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Application Briefs

Aerospace

AgilePod Brings Fiber Optic Sensing to Flight Testing

The Air Force Test Pilot School’s research division, in partnership with the 586th Flight Test Squadron at Holloman AFB and NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, recently conducted a flight test campaign verifying the use of the new AgilePod. Read on to learn more about the topic.

Application Briefs

Aerospace

AI Algorithms Pilot X-62A in First Aerial Dogfight

The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (TPS) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency have reported another major breakthrough for the artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms or “agents” that have been flying their modified F-16 test aircraft known as VISTA X-62A in a series of flight tests since 2022.

Application Briefs

Weapons Systems

Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile Flight Test

ITE-12 was the next ‘big-step’ in LRASM’s evolution. The successful test was a graduation exercise for the missiles’ latest configuration and lays the foundation for increased capabilities to come.

Application Briefs

Manufacturing & Prototyping

Flight Testing Microvanes and Riblets

The Air Force Operational Energy Office (SAF/IE), the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) have partnered together in seeking well-developed, commercially viable technologies to reduce drag, and therefore fuel consumption, on a number of USAF legacy aircraft, including the C-17 Globemaster III, C-130 Hercules, and KC-135 Stratotanker.

Application Briefs

Aerospace

PHASA-35 Stratospheric Flight

British engineers have successfully completed a stratospheric flight trial of BAE Systems’ High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) - PHASA-35.

Application Briefs

Manned Systems

Multispectral Airborne Reconnaissance System

Collins Aerospace has announced the completion of flight testing for the MS-110 Multispectral Airborne Reconnaissance System to enter operational service.

Application Briefs

Aerospace

Next Generation Airborne Navigation System

Northrop Grumman Corporation has conducted a successful flight test of its advanced airborne navigation solution, Embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) / Inertial Navigation System (INS) Modernization, known as EGI-M.

Briefs

Propulsion

Evaluation and Test Requirements for Liquid Rocket Engines

This Standard establishes test and evaluation requirements related to the development, qualification (or certification), and acceptance (flight production unit) of liquid propellant rocket engines and associated propulsion systems.

Briefs

Robotics, Automation & Control

Test and Evaluation of Autonomy for Air Platforms

Tools, approaches, and insights to confidently approach the safe, secure, effective, and efficient testing of autonomy on air platforms.

Articles

Data Acquisition

Developing a 6DoF Aircraft Munitions Optical Tracking System

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation software estimates the trajectory of separation between the aircraft and the store. But how reliable is the CFD model in real-life situations?

News

Automotive

Boeing's Latest Contract Secures New Wings for Remaining A-10 Fleet

After wrapping up a wing swap on 173 Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support attack aircraft, the Boeing Company was awarded with another Indefinite...

News

Imaging

Boeing’s Next EcoDemonstrator Test Bed Will Be a 777

The Boeing Company is kicking off a new round of flight-testing to research approximately 50 technology projects related to safety, environmental sustainability, and passenger...

News

Unmanned Systems

MTSI’s Latest Project Gives Fixed-Wing Aircraft Vertical Cargo Lift Capabilities

Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI), an engineering services and technology company based in Alexandria, Virginia, has developed an unconventional...

Articles

Defense

Eyes in the Sky: HD Ethernet Cameras Take Flight Test Imagery to New Heights

There is increasing demand for high-quality High Definition (HD) video for airborne applications such as Flight Test Instrumentation (FTI). Ideally, such new camera...

News

Manned Systems

CityAirbus Urban Air Mobility Vehicle Completes First Flight

Airbus SE’s (Airbus’) “CityAirbus” electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) urban air mobility (UAM) vehicle successfully completed its first flight. The brief...

News

Energy

Bye Aerospace’s Sun Flyer Is Now the “EFlyer”

In an effort to more accurately represent the aircraft – which will no longer feature wing-mounted solar panels as a standard option – Denver-based Bye Aerospace is renaming its...

News

Manufacturing & Prototyping

General Atomics Moves Toward Global RPA Flight Certification for MQ-9B SkyGuardian

A General Atomics Aeronautical System, Inc. (GA-ASI) MQ-9B SkyGuardian remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) was controlled – from takeoff to landing – by an...

News

Software

Sensuron Enables Real-Time Structural Health Monitoring Onboard NASA’s X-56 UAV

In contrast to the stiff, rigid wings found on most commercial aircraft, flexible wing technology is considered essential to next generation, fuel efficient...

Briefs

Photonics/Optics

Evaluation of Aeronautical Design Standard – 33 Using a UH-60A Black Hawk

In 1982, the U.S. Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate (AFDD), then assigned under the U.S. Army Aviation Systems Command (AVSCOM), began development of a new handling...

News

Nanotechnology

High-Altitude Pseudo Satellites: New Battle for Inner Space, Part II

A new development applicable to the production of the Airbus Zephyr lightweight, solar unmanned aircraft is the Airbus Spider radar payload, a novel commercial...

News

Automotive

Japan Signs on for Second Boeing KC-46 Military Tanker and Transport Aircraft

Japan officials continue to boost the country’s defenses against threats, exercising the option to add a second Boeing KC-46 Pegasus military aerial refueling...

News

Materials

Logos Technologies Redkite Airborne, Wide-Area Sensor Takes Flight in the Netherlands

European government officials gained their first glimpse of Logos Technologies’ Redkite wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) sensor in operation, during a...

News

Manned Systems

Industry Loses Tech Titan Paul G. Allen

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of our founder Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft and noted technologist, philanthropist, community builder, conservationist, musician, and...

News

Software

New, Clean-Sheet Military Aircraft Design Beats Upgrades to Win US Air Force T-X Contract

Boeing won the long-running battle to provide a new jet trainer for the US Air Force T-X program. The search for a replacement for the 1960s era...

News

Manned Systems

Boeing Wins $9.2B U.S. Air Force Contract for T-X Advanced Military Pilot Training Jets, Simulators, Ground Equipment

U.S. Air Force officials announced a $9.2 billion award to Boeing [NYSE:BA] to provide a new, advanced pilot training system...

News

Manned Systems

Final Orion Capsule Parachute System Test Successful

A team of engineers from NASA and Dallas-based Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. successfully completed the eighth and final test of the Orion spacecraft Capsule Parachute Assembly System at...

News

Imaging

US Army Tests Avionics in Effort to Upgrade Black Hawk Helicopters from Analog to Digital Glass Cockpit

US Army officials and engineers continue work to modernize the defense organization’s fleet of Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter...

News

Materials

Bye Aerospace’s Solar-Electric Prototype Completes First Flight

Bye Aerospace of Englewood, Colo. recently completed the first flight of its solar electric technology demonstrator prototype. The first flight – on August 20 – and...

News

Automotive

NASA Selects Frontier Aerospace to Continue Development of New Deep Space Thruster

NASA’s Space Technology and Mission Directorate (STMD) awarded Simi Valley, Calif.’s Frontier Aerospace Corporation with “Tipping Point” funding to...