ANN has breaking news on the FAA's intent to register nearly all the UAVs in North America... Avidyne Corporation announced that they have received an FAA Supplemental Type Certificate approval of their MK10 Bluetooth keyboard, the first Bluetooth-enable functionality for the IFD440 and IFD540 systems. The MK10 Bluetooth Keyboard allows pilots to wirelessly control their panel-mounted IFD440 or IFD540 system. Activation of Bluetooth functionality requires software Release 10.1.1. for the IDF440 and 540. As a new entry to aviation products, it appears Bad Elf is getting something going with its plan to provide A
But... Registration "Will Be Free For The First 30 Days"
OK... the other shoe has dropped and the FAA has admitted that UAV registration will come with a cost. According to the presser just released, "The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced a streamlined and user-friendly web-based aircraft registration process for owners of small unmanned aircraft (UAS) weighing more than 0.55 pounds (250 grams) and less than 55 pounds (approx. 25 kilograms) including payloads such as on-board cameras."
Spacecraft Under Development For The Department Of Defense
The Critical Design Review (CDR) of the STPSat-5 satellite for the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Space Test Program (STP) has been completed by Sierra Nevada Corp, confirming that the satellite will meet mission requirements and is sufficiently mature to begin fabrication. SNC is the prime contractor on the STPSat-5 program, leading the design and integration of this next-generation science and technology demonstration satellite for the DOD.
Signs $386 Million Contract For ESA’s Next Life-Tracker Inside The Solar System
The European Space Agency (ESA) and Airbus Defense and Space, the world’s second largest space company, have signed a €350M (approx $386 million) contract to develop and build ESA’s JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) spacecraft. The contract was signed in Toulouse in the presence of Alvaro Gimenez, Director of Science and Robotic Exploration at ESA, and Eric Béranger, Head of Space Systems Programs at Airbus Defense and Space.
Technology Will Help Fast-Track Development Of Ultra-High Resolution Imaging System
NASA’s Ames Research Center and Hera Systems have announced that they have executed a licensing agreement on two pending patents for the Cost Optimized Test of Spacecraft Avionics and Technologies (COTSAT) spacecraft. The agreement enables Hera Systems, a satellite information and analytics company, to leverage NASA’s cutting-edge technology in the development of an ultra-high resolution commercial imaging system that Hera Systems anticipates launching in 2017.
Spacecraft Has Been Waiting For A Year For A Ride To Space
After a year-long wait in storage for a Proton rocket to become available, the EDRS-A laser communications payload and its Eutelsat host satellite are finally at the Baikonur cosmodrome and being prepared for launch in late January.
An Impressive LSA-Like Airframe Boasts Excellent Numbers... And FOUR Seats!
A company located in South Africa named, The Aircraft Factory (TAF), produces some great airplanes, and ANN CEO and Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell, visited the TAF Torrance, CA headquarters to ask about their Sling 4, four-place aircraft. Jim met with Matt Liknaitzky, the president of MGL Avionics USA, and he heads up the U.S. distribution of Sling Aircraft for TAF.
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