360 Mars Helicopter Ingenuity

The Mars Helicopter Ingenuity travels to the Red Planet, UK Defence innovation criticized, Black Swift and GPS-denied navigation, online drone education, unmanned loyal wingman for the UK, Coke and Coffee drone promotion, and researching the impact of drones on ducks.UAV News6 Things to Know About NASA’s Mars Helicopter on Its Way to MarsNASA’s Perseverance rover is scheduled to land on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021. It’s carrying Ingenuity, the Mars Helicopter in what NASA calls it “a technology experiment.” If successful, it will be the first powered, controlled flight on Mars.Video: NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter: Attempting the First Powered Flight on MarsTheseus, Daedalus and IcarusWavell Room argues that “UK Defence is well behind the curve” with respect to its Project Theseus for autonomous resupply on the battlefield.NOAA Awards Black Swift Technologies Contract to Develop GPS-Denied Navigation for DronesLoss of positioning signal (like GPS or GNSS) is an urgent situation for a drone. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded a contract to Black Swift Technologies. The company provides a commercially viable system that allows UAVs to navigate when GPS is not available. Black Swift plans to use a secondary navigation option with their diverse-source global positioning system (DS-GPS).ODOT offers free online drone courseThe Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is offering self-paced online courses for residents of Ohio. Sign up for the UAS Awareness Course or UAS Remote Pilot Certification Training at the ODOT website.The United Kingdom Has Chosen Who Will Build Its First Prototype Loyal Wingman Combat DroneThe Royal Air Force says by 2023 they should have a prototype loyal wingman-type UAV flying. A $41 million contract for the prototype “uncrewed fighter aircraft” was awarded to Spirit AeroSystems as head of Project Mosquito. The drones would work together semi-autonomously with manned aircraft, such as the RAF Eurofighter Typhoon, F-35B Lightning, and the future Tempest stealth fighter.Walmart perks up Coke promotion with dronesCoca-Cola has a new product line: Coca-Cola with Coffee. As part of the promotion, Coca-Cola and Walmart have teamed up where Walmart will provide drone-based home delivery to select consumers in Coffee County, Georgia through drone services provider DroneUp.Duck count studies numbers and behavior with drones flying above themUniversity of North Dakota students and their student advisor have been counting duck pairs, recording nests, and studying how ducks react when a drone passes over them. The research project was performed last summer in the Missouri Coteau country of central North Dakota. Graduate student Mason Ryckman will use the findings in his master’s thesis, Protocols and Best Practices for Breeding Waterfowl Surveys Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.MentionedAirplane Geeks podcast Episode 638 Geospatial Data for Airports, with guest Bob Vander Meer, vice president of business development for NV5 Geospatial.