Nuevo radar de apoyo para UAVs armados que deban sobrevolar aeropuertos civiles

Un nuevo sistema de radar ha permitido por primera vez que los UAVs de ataque MQ-9 Reaper vuelen por primera vez sin escolta dentro y fuera del Aeropuerto Internacional Syracuse Hancock. Es la primera vez que UAVs militares despegan y aterrizan sin escolta desde y en un aeropuerto civil de los Estados Unidos.

En palabras de Michael Smith, coronel de la Guardia Nacional Aérea y comandante de la 174th Attack Wing, "El nuevo radar terrestre recientemente instalado permite a los UAVs MQ-9 ejecutar misiones de entrenamiento de manera segura y más efectiva. Este sistema de radar mejora la seguridad del MQ-9 y ayuda a evitar colisiones con el tráfico aéreo comercial."

Los UAVs MQ-9 Reaper llevan cuatro años volando diariamente desde Syracuse.  Por motivos de seguridad, la FAA exigía que fueran escoltados por al menos un avión tripulado mientras volasen a una altitud de 18,000 pies. Sin embargo, solo dos aviones de la Patrulla Aérea Civil estaban disponibles para seguir a los Reapers, lo cual resultaba insuficiente ya que la guardia aérea debe trabajar cada dia con tres Reapers.

Desarrollado por SRC Inc., con sede en Cicero, el nuevo radar escanea los cielos alrededor del aeropuerto y detecta con mucha precisión todos los aviones, incluso drones y ultraligeros difíciles de ver. También puede determinar la altitud de un avión, incluso cuando su transpondedor no funcione, algo que los radares de la FAA no pueden hacer. Originalmente, SRC desarrolló el radar, conocido como LSTAR, para detectar proyectiles de mortero entrantes, y nunca antes había sido utilizado en un aeropuerto comercial.

Además de operar Reapers en misiones de entrenamiento durante 4,000 horas cada año, la 174th  Attack Wing entrena a todos los técnicos de mantenimiento de Reaper para la USAF, la Guardia Nacional Aérea o la Reserva de la Fuerza Aérea,  y también despliega miembros en el extranjero para apoyar las operaciones de Reaper y otras misiones de la USAF.

Additive Manufacturing as a Challenge For New FAA Certification Approach

The first step towards the regulatory approval for use of Additive Manufacturing (AM) also known as 3D Manufacturing in aviation occurred when Dr. Michael Gorelik, FAA chief scientific and technical adviser for fatigue and damage tolerance, announced that a roadmap towards that eventuality has been created.

The FAA sent a draft version of its Additive Manufacturing Strategic Roadmap to the agency management team for evaluation and the document suggests production, certification, maintenance policies the agency aims to establish over the next seven to eight years.

(Read More...)

AUHSD Teams with Tesla Foundation for UAS Education

The Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD) is the first public school district in the nation to partner with the Tesla Foundation to provide students with training to successfully work in the emerging technology field of unmanned aviation, or drones.

A nonprofit science and technology think tank, the Tesla Foundation is launching its initiative beginning at Magnolia High School with after-school programs featuring FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) approved curriculum, equipment, and Drone Flight Simulation Kits.

The foundation’s goal is to identify and develop a “farm system” of young talent that can be future innovators and entrepreneurs in the unmanned systems industry. “We are excited to partner with the District in this most critical endeavor,” said Keith Coleman, chief strategy officer of the foundation. “Our focus is looking at the future of jobs and the future of work. Automation and the disruption that it will bring is real, yet while jobs will be lost, there will be lots of new opportunities in the (new) field of aerial robotics. Through this partnership, we will help move the needle forward for underrepresented students who may not otherwise have a pathway to these experiences. The Tesla Foundation sees critical thinking and access to technology as the democratization of opportunity.”

Trustee Al Jabbar thanked Superintendent Mike Matsuda for making the connection that led to the partnership. He also thanked the Tesla Foundation for “recognizing that AUHSD is at the cutting edge in preparing students for the 21st Century workforce. Once parents and the community learn about how this partnership promotes innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship in an emerging STEAM field, I know they will be as enthusiastic as we are.” The Tesla Foundation estimates that the economic impact of drones will be $82 billion within the first decade of their operational integration into the national airspace system. Drone industries leverage many key technologies, including cybersecurity, sensors, data analytics, aeronautics, aviation, Additive Manufacturing, precision agriculture, first responders, geospatial information, and simulation.

(Read More)

¿Can 3D Printing get married with traditional technologies?

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".

The whitepaper is free to download from 3dprint.com after you fill out a brief form, by clicking here: https://3dprint.com/stratasys-how-additive-and-traditional-manufacturing-mix/.

General Atomics Jobs: Experienced MCE Sensor Operator

Under general direction, this position is responsible for coordinating flight operation efforts including mission planning, execution and briefing, debriefing, aircrew resource management and ground and flight safety.  Serves as Mission Control Element (MCE) Sensor Operator (SO) of assigned Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs).

Among other Duties:

• Operates the payload of the UAV in support of customer requirements
• Instruct UAV Sensor Operators in ground and flight operations to ensure certifications are maintained and serves as a subject matter expert.

Among other Job Qualifications:

• Six or more years of experience (or 2,000+ hours) in UAV operations or aviation.
• Must demonstrate a detailed understanding of UAV and FAA principles, theories and concepts.
• Detailed understanding of UAVs, tactical reconnaissance and aviation principles

More info at:

https://sjobs.brassring.com/tgwebhost/jobdetails.aspx?partnerid=25539&siteid=5313&jobId=2920621

Significant Aspects of the FAA’s Drone Rules

The Federal Aviation Administration has released its much anticipated Part 107 rules, which cover the use of drones for non-recreational purposes in the U.S. airspace system. The Part 107 rules are based on a document called the Notice of Proposed Rule-making (NPRM), which was released in February 2015. (Read more)

UAVs para desastres naturales: La revolución electrónica humanitaria

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)

¿What could a Terror-Drone do to a passenger jet?

A collision between a passenger jet and a drone has left the plane undamaged but the aviation industry deeply shaken: ¿What could a terror-drone do to a plane? ¿How many drones are out there? ¿How many incidents involving drones have there been?  ¿What are the rules? ¿What can be done to cut the risk? The incident brings attention to the number of unregulated drones in the sky and the potential for a terror-attack. (Read more)

2016: ¿El año de la prohibición?

Si 2015 fue el año del UAV, parece que 2016 va a ser el año de la prohibición: La Administración Federal de Aviación de los Estados Unidos ha ordenado que todos los UAVs sean registrados por el gobierno federal antes de que finalice el mes de febrero, bajo pena de elevadas multas. Pero no sólo eso: gracias a una demanda presentada en una corte federal pidiendo daños y perjuicios a un hombre de Kentucky que derribó un UAV de su vecino, la FAA podría recibir la autorización para regular y restringir aún más el uso de este tipo de aparatos.

La historia se remonta al pasado mes de Julio, cuando William Meredith disparó con un rifle al UAV de su vecino David Boggs, mientras sobrevolaba su propiedad a una altura de 60 metros. Meredith ha sido absuelto de los cargos criminales por el incidente, pero ahora Boggs está afirmando que considerando que si el hecho de sobrevolar una propiedad privada no puede ser calificado como "entrada ilegal" en el sentido tradicional, entonces tiene derecho a una indemnización por la destrucción de su avión no tripulado.

Lo que hace singular a este caso es que el tribunal federal tendrá que meterse en un terreno donde existe muy poca jurisprudencia, si bien la poca jurisprudencia que hay sugiere que existe un derecho al uso privado de hasta 25 metros sobre el nivel del suelo, y establece la altura mínima de un vuelo tripulado en 152 metros. Desde los 25 hasta los 152 metros quedan 127 metros de espacio aereo no regulado y ¿quien sabe? quizá el tribunal decida que el espacio aereo por encima de 25 metros pertenece a los Estados Unidos. Si ese fuera el fallo, le va a faltar tiempo a la FAA para prohibir todos los vuelos de aviones no tripulados más allá de ese nivel. ¡Ah! Y que se vayan olvidando los estadounidenses de la posibilidad de recibir por medio de UAVs mercancías tales como libros, pizzas, cervezas, etcétera.

Mississippi liderará los esfuerzos de la FAA en la integración de los UAVs

La Universidad del Estado de Mississippi (Mississippi State University - MSU) que actualmente es la sede del Centro de Excelencia de la Administración Federal de Aviación (FAA - Federal Aviation Administration) va a liderar un proyecto que implicará a 13 universidades, para desarrollar nuevos protocolos al objeto de integrar los UAVs civiles en el espacio aereo nacional.

“La decisión de la FAA supone un reconocimiento de que la Universidad del Estado de Mississippi y el propio Estado son líderes en el campo de los sistemas no tripulados,” afirmó en fechas recientes el Gobernador de Mississippi Phil Bryant. Las trece universidades antes mencionadas conforman una alianza denominada como The Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE), y entre ellas se encuentran universidades de conocido renombre en el sector de los UAVs, tales como Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, North Carolina State University, Oregon State University, University of Alabama-Huntsville o la University of North Dakota, entre otras.

Fox Sports utilizará UAVs

Fox Sports ha contratado los servicios de Helivideo Productions, para llevar a cabo transmisiones en alta definición mediante el uso de aviones no tripulados.

Helivideo está autorizada por la FAA para operar aviones no tripulados, y suele equipar sus UAVs en unos casos con cámaras Blackmagic Design 4K y en otros con Panasonic DMC-GH4.

Campaña de la FAA sobre el uso civil de UAVs

Ante el desconcierto actual que reina entre los usuarios norteamericanos de UAVs para uso civil, y a la espera del reglamento definitivo que se prevé para 2017, la FAA está divulgando un vídeo donde se explican de manera intuitiva las normas básicas que regulan actualmente estas actividades en los Estados Unidos.

David del Fresno Consultores

Asesoría estratégica en Impresión 3D

http://daviddft.wix.com/david-del-fresno

UAVs para agencias de noticias

Desde hace tiempo se viene hablando acerca de las ventajas que puede suponer el uso civil de UAVs en actividades relacionadas con el periodismo. Aunque hasta ahora se trata de una actividad no regulada, esta situación parece que va a cambiar: La CNN ha firmado hace unos días un acuerdo de cooperación con la FAA, encaminado a la redacción de un marco legal para tales actividades.

David del Fresno Consultores

Asesoría Estratégica en Impresión 3D

http://daviddft.wix.com/david-del-fresno

¿What to do with a thug UAV?

The FAA is growing gravely concerned about the threat of personal unmanned aircraft, and the agency receives frequent reports of UAVs flying close to airplanes or helicopters near airports in violation of regulations. If the FAA has the authority to govern the skies, it is a part of its central safety mission to give rules relating to UAV flying in civil airspace: The public needs clear guidance on what and where they can fly remote controlled UAVs, and law enforcement officials need to know how they should react when they see a civil UAV over a city street or, worse, near the vicinity of an airport or heliport. 

First MQ-9 Reaper Operates at Fort Drum

Even though Reaper pilots have been operating out of the Hancock Field Air National Guard Base since 2009, the MQ-9 aircraft has never actually been used at the base. For training missions, they're flown out of Fort Drum. Tuesday 19th the UAV taxied at the base for the first time.

It will still be a slow and methodical process before seeing the MQ-9 Reaper in the air. The 174th Attack Wing Commander said he hopes to see them off the ground in the next six months. "Just staying within just a couple miles within the airfield here to work out the procedures and to get the FAA controllers comfortable with the operations. And once we're comfortable with that, we'll work our way out further," said Col. Greg Semmel.

US small UAV market awaits legal update

The development of small UAV markets is awaiting changes in airspace law, as the FAA announced that by September 2015 it would issue a comprehensive roadmap to the integration of UAVs.

Regardless of it, last March 2014 in the case Huerta v. Pirker the court stated that the FAA Regulations are not enforceable against the small UAVs that would otherwise qualify as model aircraft, even when such UAVs engage in commercial operations.

The decision caught the FAA off-guard and effectively made clear that the FAA lacks authority to ground small UAVs which are used for commercial purposes, highlighting the disconnect between the commercial demand for using drones, and the FAA slow pace in developing regulations for commercial UAVs.

Regardless of the 2014 Pirker decision, the pressure is clearly mounting on the FAA - and other aviation authorities around the globe - to accelerate the process of integrating UAVs into their respective national airspace.

Final FAA-mandated UAV test site established in Virginia

In December 2013 the FAA selected six test sites that would help facilitate the utilisation of UAVs in national airspace, all of which have subsequently opened since April 2014.

The measures were a result of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, in which the administration was mandated by Congress to ensure UAVs can be fully integrated into the national airspace by 30 September 2015. The sixth and final US Federal Aviation Administration-mandated unmanned air vehicle (UAV) test site has been established in Virginia.

The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University test site officially opened on 13 August, and follows the opening of the other sites in Alaska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota and Texas.

Russia: Pizza delivered by UAV

While America and Europe administrations are still squabbling over domestic drone regulations — which won’t take effect until at least 2015, and probably later — Russia's DoDo Pizza is using UAVs to deliver pizza in a matter of minutes: DoDo Pizza, from the Komi republic's capital city of Syktyvkar, launched its first unmanned delivery this past Saturday (June 21st), delivering the pizza in 30 minutes.

Of course, the UAVs are provided with anti-theft devices like cameras monitored by the restaurant’s manager, who calls the patron upon delivery to protect against theft. Once the patron’s identity is confirmed, a cable lowers the pizza. Also, if someone tugs on the cable too hard, an emergency mechanism releases the cable. We are now talking about delivering a pizza, but, ¿Why not beer, flowers, letters, or anything else? ¿Why not? The answer is very simple: The restriction laws. For example: Earlier this year, Lakemaid, a local brewery in Minnesota made plans to deliver beer by drone. But the FAA told Lakemaid to cease UAV operations. ¿Why? Because domestic drones are currently banned for commercial purposes or flying above 400 feet. ¿Reason? Privacy protection. 

No one would ever mistake Russia for a shining beacon of liberty, but they have embraced free-market innovation while politicians in America and Europe still see the UAVs with some kind of fear, forgetting -as CNN mentions- that “the next generation of friendly drones aren't all packing weapons or collecting data for the NSA. Some just want to bring you a nice cold one and maybe a slice without getting stuck in traffic.” Of course, privacy advocates are right to question law enforcement’s penchant for unmanned aerial vehicles and the infinite potential for abuse, but while administrations, politicians, and privacy advocates continue to squabble over domestic drone regulations, Russia — not exactly a pillar of individual liberty — allowed a local pizza joint to deliver a hot pie from the air.

Appeal of UAV ruling pressures FAA to establish rules

The legal skirmish has focused a bright spotlight on the FAA and turned up the pressure for the federal agency to establish rules for controlled use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAVs. Congress has ordered the FAA to set new UAV rules by September 2015 but many observers expect the agency will not meet its deadline. Currently operators of small UAVs or radio-controlled model planes flying below 400 feet can do so only for non-commercial uses, according to FAA operating standards spelled out in a 1981. That was decades before UAV operators saw the potential for aerial photography, crop-dusting and dozens of other commercial uses already permitted around the globe.

FAA names six states as UAV test sites

The FAA has announced that six states have won the bid for official UAV testing sites. The states that won the bids include Virginia, Nevada, Texas, New York, Alaska and North Dakota. The sites will allow for testing of UAVs in controlled environments to gather data on how different UAVs perform. In 2015, the FAA has been mandated to open the airspace for operation of UAVs.  Agriculture is said to be one of the primary beneficiaries of UAV technology in the future.