Three-D models of urban environments are now becoming available for military leaders, thanks to a team working at the University of California at Berkeley. The team, which is funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, has created a digital surface model out of airborne laser scans, reports Maria Callier of AFOSR. “Knowing the exact 3-D map of the city is useful to counterterrorism activities, mission planning and disaster management,” said Avideh Zakhor, team leader. “The team would like to extend the 3-D modeling of the indoor environment and consider the problem of incremental model updating after a building is demolished.” This new technology allows for continuous mode scanning, which cuts scanning time to approximately 25 minutes.
The KC-Z4, a blended wing body tanker concept being developed by startup JetZero, could fuel larger groups of aircraft at longer range to hold more targets at risk, company officials say.