X-47 Drone Testing Sparks Ethical Warfare Debate

Northrop Grumman's X-47B drone may represent "a major qualitative change in the conduct of hostilities" according to the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which reports to the Geneva Conventions. The X-47B is entering tests to see it land on the deck of an aircraft carrier, autonomously -- without in-cockpit or remote-pilot input. That sort of capability is only a precursor to what's coming. According to an Air Force report (PDF), the improvements in drone technology will eventually give drones the capacity to make life-or-death decisions while engaged in battle. And "increasingly humans will no longer be 'in the loop' but rather 'on the loop.'" And that, according to ICRC president Jacob Kellenberger, may challenge international law.

FAA Cracking Down On UAS Use

The Los Angeles Police Department last week warned L.A. realtors to stop renting remote-control aircraft to shoot aerial video and photos of their listings. "We are just trying to inform the public to ensure that before hiring these companies to operate these aircraft in federal airspace, that they are abiding by the federal regulations to ensure safety," police Sgt. George Gonzalez told the L.A. Times.The LAPD, which operates its own camera-equipped drone, said the images were obtained by an aircraft flying at "several hundred feet" and might have violated FAA guidelines. The practice has become a common sales tool (Google "aerial real estate photography") that occupies a gray area of airspace regulations in light of the low cost of increasingly capable and widely available remote-control aircraft. The latest measure may be an expansion of FAA action to shut down a California company's use of large helicopter drones for film and television work.

Aviation History: Which Events Would You Want to See?

If a genie popped out of the magic lantern and gave you three wishes to witness historical aviation events, which three would you pick?

Bliss Named AVweb Publisher

Aviation industry marketing and communications veteran Tom Bliss has been named Publisher of AVweb, effective immediately. Bliss, who is a 2200-hour commercial and instrument-rated pilot and owner of a Cessna P210, has operated Bliss Marketing Multimedia since 1983. He will lead the future sales and market development of AVweb, which is the world's premiere online aviation news source. "Tom brings an extremely well-rounded resume to his role as publisher," said Tim Cole, executive vice president of Belvoir Media Group, AVweb's parent company. "He is an accomplished pilot and a highly regarded and experienced marketing communications professional who understands our customers and can offer them valuable insights and creative solutions to meet their promotional needs."

Good-Bye Columbus?

Textron CEO Scott Donnelly says there are no plans to resurrect the Cessna Columbus wide-cabin business jet project even though big jets are selling well and the small-to-medium-sized business jet sector has struggled. "The large market is pretty well-served," Donnelly told a conference call to discuss the company's financials. "I don't think it would be the right use of our capital." Cessna is defending its dominance in the smaller jet sector against a methodical assault from Embraer and introduced two new models, the M2 and the Lattitude at NBAA in October, that are aimed directly at Embraer offerings. Meanwhile, Donnelly says there are signs of recovery in the market and Cessna made money last year.

Barefoot Bandit: "Anyone Else Would Have Died"

In his courtroom appearances, Colton Harris-Moore, the late-teen who stole five airplanes as part of a two-year crime spree, appeared to be remorseful, but he saved his self-praise and color commentary for later, according to new reports. E-mails Harris-Moore sent from prison were monitored by authorities and detailed in a memorandum filed by federal prosecutors ahead of a hearing scheduled to take place in a Seattle court, Friday, Jan. 27. According to that document, the young man referred to police and the prosecution as "fools" and "swine," among more colorful language. Harris-Moore's attorney argues the clips are representative of isolated emotions cherry-picked from personal correspondence to negatively impact her client. As released, the e-mails appear to show the young thief had a distinctly more positive opinion of himself and, specifically, of his piloting abilities.

Congress Funds FAA (For A Few More Weeks)

The Senate Thursday followed the House and approved a stopgap funding measure that will carry the FAA through Feb. 17 at current funding levels. The temporary measure provides funds through airport taxes and precedes another vote on long-term funding, which is expected to take place in February. The temporary measure is the 23rd of its kind and it replaces another that was set to expire on Jan. 31. The last long-term FAA reauthorization bill expired in 2007. For two weeks in 2011, Congress failed to provide either temporary or long-term authorization for the FAA, leading the agency to temporarily furlough thousands of workers and possibly tens of thousands of contractors. Current reports suggest lawmakers are optimistic they can reach an agreement prior to the new Feb. 17 deadline.

Airport As An Oasis Of Calm

There's an airport where the symbol of inner peace and outer calm reigns and it's not in one of those little holding cages on the wrong side of the security lineup. San Francisco Airport has set aside 150 square feet of its sprawling footprint for the practice of yoga. The silent room is, perhaps appropriately, just inside where travelers reassemble themselves after security and was inspired by a comment made by a traveler to airport director John Martin, who has practiced yoga for 18 years. The traveler said the newly-renovated Terminal 2 had everything but a yoga room. "We took that charge to heart and here it is," Martin told the Half Moon Bay Patch. "It's already getting a lot of use. People love it."

Aviation History: Which Events Would You Want to See?

If a genie popped out of the magic lantern and gave you three wishes to witness historical aviation events, which three would you pick?

Barefoot Bandit: "Anyone Else Would Have Died"

In his courtroom appearances, Colton Harris-Moore, the late-teen who stole five airplanes as part of a two-year crime spree, appeared to be remorseful, but he saved his self-praise and color commentary for later, according to new reports. E-mails Harris-Moore sent from prison were monitored by authorities and detailed in a memorandum filed by federal prosecutors ahead of a hearing scheduled to take place in a Seattle court, Friday, Jan. 27. According to that document, the young man referred to police and the prosecution as "fools" and "swine," among more colorful language. Harris-Moore's attorney argues the clips are representative of isolated emotions cherry-picked from personal correspondence to negatively impact her client. As released, the e-mails appear to show the young thief had a distinctly more positive opinion of himself and, specifically, of his piloting abilities.