The Unmanned Air (and other) Systems Thread

[YOhio]

Is there a UAS thread here? If so it sucked because I don't remember it.

So this past Valentines Day the FAA released a screening information request (their version of an RFP) for six UAS test sites throughout the country. It's a non-funded program, at least initially, and requires a non-federal government agency to apply, so only states and local governments are eligible. At least 20 different states are in contention, some better situated than others. With the UAS industry seemingly on the verge of booming regions everywhere are trying to get some access to that cluster and this SIR is probably going to determine where the research and manufacturers go over the next 20 years. The applications will be complete over the next 90 days and decisions expected to start trickling in early fall.

What's going to be interesting is to see how quickly the UAS industry can find broad non-military/law enforcement application. Georgia Tech and groups in NoDak have been leading the push for UAS in precision farming and other agricultural applications. There is also a strong niche for first responder use, but that will have to be government driven.

Anyone here work in the industry? I know a UAS company in Utah was recently purchased by Lockheed. This is going to be a fun industry to watch develop. If you like the technology, keep an eye on the AUVSI quarterly. It has some great articles and the archives are free, though you have to use their web portal.

[Jeff Lebowski]

My son wants to work in this industry. He is a junior in ME and builds all kinds of exotic RC planes and helicopters. This is a great development.

[YOhio]

My son wants to work in this industry. He is a junior in ME and builds all kinds of exotic RC planes and helicopters. This is a great development.

Then he should keep an eye out on this. It could be a factor in where he ends up living. Here's a pretty good recent article by NatGeo on the industry.

[old_gregg]

uav systems are being used in areas where poaching is a problem. seems like there are unlimited applications like that where they could be very useful.

[YOhio]

AUVSI’s The Economic Impact of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the United States report shows the economic benefit of UAS integration. AUVSI’s findings show that in the first three years of integration more than 70,000 jobs will be created in the United States with an economic impact of more than $13.6 billion. This benefit will grow through 2025 when we foresee more than 100,000 jobs created and economic impact of $82 billion.

http://www.auvsi.org/econreport

[edward777]

Absolutely! These little toys will insure that you won't be able to have privacy anywhere! All hail the power of the Beast.

[YOhio]

UVU is putting in a response to the FAA for a test site.

“The alliance that we have formed to go after this test facility is called the Mountain West Unmanned Systems Alliance or MWUSA. It’s comprised of universities who are doing research and development on UAS and private industry as well. UVU is the lead institution so we will be the ones that are guiding all of this, so we are pretty excited about it,” Dornan said.

....

Whether Americans are ready for it or not, UAS is already a part of daily life and will not be going anywhere any time soon.

“This is a virtual tsunami about to happen, the integration of UAS into NAS is one of the most important things to happen in aviation since the Wright brothers. That’s how critical this is because this is going to change how we think about aviation,” Dornan said.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/8...ility-for.html

[YOhio]

Southern California getting in on the action.

Eileen Shibley, Executive Director of China Lake Alliance, heads up the Cal UAS Portal proposal team out of the old Texas Instruments building at IYK, while Vejtasa is the point of contact for fundraising.
Vejtasa said some elements of the plan had changed, with the departure of one element and picking up others both regionally and nationally.
Vejtasa said one benefit Cal UAS Portal and Inyokern presents as a test site would be a diversified economy, and by extension less reliance on China Lake NAWS as the valley’s single largest employer.
“This may bring us down to 75 percent (of reliance on the base) because we will have other direct job vendors,” she said. “We need to bring more direct jobs here and FAA jobs are very compatible with this place.”
Vejtasa also mentioned Shibley had secured a memorandum of understanding from China Lake NAWS that would allow reciprocal use of test ranges.
The advantage aside from the prestige that came as being named a test site would include bringing new businesses to the valley.
“One business has said ‘If you get this, I am relocating my business to Inyokern,’” Vejtasa said.
However, Vejtasa declined to comment on which business.
She said Shibley was keeping things under wraps, should other UAS teams try to pursue the same companies Inyokern is hoping to woo.

http://www.ridgecrestca.com/article/...NEWS/130319837

[YOhio]

Needlenecked wankers embrace the drones.

Zachary Waller always wanted to be a commercial airline pilot as a kid. The prestige and paycheck associated with being the captain of a huge airliner appealed to him. But shortly after he arrived at the University of North Dakota in 2008, he realized he could actually take to the skies and secure a good job without having his feet leave the ground. He decided to pursue a new degree that the department of aviation was offering — unmanned-aircraft-systems operations. He spent his college years studying drones.

“There were no textbooks,” Waller says of the program’s early years. “Nothing like this had ever been taught in an academic setting.” When he began studying unmanned aircraft in 2009, there were about 15 students in the major. Today, 120 students are enrolled in the program.

It’s not just a North Dakota phenomenon. Curriculums and research projects related to drones are cropping up at both large universities and community colleges across the country. In a list of 81 publicly funded entities that have applied for a certificate of authorization to fly drones from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), more than a third are colleges, according to FAA documents obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Schools — and their students — are jockeying for a position on the ground floor of a nascent industry that looks poised to generate jobs and research funding in the coming years.



Read more: http://business.time.com/2013/03/18/...#ixzz2O5zMF6pW

[YOhio]

States in a race to secure drone testing.

[YOhio]

There are 50 applicants from 37 states. There are a few states who have teamed for joint proposals, notably Oregon/Alaska/Hawaii, New Jersey/Virginia, Ohio/Indiana and New York/Massachusetts. California is having a bunch of infighting due to multiple sites proposing. Hopefully they ruin each other.

[Uncle Ted]

Absolutely! These little toys will insure that you won't be able to have privacy anywhere! All hail the power of the Beast.

Time to get some new anti-drone wear...

[YOhio]

ARISE YE PROUD SONS OF THE TWO OH! EIGHT and submit an application to the FAA.

http://www.avionics-intelligence.com...d-aircraf.html

[Uncle Ted]

ARISE YE PROUD SONS OF THE TWO OH! EIGHT and submit an application to the FAA.

http://www.avionics-intelligence.com...d-aircraf.html

This legislation creates standards to ensure unmanned aircraft systems are restricted from conducting unwarranted surveillance or observation of individuals, dwellings or agricultural facilities absent a warrant or need for emergency response for safety, search and rescue, or controlled substance investigations. The legal framework created by the legislation enables Idaho to accelerate and advance development and testing of technologies and protocols that will allow for the safe integration of unmanned aircraft into the national airspace system.

God bless Idaho. Where the hell is Texas on this?

[Tim]

Southern California getting in on the action.

http://www.ridgecrestca.com/article/...NEWS/130319837

That's my hometown.