Industry News

Unmanned

Puma AE Small UAV achieves nine continuous hours of flight on solar, battery technology - News

August 15, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design AeroVironment, Inc.

WASHINGTON. AeroVironment announced at the 2013 Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) conference that a Puma AE Small UAV (SUAV) powered a long endurance battery and by Alta Devices solar technology achieved nine continuous hours of flight during a recent outdoor flight test. The Puma AE’s 9 hour and 11 minute flight is longest endurance of any SUAV in its class.

Unmanned

Insitu's ICOMC2 GCS allows one operator to control multiple unmanned platforms - News

August 15, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Insitu

WASHINGTON. The Insitu Common Open-Mission Management Command and Control (ICOMC2) Ground Control Station (GCS) was introduced at the 2013 Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International (AUVSI) conference. ICOMC2 allows one operator to control multiple unmanned vehicles simultaneously, and has an open-architecture system can scale from soldier-worn devices up to large operational Command and Control (C2) systems.

Unmanned

RQ-11B Raven UAS navigates using Rockwell Collins GB-GRAM-M GPS receiver - News

August 14, 2013

Rockwell Collins

WASHINGTON. Rockwell Collins announced at the 2013 Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) conference testing of the Rockwell Collins GB-GRAM-M GPS receiver cards integrated with the RQ-11B Raven Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). This is the first time any UAS has used live Military code (M-code) signals to pilot accurately.

Radar/EW

GA-ASI demonstrates Northrop Grumman EW capabilities on Predator B - News

August 14, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design General Micro Systems, Inc.

WASHINGTON. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA ASI) announced at the 2013 Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) that the Predator B Electronic Attack capability was successfully demonstrated at the Marine Corp Air Station (MCAS) in Yuma, AZ. The demonstration displayed integration of a jamming pod containing a Northrop Grumman Digital Receiver/Exciter into a GA-ASI Predator B Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) to evaluate the system’s Electronic Warfare (EW) capabilities.

Unmanned

HoodTech Vision introduces stabilized HD EO imaging system - News

August 14, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design HoodTech Vision

WASHINGTON. An HD Electro Optical (EO) imager designed for unstable platforms was introduced at the 2013 Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) conference by HoodTech Vision. The 4-axis stabilized EO imager provides 720p image resolution at 30 Hz frame rate, and can be housed in an optical dome on systems up to 800 grams.

Unmanned

Northwest UAV introduces Small UAV Propulsion Module Unit - News

August 13, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Northwest UAV

WASHINGTON. Northwest UAV (NWUAV) has introduced the COTS 44cc Heavy Fuel Propulsion Module Unit (PMU) at the 2013 Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) conference in Washington DC. The fuel-injected PMU is equipped with a 250 W generator and 28 V generator control unit, with all primary components managed under AS-9100 certification.

Unmanned

MQ-8B Fire Scout sets stage for MQ-8C after 5,000 flight hours in Afghanistan - News

August 13, 2013

Northrop Grumman

WASHINGTON. At the 2013 Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) conference, Northrop Grumman announced MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned helicopter has surpassed 5,000 flight hours in Afghanistan. Since 2011, the MQ-8B Fire Scout has provided airborne surveillance and targeting in support of counter improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and delivered Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) data to forces on the ground.

Unmanned

MDA awards $218 million SM-3 contract to Raytheon - News

August 12, 2013

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Raytheon Company

TUCSON, AZ. Raytheon won a $218,530,196 contract from the Missile Defense Agency to finish the assembly and delivery of 29 Standard Missile-3 Block IB missiles. The SM-3 interceptors are launched off Navy ships and destroy incoming short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missile threats by hitting with them in space.

Radar/EW

EA-18G targeting and data systems upgrades demonstrated by US Navy, Boeing - News

August 09, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Boeing

ST. LOUIS. A demonstration by the U.S. Navy displayed the new data network and sensor system upgrades on the Boeing EA-18G Growler aircraft. The demonstration occurred during the July 15 – 19 Navy Fleet Experimentation (FLEX) campaign at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Maryland, and showed how the new capabilities will improve the ability of aircrews to locate threats.

Unmanned

Tech Source H.264 XMC adds VxWorks board support for real-time video streaming applications - News

August 08, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design TechSource, Inc.

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL. Driver support for the Wind River VxWorks Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) has been added to the Tech Source, Inc., Condor VC100x H.264 video capture and compression card. The Condor VC100x is an XMC module designed for video streaming applications in mission-critical Aerospace and Defense (A&D) environments, and support for VxWorks adds real-time capabilities and low-latency performance.

Unmanned

Knifefish UUV risk reduction completed by General Dynamics - News

August 07, 2013

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems General Dynamics

FAIRFAX, VA. – Officials at General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems finished work oan the risk reduction program for the U.S. Navy’s Knifefish Surface Mine Countermeasure Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV). The program's goal to uncover any potential systems defect in the program’s development phase.

Radar/EW

Emerson's majority interest in its embedded computing & power business sold to Platinum Equity - News

August 06, 2013

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Emerson

CARLSBAD, CA. Officials at Emerson announced that they have signed an agreement to sell a 51 percent stake in the company's embedded computing and power business to Platinum Equity in Los Angeles. Under the deal, Emerson will get about $300 million in cash and will keep a 49 percent non-controlling interest in the business, which will then operate as an independent company.

Comms

All-electric satellite from Boeing meets critical design review - News

August 06, 2013

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Boeing

EL SEGUNDO, CA. – The electric-powered 702 Small Platform (702SP) from Boeing passed its critical design review, enabling the new program to place two satellites into assembly, integration, and testing. The 3- to 8-kilowatt satellite started on its 702 product line last spring as a more simple design that could be built more quickly while costing and weighing less than traditional satellites. Its all-electric propulsion reduces the spacecraft’s mass and maximizes its available payload.

Radar/EW

F-16 AESA radar upgrade to use Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) from Northrop Grumman - News

August 05, 2013

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Northrop Grumman

LINTHICUM, MD. The Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR), designed by Northrop Grumman engineers will be used by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Air Force and Taiwan F-16 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) upgrade and modernization programs.

Comms

Techaya releases credit card-sized 8-port Gigabit Ethernet switch - News

August 02, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Techaya

LOS ANGELES. Techaya has released the MILTECH 918, an ultra-compact 10/100/1000 managed Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) switch. Measuring 3.94" x 3.5" x 1.4" and weighing 0.86 pounds, the MILTECH 918 is compliant with MIL-STD-704 and MIL-STD-1275, and is well suited for wire speed forwarding applications in tactical communications systems.