NASA will collaborate with General Atomics’ aeronautical systems business, PAE ISR and Textron‘s Bell subsidiary on a two-year project to demonstrate commercial unmanned aircraft systems through various flight missions. The space agency said Wednesday it selected the three UAS developers to conduct multiple flight demonstrations at an altitude of more than 500 feet by 2020 …
Read More »Report: Army to Equip General Atomics-Built UAS With Electronic Warfare Tech
Maj. Gen. John Morrison, commander of the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence, has announced that the U.S. Army will launch a drone-mounted electronic warfare technology in 2019, C4ISRNET reported Tuesday. The service has started developing prototypes of the Multi-Function Electronic Warfare Air capability for installation on General Atomics-built MQ-1C Gray Eagle …
Read More »Grand Sky Drone Park Hosts Approved Launch of BVLOS Large Drone Flights
The Grand Sky Drone Park in North Dakota has hosted the approved launch of beyond-visual-line-of-sight large commercial unmanned aircraft system flights under a two-year certificate of waiver or authorization, Aviation Today reported Tuesday. The COA, which was given to the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, enables General Atomics‘ aeronautical system business …
Read More »General Atomics to Expand Flight Test and Training Center in North Dakota
General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business has announced plans to expand its North Dakota-based flight test and training center, aiming to satisfy the growing demand for flight crew training and sensor system testing. The company said Thursday it will add 14.5 acres to the 5.5-acre site located at the Grand Sky …
Read More »General Atomics Assesses Aerodynamic Capabilities of MQ-25 Drone; David Alexander Comments
A General Atomics business unit has completed the fourth low-speed wind tunnel test of a carrier-based refueling tanker drone being developed for the U.S. Navy. The San Diego-based General Atomics Aeronautics Systems Inc. said Tuesday its aeronautical systems division assessed and verified the MQ-25 Stingray tanker’s high-lift system and spoiler-based direct …
Read More »General Atomics Tests Unmanned Tanker Arresting Hook
General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business has finished performance tests on an arresting hook designed for an unmanned aerial refueling aircraft offering to the U.S. Navy. The company said Monday General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. developed and tested the Hold Down Damper technology in partnership with GKN Aerospace’s Fokker business. The team …
Read More »Energy Secretary Rick Perry Checks Up On DOE-Funded General Atomics’ Nuclear Tech Projects
Rick Perry, secretary at the Department of Energy, has visited General Atomics facilities to inspect on DOE-funded nuclear energy efforts. The company said Wednesday it is developing accident tolerant fuel rod cladding for nuclear reactors in support of the department’s ATF initiative. General Atomics uses SiGA, a silicon-carbide composite, to …
Read More »General Atomics Updates Remotely Piloted Aircraft Receivers for European Satellite Constellation Navigation
A General Atomics business has added a provision to the navigation receiver of a baseline remotely piloted aircraft to support connections with the European Union and the European Space Agency’s Galileo satellite constellation. The baseline MQ-9B initially used a triplex navigation platform compatible with the U.S. global positioning system and …
Read More »General Atomics to Update Cryofracture System for Army; Scott Forney Comments
A General Atomics business unit has received a contract of an undisclosed value to update a portable cryofracture system prototype for future installation at Crane Army Ammunition Activity in Crane, Ind. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems will also conduct design and procurement efforts to integrate the system with a rotary kiln incinerator under the contract from Army …
Read More »BGOV: Federal Contract Spending Hit $512B in Fiscal 2017
Federal contract obligations reached $512 billion in fiscal 2017, hitting the highest level since agencies spent $522 billion in fiscal 2012, Bloomberg Government reported Thursday. The 2018 BGOV200 report showed that contract obligations received by the top 200 government contractors in fiscal 2017 accounted for 64 percent, or approximately $327 billion, …
Read More »General Atomics Tests Integrated Fuel Tank Structure for MQ-25 Refueling UAS
A General Atomics business unit has tested the use of integrated fuel tanks for a refueling unmanned aircraft system being developed for the U.S. Navy. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc said Thursday it integrated the fuel tanks into the MQ-25‘s full-scale wing skin and a large-scale wing box unit that underwent tests at a facility in Adelanto, Calif. …
Read More »General Atomics Tests Arresting Gear Tech on Prop Aircraft
General Atomics‘ electromagnetic systems group has tested its Advanced Arresting Gear system on three types of heavy, propeller-driven aircraft at the Runway Arrested Landing Site in Lakehurst, N.J. The company said Monday the arresting gear was able to perform aircraft recovery on a C2-A Greyhound, an E-2C+ Hawkeye and an E-2D Advanced …
Read More »General Atomics to Conduct Trans-Atlantic Flight With SkyGuardian RPA
General Atomics‘ aeronautics systems business announced it will fly its MQ-9B SkyGuardian remotely-piloted aircraft from Grand Folks, N.D. to Gloucestershire, England, marking the first trans-Atlantic flight of a medium-altitude, long-endurance RPA. The company said Monday it will leverage Inmarsat‘s SwiftBroadband satellite to control and configure the functions of the aircraft. After the flight, the RPA …
Read More »General Atomics Completes Large-Scale RPA Flight Demo; Linden Blue Comments
General Atomics has completed the first large-scale demonstration of the Guardian remotely piloted aircraft in an effort to demonstrate the platform’s civil and scientific applications. The tests took place in Iki Island, Japan, and showcased the potential of Guardian to support humanitarian, disaster response, environmental monitoring and maritime patrol operations, the company …
Read More »General Atomics Puts MQ-9B RPA Through Lightning Simulation Test
General Atomics has conducted lightning simulation tests on a full-scale MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft last month at a company facility in Poway, Calif. The company said Tuesday engineers from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. and NTS Pittsfield tested the MQ-9B that was equipped with lightning protection technology. GA-ASI plans to integrate the same technology …
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