Best Tugs Echo Can Move Nearly Anything

Best Tugs showcased its new Echo line of tugs at NBAA-BACE last month. The line includes three variants that can move all types of vehicles, including airplanes, helicopters, boats and trailers weighing up to 18,000 pounds. The tugs feature power steering, an optional wireless winch that can be controlled from Echo's helm or via a Bluetooth control as you work near the loading tray, and a built-in radio to keep crews up to date on where tugs with certain capabilities/attachments are located and where they are needed.

Also: Hover 2, TX Man Charged After Drone Shooting, ZF First In Germany, AviSight, Inc.

Aurora continues its nearly 30-year legacy of advancing autonomous systems with Odysseus, a solar-powered autonomous aircraft. Odysseus is an ultra-long endurance, high-altitude platform utilizing advanced solar cells and built with lightweight materials. Odysseus can effectively fly indefinitely – all powered by clean, renewable energy. The inspiration for Odysseus started with the Daedalus Project that ultimately set records in distance and for human-powered flight in 1988 with a 72-mile flight between the Greek islands of Crete and Santorini. The project was organized and led by Aurora President and CEO John Langford and other MIT colleagues who later founded Aurora.  Daedalus' records still stand today. The recent delivery of a QF-16 from Boeing to the 82nd Aerial Target Squadron marks an importa

Last Step In Transition To A More Integrated And Systematic Approach To Pilot Certification

As the latest step in its transition to a more integrated and systematic approach to pilot certification, the FAA is asking for public comments on new draft standards for obtaining an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate in the airplane category or for obtaining an airplane type rating.

Company Hopes For First Orbital Launch In Early 2019

Virgin Orbit’s Cosmic Girl has taken to the skies with a rocket tucked under its wing for the first time. The specially modified 747-400 carrying a 70-foot-long rocket under its wing soared through the air as part of a successful test flight for Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne.

Yes... We Will Be On A Holiday Schedule For The Rest Of Week

As the Aero-News staff observes the US holiday of Thanksgiving on Thursday, we wanted to let our readers know that ANN will still be on the job, reporting breaking news in the aviation and aerospace fields as it happens -- in Real Time -- just like always. Aero-News will be publishing at a slightly reduced level on November 22nd and 23rd, as our staffers spend some time with their families... some of whom may not recognize them away from their computers. Basically, we're going to treat the four-day weekend as just that: a four-day weekend, meaning you'll still be able to find several new stories each day on our website. By the way, we celebrated an amazing milestone last week... the SEVENTH anniversary of our 'AIRBORNE' programming... which has grown from once a week to bi-weekly to thrice-weekly and on to a DAILY (and then some!)... with even greater things in store for the near future -- HINT, HINT.

Multiple Test Flights  On DJI Matrice 600 Pro Verify Successful Integration Onto Widely-used UAV Platform

ASTRALiTe, Inc., successfully demonstrated its 2-in-1 Topo-Bathy LiDAR flying on a DJI Matrice 600 Pro UAV during three separate missions over the course of a month.

Jezero Crater Selected From More Than 60 Candidate Locations

NASA has chosen Jezero Crater as the landing site for its upcoming Mars 2020 rover mission after a five year search, during which every available detail of more than 60 candidate locations on the Red Planet was scrutinized and debated by the mission team and the planetary science community.

Australia's Matt Hall, U.S. Pilot Michael Goulian Finish Second And Third, Respectively

Martin Sonka has won the 2018 Red Bull Air Race World Championship following a nail-biting final race in Fort Worth, Texas.

Also: UAS Waiver Report, Japan Document Delivery, Fluidity's FT Aviator, Lithium Metal Ion Batteries

Zero Zero Robotics has released early details for their new 4K capable Hover 2, that follows in the footsteps of their pivotal Hover platform released two years ago. Hover 2 introduces an entirely new drone experience with innovations like Optical Radar and cutting-edge A.I. enable obstacle avoidance and tracking features. The company is raising money for development and production of the aircraft on Kickstarter. You may select between 4 preset shots with AutoFrame, allowing Hover 2 to fly into position, frame, and capture the shot with the tap of a button, choosing between Waist-Up, Full-body, Backdrop, and Birds-eye modes. Ryze Tech has launched Tello EDU, a programmable drone that expands the educational opportunities with support for additional programming languages and drone swarms. Tello EDU

ANN/Airborne/Aero-TV Marketing Department Needs Part or Full Time Personnel

E-I-C Note: For some reason, finding really motivated/honest/professional sales help has been a tough gig. And that need is greater now than ever. As a media partner to two of the most pivotal players in the drone arena... and new programs, on the way, devoted to women working and playing in the aviation and aerospace community, as well as avionics and other major aero-interests, coming soon -- NOW is the time to get this part of our business properly staffed. That's not all... what about all the other aspects of aviation and aerospace? Well... we have most of those covered -- or about to be covered. That's right; there's more... with nearly a dozen such agreements either done or in the works... and MASSIVE upgrades to the Airborne Unlimited program itself. So -- it's time to ramp up some efforts here -- sales, in particular -- and we need exceptional personnel, for the job. If you'd like to help chart th