Search Results

NASA Science Mission Directorate officials in Washington are funding three new projects selected from a pool of 25 received in response to the NASA Earth Science Technology Office’s (ESTO’s) solicitation for the In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technologies (InVEST) program element A.49 of ROSES (Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences) 2017, supporting the Earth Science Division (Solicitation NNH17ZDA001N).

Lidar technologies provide immediate and accurate free-space detection and excellent object detection and localization. As a result, a driver-assistance system designed with a high-performance, forward-looking lidar (FLL) sensor would greatly improve vehicle performance and safety. The third installment of this multipart series provides practical insight into the use of lidar technology as the cornerstone of a real-world advanced driver-assistance system.

Rolls-Royce in London is unveiling a concept electric vertical take-off and landing (EVTOL) vehicle, including civil and military variants, that could take to the skies as soon as the early 2020s. The flexible design – able to be adapted for a variety of applications, including personal transport, public transport, logistics, and defense – is based upon technologies currently in use and under development.

The Auto-Tracking Antenna System, a new portable, ground-to-air antenna from Persistent Systems LLC in New York, incorporates aircraft into the Wave Relay mobile ad hoc network (MANET) to boost connectivity, communications, and distribution of critical sensor data, including full-motion video, on the networked battlefield. The precisely aimed tracking system works with the MPU5 radio and Wave Relay MANET to optimize connectivity and reliable communications to enable manned and unmanned aircraft to communicate further than ever before, officials say.

Engineers at Martin UAV are incorporating Wave Relay mobile ad hoc network (MANET) technology from Persistent Systems into the company’s V-BAT small, vertical takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

Through OFFSET, DARPA envisions swarms of 250 collaborative autonomous systems – including unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) – providing critical capabilities to ground units in urban areas where challenges such as tall buildings, tight spaces, and limited sight lines constrain essential communications, sensing, maneuverability, and autonomous operations.

TuSimple, which specializes in autonomous trucks, will perform five round trips between USPS distribution centers in Phoenix and Dallas over the course of a two-week pilot program. USPS will use the program to assess factors like fuel cost reduction, operational safety, and fleet utilization rates.

Aircraft orders exceed $95 billion in value and are complemented by roughly $3 billion in aircraft engine and engine service agreement contracts announced in the first two days of the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. “The future starts at Farnborough; our exhibition halls are full of innovation that will shape how we fly, enabling us to go further, faster, and with less environmental impact,” says Farnborough International Commercial Director Amanda Stainer.  

SaraniaSat, an aerospace startup in Los Angeles, won a three-year, $5.1 million NASA In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technologies (InVEST) contract to test and advance the company’s Hyperspectral Thermal Imager (HyTI), being touted as a unique, disruptive technology for hyperspectral remote sensing, a technology also known as imaging spectroscopy used to detect and identify minerals, vegetation, and manmade materials.

Boeing and SparkCognition are collaborating on unmanned aircraft system (UAS) traffic management (UTM) solutions that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technologies to track unmanned air vehicles in flight and allocate traffic corridors and routes to ensure safe, secure transportation.

Officials at GE Aviation and Teradata are expanding their partnership to provide airlines with a framework that combines Teradata’s high-performance analytics in the cloud from with GE Aviation’s edge-connectivity services. Markets and Markets Research estimates the aviation analytics market is a $2.16 billion industry that will grow to an estimated $4.23 billion by 2021.

Connected aircraft means more than just in-flight movies, free texting, and Facebook posting with friends while in flight. In fact, the connected aircraft revolutionizes airline operations, dramatically improving fleet management, flight safety, passenger experience, maintenance, flight operations, aircraft turnaround time, and costs. For aircraft operators, connectivity presents a new set of operational benefits that were previously unavailable.

Earlier this month, General Atomics Aeronautical System, Inc. (GA-ASI) completed an entire MQ-9B SkyGuardian remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) flight – from takeoff to landing – using a GA-ASI certifiable ground control station (CGCS). At the core of the CGCS is Abaco Systems Inc.’s (Abaco’s) certifiable FORCE2 Open Reference Computing Environment.

Join SAE International Product Group Director, John Tintinalli and Editorial Director & Content Strategist, Courtney Howard as they discuss automated vehicle safety with other industry experts at AUVSI Xponential 2019.

Officials and engineers at Boeing in Seattle are offering a glimpse into their vision for hypersonic air travel. They have released, for the first time, images of one of the company’s hypersonic air vehicle concepts for potential military and commercial passenger transport.

Established on July 1, the ECLAIR consortium will focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other negative environmental impacts of the aerospace industry by developing innovative electric technologies.

TIoTA, an open software consortium of over 50 members organized to support the creation of a secure, scalable, interoperable, and trusted IoT ecosystem, began the E-Mobility Challenge to link IoT devices with consumers and stakeholder companies such as operators and service, communication, and payment providers within the preexisting European electric vehicle ecosystem.

Automakers have invested heavily in developing advanced driver-assistance technologies to make driving more comfortable and safe. The most advanced of these systems are already offered as vehicle features that satisfy Level 2 automated driving as defined by SAE International in SAE J 3016-2018 Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles and incorporate capabilities, such as Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB). These features can intervene in certain driving scenarios to control the vehicle’s movement; yet, to ensure safe operation, the driver must remain attentive and focused on the driving environment.

As part of its ongoing Wi-Fi 6 program, the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) – an industry association focused on next generation Wi-Fi services and interoperability – is starting the world’s first Wi-Fi 6 Industrial Enterprise and Internet of Things (IoT) trial at Mettis Aerospace Limited’s (Mettis Aerospace’s) 27-acre West Midlands facility.

In contrast to the stiff, rigid wings found on most commercial aircraft, flexible wing technology is considered essential to next generation, fuel efficient aircraft. However, flexible wings are susceptible to “flutter,” or highly destructive aeroelastic instability. To better understand and mitigate flutter, engineers at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) equipped the X-56 with fiber optic sensing (FOS) technology.