AUSA 2024: Quantum-Systems targets big 2025 with UAS developments
Quantum-Systems has been upgrading its UAS family, with new versions of the Vector, Reliant and Twister drones set for release throughout 2025.
Kittyhawk has introduced a suite of new features for its UAS control Flight Deck platform, the company announced on 7 November.
Flight Deck is a piloting platform for DJI hardware. It now features real-time aircraft telemetry for the entire team with real-time video and audio streams. These features are designed to enable commercial teams to work more collaboratively.
Flight Deck’s aircraft tracking enables team leaders and managers to see where their team is flying in real time on maps from their mobile device or from Kittyhawk’s web application.
The company has also introduced secure live streaming of audio and video. This will allow any member of the team to start flying a DJI UAS and securely share the video feed with anyone else on the team, straight to their mobile devices.
Flight Deck’s new streaming functionality also includes a common traffic advisory frequency-like feature. With this, team members can communicate with the pilot and each other in real-time to gather and share insights in an event such as incident command at a fire, or subject matter experts viewing live video of infrastructure or machinery.
Jon Hegranes, co-founder and CEO of Kittyhawk, said: ‘In the old days, fleet managers and chief pilots had to rely on written reports to see where and how their pilots flew last month or last quarter. Today, compliance and collaboration happens in near-real-time.’
Quantum-Systems has been upgrading its UAS family, with new versions of the Vector, Reliant and Twister drones set for release throughout 2025.
The service has been using a Directed Requirement (DR) approach to speed up the deployment of a Medium Range Reconnaissance capability.
AeroVironment’s portfolio will grow thanks to the eVTOL P550 aimed at battalion-level tactical forces.
The Royal Australian Air Force is advancing its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities across three key programmes as it works with the likes of Boeing and Northrop Grumman to reshape Australia’s defence strategy.
Prototypes from Griffon Aerospace and Textron Systems recently passed through MOSA conformance trials and flight tests.
Funds for the second phase of this effort will be allocated in the US Department of Defense (DoD) FY2026 budget request.