7 avril 2023 | International, Naval
QinetiQ announces ?259 million renewal of Maritime Strategic Capability Agreement
The ?259 million contract also includes an option for an additional five-year extension
9 juillet 2019 | International, Aérospatial
These super-small drones no longer need a battery
To be a fly on the wall, an observer must be ubiquitous, unobtrusive and quiet. What if, instead, the observer was just a tiny fly-sized robot, independently powered, able to travel like its insect inspiration? That's one possibility from the long line of work on the RoboBee series of miniature flying machines, the latest of which recently flew independently under its own photovoltaic power.
RoboBee is a long-running project of the Harvard Microrobotics Lab and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering. The end goal is ultimately controlled swarms of insect-sized flying machines, with visions of these swarms performing everything from plant pollination to surveillance. These are ambitious aims, and all have been hindered to this point by a fundamental constraint on the form: the robots are too small to carry batteries.
Much of the flight design uses a tethered power supply, allowing the designers to craft Piezoelectric motors that expand and contract as electrical current passes through the muscle-like membranes. This created wings that could flap and propel the robot upward, but it wasn't until recently that the robot could do it on its own power supply.
RoboBees are smaller than any drone currently employed by the U.S. military, minute enough to make the palm-sized Black Hornet feel gargantuan. Without a sensor payload, it'd be a novelty, but the military has already invested in cheap, expendable sensor-carrying drone gliders for tasks such as meteorological data collection. Should this power supply enable RoboBees to support a meaningful sensor package, they could be used in a similar fashion, scattered as sensors that can flap their way into a new position.
Holding six solar power cells on a stick, and with a second set of wings, the vehicle successfully flew under its own power, even if only for the briefest of moments. The researchers' documentation of their project was published in scientific journal Nature June 26, appearing under the title “Untethered flight of an insect-sized flapping-wing microscale aerial vehicle.”
The whole RoboBee weights 259 milligrams, or less than a paperclip, and under special lights was able to generate enough lift to support an additional payload of 70 mg, which could be used for lightweight sensors, control electronics, or larger power supply in the future. Fitting sensors to a craft the small is likely a challenge, but also essential for the promise of the device.
There is also the small matter that, even using photovoltaic cells, the robot needs an alien sun to fly.
“The Robobee X-Wing needs the power of about three Earth suns to fly, making outdoor flight out of reach for now,” stated the summary from Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. “Instead, the researchers simulate that level of sunlight in the lab with halogen lights.”
Should the sensors exist, and the device become capable of outdoor flight, microrobotics could become a ubiquitous part of modern life, performing functions alongside insects and relaying sensor information back as an unseen intelligence platform.
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2 octobre 2019 | International, Terrestre
Raytheon Rheinmetall Land Systems submits bid for US Army combat vehicle competition
DETROIT, October 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Raytheon Rheinmetall Land Systems, a joint venture formed by Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and Rheinmetall Defence, has submitted its bid for the U.S. Army's new Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle, or OMFV, program. The team will offer the next-generation Lynx Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Lynx is a next-generation, tracked armored fighting vehicle designed to address the critical challenges of the future battlefield. The vehicle provides ample growth capacity to support new technologies over its lifetime, and features lower life-cycle costs. "U.S. Army soldiers deserve the best possible fighting vehicle when they go into battle and that's exactly what this team is offering," said Sam Deneke, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president. "Lynx provides unparalleled troop protection and features advanced technology that will keep our men and women in uniform ahead of the threat." Scheduled for fielding in 2026, the OMFV is expected to replace the Bradley fighting vehicle. "Our team has spent the last year assembling a U.S. supply chain to ensure that Lynx will be built in America by American workers," said Ben Hudson, global head of Rheinmetall's Vehicle Systems division. "This next-generation combat vehicle will help save lives on the battlefield and further bolster the U.S. industrial base - now that's a win-win." Raytheon technology earmarked for the Lynx includes the company's advanced weapons, Active Protection System, third-generation thermal sights, Coyote® unmanned aircraft system and cyber protection. About Rheinmetall Headquartered in Düsseldorf, the publicly traded Rheinmetall AG is a high-tech enterprise dedicated to the twin modern imperatives of mobility and security. Founded in 1889, the group today consists of two operational components: Rheinmetall Defence and Rheinmetall Automotive. One of the world's leading suppliers of military systems and equipment, Rheinmetall's Defence arm comprises three divisions: Vehicle Systems, Electronic Solutions and Weapon and Ammunition. The group's 23,000-strong global workforce generated sales last year of $6.9 billion. Follow us on Twitter. About Raytheon Raytheon Company, with 2018 sales of $27 billion and 67,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 97 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5I(®) products and services, sensing, effects and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Follow us on Twitter. Media Contacts Raytheon John B. Patterson +1.520. 440.2194 rmspr@raytheon.com Rheinmetall Oliver Hoffmann Head of Public Relations, Rheinmetall AG +49-(0)211-473 4748 oliver.hoffmann@rheinmetall.com http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/raytheon-rheinmetall-land-systems-submits-bid-for-us-army-combat-vehicle-competition-300929126.html
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23 octobre 2024 | International, C4ISR, Sécurité
Engaging with Security Researchers: Embracing a “See Something, Say Something” Culture | CISA