World Surveillance Group Announces Expansion of Yuma Flight Testing Schedule for Argus One UAV
July 25 2011 - 7:52PM
Marketwired
World Surveillance Group Inc. (OTCBB: WSGI), a developer of
lighter-than-air unmanned aerial vehicles ("UAVs") and related
technologies, announced today that the Company has confirmed the
expansion of the flight testing schedule of its Argus One UAV at
the U.S. Army's proving ground facilities in Yuma, Arizona.
Due to time constraints resulting from WSGI's decision to
accelerate its integration of certain customer payloads into the
pod bay of the Argus One UAV prior to its flight testing at Yuma,
WSGI has agreed with the test directors at Yuma to schedule the
Argus One testing and demonstrations over two time periods. The
initial round of flight test exercises focusing on aerodynamic and
free flight maneuvering of the Argus One airship will commence
during the last two weeks of August and is likely to extend for
several days.
This initial exercise will be followed by an expanded payload
testing and demonstration exercise, expected to take place in
October 2011 at Yuma, and will focus on the testing and performance
of the Argus One UAV integrated with various ISR and communications
payload packages creating a lighter-than-air platform. WSGI's
modular sensor bay on the Argus One is capable of hosting various
sensors and payloads with a simple plug and play architecture that
provides power, an airship inertial navigation system and
environmental data. Following the strong interest from potential
partners to test and demonstrate the Argus One at Yuma as a mobile
platform for specific ISR and communications packages, WSGI decided
to adjust its testing program, in conjunction with the test
operators at the proving ground facilities in Yuma, to accommodate
these potential partnership relationships.
In October's test exercises, the Argus One is expected to be
flown with a tracking and monitoring system provided by WSGI's
wholly owned subsidiary, Global Telesat Corp ("GTC") which will
process data collected through Globalstar Inc.'s low earth orbit
satellite constellation utilizing GTC's proprietary web-based
online platform. In conjunction with the Company's partners,
additional communications systems will also be integrated for such
tests into the Argus One's pod bay, which is located mid-airship
for increased stabilization and vibration dampening. The newly
constructed modular sensor bay on the Argus One airship can be
attached or removed easily for rapid tactical launch scenarios and
ease of mobilization.
For a video clip of the recent tests flights of the Argus One
UAV please visit www.wsgi.com
About World Surveillance Group Inc.
World Surveillance Group Inc. (OTCBB: WSGI) designs, develops,
markets and sells autonomous, lighter-than-air UAVs capable of
carrying payloads that provide persistent security and/or wireless
communications solutions at low, mid, and high altitudes. WSGI's
airships, when integrated with electronics systems and other high
technology payloads, are designed for use by government-related and
commercial entities that require real-time intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance or communications support for
military, homeland defense, border control, drug interdiction,
natural disaster relief and maritime missions.
WSGI's wholly owned subsidiary, Global Telesat Corp., provides
satellite airtime and tracking services to the U.S. government and
defense industry end users and resells airtime and equipment from
leading satellite network providers such as Globalstar, Inmarsat,
Iridium and Thuraya. GTC specializes in satellite tracking services
using the Globalstar satellite network and owns a number of network
infrastructure devices containing the signal processing technology
that powers the Globalstar Simplex Data Service. GTC's equipment is
installed in various ground stations across Africa, Asia,
Australia, Europe and South America.
For more information regarding WSGI, please visit www.wsgi.com,
or view our reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on http://www.sec.gov.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this release constitute forward-looking
statements. These statements include the timing or results of any
flight testing of our UAVs, the expected payloads or systems to be
carried on the Argus One for testing, the effectiveness of any
tested payloads or the Argus One as a platform, the further
advancement, development or commercialization of the Company's
UAVs, the outcome of any demonstrations of the Company's airships,
potential interested parties, the capabilities and advantages of
the Company's technology and products, the use of the Company's
products for any specific applications, the Company's ability to
accelerate the foregoing, the synergies, benefits or opportunities
that may result from the GTC acquisition, the ability to integrate
the products or operations of GTC and the Company, the ability of
the combined entity to leverage relationships with the U.S.
Government or other customers to attain contracts or increase
revenues, and the revenues, cash flows and financial condition of
the Company or GTC. Forward-looking statements also include the
Company's ability to execute its business plan, achieve commercial
success or growth in its businesses or to accomplish its strategic
goals, and the Company's ability to capitalize on any future market
or acquisition opportunities, grow the business of the combined
Company, or to enhance shareholder value. The words "forecast,"
"project," "intend," "expect," "plan," "should," "would," and
similar expressions and all statements, which are not historical
facts, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements involve and are subject to known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, any of which could
cause the Company to not achieve some or all of its goals or the
Company's previously reported actual results, performance (finance
or operating) to change or differ from future results, performance
(financing and operating) or achievements, including those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The
Company assumes no, and hereby disclaims any, obligation to update
the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.
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Contact: World Surveillance Group Inc. 321-452-3545 Barbara M.
Johnson investors@wsgi.com