Sanswire Unveils New Unmanned Airship "Argus One"

[Someoneforyou]

Sanswire Unveils New Unmanned Airship "Argus One"
UNITED STATES - 28 MARCH 2011

Newly Designed and Constructed UAV Ready to Fly

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL -- Sanswire Corp. (OTCBB: SNSR), a developer of lighter-than-air unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related technologies, announced today that it has unveiled the Company's new UAV -- "Argus One." The introduction of Argus One follows the Company's recent filing of a provisional patent application in the United States for the new airship design and illustrates the uniqueness of the Company's UAV design. Argus One, named after the Greek god Argus, the all-seeing god with one hundred eyes, was designed to meet certain requirements for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) applications for the US military and other governmental agencies. Argus One provides governmental and commercial solutions to a UAV market expected to exceed $62 billion by 2015.

Argus One is a lighter-than-air (LTA) UAV designed to fly over areas of interest for extended durations carrying various payloads designed to allow for ISR, communications and other applications. Argus One has low acquisition, maintenance and operational costs compared to heavier-than-air UAVs currently in operation. The design and construction of Argus One follows years of research and development by the Company of alternative LTA technologies and solutions and combines innovative approaches to LTA technology proprietary to Sanswire. Argus One is Sanswire's initial LTA UAV equipped with the Company's newly developed, proprietary stabilization system that autonomously controls the level of rigidity of the airship in flight. This airship design significantly differs from many of the LTA platforms that have been in operation for over a century.

Argus One was specifically developed by Sanswire using US developed technologies that take full advantage of the microelectronics and command and control technologies protected under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) for potential US Government and approved commercial customers. The Company is also refocusing its efforts on establishing relationships with research and development and flight facilities in the US for development of the Argus line of airships.

As part of this refocused business strategy, the Company has entered into a Settlement Agreement with TAO Technologies that, among other things, terminates all existing agreements between the parties and provides for the dissolution of the Sanswire-TAO joint venture. As part of the Settlement Agreement, TAO is entitled to retain all consideration previously paid to it and the debt owed by the Company under the prior agreements of approximately $2.5 million has been discharged. The Company is currently in discussions with TAO to develop a mutually beneficial relationship for future efforts. The Company plans to continue to review all outstanding debts on its balance sheet as part of an ongoing initiative to reduce the Company's liabilities and strengthen its balance sheet.

Sanswire Chairman Michael K. Clark stated, "The unveiling of Argus One represents a key milestone for the Company and brings us another step closer to commercial production of our airships."

Sanswire CEO Glenn Estrella added, "Argus One is the airship we believe can address and help with many of the ISR and communications challenges facing the world today, both domestic and abroad. We look forward to demonstrating and proving Argus One's capabilities and potential."

Argus One was developed for Sanswire under contract by Eastcor Engineering, a US Department of Defense prime contractor, specializing in high technology engineering products and services. Sanswire and Eastcor continue to work together on Argus One and other technologies at the Company's hangar facility located on the grounds of the Easton Airport in Easton, MD, where the Argus One is currently housed.

Source: Sanswire Corporation

 

[Someoneforyou]

Sanswire Invited to Yuma to Conduct Flight Testing and Demonstrations of Argus One Airship
UNITED STATES - 14 APRIL 2011

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL --- Sanswire Corp., a developer of lighter-than-air unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and related technologies, announced today that the Company has been invited by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to conduct flight testing and demonstrations of its Argus One UAV at the U.S. Army proving ground facility in Yuma, Arizona.

The Company expects to carry out such flight testing operations and demonstrations during a two week period in May/June 2011 and plans on conducting a series of tests ranging from ground based tactical launch scenarios to both tethered and free flight operations. The Company has been working with the DoD to finalize a flight safety plan relating to such test operations and will set the actual dates of the testing and demonstrations once such safety plan has been approved.

Sanswire is working with its technical partner, Eastcor Engineering, on the continued development and testing of the Argus One UAV and Eastcor will oversee and carry out the flight testing and demonstrations in Yuma. The Company will transport the Argus One out to Yuma where the airship and its systems will be readied for flight tests at the Army's facilities and ranges which cover more than 1,300 square miles of terrain and 2,000 square miles of restricted airspace.

For these tests, the Argus One will be operated from a ground station and will be outfitted with a prototype intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) package provided by a leading defense contractor working with Sanswire and Eastcor on the project. Additionally, the Company plans to fly the Argus One with a tracking and monitoring system provided by Global Telesat Corp. (GTC). The ISR and tracking systems will be integrated into Argus One's pod bay located at the front of the airship, which can be attached or removed easily for rapid tactical launch scenarios and ease of mobilization.

Glenn Estrella, CEO of Sanswire, stated, "While we are conducting flight testing of the Argus One airship in Easton, MD where it was developed, Yuma will be our first chance to conduct untethered flight tests and demonstrations. We believe the Yuma tests will be critical to the further advancement of our Argus One UAV and the readying of the platform for real-life operations. Our collaboration with not only Eastcor but with GTC and our other partners at Yuma represents yet another step towards the commercialization of our integrated UAV solution."

Sanswire's Chairman Michael Clark added, "We are excited by the opportunity to test fly the Argus One at the Yuma proving grounds facility and we look forward to showcasing the Argus One's capabilities to potentially interested parties."

The U.S. Army's Yuma proving grounds facility has the infrastructure for complete, realistic testing of nearly all weapon systems in the ground combat arena. It is well equipped for a wide variety of commodity areas, including artillery, manned and unmanned aviation systems, armor, tactical vehicle, electronic countermeasure, and air delivery testing, making it an invaluable, cost effective resource for invited developers of military equipment.


Source: Sanswire Corp.

 

[Someoneforyou]

Argus One UAV Completes Initial Flight Testing
UNITED STATES - 19 APRIL 2011

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL --- Sanswire Corp., a developer of lighter-than-air unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related technologies, announced today that its Argus One UAV has successfully completed its initial series of flight tests to an altitude of 500 feet. The restricted, low altitude flight tests were conducted under tower control at Easton Airport by its technical partner, Eastcor Engineering.

The initial series of flight tests involved aerodynamic assessments of the Argus One's new airship design, its envelope and stability and propulsion systems. The Argus One airship made a number of controlled ascents and descents and was flown both with and without its engine running to evaluate the airship's handling and stability characteristics. At all times during these initial tests, the airship was tethered to the ground to comply with currently applicable regulations and for safety reasons.

Control of the Argus One's systems was accomplished during the flight tests by wireless line of sight digital signaling. Subsequent tests of the Argus One in Easton, MD will, among other things, evaluate the electronic flight attitude control systems, autopilot and vehicle control interfaces, sensor command and control, data exfiltration and a new propulsion system with a more powerful engine.

This series of low altitude flight testing in Maryland is designed to prepare the Argus One for its upcoming flight tests at the U.S. Army's proving ground facility in Yuma, AZ where higher altitude, untethered flight testing will commence.

Once the Argus One airship design has been proven in these controlled tests, the Company expects to file for an experimental license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that will enable the Company to perform more wide scale testing of its airship.

Additionally, Sanswire Corp. announced today that it has changed its corporate name to World Surveillance Group Inc. (WSGI). The new name reflects the Company's intention to focus on providing enhanced global intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and monitoring services following its recently executed letter of intent to acquire satellite based tracking firm, Global Telesat Corp. (GTC). WSGI has been issued a new CUSIP number by Standard and Poor's and has requested a new stock ticker symbol, which it expects FINRA to assign in the near future.

Glenn Estrella, President and CEO of WSGI stated, "We are very excited by the performance of the Argus One in its initial test flights and plan to continue testing in Maryland in preparation for higher altitude, less restricted testing next month in Yuma. Each new test allows us to advance the development of our airship and we continue to believe the Argus One UAV will be able to deliver capabilities that are currently in strong demand in the marketplace today at acquisition and operating costs that makes the Argus One attractive to both government and commercial customers." Mr. Estrella added, "We look forward to working with our partners to continue the development, demonstration and commercialization of our Argus One airship."

Michael K. Clark, the Company's Chairman of the Board, added, "In connection with our desire to acquire GTC and the combined company's expected focus on providing global ISR and monitoring services through its integrated product offerings, we decided to change our corporate name to reflect the Company's new mission. We have redesigned our corporate website to more fully showcase the advances the Company has made and its new direction."


Source: Sanswire