Counter-UAS News from Around the World
Defense News: This remote controlled ‘naval mine’ attaches to ships, explodes on command
A leading Turkish drone manufacturer says it developed a “mobile naval mine” that can blow up warships of all types. The Wattozz program has been jointly undertaken by Albayrak Savunma, a drone maker, and Karadeniz Technical University in Turkey’s Black Sea region. Wattozz is named after “vatoz,” which translates to stingray. The Wattozz features the shape of a stingray and is made of titanium and aluminum. It has two cameras fitted into the eye sockets of the “stingray” and can cruise at a maximum speed of 5.5 knots for up to 12 hours. The drone features three integrated engines.
Eyewitness News (NZ): AIRLINES BACK CREATION OF GLOBAL DRONE REGISTRY: IATA
The world’s airlines are backing the development of a United Nations-led global registry for drones, as a rise in near collisions by unmanned aircraft and commercial jets fuels safety concerns, an executive of their trade group said on Tuesday. The International Air Transport Association backs efforts by the United Nations’ aviation agency to develop such a registry, which could also help track the number of incidents involving drones and jets, said Rob Eagles, IATA’s director of air traffic management infrastructure.
Janes 360: Ukrspecsystems unveils RAM UAV loitering munition
Jacob Cereteli, general manager at Ukrspecsystems, told Jane’ s that work on RAM UAV commenced in 2017 with flight testing already concluded. A complete system comprises a RAM UAV, a catapult launcher, and a laptop-based ground control station (GCS) that commands the loitering munition using an encrypted datalink out to a range of 30 km.
ABC 27 News: ATF: More explosives stolen from worksite than first thought
Investigators now say more than 700 pounds of explosives were stolen from a pipeline worksite in Lancaster County. ATF Special Agent Charlene Hennessy said a full inventory of the remaining explosives determined an additional case was missing, bringing the total amount of dynamite stolen to 704 pounds. Each case holds 40 cartridges, or sticks, weighing just over a pound. The inventory confirmed 16 cases were missing, Hennessy said Wednesday.
The Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS) air traffic authority in Germany said that incidents between drones and commercial jets in 2017 rose less than expected considering how popular the unmanned aerial devices have become. However, airlines around the world did express their concerns about drone incidents, which resulted in the International Air Transport Association backing efforts by the United Nations’ aviation agency, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to develop a global drone registry as we reported earlier today.
Delaware Business Times: Lawmakers eye additional restrictions on use of drones
The state Senate is poised to vote on a bill aimed at preventing the use of drones to harass people. The bill, which passed the House unanimously last month, makes it a crime to fly an unmanned aircraft in Delaware to harass someone on private property or invade their privacy. The measure, which was scheduled for a Senate vote Wednesday, also prohibits the use of a drone to violate or fail to obey a domestic violence protective order. Violation of any of the prohibitions would be a misdemeanor. State law already prohibits flying a drone over any critical infrastructure or over any sporting event, festival, or similar event at which more than 1,500 people have gathered, or over any incident where first responders are working.
Digital Journal: IXI EW Announces the Development of the First Counter Drone Technology Onto the T-Works IRail
Concurrent with its showing at the Navy League Sea, Air and Space Exhibition in Washington DC this past week, IXI EW, LLC announced today that they have entered into a Product Development and a Licensing Agreement with T-Worx Holdings, LLC (www.tworx.com) based in Ashburn, Virginia. The Product Development and Licensing Agreement provide for the integration of the IXI DRONEKILLER handheld counter UAS technology onto the T-Worx Intelligent Rail® (“I-Rail®”) system with its Rifle Operating System™. Developed under the US Army Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Program, the I-Rail provides both power and intelligent control of electronic devices when attached to an I-Rail integrated Picatinny Rail. Following an extensive competition, the I-Rail also became the NATO Powered Rail standard in 2015.
Janes360: Yemeni rebels step up ‘flying bomb’ attacks
The Saudi-led coalition has confirmed that the Yemeni rebel group Ansar Allah (Houthis) has used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) carrying explosives in at least three attempted attacks in a week. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces released a statement on 18 April via the WAM news agency saying that one of its air defence units had shot down a Qasef-1 UAV that the rebels launched at “strategic positions” of the coalition-backed Yemeni forces on Yemen’s Red Sea coast. “Upon examining the aircraft, military defence teams discovered a large quantity of explosive materials,” it said.
Newsweek: WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SAUDI ARABIA? GUNFIRE ERUPTS NEAR ROYAL PALACE
“An official Riyadh district police spokesman said that at about 19:50 p.m. on Saturday, 5/8/1439 a security screening point in the Al-Khuzama district of Riyadh noticed a small, remote-controlled recreational aircraft (drone) flying without being authorized to do so, which required security personnel at the security point to deal with it in accordance with their orders and instructions in this regard,” the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
Haaretz: Saudi Security Shoots Down Recreational Drone Near Royal Palace
Asharq al-Awsat: Saudi Measures Aim to Regulate Use of Drones
Saudi Interior Ministry announced on Sunday that efforts are underway to regulate the use of remote-controlled drones in wake of Saturday’s downing of a similar aircraft in a residential neighborhood in the capital Riyadh. Ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki said that the regulations are in their final stage, calling on drone enthusiasts to obtain the necessary permit that allows them to fly the aircraft in specific areas. The permit can be obtained from their local neighborhood police, he explained. This will be a temporary measure until the regulations are finalized and announced. A drone can fly up to 2,000 meters and at a speed of up to 50 kms per hour. Cameras can also be mounted on them, making them capable of photographing and filming vast areas, including prohibited ones.
sUAS News: The Problems with Counter UAS (CUAS): How to Move the Industry Forward
The CUAS industry is plagued with problems from the illegal nature of rogue drone pilots to the fact that the equipment is illegal to use for civilians to protect their assets, the industry has many problems.
Wall Street Journal: Palestinian Engineer, Gunned Down in Malaysia, Published Drone Research
Palestinian electrical engineer Fadi al-Batsh was on his way to a mosque outside Malaysia’s capital for dawn prayers when he was shot dead by a helmeted attacker on a motorcycle. Hamas, the Palestinian militant and political organization that governs the Gaza Strip, blamed Israel for Mr. Batsh’s death on Saturday, calling it an assassination. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said Mr. Batsh was a member of the group, with “an honorable reputation in science.” An Israeli government spokesman declined to comment. Israel’s defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, on Sunday told Israeli radio Mr. Batsh was “no saint” and that he likely had been killed in “a settling of scores among terrorist organizations.” Israel and the U.S. have officially labeled Hamas a terrorist group. Mr. Batsh, 35 years old, was a senior lecturer at the University of Kuala Lumpur and did research on power management in a variety of areas, from batteries and solar systems to electrical grids.
GCN: Taking down malicious drones
The White House recently sent Congress a proposal that would allow the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice to use technology to detect, disrupt communications, seize or take down drones deemed to pose a malicious threat. The bill, if passed in its current form, would only apply to a specific set of “sensitive missions,” such as protecting Secret Service operations, defending Coast Guard vessels or stopping delivery of illegal substances into federal prisons, according to Brendan Groves, counsel to the deputy attorney general at DOJ, who spoke about the legislation at an April 19 Information Technology and Innovation Foundation event.
NBC 5 Dallas: Pilot at Dallas Love Field Avoids Collision With Drone
A drone that was almost 2,000 feet above Dallas Love Field Airport caused a helicopter pilot to take “evasive action” to avoid a collision Sunday night, authorities said. The pilot of a medical helicopter from UT Health East Texas spotted the drone at 1,500 feet. Another pilot spotted the drone at 1,900 feet south of Love Field at about 7 p.m. No small unmanned aircraft can fly above 400 feet without permission from the Federal Aviation Administration, a spokesman from the FAA said.
Sunlive New Zealand: Flight delays following drone reports
The police dive squad has arrived in Tauranga following air traffic delays. Flights were grounded at Tauranga Airport after reports of a drone flying around over Tauranga Harbour. A police spokeswoman says a drone was seen flying near the Trinity Wharf Hotel and nearby apartments in Tauranga. Police were notified just before 10am. The police spokesperson says the control tower at Tauranga has to stop flight because of the drone. The drone has not been found.