What's next for the Pentagon after the Replicator programme?
Although the Replicator initiative has made several accomplishments, there are still multiple gaps to plug across the US Department of Defense (DoD) and its services.
Penguin B granted Section 333 exemption
A UAV Factory Penguin B UAS owned by an unnamed customer has been granted a Section 333 exemption by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the company announced on 7 December.
To date the majority of aircraft cleared under Section 333 have been electrically powered UAS with very short flight endurance. The Penguin B granted the approval is powered by a gasoline engine with electronic fuel injection, enabling the aircraft to fly for more than 20 hours.
UAV Factory expects further exemptions for the Penguin B to be granted, along with the fully-integrated Penguin C.
Rory Bauer, sales director, UAV Factory, said: ‘We are working with prospective customers to help them draft their Section 333 applications because as the manufacturer we have the required information readily available.’
Konstantins Popiks, CTO, UAV Factory, added: ‘This helps pave the way for other Section 333 applicants looking for increased endurance and payload capacity. Having an internal combustion, as opposed to an electric aircraft approved for a Section 333 exemption now is a great step forward.’
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