Spaceflight Now reports, “A new batch of eight fire detection satellites are getting ready to launch into low Earth orbit in what Rocket Lab (Nasdaq: RKLB) described as a ‘responsive launch.’ The dedicated flight is expected to launch from New Zealand in ‘just a few weeks’ and will be the first OTC-P1 satellites deployed on behalf of German company, Orora Technologies (OroraTech).”
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Tag: Partners with
US Navy Partners with Lockheed, General Atomics to Test New Drone Control System
Breaking Defense reports, “US Navy pilots sitting comfortably in Maryland recently took a new carrier-based drone control center out for a spin for the first time, piloting a General Atomics MQ-20 Avenger thousands of miles away using autonomous tech made by Lockheed Martin’s secretive Skunk Works division. The live-flight test of the Navy’s Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control Station (UMCS), conducted Nov. 5, was done ‘as part of an effort to advance technology for future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA),’ Naval Aviation Systems Command wrote in a release on Thursday.”
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General Atomics Demonstrates MQ-20 Avenger UCAV’s Autonomous Flight Capabilities
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has flown U.S. government-provided autonomy software onboard a company-owned MQ-20 Avenger® unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) during the Air Force Test Center’s Orange Flag 25-1 all-domain test series. A government-provided Pilot Vehicle Interface (PVI) was fitted aboard an Avenger jet-powered UCAV in the demonstration which took place February 19-21 at Edwards Air Force Base, California. GA-ASI also demonstrated the ability to rapidly swap between autonomy systems midflight over Proliferated Low Earth Orbit (PLEO) satellites utilizing an autonomy product from Shield AI.”
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Robinson Partners with MagniX to Develop Electric R66 Helicopter
Aviation International News reports, “Robinson Helicopter and propulsion system innovator MagniX have agreed to jointly develop a battery-electric powertrain for the R66 rotorcraft. The companies announced their plans today at EAA AirVenture, saying they aim to conduct a first flight with the demonstrator system in late 2026.”
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Reliable Robotics Teams Up with USAF for Autonomous Flight
Aerotime reports, “Reliable Robotics, a US startup specializing in autonomous flight systems, announced on July 29, 2025, that it has started work with the United States Air Force (USAF) on the development of so-called Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP). This project, which is taking place under the aegis of a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA), aims to leverage the technology Reliable Robotics has developed for commercial aviation and apply it to the military domain.”
Full Story (Aerotime)