Tag Archives: General Atomics

Lt. Gen. Robert Otto has touted the U.S. Air Force’s Open Mission Systems standard as performing well and so he said the service plans to expand the program, Breaking Defense reported Monday. Richard Whittle writes the Open Mission Systems standard is intended to adapt a cell phone application-based model to subcontracts …

A MarketsandMarkets report forecasts the value of the global unmanned aerial vehicles market to hit $14.9 billion in 2020, with an 8.12 percent compound annual growth rate from 2015 to 2020. The research firm said Tuesday the UAV market’s value reached $10.1 billion this year and North America accounted for about …

The U.S. Army has asked industry about available smaller weapons that the military service can integrate onto its fleet of General Atomics-built MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft systems, Flightglobal reported Wednesday. James Drew writes the Army’s existing Gray Eagles are built to launch up to four 106-pound Hellfire air-to-ground missiles. …

General Atomics will receive $9.7 million in funds from the Energy Department’s National Nuclear Security Administration under a cooperative agreement to produce commercial supplies of molybdenum-99 medical isotopes in the U.S. Mo-99 serves as the parent isotope of the radioisotope technetium-99m used in nuclear-based diagnostic imaging procedures, General Atomics said …

The U.S. Air Force could start to use laser weapons in combat missions within five years, Ars Technica reported Friday. Air Force Gen. Hawk Carlisle told the Air Force Association Air & Space Conference this week he believes directed-energy weapons pods could be installed in a fighter plane “very soon,” Sean Gallagher reports. “That day is a lot …

NASA and three aeronautical technology firms have collaborated to demonstrate the collision avoidance functions of an Ikhana unmanned aerial system at the agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards, California. Ikhana worked to alert a remote pilot or maneuvered itself to avoid approaching aircraft while it flew over California’s high …

The U.S. Air Force has fielded a General Atomics-built unmanned Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper Extended Range remotely piloted aircraft in support of the service’s Quick Reaction Capability requirement for the company. General Atomics said Tuesday the modified Reaper includes two wing-mounted fuel tanks, an alcohol/water injection system, a four-bladed propeller and a trailing arm landing gear system. …

General Atomics has flown its Reaper and Predator drones to conduct surveillance operations on behalf of the government since April, Defense One reported Wednesday. Patrick Tucker writes that the company is among other drone manufacturers the Defense Department has hired to fly surveillance missions. The report said DoD’s move could also indicate potential plans …

A Grand View Research report predicts the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for law enforcement and agricultural activities will put the commercial UAV industry on track to hit $2.07 billion in value by 2022. The research firm said Thursday it found that drone applications in the government sector accounted for …

General Atomics executives have visited a site in Grand Forks, North Dakota as part of a discussion with Sen. John Hoeven to open an unmanned aerial systems training center in the region. Hoeven’s office said Monday the senator accompanied Frank Pace, president of General Atomics’ aircraft systems group, and Bart …

General Atomics, Honeywell, NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration are conducting field tests on a sense-and-avoid system to support unmanned aircraft operations in the National Airspace System, Aviation Today reported Monday. Juliet VanWagenen writes that the government-industry team began the third series of flight tests this summer through the use …

Christopher Ames, director of international strategic development for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, has noted at several indicators that he said point to a “growing interest in maritime surveillance,” DoD Buzz reported Tuesday. Brendan McGarry writes the Department of Homeland Security bought a fleet of a maritime-configured variant of the General Atomics-built Predator B aircraft …

A new RnR Market Research report has predicted the unmanned aerial systems market’s value to increase almost seven-fold over the next six years to $4.8 billion by 2021. RnR Market Research said Monday that oil and gas mapping, utility line inspection, package delivery and agricultural applications would account for the …

General Atomics is modifying its Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft system to meet NATO regulations as the company aims to fly the drone in European airspace by 2019, DoD Buzz reported Thursday. Brendan McGarry writes that the company is adding new features to drive fuel economy and comply with air worthiness requirements in …

NASA and its partners General Atomics, Honeywell International and the Federal Aviation Administration are conducting a series of tests under the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the National Airspace System program. The space agency said Tuesday the team will perform tests on several UAS at the Armstrong Flight Research Center through July. Previous tests …