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USAF UAV Battlelab Sponsors Demonstration of Proxy Aviation's SkyForce at Creech AFB, Nevada; Unmanned Aircraft Demonstrated Fully Autonomous Capability, End-User Tasking, and Overall Range of Communication.


GERMANTOWN, Md. -- Proxy Aviation Systems, Inc., a company that develops fully autonomous, optionally piloted unmanned aircraft systems (UAS UAS University of Applied Sciences
UAS Unavailable Seconds (Sprint)
UAS University of Alaska Southeast
UAS User Agent Server
UAS Unassigned (Telabs)
UAS Unmanned Aircraft System
), announced the United States Air Force United States Air Force (USAF)

Major component of the U.S. military organization, with primary responsibility for air warfare, air defense, and military space research. It also provides air services in coordination with the other military branches. U.S.
 (USAF) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle A powered, aerial vehicle that does not carry a human operator, uses aerodynamic forces to provide vehicle lift, can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely, can be expendable or recoverable, and can carry a lethal or nonlethal payload.  Battlelab (UAVB UAVB Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Battlelab (USAF) ) sponsored and cooperated in a demonstration of SkyForce(TM), Proxy Aviation's unmanned aircraft system. Held to demonstrate the autonomous capability of the system, the demonstration program was made possible through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement “CRADA” redirects here. For other uses, see CRADA (disambiguation).

A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) is an agreement between a government agency and a private company to work together.
 (CRADA CRADA Cooperative Research And Development Agreement ) between the USAF UAV Battlelab and Proxy Aviation.

The demonstration took place in early November at the USAF UAV Battlelab at Creech Air Force Base Creech Air Force Base (IATA: INS, ICAO: KINS) is a United States Air Force base in Indian Springs, Nevada, about 35 miles north of Las Vegas.

The host unit is the 432d Wing, which has six operational squadrons, one maintenance squadron, and six Reapers and
 in Nevada. Proxy Aviation's SkyWatcher(TM), an optionally piloted, unmanned aircraft (UA) designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance may refer to:
  • the US Joint Command see'' Joint Functional Component Command for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance.
  • the military term, see'' Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance.
 (ISR) missions, was used to complete the demonstrations. End-user sensor tasking, simulated handling of system faults, and overall communication range were evaluated through a series of flight demonstrations -- each successfully completed by SkyWatcher. Portland, Oregon-based FLIR Systems, Inc. provided the Star SAFIRE SAFIRE Southern Alliance for Indigenous Resources (Zimbabwe)
SAFIRE Spectroscopy of the Atmosphere Using Far-Infrared Emission
SAFIRE Submillimeter and Far-Infrared Experiment
SAFIRE Surface-to-Air Fire
 III sensor used in the demonstrations.

SkyWatcher is the ISR component of SkyForce, Proxy Aviation's comprehensive, network-centric unmanned aircraft system. SkyForce is designed to manage the cooperative flight of up to 12 unmanned aircraft in constellation formation while simultaneously distributing sensor control and viewing capability among multiple end users. The system is comprised of three main components: multiple, optionally piloted, unmanned aircraft with various quick-change payloads; a mission-management ground control station; and remote and mobile user terminals.

Col. Larry Felder, USAF UAVB Commander, said, "The USAF UAV Battlelab, in cooperation with Proxy Aviation Systems, successfully conducted initial demonstrations of the SkyWatcher platform and its associated ground control station. SkyWatcher and SkyForce have potential to bring valuable combat capabilities to the warfighter."

Don Ryan, Proxy Aviation's Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are extremely pleased to be working with the United States Air Force UAV Battlelab and are excited with the promising results of the demonstration. Based on these recent successes, SkyForce is now one step closer to being deployed to execute critical unmanned missions around the world."

In addition to SkyWatcher, Proxy Aviation's UAS also includes the optionally piloted, high-performance SkyRaider(TM). Currently under development, this UA is designed to operate at higher speeds and altitudes and carry special-purpose payloads.

About Proxy Aviation Systems

Proxy Aviation Systems designs and manufactures fully autonomous, optionally piloted unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for use in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and other special missions. Proxy Aviation's system addresses the long endurance, medium altitude, multi-payload requirements set forth by the U.S. military and the Department of Homeland Security Noun 1. Department of Homeland Security - the federal department that administers all matters relating to homeland security
Homeland Security

executive department - a federal department in the executive branch of the government of the United States
. Founded in 2003 as a Delaware corporation, Proxy Aviation is headquartered in Germantown, Maryland. For more information, visit www.proxyaviation.com.

Proxy Aviation Systems, Inc., SkyForce, SkyWatcher and SkyRaider are trademarks of Proxy Aviation Systems, Inc. in the United States. All other products and names are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
COPYRIGHT 2006 Business Wire
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2006, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Publication:Business Wire
Date:Jan 9, 2006
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