World Surveillance Group Argus One UAV damaged during demonstration, approved for tethered flights and free flight testing

Posted by Courtney E. HowardKENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., 30 Aug. 2011. The Argus One airship passed the physical inspection and analysis conducted by the flight safety board at the Yuma proving ground facility in Yuma, Ariz., according to officials at World Surveillance Group Inc. (OTCBB:WSGI), a developer of lighter-than-air unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related technologies. The safety board has approved the Argus One airship and accompanying onboard systems not only for tethered flights, but also free flight tests.

Company engineers were unable to conduct flight testing of the Argus One UAV at the Yuma proving ground facilities due to an unforeseen incident while maneuvering the UAV into its hangar. The UAV’s envelope suffered minor damage due to unexpected strong wind gusts that hit the Argus One UAV broadside while the airship was being moved into its hangar. The resulting tear to the airship envelope was unrelated to flight capabilities of the airship itself or the accompanying onboard systems, affirms a company spokesperson.

Eastcor Engineering personnel are helping to repair and enhance the airship's envelope; such repairs should be completed by September 9. W

SGI officials are discussing new flight test dates with the flight operators at the Yuma proving ground facility, anticipate finalizing dates shortly, and expects to return to Yuma in September or October. Flight testing of the Argus One will continue in Easton, Md., in preparation of the upcoming Yuma flight exercise.

"We remain optimistic about the unique capabilities of our Argus One airship design based on the results from our numerous Easton flight tests,” says WSGI's President and Chief Executive Officer Glenn D. Estrella. “We are actively in discussions with the directors at Yuma to reschedule new testing dates to get back to Yuma as soon as possible and will continue our testing in Easton in the interim."