, ya que permite obtener y proporcionar en tiempo real información de cada objetivo a sus misiles balísticos anti buques, más concretamente al DF-21D, más conocido como "Asesino de Portaaviones".
Global Defense Robotics Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth research report on the world’s major regional market conditions of the Defense Robotics industry, focusing on the main regions and the main countries (United States, Europe, Japan and China).
The report introduces Defense Robotics basic information, including definition, classification, application, industry chain structure, industry overview, policy analysis, and news analysis, etc. Key Manufacturers profiled in this research are Honeywell Aerospace (US), BAE Systems Plc. (UK), iRobot Corporation (US), Thales SA (France), QinetiQ Group Plc (UK), QinetiQ North America, Inc. (US), AAI Corporation (US), Allen-Vanguard Corporation (Canada), Cassidian (Germany), Cobham Plc. (UK), General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (US), Northrop Grumman Corporation (US), The Boeing Company (US) and Ultra Electronics (UK).
Complete report on the Defense Robotics Market Research Report spread across 119 pages, profiling 14 companies and supported with 125 tables and figures is now available at:
The China Foreign Air Reconnaissance Force has gained rapid development in the past ten years, counting actually with 154 aircrafts for electronic reconnaissance, maritime security, new series of electronic reconnaissance aircraft, AWACS air marshals series, and various types of remote long endurance UAVs.
Regarding the United States, in the Asia Pacific area they have a strong forward deployed air reconnaissance force with more than 100 ISR manned aircrafts, and about 250 different types of high-end ISR UAVs. Also, they have E-3 AWACS, E-8 joint stars and joint surveillance target attack radar systems, RC-135 electronic reconnaissance aircrafts, RC-12 series aircrafts, P-3C and P8 anti submarine patrol aircrafts, U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircrafts and 21 RQ-4A aircrafts.
Also, both powers have command and reconnaissance systems that can meet operational requirements: optical and radar survey and reconnaissance satellites, electronic reconnaissance and high speed photographic reconnaissance systems, mapping systems, database systems, command and combat mission planning systems, and many other systems. Therefore, it is evident there are fierce reconnaissance and anti reconnaissance confrontation between both potential enemy countries.
¿Why are both superpowers investing so much in reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance systems? ¿May be certain the hypothesis of a future war between United States and China? The time will say it.
The extensive use of UAVs by the US in Iraq and Afghanistan has raised debates over issues like civilian deaths, international law, efficacy of strikes and deterrence.
The Israeli Air Force used a weaponized drone, the Pioneer, in the 1982 war in Lebanon which impressed US for increased UAV procurement and research. Nineteen years after, the 9\11 terrorist attack created a new demand to hunt down terrorists in remote areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Today, the US uses three types of drones built by General Atomics with offensive capabilities: the MQ-1 Predator, the MQ-1C Sky Warrior, and the MQ-9 Reaper. The US military uses them in two broad ways: Reconnaissance and hunter-killer missions.
Drone surveillance and attack capabilities have been effective psychologically as fear keeps also plays a major part. While drone attacks are the most effective weapon against terrorism, its net effects are difficult to judge. The presence of armed drones is a reality of the modern battlefield, but only a limited group of countries has the technological ability to produce them or the military capacity to operate them.
Currently, US and China export armed drones, and Israel is in the vicinity. As Russia, Turkey, South Korea and others join the market, a surge in globally available systems for a fruitful market could lead to a new dangerous era.
El empleo de UAVs para intervenir en las crisis puede sorprender a más de uno: en general se considera que los drones son un gran adelanto para las operaciones de defensa y obtención de información, y los últimos avances han permitido recientemente su despliegue también en las regiones asoladas por catástrofes. (Seguir leyendo)
Mientras que Estados Unidos y sus aliados continúan invirtiendo grandes cantidades de dinero en bombarderos furtivos, China está invirtiendo su dinero en desarrollar un UAV capacitado con tecnología que le permita detectar esos bombarderos furtivos.
El UAV, todavía en desarrollo, se conoce bajo el nombre de Divine Eagle y según algunos expertos, el está dotado de radares que operan a frecuencias entre 1 y 4 GHz, capacitandolo para detectar aviones furtivos como el bombardero Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit, y buques furtivos como el destructor DDG-1000.
El gigante norteamericano de UAVs comerciales 3D Robotics Inc. ve grandes oportunidades en la venta de mini-helicópteros dotados de cámaras y sensores para propósito general.
Su crecimiento en estos ultimos años ha propiciado que en la actualidad su plantilla haya superado los 200 empleados, y sus directivos prevén un especial aumento durante este año en las ventas de UAVs de pequeño tamaño concebidos para aplicaciones amateur de tipo deportivo así como para aplicaciones profesionales relacionadas con la inspección de puntos de difícil acceso en edificios (tejados, cornisas, esculturas) e infraestructuras de tamaño mediano.
Su competidor principal a escala mundial es el OEM chino DJI SZ Technology Co., pues no en vano es el mayor fabricante mundial de UAVs para uso civil. Otro competidor relevante es AeroVironment Inc., pues no en vano es el mayor proveedor de pequeños UAVs para el Pentágono. Sin embargo, el principal obstáculo para su futuro en los Estados Unidos radica por un lado en las restricciones legales que existen, y por otro lado en la posibilidad de que, por su gran facilidad de uso, sus aparatos puedan ser utilizados por grupos terroristas para cometer atentados.
Según ciertas informaciones filtradas al semanario IHS Jane's Defence Weekly, la empresa china Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, fabricante del UAV Tian Yi, ha introducido ciertas mejoras en ese UAV, del que actualmente existen varias unidades al servicio del PLA. Originalmente su aspecto era muy similar al del Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk, pero en tamaño era más parecido al General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper.
Sin embargo y a juzgar por las fotos que ya circulan por Internet, el nuevo diseño tendría un tamaño similar al original, pero habrían modificado el fuselaje. En palabras de Richard Fisher, experto en tecnología militar china, "La diferencia más acusada es la adición de dos pequeños motores turbohelice, y una entrada de aire más ancha". En opinión de los expertos, esas modificaciones se cree que están concebidas para suprimir la huella de infrarrojos del Tian Yi, que se destaca más especialmente en función de la velocidad de crucero.
At the Tianjin International UAV Exhibit, a Chinese manufacturer debuted an inflatable UAV.
It is designed for low speed, low altitude roles, such as conducting aerial survey, remote sensing and reconnaissance. Militarily speaking, the smaller footprint of an inflatable UAV means that it would enable smaller groups of soldiers (at the squad and platoon levels) to carry higher and further flying UAVs than they normally could.
Of course, inflatable UAVs do have their drawbacks; they would take a lot longer launch due to the time needed to inflate itself and may be less maneuverable, and certainly slower than most systems.
According to the new MarketsandMarkets' research report “Small UAV Market by Trends (Mini, Micro, Hand Held UAV), by Propulsion (Hydrogen, Electric, Solar, Lithium ION), by Payload (NBC Detection, Telemetry Systems, Software Systems, Meteorology), by Application (Civil, Military, Security), by Region & by Country – Global Forecast to 2014 – 2019″, the Small UAV Market is expected to register growth with CAGR of 21.70%, and reach 2.2 million by the end of 2019.
It provides information about the leading competitors in the global Small UAV Market and apart from a general overview of the companies; it also provides details on their financial positions, key products, their unique selling points and key developments. The report also analyzes the market share on the basis of payloads used in UAVs. The report highlights the revenue analysis of the small UAV market with respect to countries such as the U.S., Austria, France, Germany, Spain, Norway, Saudi Arabia, China, India, Japan etc. This research report also segments the market on the basis of products, types, application and geography, country, forecasting revenues, market share and analyzing trends in each of the sub segments.
According to the country’s 2014 defense budget, the increased investments in UAVs are necessary to ”...build defense capabilities to ensure security of the seas and airspace surrounding Japan, respond to an attack on remote islands” —a not so subtle reference to the disputed Senkaku Islands, or the Diaoyu as they are known in China.
Although both countries claim their drones will only be used for surveillance purposes, experts warn that the possibility of future drone battles in the region’s airspace is “very high.”:Chinese state media last year reported that Beijing will build 11 drone bases along its coastline to boost ISR missions over the islands, and Japan has positioned itself as one of the key players in the escalating global race for military UAVs, a move that’s controversial both at home and abroad.
