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same article but with some additions:
“It can actually see dirt that has been turned over within the past two weeks, looking for IEDs (improvised explosive devices) … is why the Army wanted it like now,” Plans said.
He said the blimps also could be used for border security, and the company is talking a couple of countries about using them to monitor territorial fishing waters to detect foreign trawlers.
http://4thst8.wordpress.com/2013/08/23/are-nevadas-economic-development-efforts-inconsistent-and-unfair/
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-case-for-smaller-tactical-aerostats-protecting-our-national-security-220801431.html
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., Aug. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Security is in the air—literally. Thanks to global unrest, there is an urgent need for what the security industry calls ISR: Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. Demand for real-time ISR comes from government and commercial entities that require support for military and homeland defense, including detection of improvised explosive devices, border security, drug interdiction, natural disaster relief, and maritime and environmental missions.
As technologies continue to improve, one of the most interesting and dramatic new advances is in the area of small tactical aerostats. Aerostats are tethered craft that remain aloft mainly through the use of lighter-than-air gases, and which can be equipped with cameras, electronics systems and other high-tech gear.
One small company quickly becoming a big player in this space is World Surveillance Group Inc. Headquartered at the Kennedy Space Center, the company is developing a series of smaller tactical tethered aerostats it calls the Blimp in a Box™ (BiB). Capable of carrying cameras, communications packages and other sensing devices, the BiB is designed to provide mobile, real-time high-definition ISR and other forms of communications intelligence.
The BiB system is self-contained and can either be towed behind an all-terrain vehicle or operate from the bed of a pickup truck. True to its name, it is transported in a metal box, ready to deploy quickly and easily. The system is designed to allow the aerostat to remain airborne for days with a quick helium top off every 24 hours or so. The BiB can be deployed up to an altitude of 2,000 feet providing line-of-sight coverage of up to 30 miles.
Glenn Estrella, President and CEO of World Surveillance Group, believes there is a large market opportunity for lower-cost unmanned aerial vehicles like the BiB. Existing communications satellites, manned aircraft and heavier-than-air fixed-wing unmanned aircraft address some of the need for aerial surveillance, but are limited in their capabilities—and also may be too expensive or use up too many resources.
World Surveillance Group's Blimp in a Box system may represent an "outside the box" solution.
To learn more about World Surveillance Group and BiB, visit http://www.wsgi.com/
Contact: Enrique Briz, Dian Griesel, Int'l. 212.825.3210
Read more news from World Surveillance Group
SOURCE World Surveillance Group
Al, you sure come up with some good stuff.
So they need to plan on opening a manufacturing facility and "immediately" hire 100 workers? What the heck is cooking at HQ?
Thanks, BBB. Would have been nice to see a PR from our new PR folks to consolidate the progress from the quarter and expectations going forward.
"units" going through a training rotation for aerostat employment overseas...sounds to me like they intend to have BIB's ordered for those overseas theaters of operations.
I would like to think that too:
- SHM on Tuesday
- recent hire of PR firm and more media exposure
- acquisitions and sales for the past year
- take LJC to court (when's the last time we took the offensive?)
This sounds like a company who is more confident than scared.
and what about Michael Clark's property?
http://news.discovery.com/tech/robotics/blimps-defend-washington-dc-airspace-130725.htm
So based on the comment at the bottom of this article...did Mr. Estrella go to Washington?
Thanks for the ideas, Folks.
It does make sense that Argus and our personnel and partners created the BIB opportunity.
Q1 2012 - fix ripped Argus, resume testing
- apply for Argus design patent
- Argus to stay in Yuma for a bit
Q2 2012 - new COB appointed
- patent for Argus hybrid filed
- Argus testing done and returned to MD intended for
additional payload testing.
- New BIB idea introduced...
Cut to 2013 and we have acquired LTAS and sold BIB related stuff to DOD. Without that Argus, it may not have happened.
Indy, do you have an opinion as to why we never heard about the results of the YUMA testing? From your posts, I get the impression it served as an entre for other vehicles of interest, but why not an update for the shareholder community?
The Discovery article showed up on Fox News dot com:
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/07/01/military-turns-to-blimp-in-box-for-surveillance/
On another note, what are the thoughts regarding the ability of the BIB for border security?
With a 2000' altitude and 30 mile LOS (according to BIB website) is 30 miles just not far enough to provide adequate coverage and lead time for response? Let's say they place 30-60 of these devices along the border at an initial cost of 9M-18M plus support infrastructure costs. I'm guessing that it's still less than a fleet of Predators and large aerostats.
Are there terrain limitations or is it more of a lack of political will to test the feasibility of a BIB virtual fence? I guess first things first....Polk testing needs to confirm the BIB is good enough for additional orders before anyone else would give it a shot.
I see where they also put this link on the WSGI website "MEDIA" tab within the investors section. I'll need to start checking this regularly as well.
Nice find, alborgstein. Thanks for sharing. I see a "click for video" option, but it doesn't work for me. Did it work for anyone else?
I wonder if this is DGI's work?
From the following quote, it looks like there may be hope for a follow up order.
"and in the next few months the military will decide whether it wants more."
Maybe they are finally ready to do this. I remember at least 2 other firms that were hired before we had defense contracts and those were probably premature.
I think they really need to show more revenue with additional contracts for a PR firm to have any legit impact with WSGI. Although I don't think current management would do it, pumping the price higher with puff and fluff would lead to a welcomed appreciation in share price, but would bring flashbacks from the old days.
Indy, were you able to confirm that the mishap was due to usage outside of the specs or was it a manufacturing defect?
Thanks in advance.
well...never like to hear of any mishaps with our stuff, but better here during a training exercise than in a hostile situation. Document how and why it happened and put it in the lessons learned folder and move on. Oh yes...better order up some more replacements too.
Now if it keeps happening and it happens more often than not and the loss in function is worse than the replacement cost then that is a bigger problem, I think. Does the cost savings outweigh the lost productivity? Don't know...
What about those alleged Saddam busting cryptic applique things from GTC...that would be a hoot if Big Brother was monitoring US activity with those free simplex accounts.
I have inquired about the possibility of future launchers for #3 and will share if I get a response.
Based on the Q1 filing, I am expecting that another 300K for the second contract #1 will show up in Q2 plus another 600K for the BAE contract #3 given the inclusion of both initial and second expected launcher. Add in the assorted other bits and pieces plus anything delivered over the next several weeks and we have a 1M+ quarter of real revenues - assuming the equipment was sold and not just loaned out for demo purposes.
Good point Indy.
I had to re-read that one too after you mentioned it. Initial launcher, second launcher expected, plus 6 blimps, but no dollar mentioned and no indication if this is a one-to-one ratio of launcher to blimp.
The mention of testing and evaluation might mean these were delivered on a trial basis?
The REF stuff is interesting. Casual googling makes it sound like a fun, military sandbox where they get to make stuff using a vast toolbox of everything and anything available. Looking at the various pictures on Mr. Allsop's website and I can see where a BIB launch system or at least winches and some of the components could be a compact upgrade to the existing Helikite launching kit as well. The Helikite mooring system, launch area, and system of loops and cables, while functional, seems complicated compared to the BIB trailer.
What do you folks think about the pricing for our services and equipment?
Contract 1: 2 BIB launchers and blimps - delivered for +600K
Contract 2: 7 winches and parts
Contract 3: 1 launcher and 6 blimps
We probably have a mixture of services/consulting pricing plus hardware/materials pricing that go into the total.
Pretty cool to think this may be our best quarter ever of real UAV related revenues which I assuming are recognized upon delivery. Can't wait to see the next 10-Q.
Indy, that was a very interesting article. Those mishaps sure take a toll on expenses and resource usage - sending an F-16 to shoot one down?
A BIB would be more cost effective, or an Argus hybrid could fly back home if it got loose and maybe set free if the bad weather comes through.
My question is, how many BIB's does it take to do the job of a large aerostat? Is the BIB capable and is payload miniaturization there yet, or is the Aerostat payload just too large right now?
Thanks for sharing.
Where were we OS wise before the 1:15 reverse? Wasn't it around 1-1.5B?
Also, what does this do to the trading activity prior to the SHM if nobody is enticed to sell...do the MM's need to shake the tree's by dropping the price to get folks to sell...or even better..raising the price to get people to sell?
So this launcher system is quite a hit
Is the lure here the way WSGI/LTAS/GTC, etc. have been able to integrate all the components into a compact and functional design?
Did all of these components like the winch, tether, trailer, gas tanks, power supply, blimp, etc. always exist as separates, but it took our little company to engineer a total solution for the customers? Is the helium reclamation the key or is it just a smart group of people building a better mousetrap?
Yes indeed BBB. I like the steady rise back to the .03 mark after the PR whirlwind we had. Usually we plunge back down and then stagnate until another PR appears but not this time.
Getting through the .035 area will be a confidence booster I would think...and for those TA folks...aren't we starting to see a cup-handle pattern forming since November? Not that it means much in penny land but I can't deny the visual.
I am encouraged by their ability to develop and diversify their network and land these contracts.
I wouldn't mind another PR to get things going. We have had a nice buildup in news - 10K filing, LTSA acquisition, BIB delivery confirmation. I like how these were staged with each one better news than the next.
No trades yet? Weird. Sorry, but I was getting spoiled the last few days.
I would take it as a good sign - assuming the DoD was testing the heck out of it (maybe with our CPT and EWA contractors?). That would tell me they like what they have and are trying to figure out how to best use it and stress test it to determine its full potential and also its limitations in real scenarios and conditions since specs only can tell part of the story.
As they run it through their paces, maybe some technical or manufacturing issues may come up that they need to tweak, but at the end of the day, as long as they keep moving forward, that is a good sign they like it, it works, and they will probably want more than the 2 that were initially ordered.
thx BB and Sami - that's a lot of info to digest. I was thinking of the various projects you hear about like GOOG and others wanting to reuse the analog TV spectrum for broadband and stuff like that. I was wondering how it could compete with or enhance GTC efforts. Just speculation at this point since all the GTC efforts seem heavily tied to satellite infrastructure for now.
Interesting article describing the limitations of the various GTC hardware partners. I hope the GSAT upgrade will provide the confidence to push it toward the top of the list and get us a ground station contract soon.
Does anyone know about the use of old VHF/UHF spectrum and whether satellite spectrum trumps it in terms of coverage or is satellite spectrum still the way to go?
Good question. Take a look at this old link that discusses the applique developed by Axonn for GSAT. I remember seeing mention of Axonn somewhere in past documents related to GTC so I think they are the same units and also the ones used to track Hussein in the old cloak and dagger story tied in with GTC.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=simplex%20applique&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CEMQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcommon.globalstar.com%2Fdoc%2Faxonn%2FCompetitive-and-Technical-advantages-with-Globalstar-Technology.pdf&ei=xZLLUN6jFoWRrAHxjYC4Cw&usg=AFQjCNEEdErCvw7Ppcu_4aU5mkIGfuq5bA&bvm=bv.1355325884,d.aWM
I thought the only North American applique was the test unit in the MD ground station at Easton. The others are located around the globe and are owned by Phipps' GTC-UK company. So if they own those, any revenue going through them would not show up on our books. I am thinking that the only applique revs we will realize are those decoded on our soil and from products sold by GTC USA. Just guessing at this point.
Reminds me of the old Sanswire Vern K. design EOM
Great find Sami! Does this mean the patent has been granted or is it still under review?
There is a lot of neat info here that answers a lot of technical questions about how this thing works.
Thanks again!
BB, do you know for certain whether the Argus engine is battery, liquid fuel, or some form of gas contained in the envelope?
Just curious at this point. Plus I wonder what sort of certification is needed to fly flammable fuel over US or foreign soil? Battery would be safer, but weight would be the obvious issue.
Mide, I've been called worse by myself and others for sticking with this one for so long, but maybe we will be called lucky or fortunate one day in the future.
The possibilities for this firm seem stronger now than at any other time in the past. They keep trying to align themselves with the right folks and are not afraid to quickly adapt if one direction fails to work as desired.
I hope we see something stick soon.
Last years Q3 10-Q came out on 11/14 so maybe we will see something tomorrow. No preannouncement for this quarter might mean a snoozer, but we'll see. Being back in the .02's feels a lot better than sub penny. I hope we get something to help sustain and raise the price, but I'm not counting on it. Maybe some revs for the Ecker Race depending on when the equipment was sold.
Hmm - .02 print? We couldn't get that movement on high volume days. EOM
Agreed. Beside the needed assistance that these devices will supply, it gives GTC a chance to run a live distribution, support and usage rollout. Proving that they can support an operation on US soil can only help with future sales and relationship building.
Thanks, Indy. You bring up a good point about performance specs taking a back seat to function. There are plenty of examples where new products with better specs did not cut it in the marketplace like Beta vs. VHS.
Personally, I did get caught up in the promise of a low cost comm platform that needed to have high altitude, duration, and load capacity specs to meet the "tower in the sky" idea. It's obvious we are not there yet and neither is anyone else. Hence the need for sub-penny WSGI to use what they have to develop and refine a solution that will function for a unique purpose and generate revenues in the short term. The matrix of UAV and comm tech from GTC might allow us to do that.
Interesting how some of the TAO testing that we knew about was initially done in the cold and at thousands of feet above sea level. And this recent demo was in a humid jungle environment. But WSGI testing was done at YUMA and NV which I assume was much warmer and dryer.
Do you feel the demo video of the NV test was closer to the intended function? Meaning some sort of low altitude scanning for surface or sub-surface objects?