Anti-drone

Au Havre, avec XTR, la chasse aux drones est ouverte

Le Parisien – 17.02.2021 – À ce jour, 700 000 drones sont déclarés en France. Ce qui a fait entrer l’Hexagone dans le top 3 des pays les mieux équipés dans le monde. Mais, contrairement à ce que le grand public peut imaginer, à part dans son jardin, il faut à chaque décollage obtenir une autorisation préfectorale. Et encore, à condition, de ne pas être dans une « no flight zone ». Mais l’actualité se charge régulièrement de montrer que les pilotes ne sont pas rares à enfreindre la loi pour diverses motivations. En 2014, Jean-François Adam s’est penché sur le sujet… lire l’article

Second test of Air Force’s drone-killing laser may start later this year

Space War – 17.02.2021 – Further experiments in directed energy weapons — which use of lasers and microwaves to intercept hostile airborne objects — are expected in 2021, the U.S. Air Force said on Wednesday. A one-year assessment of the High Energy Laser Weapon System 2, or HELWS2, made by Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, began in spring 2020, with a second test expected 6 to 12 months after it is completed, the Air Force said in a statement. The system uses commercial, off-the-shelf equipment to « identify and neutralize hostile… lire l’article

Dutch Army Tests Smart Shooter’s SMASH Solution In The Austrian High Mountains

UAS weekly – 16.02.2021 – The Dutch Army has recently completed a two-day live-fire counter-drone trial using Smart Shooter’s SMASH Fire Control System. The test took place in the Austrian High Mountains, as part of the Dutch Defense Department examination of different ways to combat small unmanned systems. Tested at a range of up to 200 meters, in harsh weather conditions, fog, and blowing snow, the SMASH Fire Control Systems proved to be highly effective as all 67 drone targets were successfully hit with up to 3 shots each. It made no difference whether the drones were stationary in the air or moving… lire l’article

Cartographie

Efficiency is in Season: senseFly Launches eBee Ag Fixed-Wing Mapping Drone for Agriculture

SenseFly – 15.02.2021 – senseFly, the global leader in fixed-wing mapping drones, today announces the launch of eBee Ag, the latest addition to the eBee X series of drone solutions. User-friendly and affordable, eBee Ag helps farmers, agronomists and service providers efficiently capture aerial data and plant health insights for faster agronomic decision-making that can improve crop yields and profit potential. “The agriculture industry has been lacking a viable mapping solution that offers professional results at a more accessible price,” explains Michael O’Sullivan, senseFly Head of Marketing. “The launch of the eBee Ag introduces an affordable fixed-wing solution that delivers the long flight times, range and efficiency—as well as the data quality, accuracy and resolution—that agriculture mapping projects require.”… lire l’article

Contrôle des émissions

Air Control Entech planning expansion after launch of ‘game changing’ offshore UAV system

Energy Voice – 11.02.2021 – Air Control Entech (ACE) has launched the “world’s first” lightweight optical gas imaging inspection system for use in the oil and gas industry. Weighing in at less than 5000 grams, the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is less than half the weight of its competitors allowing it to operate in the most challenging environments, according to the Aberdeen-based remote inspection technology specialist. It can accurately pinpoint the location of gas leaks from more than 100 metres away, improving safety offshore by reducing the risks of fire or explosion. The system can be used in a variety of upstream, midstream and downstream environments, including refineries, process plants and decommissioning projects such as well plugging and abandonment… lire l’article

Drones de combats

Drones tactiques : la percée turque

Areion 24 news – 16.02.2021 – Si l’usage massif de munitions rôdeuses au Haut-Karabagh a attiré l’attention des observateurs, un autre développement a également été notable en 2020 et porte sur l’armement des drones tactiques. Cela a en particulier été le cas pour la Turquie, qui a engagé ses Anka et Bayraktar TB2 dans le nord de la Syrie comme en Libye. Et avec, comme dans le Sud-Caucase, des résultats militaires significatifs. Si la presse généraliste a découvert l’usage de drones par la Turquie au cours de l’opération « Bouclier du printemps » en février-mars 2020, dans la région d’Idlib, les travaux turcs trouvent leur origine dès la fin des années 1990. Ankara dispose alors de quelques drones GNAT‑750 et comprend rapidement leur intérêt dans le contexte de la lutte contre le PKK. La Turquie cherchera ensuite à multiplier ses sources d’approvisionnement, mais si elle achète des Heron israéliens qui entrent en service en 2010, ses efforts pour obtenir des Predator américains n’aboutissent pas… lire l’article

Divers

Une usine d’assemblage de drones pourrait être créée à Sainte-Ménehould

L’Union – 11.02.2021 – Une entreprise pourrait créer une unité d’assemblage de drones industriels dans les anciens locaux de 5iConseil au quartier Valmy à Sainte-Ménehould. Comme toujours dans les projets économiques, le temps ne défile pas à la même vitesse pour les élus, les habitants et les porteurs de projets. Les uns s’impatientent tandis que les autres prennent des précautions. C’est le cas du projet de création d’une unité d’assemblage de drones industriels à Sainte-Ménehould… lire l’article

Guerre électronique

Pentagon Gives A Glimpse Of Special Forces’ Secret Hand-Launched Jammer Drone 

Forbes – 18.02.2021 – U.S. Special Forces are acquiring small drones equipped with electronic jammers under a program known as Project Hornet. Scant details of this previously unknown project are given in a Pentagon budget document. The R&D budget estimate for the inter-service Office of the Secretary of Defense, describes Project Hornet as “an advanced, hand-launched unmanned aerial system (UAS) that can be used by forward-deployed personnel to interdict and disrupt adversary electronic capabilities in contested environments.”… lire l’article

Germany launches Leonardo’s BriteCloud 218 decoy from Airbus target drone

APDR – 18.02.2021 – A recent trial, which saw the German Armed Forces launching a Leonardo BriteCloud 218 decoy from an Airbus RPATS test platform, to evaluate its potential in protecting flying weapon systems from radar-guided missiles, has been deemed as a success. The trial, which was conducted with support from Airbus, Leonardo and the German analysis and testing firm IABG, saw live BriteCloud 218 rounds ejected from the RPATS during flight, allowing the aircraft to successfully evade missiles equipped with Semi-Active Radar (SAR) seeker technology. BriteCloud is a flare-sized electronic device that protects aircraft from the most modern radar-guided missiles. Launched from a standard countermeasure dispenser, it transmits powerful radio emissions that simulate the missile’s expected target… lire l’article

Industrie

Wingcopter joins Flying Labs Network to support locally-led drone delivery projects around the world

sUAS News – 17.02.2021 – Weiterstadt, Germany, 17 February 2021 – Wingcopter, the German developer, manufacturer and operator of unmanned delivery drones for commercial and humanitarian applications, has joined forces with the Flying Labs Network as a Technology Partner. The goal of the partnership is to improve supply chains through locally-led cargo drone projects and to equip local talent with the skills to operate Wingcopter’s unmanned systems in long-range drone applications, including beyond visual line of sight. The Flying Labs Network strengthens local expertise in the use of drones, robotics, data and AI for positive social change in more than 30 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and beyond… lire l’article

KBR Wins $92.6M Contract to Reinforce the US Navy’s C-UAS, Strengthens National Defense

ASDNews – 16.02.2021 – KBR (NYSE: KBR) won a $92.6 million contract to perform engineering, integration and sustainment services on counter unmanned air systems (C-UAS) for the Combat Integration & Identification Systems unit within the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD). This cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract is a new opportunity for KBR to help the U.S. military with ground-based air defense. KBR will provide its expertise to various Navy identification and data link systems, which include the Negation of Improvised Non-State Joint Aerial-Threats (NINJA) system… lire l’article

ISR

Le GCOS relance la piste du drone MAME

FOB – 16.02.2021 – Du Black Hornet III au Reaper, l’arsenal de drones mis à disposition des forces spéciales françaises est vaste mais reste incomplet, relevait le commandant du COS (GCOS), le général Éric Vidaud, lors d’une récente audition parlementaire. Entre autres objectifs, celui-ci a relancé la piste de l’acquisition de drones MAME (Medium Altitude, Medium Endurance) pour muscler les moyens de renseignement du COS et lui conférer une capacité en propre de frappe ciblée. L’idée n’est pas neuve. Le GCOS précédent, l’amiral Laurent Isnard, la mentionnait déjà en décembre 2017 face aux parlementaires. Celui-ci militait alors pour l’obtention d’une capacité ISR complémentaire et avait proposé « de lancer par conséquent un programme d’acquisition de drone moyenne altitude, moyenne endurance (MAME) »… lire l’article

SAR/MTI Radar for Common Operating Picture in UAV Operations

UST drone – 15.02.2021 – Meteksan Defence, a developer of components, radar and communication technologies for UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), has released the following article detailing how SAR (synthetic aperture radar) / MTI (moving target indication) radar can excel under conditions where EO/IR sensors may provide less than optimal performance. The article was authored by Serkan Çak, Radar Systems Program Director at Meteksan Defence. Common Operating Picture or Recognized Picture is a military asset that neds to be established and maintained on the ground, at sea and in the air, in order to observe the current status of both friendly and enemy units and to effectively evaluate threats and increase planning accuracy before operations… lire l’article

Logistique terrestre

Autonomous Cargo Delivery UAS Selected by US Air Force

UST drone – 16.02.2021 – Silent Arrow has been awarded a contract by the United States Air Force (USAF) to scale down its GD-2000 cargo delivery UAS (unmanned aerial system) for compatibility with CV-22 Osprey aircraft cargo ramps and smaller fixed-wing side-door deployments. The contract will be executed in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) with funding from AFWERX. The Silent Arrow GD-2000 is a disposable unmanned glider with a cargo carrying capacity of over 1600 lbs and a spring-loaded wing design for easy transport. Following this contract, the system will be procurable on a sole-source basis by the United States government for special operations and tactical resupply as well as humanitarian aid and disaster relief… lire l’article

R & D

Detect and Avoid Technology Integrated into Tandem-Rotor Helicopter Drone

UST drone – 18.02.2021 – Iris Automation’s Casia detect-and-avoid (DAA) system has been integrated into a unique helicopter UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) developed by the company’s partner Avidrone Aerospace. The combined system will be exhibited at the IDEX 2021 international defence exhibition in Abu Dhabi. According to Avidrone Aerospace, the Avidrone 210TL is the world’s only commercialized tandem rotor, electric powered, fully automated helicopter UAV. The aircraft has been designed as a heavy-lift platform for cargo delivery, medical resupply, and airborne sensors, and has a carrying capacity of up to 35lbs (16kg). The acoustically quiet VTOL aircraft is capable of complete Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations… lire l’article

Embention Looks to Use Drone Experience for eVTOL Autopilot Development

Aviation Today – 18.02.2021 – Embention, a company with a background in manufacturing components and critical systems for drones, is now also developing technology for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL). During a webinar hosted by the Vertical Flight Society, Javier Espush, business development manager at Embention, explained how Embention’s Veronte Autopilot would work for eVTOLs. When considering how an unmanned aircraft autopilot would function differently than an eVTOL autopilot, Espush said you have to remember that eVTOLs will have people onboard and therefore they will need to fly differently than a UAV… lire l’article

Vodafone Tests New Tech That Can Track Vehicles, Drones And Precious Cargo Remotely Within Centimetres

PR Newswire – 16.02.2021 – LONDON, Feb. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Autonomous trucks need to warn e-bikes of their presence to avoid accidents, first responders need to know the position of critical medical drones with pinpoint accuracy, and operators need to precisely locate precious cargo. Vodafone customers will have applications that do all that and more thanks to a new technology it is testing. Vodafone has successfully used new precision positioning technology to remotely track a vehicle to within just 10 centimetres of its location, an improvement of more than three metres compared with current standard satellite based systems.  It did this in partnership with leading global positioning provider Sapcorda, using Vodafone’s global Internet of Things (IoT) platform – the largest in the world with 118 million connections… lire l’article

USAF plans more tests of drone-fighter plane collaborations

Space War – 05.02.2021 – Despite disappointment in December, new tests of the « Golden Horde » weapons system of swarming drones will begin in February, the U.S. Air Force said. An element of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Vanguard project, the system involves unmanned aerial vehicles, working as a group to communicate, choose targets and then coordinate strikes against an array of targets, through data links and without human involvement. The Air Force envisions it as a group of expendable drones interlinked for collaborative behavior by radio link. It did not meet its objectives in a Dec. 15 test… lire l’article

Règlementation

Iris Automation Launches Canadian Drone BVLOS Program

Drone Life – 18.02.2021 – Drone startup Iris Automation this week launched the Canada Pathfinder Program, an all-in-one solution to streamline the complex steps required to achieve Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flight approvals and experience. Company officials say the program will address challenges organizations face in advancing commercial drone services for long distance and remotely piloted missions. Iris develops advanced detection systems that bolster Detect-and-Avoid (DAA) capabilities which, in turn, enable safer commercial drone operations… lire l’article

Surveillance de zone ou de site

La Composante Air essaye le drone DJI Matrice 300 comme support supplémentaire

Defence Belgium –  18.02.2021 – La Composante Air pourrait se tourner vers des petits drones en plus des drones MQ-9B Skyguardian qui arriveront en 2023. Elle essaye actuellement le drone DJI Matrice 300 avec l’aide de la Composante Terre à Lombardsijde. Ce drone pourrait servir de support pour les opérations et les autres missions quotidiennes. « L’idée d’intégrer l’utilisation d’images aériennes au sein de notre force aérienne, dans des domaines tels que la communication, l’évaluation, l’infrastructure, la sécurité aérienne et la surveillance des bases, est née au printemps 2020 »… lire l’article

Delta Drone : un contrat de 2,3 ME sur 5 ans avec le CEA Grenoble

Finance Orange – 16.02.2021 – Au terme d’un appel d’offre public initié par le CEA Grenoble, portant sur des missions de filtrage des entrées et de surveillance des différents événements organisés au sein des locaux du site, ATM Group, société de sécurité privée en place depuis janvier 2013, a été retenue pour continuer d’exercer ces missions. Ce nouveau contrat débutera en avril 2021, pour une durée totale de 5 ans. Il représente au global un montant de 2,3 millions d’euros, soit 460 kE / an. ATM Group constitue le pôle sécurité privée traditionnelle du groupe Delta Drone, qui en détient 65% aux côtés des deux managers, fondateurs de l’entreprise… lire l’article