Flying Magazine
• Michael Ferguson
An air traffic controller is urging the FAA to stop using an AI air traffic tool at Washington-area airports, citing the consequences of error. A separate controller perspective emphasizes that flight safety depends on clear communications and controllers speaking up when concerns arise.
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In Orbit Aerospace has secured new government contracts for an onboard AI system that the company says can manage spacecraft operations without waiting for instructions from ground control. The contracts mark a shift in focus from the company’s re-entry vehicle work toward spacecraft autonomy.
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An air traffic controller is urging the FAA to stop using an AI air traffic tool at Washington-area airports, citing the consequences of error. A separate controller perspective emphasizes that flight safety depends on clear communications and controllers speaking up when concerns arise.
Horizon Aircraft has chosen Germany-based AEE Aircraft Electronics Engineering’s MIAU 1000 avionics platform for the powered-lift control system on its Cavorite X7 hybrid-electric VTOL demonstrator. The selection establishes a supplier relationship for a critical aircraft-control function as Horizon develops the demonstrator.
Floating Fleet says its new agentic AI scheduling tool is designed to help aircraft operators plan fleets faster, improve transparency and reduce costs. The announcement positions AI-driven scheduling as a potential operational tool, though the available report provides no performance data or details on deployments.
Sikorsky’s NOMAD 100 Fast Pack combines vertical-takeoff-and-landing drones with communications, power and sustainment equipment in a mobile, container-deployable package. The system is designed to move between operating positions and support deployment where infrastructure is limited, addressing the logistics of launching and sustaining uncrewed aircraft in expeditionary and contested environments.
The Army will test Sierra Nevada Corp.’s Degraded Visual Environment Pilotage System on an “MX” autonomous Black Hawk. Designed to see through dust, fog and smoke, the system is already flying with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, extending its evaluation to an autonomous aircraft.
Kaizen co-founder Nikhil Reddy says the company is focused on modernizing Army software and simplifying defense procurement to accelerate the deployment of counter-drone capabilities. The effort highlights procurement processes and software modernization as practical levers for getting emerging technology into military use sooner.
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