XQ-67A OBSS makes first flight

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) flew the XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) for the first time Feb. 28, 2024. OBSS is an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) program and GA-ASI was selected in 2021 to design, build, and fly the new aircraft as part of the Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Platform Sharing (LCAAPS) program focused on building several aircraft variants from a common core chassis.

“This provides an alternative acquisition approach for military aircraft that enables faster development, lower costs, and more opportunities for frequent technology refresh,” says Trenton White, OBSS program manager and aerospace engineer in AFRL’s Aerospace Systems Directorate. The XQ-67A is the first version to be designed and built from the shared platform. https://afresearchlab.com; https://www.ga-asi.com

Ohio Department of Transportation to test advanced drone operations

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Center received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly a large drone over a portion of the U.S. 33 corridor northwest of Columbus. This special permission was needed to operate an uncrewed aircraft beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).

ODOT pilots will fly a 20 lb Censys Sentaero 5 aircraft, with a wingspan of 7.5ft, along four miles of U.S. 33 to test the capability of drone use for traffic monitoring and incident management. The on-board system to detect and avoid other aircraft will be supplemented with visual observers on the ground to keep eyes on the aircraft and bolster safety. This is the first aircraft of its size to be approved for this type of operation, and the second in the United States approved for operations over people and traffic without a parachute.

Testing these operations along U.S. 33 will help determine the benefit of replicating this approach statewide to aid first responders in emergency response and traffic monitoring, especially in rural areas. https://censystech.com; https://www.faa.gov; https://www.transportation.ohio.gov

$258.7B in military UAS spending forecast

Aerospace and defense market analysis firm Teal Group predicts worldwide military unmanned aerial systems (UAS) spending will reach $258.7 billion throughout the next decade.

The company’s 2023/2024 World Military Unmanned Aerial Systems Market Profile & Forecast estimates global UAS procurement funding will increase from just more than $14 billion annually in 2024 to $23.1 billion in 2033, totaling $186.8 billion throughout the 10 years. Military UAS research spending would add another $71.8 billion during the decade. These numbers include estimates of classified U.S. spending in procurement and R&D.

“We predict the U.S. will account for 81% of total military worldwide research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) spending on UAS technology during the next decade and 59% of military procurement,” says Teal Group Senior Analyst Steve Zaloga.

UAS payloads, including sensors, radar, signals intelligence, and electronic countermeasures markets are forecast to grow in value from $6.2 billion in FY23 to $14.0 billion in FY32, worth $93.0 billion in combined RDT&E and procurement. https://www.tealgroup.com