Mentor Blogs

The military/aerospace (mil/aero) industry is obsessed with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) this month. The FAA is occupied with the safe integration of UAVs in public airspace. The Pentagon is buzzing about the first recorded attack on a military drone in the airspace over the Persian Gulf. The public is growing more concerned and vocal about UAVs as they relate to privacy. Unmanned aircraft systems … Read More

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Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, are the topic of much conversation in the military/aerospace (mil/aero) community; much of the talk centers on UAVs in airspace, in fact. This month, the Pentagon confirmed that an Iranian attack aircraft fired on an unarmed U.S. drone on the morning of Nov. 1, 2012. Iranian leaders and lawmakers do not deny firing on the unmanned aircraft. The point of contention, … Read More

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Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), now commonly referred to as remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) or remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) by federal agencies, standards bodies, and military organizations worldwide, are again the hottest topic of discussion in the military/aerospace (mil/aero) community. What has the industry, and the greater public, buzzing? The prospect of sitting in a window seat … Read More

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By World War II, remote-controlled aerial torpedoes, flying bombs, and pilotless planes (unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, as we know them today) were taking shape and undergoing testing by U.S. military forces. In early 1941, the conversion of popular military aircraft of the time, including Martin/Great Lakes Aircraft Company’s TG-2 torpedo bomber and Great Lakes’ BG-1 dive bomber, into remote-controlled … Read More

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Unmanned drones are likely coming to an air space near you. The eventual and unavoidable integration of myriad unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), both civil and defense, in the same airspace as commercial airliners and military aircraft is a hotly debated topic. Civilian and military communities are actively voicing a wealth of concerns—such as over safety, privacy, and security—about the prospect. Government … Read More

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Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) continue to grow in use and popularity; yet, little attention is paid to UAV history, which contains some valuable, if not shocking (pun intended), insights. On November 8, 1898, Nikola Tesla was granted U.S. Patent Number 613809 for what was likely the first remote control and unmanned vehicle ever envisioned. The patent, entitled “Method of and Apparatus for Controlling … Read More

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The military and aerospace (mil/aero) market is currently a hotbed of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) activity. UAV platforms, technologies, challenges, and even mishaps are making news headlines and drawing a great deal of attention of late. Whereas the UAV is likely the hottest topic in mil/aero today, a much smaller industry segment know well the UAV’s rich and interesting history. The geek wants … Read More

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The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is reported to possess more than 7,000 aerial drones, to date. The DOD boasted less than 50 such drones just a decade ago; and, Pentagon officials have asked Congress for nearly $5 billion, to be used for drones in 2012. Industry analysts are again predicting a strong unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market–and not just for the remainder of 2011 or throughout … Read More

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The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market sector has experienced the most dynamic growth of any sector in the global aerospace industry this decade, according to a 2011 market study. Analysts at Teal Group, an aerospace and defense market analysis firm based in Fairfax, Va., predict UAV spending to nearly double over the next decade. Current worldwide UAV expenditures total $5.9 billion annually—a figure … Read More

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Can you imagine looking out the window on your next flight and seeing a unmanned vehicle? (Perhaps some of you expected me to say “gremlin”, recalling William Shatner’s performance as Bob Wilson in The Twilight Zone’s famous “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” episode.) Military organizations and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) proponents are working diligently to gain the use of civilian/commercial airspace … Read More

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The Northrop Grumman-built U.S. Navy X-47B, an Unmanned Combat Air System–Demonstration (UCAS-D) Next-gen Unmanned Fighter, took its maiden flight on a hazy California morning, Feb. 4, 2011 at Edwards Air Force Base. The flight began at 2:09 p.m. PST and lasted for 29 minutes. The goal of the program is to create a tailless, fighter-sized unmanned system capable of safely landing and taking off from … Read More

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What a difference a year makes in the military and aerospace (mil/aero) market. This time last year, I was listening to market research firms and industry pundits herald the military/defense segment for keeping the aerospace market afloat while the commercial aviation segment took a serious dip. Despite a woeful world economy, investments were being made at that time in military aircraft–manned … Read More

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Android addicts are everywhere. Even those who didn’t anticipate using a larger number of apps on their smart phones are finding themselves downloading a new app almost daily. Google’s Android mobile operating system (OS) is making waves throughout the commercial market; and now, thanks to Raytheon engineers in Waltham, Mass., it is likely to change the face of the digital battlefield. Soldiers are … Read More

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At the heart of most mil/aero electronics—and arguably the most important component of current electronics systems is the processor. Virtually all mil/aero electronics take advantage of processors of one sort or another, whether x86, powerPC, RISC, FPGA, 32-bit, or 64-bit. Many different types of processing devices are employed by the modern warfighter, in fact. Today’s soldier, fed up with being made … Read More

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The mil/aero community is beginning to turn to current bleeding-edge computing technology, and move away from lengthy design cycles that result in fielding technology that is often four to five, or even 10 years, behind the commercial curve. The network-centric battlefield—in which the right information is delivered to the right person at the right time—is starting to take shape, and it requires secure, … Read More

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