Up and Soaring - UAS

FAA streamlines UAS authorizations

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established an interim policy to speed up airspace authorizations for certain commercial unmanned aircraft (UAS) operators who obtain Section 333 exemptions. Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 grants the Secretary of Transportation the authority to determine whether an airworthiness certificate is required for a UAS to operate safely in the National Airspace System.

Under the new policy, the FAA will grant a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) for flights at or below 200ft to any UAS operator with a Section 333 exemption for aircraft that weigh less than 55 lb, operate during daytime Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions, operate within visual line of sight (VLOS) of the pilots, and stay away from airports or heliports. The interim policy bridges the gap between the past process, which evaluated every UAS operation individually, and future operations after the FAA issues its final version of the proposed small UAS rule, expected later this year.

The 200ft COA allows flights anywhere in the country except restricted airspace and other areas, such as major cities where the FAA prohibits UAS operations. Previously, an operator had to apply for and receive a COA for a particular block of airspace, a process that can take 60 days. The agency expects the new policy will allow companies and individuals who want to use UAS within these limitations to start flying much more quickly.

Section 333 exemption holders will automatically receive a blanket 200ft COA. For new exemption holders, the FAA will issue a COA at the time the exemption is approved. As of March 26, 2015, the FAA had granted 69 petitions under Section 333. Most of these have been for UAS use in inspecting power transmission line, oil and gas, and electric grid infrastructures; wind turbine towers; photogrammetry; real estate and marine aerial photography; mapping; and precision agriculture. www.faa.gov

UAV captures Antarctic stratospheric aerosols

A balloon-assisted unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) named Phoenix-S1, developed by Kyushu University and Fukuoka University, Japan, has successfully brought back stratospheric aerosol samples from an altitude of 22km and observed aerosol density 23km above Antarctica.

The observation on Jan. 24, 2015, was made during the 56th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition under the leadership of National Institute of Polar Research Prof. Yoshifumi Nogi.

Suspended from a helium-filled rubber balloon, Phoenix-S1 climbed from its launch site on Antarctica’s ice sheet, sampling and observing aerosol density. After the balloon burst at an altitude of 23km, the UAV descended by parachute, was released, and glided back to the launch site autonomously. The researchers believe this is the highest observation altitude for a small UAV. They reported that the method was effective in retrieving the observation apparatus and aerosol samples from the upper atmosphere easily and at low cost. www.nipr.ac.jp

Raytheon to provide ground stations for South Korean Global Hawk UAS

Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems has awarded Raytheon Co. a contract valued at up to $45.7 million for ground installations in support of four Global Hawk unmanned aircraft systems recently purchased by the Republic of Korea.

Under this contract, Raytheon will deliver one building-based and one mobile ground segment to locations in South Korea. Work under the contract will be performed at Raytheon’s Dulles, Virginia, facility and is expected to be completed by mid-2019.

Raytheon is the original developer and producer of the ground stations for Northrop Grumman’s Global Hawk, which is used globally to support antiterrorism, antipiracy, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, airborne communications, and information-sharing missions. www.raytheon.com

Predator B achieves 1 million flight hours

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.’s (GA-ASI) Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) fleet has achieved 1 million cumulative flight hours, with almost 90% of all missions flown in combat.

Predator B achieved this record on Feb. 20, 2015, after flying 78,606 sorties. The type’s first flight was at GA-ASI’s Gray Butte Flight Operations Facility in Palmdale, California, on Feb. 2, 2001. Predator B flight hours now account for approximately one-third of the 3.2 million total flight hours for GA-ASI’s RPA fleet, with an average rate of more than 22,000 hours a month. These aircraft support the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, NASA, the Italian Air Force, the Royal Air Force, and the French Air Force. Missions include direct support to warfighters, assisting border agents, aiding first responders, and supporting Earth science missions. GA-ASI has delivered more than 230 Predator B aircraft to date and is currently building three aircraft per month, with the capacity to more than double production if needed. www.ga-asi.com

UAS launcher market to grow to $1.2B by 2021

Research company ReportsnReports has issued a study that predicts the global market for launchers of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will grow to $1.2 billion by 2021 from $151 million in 2014. The study, “Drone Launchers: Market Shares, Strategy, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2015 to 2021,” notes that launchers are core to UAS implementation, and include field-mobile frames, submarine and ship-deck devices, and truck-bed launchers.

According to the study, “The defense budgets of the industrialized nations will fund the technology for launchers in order to create good enough surveillance and strike capacity. These capabilities are core in a world dominated by globally integrated enterprises.” www.reportsnreports.com

UAS research project on gas utility inspection

Pictometry, an EagleView Technology company, has received an unmanned aerial systems (UAS) research project to focus on the feasibility of using UAS to improve the overall safety and speed of routine and emergency surveys and inspections of gas utility pipelines. Awarded by NYSEARCH/Northeast Gas Association, a consortium of 19 natural gas companies in the U.S. and Canada, the project will bring together Pictometry and the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research (NUAIR) Alliance, headquartered at Griffiss International Airport, in Rome, New York.

The team will perform ongoing research experimentation in approved areas using a UAS with high-resolution cameras and potentially methane detection devices to enhance pipeline safety. www.eagleview.com; www.pictometry.com

Next-gen gas turbine engine for UAS

UAV Turbines Inc. (UAVT) has launched its gas turbine technology in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market. Ranging in power from 30hp to 150hp, UAVT’s engines address Group 3 and above UAV programs. The engines offer increased reliability, flight duration, payloads, and operational ceilings, while reducing noise. Fuel consumption is low, using a variety of heavy fuels.

Compared to internal-combustion UAV systems, many of which show mean-time-between-overhaul (MTBO) at less than 100 hours, UAVT engines are designed for MTBO in thousands of hours.

Based in Miami, Florida, privately held UAV Turbines is demonstrating prototypes of its engines to potential qualified buyers. www.uavturbines.com