US Navy foresees an uncrewed future for its surface and underwater fleet
The service has been conducting various procurement and development efforts to integrate unmanned surface and underwater vehicles into its inventory.
Cranfield University has joined the EuroDRONE programme, to test the European Union’s (EU's) readiness to manage a broad range of UAS operations including interaction with manned aviation.
The EuroDRONE programme intends to connect operators, regulators, law enforcement agencies and product developers – and the different systems they use – in a unified environment. It is part of an 18-month UAS demonstration programme to test the implementation of EU initiatives (called U-Space) to ensure safe and secure UAS traffic management in its airspace.
EuroDRONE will test U-space functionalities at an enhanced service level, paving the way for a broad range of UAS operations and related services that are currently restricted. These could include parcel deliveries in dense urban locations, medical emergencies and police interventions, maritime SAR missions and forestry inspections.
The EuroDRONE architecture is made up of cloud software and hardware to be installed on UAS. It is a self-learning system operating in a distributed computing environment and offering multiple levels of redundancy, fail-safe algorithms for conflict prevention/resolution and asset management.
Cranfield is leading work around path planning and clearance procedures, connectivity between airports and UAS, the tracking of UAS to monitor their operations and behaviour, and the assessment and development of appropriate sense and avoid techniques.
EuroDRONE partners include Aslogic, Dronsystems, the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority, Hellenic Post, University of Patras and Romanian Post. The project is being coordinated by the University of Patras in Greece.
The service has been conducting various procurement and development efforts to integrate unmanned surface and underwater vehicles into its inventory.
Tekever has manufactured the AR3, AR4 and AR5 UAS with all systems sharing common electronics and software architecture, which has enabled the reuse of ground segment elements within the new ARX UAS.
As the dynamics of aerial combat rapidly evolve, Chinese scientists have engineered a sophisticated air separation drone model that can fragment into up to six drones, each capable of executing distinct battlefield roles and challenging the efficacy of current anti-drone defences such as the UK’s Dragonfire laser system.
Advancements in air defence technologies have begun to reshape aerial combat dynamics in the Middle East, as illustrated by recent events involving the Israeli Air Force and Hezbollah.
Both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war have been using UAS for effective low-cost attacks, as well as impactful web and social media footage. Thousands more have now been committed to Ukrainian forces.
The US Army has intentions to develop light, medium and heavy variants of the Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) as part of the branche’s Next Generation Combat Vehicle family.