So while we developed the WK450 the French came up with this
Defence Minister Launches the French Army?s Future Tactical UAV
Looks like they took a very different path to meet a similar requirement, with a bit more flexibility for a similar price.

Did they do a better job?

If so what can we try to apply to future procurement programs?

SLMG
 

Its an SLMG!!

1. Request a two seater for the air cadets!
2. Fit ans air data computer/electronic vario and when the bad guys hit the engine use the camera on the fin to look for thermals/ridges/wave and soar back to base.

Simples

£1m military drone crashed in Wales after crew disabled anti-crash systems – report

There are some interesting comments on this item

Interesting bit of blame-shifting - the rumour is that it happened at Boscombe, not Aberporth, when the crew said it was too foggy to fly but were ordered to get it airborne by a senior operator (with no UAV flying experience). The Master Override was used to try and land it and it crashed.

It is possible this was another accident entirely but the similarities are rather worrying.

LaLa - For all the MAA's failing I cannot help but think that "tweaking" an SI as you suggest is a tad improbable even for them!

Having read this article its difficult to conclude that activating the Master Over-ride was, in the circumstances, the least bad option. I certainly hope the "operator" wasn't censured for it and that Thales/Elbit are looking at that aspect of the design.

If you read the convening authority's comments at the end of the SI, you will see that he refers to the BD accident and that an SI will be published later this year. He remarks that there will likely be many similarities in the causal factors.

"Any landing you can walk away from.........." Every time if it's a UAS

With all due respect, I think I have to gently disagree with the idea that:

"Any landing you can walk away from.........." Every time if it's a UAS

These systems are justified as the cheaper, better alternative to manned aircraft. They won't be cheaper if they keep piling in at this sort of rate. Nor will they be better if they're not available because they've piled in.

I've looked at the loss rates for UAVs (UAS, RPAS, drone, etc) and they don't look all that clever. I just hope that when we buy this sort of kit in the future we factor in a realistic attrition rate. Even more important as they get less cheap.

Best regards as ever to those working the cost models,

Engines

I was quite relieved to be able to walk out of the cabin after the UAV I was pilot for lost eight foot of wing at 49 000 ft.

Found that now, thanks 212man:ok: I knew about the BD crash but hadn't realised they had speared one in earlier.

Why would you have a UAV that doesn't have the ability to be hand flown in emergency? Is it to do with cap-badge politics and the RA not wanting to call the operators 'pilots' because that's going into AAC/RAF territory?

Strange that despite that 'non pilot' status and no controls, they are still paying loads to give their operators air experience and air awareness training in a light fixed wing.

Reduced training burden? If it can be hand flown in an emergency then you'd have to train the operators to hand fly it which would lead to an increase in flying hours etc. etc.

At Farnborough, outside the Thales Chalet I took a photo of WKX with pylons,

cheers

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psken44cl5.jpg

Instead, they have crashed 2 and will continue to have problems in poor weather when the automatics struggle. And they are already spending time and money flying their operators to make them air- aware and air-experienced.