FinancialNewsMedia.com News Commentary – Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are being utilized across the globe for various diverse uses by commercial, state, military and individual users.. but can they fly IN… or TO space? A recent article on Remoteflyer.com discussed this question. It said: “Drones cannot fly to space without assistance or modifications. However, drones can fly in space but with customization to withstand low atmospheric pressure and weak gravity. Even so, standard drones can fly up to the point of reaching the clouds, though it’s very unsafe.” It added: “A modified or assisted drone can fly to space. Those who have flown a drone to space have used a weather balloon to lift the drone to flying height. Moreover, the pilots had to add modified communication equipment to effectively control the drone. There are several reasons why a standard drone cannot fly to space independently. First, a drone flies by pushing down air as its propellers spin. For the propellers to effectively lift the drone, there must be enough air in the atmosphere. But as you move up the Earth’s atmosphere, the air becomes thinner and the pressure drops. The drone has to spin the propellers faster to keep up or lose the ability to support its weight. That’s why NASA is working on a different propulsion system for the drones meant to fly to space… NASA is working on other propulsion mechanisms that could work in vacuums. Future space drones will possibly be powered by propulsion systems under testing like gas or water vapor… A drone can operate on Mars, and NASA has already had a successful demonstration… NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) made history in April 2021 by flying the first helicopter on Mars. Though the plane didn’t look exactly like standard drones, the 39.1 seconds flight illustrated the potential for drone flights to space.” Active companies in the markets this week include: Draganfly Inc.AgEagle Aerial Systems .
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“Drones are needed in space to observe and survey areas. Scientists use drones to complement rovers and other observatory equipment to collect space data. Though only one drone has been sent to Mars, more research is underway to create better crafts for space exploration. The advantage of using drones is they are cheaper than sending people and have better potential to fly over places the rovers can’t access. Under the standard drone definition, there are no drones that can fly in space. But if the description expands to “unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV),” then the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle fits the bill. The Boeing-designed craft takes after NASA’s now-retired space shuttle, though at a miniature scale. Once launched, the X-37B conducts crewless missions in space and re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere as a space plane. The regular mission of this craft and other similar UAVs is to deliver cargo to and from International Space Stations.”
Draganfly Launches New Flight Facility for Mine and Anomalous Detection Protocols – Draganfly Launches UAS adoption, innovation, and research operations in Spring Branch, Texas – Draganfly Inc. (FSE: 3U8) (“Draganfly” or the “Company”), an award-winning, industry-leading drone solutions and systems developer, is pleased to announce the launch of the Draganfly UAS A.I.R. Space, flight facility dedicated to the advancement of UAS program Adoption, Innovation & Research.
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The Draganfly UAS A.I.R. Space provides a control site for the design, validation and optimization of standard operating procedures, sensor selection and data collection techniques. In partnership with Coldchain Technology Systems, testing at the site is in currently focused on protocol for anomaly detection for the identification of mines and unexploded ordinance and UAV Delivery for emergency response and humanitarian aid.
Located in Spring Branch, Texas, the flight facility will enable remote sensor testing from drones for various mines and other unexploded ordinances on and below the surface using a variety of real-world scenarios within a controlled testing environment. Testing infrastructure available at the site can be extended to a variety of other UAV programs, including infrastructure inspection, surveying and agricultural applications. The data obtained during testing programs will be used to develop new operating methods and train AI models in support of Draganfly’s mission to further the adoption of commercial UAV technologies.
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