Thursday, March 31, 2022 // (IG): BB //Weekly Sponsor: DiyGarage SoCal
Teledyne LVSS anti-drone system tracks up to 500 targets at once
FROM THE MEDIA: Teledyne FLIR Defense has unveiled its Lightweight Vehicle Surveillance System (LVSS) with advanced counter-unmanned aerial system capabilities. Mounted on a Ford F-250 standard truck chassis, it deploys in under a minute to counter drone swarms. Many people think of small drones as little quadcopters that take cool aerial videos and can really annoy people in parks, but these increasingly sophisticated machines have evolved to the point where the US Department of Defense regards them as posing new risks to military forces, no matter where they operate. In recent years, nuisance incidents at civilian airports by irresponsible hobbyists have stepped up to deadly drone attacks in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and there have been reports of suicide drones being deployed against Russian forces in Ukraine. There are a number of ways of countering small drones that vary greatly in size and efficacy. Using a shotgun is one approach, but there are more practical solutions out there such as quadcopters carrying nets, net-shooting guns, aimable radio jammers that look like sci-fi ray guns, suicide drones to ram invaders, high-energy lasers, and even eagles.
READ THE STORY: New Atlas
Texas Law Regulating Drone Photography Is Unconstitutional, Judge Rules
FROM THE MEDIA: A Texas law that limits the use of remotely piloted drones to capture images is unconstitutional, a federal judge in Austin ruled Monday.
The National Press Photographers Association, the Texas Press Association and former Dallas Observer editor Joseph Pappalardo challenged the so-called “Texas Privacy Act,” which threatened criminal charges and punishing civil lawsuits against anyone taking images “of an individual or privately owned real property in this state with the intent to conduct surveillance on the individual or property captured in the image.” Well, almost anyone. Academics, law enforcement, Realtors, surveyors, utility companies, gas and oil drillers, pipeline companies and others with a “commercial purpose” were exempt under the law, provided that commercial purpose wasn't reporting the news. “Professors, students, employees of insurance companies, and real estate brokers all appear on this list; journalists do not,” U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman wrote in his decision declaring the law unconstitutional and enjoining the state from enforcing it. “As Plaintiffs note, the same drone image taken legally by a professor would constitute a misdemeanor if captured by a journalist.”
READ THE STORY: Dallas Observer
Autel Robotics Tilt-rotor Dragonfish Lite and Pro UAVs Now Available in the US
FROM THE MEDIA: The Autel Robotics Dragonfish Lite and Pro UAVs are now available in the US, joining the standard Autel Dragonfish and providing more price options and mission choices for UAV pilots. The Dragonfish series are tough aircraft, capable of both VTOL multi-rotor and fast winged flight with an endurance of up to 180 minutes, making them ideal for professional applications in fields such as energy, mining, defense, and surveillance. Maximum winged flight speed is 30m/s (108km/h, 67mph), and maximum video transmission range is 30km (18.6 miles) with a base station. The Dragonfish series is built with safety and ease of use in mind. The 1-tap take-off and landing capability, easy point-and-click user interface, and other smart autonomous features make them simple for anyone to operate. The aircraft can make a smart decision to either land or return to base in case of issues such as loss of GPS signal, loss of operator communications, or low battery power. The Dragonfish tilt-rotor system will automatically transition to multi-rotor mode if adverse conditions cause fixed winged flight to stall or become unsustainable. The Dragonfish battery, barometer, positioning system, compass, and IMU all have backup modules to ensure flight safety. Dragonfish UAVs can carry a variety of payloads – including standard high-resolution cameras, 50x optical zoom cameras, 12 megapixel wide-angle cameras, 1280×1024 high-resolution infra-red cameras, and laser rangefinders – for various imaging, surveillance and mapping tasks.
READ THE STORY: UASWEEKLY
FedEx Plans to Test Autonomous Drone Cargo Delivery with Elroy Air
FROM THE MEDIA: FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. and the world’s largest express transportation company, is teaming up with California Bay Area-based Elroy Air, the company building the first end-to-end autonomous vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial cargo system. As a first of its kind agreement in the U.S., FedEx Express will develop plans to test Elroy Air’s Chaparral autonomous air cargo system within the company’s middle-mile logistics operations, moving shipments between sortation locations. This is the latest initiative from FedEx in its effort to explore and adopt emerging technologies across its networks. The exponential growth of e-commerce has accelerated the demand for reliable, efficient transportation and logistics solutions throughout all stages of the supply chain. FedEx believes that continued innovation and automation will improve safety, efficiency, and productivity for the company’s 600,000 team members as they continue to move the world forward. “FedEx was built on innovation and we are always looking toward new technologies to help enhance the logistics industry through improved safety, efficiency and customer service,” said Joe Stephens, senior vice president, global planning, engineering and technology, FedEx Express. “We look forward to continued testing and learning throughout our collaboration with Elroy Air.” Elroy Air announced its signature Chaparral autonomous aircraft in January 2022. The Chaparral aircraft is an eVTOL aerial cargo system that can autonomously pick up 300-500 pounds of cargo and deliver it by air up to 300 miles. The Chaparral is capable of longer-range flights without the need for additional infrastructure, such as airports or charging stations.
READ THE STORY: UAS Weekly
Rising to the challenge of more frequent wildfires
FROM THE MEDIA: Amy Gallagher reports on how aerial firefighters are rising to the challenge of increased wildland fires in the US by the introduction of innovative solutions and transforming military-grade aircraft into firefighting weapons. Underlying the many causes of wildland fires such as unextinguished campfires and cigarettes, the US Department of Interior (DOI) states that 90 per cent of fires are accidental (i.e. unextinguished campfires and cigarettes) caused by humans. Among the more controversial causes is the increasing populations in the wildland urban interface (WUI) – defined as when houses are built close to forests or other types of natural vegetation. The US Forest Services (USFS) tracked changes from 1990–2010 of the nation’s WUI areas, revealing an expansion of more than 46 million acres, increasing risks for lost lives and land. The USFS declared war on forest fires shortly after the Great Fire of 1910 that burned 3 million acres in Idaho and Montana, taking the lives of 85 people. Fast forward 112 years and the US is still fighting the same war, and the battles are exponentially more destructive and deadly. Rising up to meet the challenges of increased wildland fires, several US corporations continue to develop innovative solutions and technological modifications to transform military grade aircraft into firefighting weapons – like the US Army’s Sikorsky UH 60M Black Hawk, developed in the 1970s and modified as the S-70 Firehawk, as well as the Lockheed C-130 Hercules (C-130H) deployed by the US Air Force for firefighting missions in the 1970s and lately modified as the LM-100J FireHerc.
READ THE STORY: FlyingMag
Sea drone to propel underwater research
FROM THE MEDIA: An Australian-made sea drone that's as agile as a squid and doubles as a high-tech science lab is poised to revolutionize how oceans are studied. The autonomous gadget, guided by artificial intelligence, has some big-name backers including former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. Scientists believe it will slash the cost of marine research and the time and effort it takes. At just 6kg, the Hydrus drone is light and can be deployed by a single person from the side of a tinny, with missions set and executed remotely via a web interface. It has some impressive skills, including being able to fix its position in turbulent conditions and zip through complex environments without hitting anything, gathering scientific readings as it goes. It has a cinema-grade camera and can be fitted with sensors to capture all kinds of data from climate change effects like coral bleaching and acidification, to fish stocks and coastal erosion. Hydrus is the brain child of Xavier Orr, who says it's a far cry from the heavy, expensive and difficult to deploy devices traditionally used. The technology that powers the drone has been a decade in the making. Its financial backers also include mining magnate Andrew Forrest through his philanthropic Minderoo Foundation, and the CSIRO's deep tech innovation fund.
READ THE STORY: HunterValleyNews
Wingcopter drones to deliver spare parts to offshore wind farms
FROM THE MEDIA: Wingcopter says it’s teaming up with German Airways to explore the use of drones in the delivery of spare parts to offshore wind farms. This development comes days after two Singapore-based firms announced their plans to produce offshore wind farm delivery drones that would operate at 90% lower costs than current methods that involve the use of boats or helicopters. As part of this new deal, Zeitfracht Group, the parent company of German Airways, will purchase 17 Wingcopter 198 triple-drop delivery drones. The group will also be presented with an option to procure another 115 drones until 2023. The aircraft will finally be deployed offshore in the second half of 2024, once test flights prove satisfactory. At the time of deployment, Wingcopter’s delivery drones would take off from the Rostock Airport, requiring to land with pinpoint accuracy on a moving ship. Wingcopter says it will work closely with German Airways to develop this technologically demanding feature. From a regulatory standpoint, it helps that German Airways already holds an Air Operator Certificate to fulfill the requirement to operate Wingcopter’s delivery drones in the “specific category” and, later, in the “certified category.” In addition, German Airways is also IOSA-certified and thus operates according to the highest internationally agreed standards of the international aviation authority IATA.
READ THE STORY: DroneDJ
Volansi introduces long-distance flexible payload drone-VOLY 50
FROM THE MEDIA: Volansi, a manufacturer of autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drones, has introduced its new VOLY 50 range of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) designed for long-distance transportation of flexible payloads. Volansi, based in San Francisco, promises that the new VOLY 50 VTOL will allow clients to fly the fixed-wing drone to increasingly distant locations and carry a wider range of freight than ever before. As a consequence, the business declared that the next generation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is ready to provide improved transportation options to private, public, and military clients. Also Read - Astral Aerial Solutions and Seedballs Kenya collaborate for aerial seeding technology The lightweight vehicles can fly for up to eight hours at high speeds of 70 miles per hour, and being VTOL planes, they require limited takeoff ground and no infrastructure. VOLY 50 drones are manufactured with redundant lift motors and a modular, plug-and-play architecture, enabling for speedy and precise field assembly by a small team. According to Volansi, the VOLY 50 series was designed to satisfy the stringent needs of enterprises flying drones from or to distant regions. They also suit military clients' needs for versatile aerial logistics vehicles with a compact footprint. Also Read - Volocopter raises $170 million, valuation nears $2 billion The new generation of UAVs is easily adaptable to hauling commercial items as well as the technology required for private security and military forces clients' intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) applications. "The VOLY 50 was designed with the flexibility to meet the growing demand for rapid delivery of critical assets as well as to conduct ISR missions using a small operational footprint," said Volansi, CEO, Hannan Parvizian. "With its long-haul capability and modular design, the VOLY 50 represents a new opportunity to completely disrupt how critical assets are delivered, by minimizing personnel, and filling the gap where traditional delivery mechanisms were unable to achieve the mission."
READ THE STORY: LogupdateAfrica
Russian Defense Ministry: Kyiv wanted to use drones to spray deadly substances Source
FROM THE MEDIA: The Ministry of Defense of Russia reported about the planned regrouping of troops in the Kyiv and Chernihiv directions — the reduction of military activity there was announced on 29 March after the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations. They reported that at the first stage of the special military operation “it was planned to force the enemy to concentrate their forces, assets, resources and military equipment to hold large settlements in these areas, including Kyiv.” The task was also to inflict on the armed formations of the Kyiv regime “such a defeat that would not allow it to use these forces in the main direction of action of our Armed Forces — in the Donbas”. These tasks have been completed, the Ministry of Defense noted. Then it was necessary to create all necessary conditions for the final stage of the operation to liberate Donbass. “For this purpose, a permanent targeted fire damage of the long-term defensive fortifications created by the Kyiv regime over eight years has been carried out and continues. All main lines of communication, supply and reserves approach have been taken under full control. Ukraine's air defenсe systems, airfield infrastructure, major military depots, training and concentration centres for mercenaries have been destroyed. The work on them continues," the Defense Ministry stressed.
READ THE STORY: Realnoeveremya
Ausgrid deploys drones to inspect network towers
FROM THE MEDIA: Don't be alarmed if you see drones flying above your head in the next few days. Ausgrid drones will be inspecting towers across Sutherland Shire. Ausgrid has more than 700 towers within its network, many built in the 1960s. As part of its proactive maintenance and planning program, it uses drones and LiDar technology to inspect towers and plan maintenance work. From April 4, it will inspect the high voltage feeder line from Kurnell to Picnic Point using this drone technology. Drones will fly within Ausgrid's existing easement, collecting data using a laser. The activity will take about three to four days to complete, depending on the weather, and is subject to approval from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Drones will fly over Alfords Point, Bonnet Bay, Illawong, Jannali, Kareela, Kurnell, Picnic Point, Sylvania, Taren Point and Woolooware. The drones do not take photographs.
READ THE STORY: Theleader
INSIGHTS FOR MARINE (AND BEYOND) FORCE DESIGN FROM THE RUSSO-UKRAINIAN WAR
FROM THE MEDIA: In attacking Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has provided concrete examples, at scale, of how technology is changing the character of war, and why legacy militaries will either evolve to meet these new challenges or face defeat. As the West reorients its defense policies and begins to increase investment in military forces, it is essential that we not simply default to buying still more of our legacy military systems. Real-world experiences, historians have noted, can offer important lessons for those willing to learn from the harsh realities of war. They are the waypoints that Michael Howard stressed when navigating an uncertain world. While it is too soon to reach any definitive lessons learned from the ongoing war in Ukraine, some immediate insights can inform ongoing U.S. and NATO military force design and defense investment priorities. In 2019, the Marine Corps began to look hard at force design to speed implementation and build upon ongoing modernization programs. The objective of this renewed effort was to ensure the service complied with the National Defense Strategy and would be prepared for peer and near-peer challenges. How does Force Design 2030 and its assumptions about the character of war comport with what is unfolding in Ukraine? And what does the experience of this war suggest for continued force design efforts?
READ THE STORY: War on the Rocks
Items of interest
Battle for the South of Ukraine(Video)
Ukrainian forces have been holding Russia back from taking The Black Sea. We embed in the south of Ukraine, to see what the impact is for those living there. Our reporters are on the ground, fearlessly covering the human stories that shape our world. You and millions of others can continue to read, watch and listen to VICE News for free - but we hope you’ll consider making a one time or ongoing contribution of any size at.
Meet Switchblade: America's Suicide Drone Ready For Destroy Russia in Ukraine(Video)
FROM THE MEDIA: The United States finally decided to send aid to Ukraine to withstand attacks from Russia. Unmitigated hundreds of missiles and a fortune worth $800 million that Washington gave to Kyiv. The weapon package consists of nearly 10,000 anti-armor weapons, 800 anti-aircraft Stinger systems, and thousands of weapons. The list also appears as 100 tactical unmanned aerial systems. Switchblade is a tiny, high-precision strike tactical missile system developed by AeroVironment for the United States Army and United States Marine Corps. It is designed to engage stationary & moving targets in hostile environments while reducing collateral damage.
About this Product
These open source products are reviewed from analysts at InfoDom Securities and provide possible context about current media trends in regard to the realm of cyber security. The stories selected cover a broad array of cyber threats and are intended to aid readers in framing key publicly discussed threats and overall situational awareness. InfoDom Securities does not specifically endorse any third-party claims made in their original material or related links on their sites, and the opinions expressed by third parties are theirs alone. Contact InfoDom Securities at dominanceinformation@gmail.com