Diamond Celebrates Special Mission Twin Fleet

Diamond Aircraft has delivered the 10th of it’s DA62 Multi Purpose Platform (MPP), their high-performance sensor-laden workhorse for commercial surveillance, search and rescue, aerial patrol, force protection, disaster management, systems calibration, and other professional missions. As delivered, the newest addition is configured as a maritime patrol aircraft, equipped with radar, AIS receiver, marine band radio, SIGINT, and Beyond Line of Sight datalink equipment. The installation of the maritime-specific radar pod required custom design and development, which was scratch built and perfectly tailored to the specific aerodynamic and technical needs of the DA62.

Makes Headway on Long-Range Backup Data Feed for Public Safety Drones

uAvionix has finished the first phase of development on their new SkyLink Control & Non-Payload Communications for drone operation on safety-critical, Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) missions. The completion flights were done at a range up to 25 miles at the Northern Plains UAS Test site in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The command & control systems will utilize C-band comms in a departure from the majority of commercial unmanned systems, utilizing ISM or 4G networks when needed to address a lost C2 link. The BVLOS waivers granted by the FCC are the first step towards robust, capable public safety drones, allowing long-range control with multiple fail safe modes th

Receives FAA Safety Research Grant To Design Testing Procedures for Certification

The Department of Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has added some more prestige to the institution as a hub of aviation safety research with an FAA grant to study elements of the eVTOL revolution to come. The study is funded by $625,000 to "enhance the safety of a new class of electric propulsion-powered aircraft." The research will aim to establish safe guidelines and pathways to certification, as well as the ways that their drivetrains differ from traditional aircraft. It is easy to take the wide knowledge base of stock, fuel based aircraft for granted - they are well understood in their failure modes, needs, and issues even in eme