4 T he BBC recently reported Tyler Cowen, “a professor of economics and global thinker”, as lamenting the current pace of technological development. The professor points out that from the late 19th century through the first half of the 20th, technological progress affected every aspect of our lives. “With innovations such as radio, TV, the motor car, aircraft and major advances in medicine, this was an age when humanity was advancing at a rate faster than at any other time in our history.” He went on to acknowledge that of late mankind has made big advances thanks to computers and communications, but argues that it hasn’t made fundamental changes in other sectors. “We are trying to run a new industrial revolution with essentially only one dynamic sector. Innovations come bunched together and the past two decades have been one of the slower periods,” he said. I don’t disagree. However, I am sure that anyone involved in our world will appreciate that mankind is on the cusp of another spurt of innovation. Unmanned systems will profoundly affect every aspect of our lives in the not too distant future. You will find evidence of that throughout these pages – indeed, we had to increase by eight the number of editorial pages in this issue to accommodate all the intriguing developments we uncovered at the 2016 Xponential show. The next revolution is fast approaching, and we are proud to be documenting the fascinating journey accelerating us there. Read on! Ian Bamsey | Editorial Director Interesting times June/July 2016 | Unmanned Systems Technology Intro | June/July 2016 Editorial Director Ian Bamsey Assistant Editor Guy Richards Technology Editor Nick Flaherty Staff Writer Stewart Mitchell Contributors Peter Donaldson Rory Jackson Mark Venables Technical Consultants Jack Kane Charlie McCartan Paul Weighell Dr Donough Wilson Design Andrew Metcalfe
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[email protected] Back at base Focusonground control systems Come to light Solar power’s day is dawning Up above Alti Transition VTOL hybrid UST 08 : JUNE/JULY 2016 UK £15,USA$30,EUROPE e 22 Volume Two | Issue Four June/July 2016 High Power Media Limited Whitfield House, Cheddar Road, Wedmore, Somerset, BS28 4EJ, England Tel: +44 (0)1934 713957 Fax: +44 (0)20 8497 2102 www.highpowermedia.com ISSN 2056-9823 Printed in Great Britain ©High Power Media All rights reserved. Reproduction (in whole or in part) of any article or illustration without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. While care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information herein, the publisher can accept no liability for errors or omissions. Nor can responsibility be accepted for the content of any advertisement. US COPIES ONLY Unmanned Systems Technology ISSN No: 2056-9823, is published by High Power Media in England and is distributed in the United States by SPP, 17B S Middlesex Ave, Monroe, NJ 08831. Periodicals postage paid at New Brunswick, NJ. Postmaster please send address changes to: Unmanned Systems Technology, 17B S Middlesex Ave, Monroe, NJ 08831. SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available from High Power Media at the address above or directly from our website. Overseas copies are sent via air mail. UST SUBSCRIPTION OFFERS 1 year subscription – 15% discount: UK – £75; Europe – e 125 USA – $150; ROW – £97.50 2 year subscription – 25% discount: UK – £135; Europe – e 225 USA – $270; ROW – £175.50 Make cheques payable to High Power Media. Visa, Mastercard, Amex and UK Maestro accepted. Quote card number and expiry date (also issue/start date for Maestro)