The U.S. Navy is interested in strategies that divers could employ to protect them from loud underwater sounds. Sonar transmissions and other forms of underwater sound, such as that produced by noisy underwater tools, are an occupational hazard for U.S. Navy divers.

Ultra-Low Temperature Elastomer

Greene Tweed’s (Kulpsville, PA) Fusion™ FKM 665, a new generation, ultra-low-temperature and chemical-resistant elastomer, was specifically formulated to meet and exceed the requirements of Aerospace Material Specification (AMS) 7379 and AMS-P-83461. With a temperature range of -70°F to 450°F (-57°C to 232°C), Fusion™ 665 achieves outstanding low-temperature performance without compromising high-temperature performance.

Drone Rescue GmbH Graz, Austria
+43 660 140 80 55
www.dronerescue.com

Drone Rescue Systems GmbH has developed a fast, efficient parachute safety solution for drones that can reduce the risk of harming people on the ground and safely bring down the drone when it malfunctions in the air. The parachute safety solution works autonomously and independent of the drone and ejects the parachute in a fraction of a second, enabling safe commercial and private drone usage even over crowded places.

The main goals of this research are to enhance a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software platform to support unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) exploring the complex environment of tunnels, to test the platform within a simulation environment, and to validate the architecture through field- testing.

Amprius, Inc.
Sunnyvale, CA
800-425-8803
www.amprius.com

Amprius, Inc., a manufacturer and developer of high-energy and high-capacity lithium-ion batteries, announced recently that it is supplying advanced lithium ion cells to the Airbus Defence and Space Zephyr Program. Using Amprius’ cells, which contain a 100% silicon anode, the Zephyr S flew more than 25 days, setting a new endurance and altitude record for stratospheric flight.

Airbus Helicopters
Marignane Cedex, France
+33 (0)4 42 85 60 51
http://helicopters.airbus.com

Airbus has begun shore-to-ship trials in Singapore with its Skyways parcel delivery drone. This marks the first time drone technology has been deployed in real port conditions, to deliver a variety of small, time-critical maritime essentials to working vessels at anchorage.

It’s a crisp November day in Michigan, and a convoy of British and American resupply vehicles are rumbling along at a comfortable 25 miles per hour. In the lead is a British Army Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) HX-60 truck, trailed closely by two U.S. Army Oshkosh Light Medium Tactical Vehicles (LMTVs). In total, there are zero humans operating this convoy.

The US Army’s Futures Command is the most important administrative reorganization of the modern Army. Responding to the world’s changing priorities— especially the “near peer” threat of ascendant Russia and China—the Army is no longer modernizing, but re-inventing its ground vehicle fleet against new realities. Just like the U.S. Air Force stopped inventing better jets and pilot aids and moved to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for “dull, dirty and dangerous” missions, the Army envisions multiple autonomous vehicle concepts. Instead of a heavier Abrams main battle tank, or a replacement to the aging M113 APC, autonomous “wingman” vehicles may replace some of the human-heavy tasks on the future battlefield.

One of the more unique items on display at this year’s AUVSI XPONENTIAL show at Chicago’s McCormick Place was this prototype of a one-man quad-copter from ElectraFly for the very brave at heart.

AUVSI’s XPONENTIAL unmanned vehicles and robotics show opened today in Chicago’s cavernous McCormick Place and the most impressive exhibit on the show floor had to be Bell Helicopter Textron’s Bell Nexus air taxi.

Bell is partnering with a Who’s Who of high-tech companies such as Electric Power Systems, Garmin, Moog, Safran, and Thales on the project that could someday alter the future of transportation. A steady stream of interested attendees took advantage of the opportunity to get a close-up look at the vehicle.