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Pentagon funding for Somerset firm's new unmanned helicopter
Pentagon funding for Somerset firm's new unmanned helicopter

BBC News

time23-06-2025

  • Business
  • BBC News

Pentagon funding for Somerset firm's new unmanned helicopter

A former RAF pilot who now makes unmanned helicopters said he has "never had a job as exciting as this".Certo Aerospace, based near Frome, Somerset, said it has made the UK's heaviest, operational, unmanned by the Pentagon, it is hoped the aircraft - currently being flight tested at Keevil Airfield in Wiltshire - will be used by the US and UK militaries in the next few Tooth, CEO at Certo Aerospace, said: "We're filling a capability gap between little electric drones and big manned helicopters." Away from conflict zones it is hoped the helicopter can also be used to deliver aid and support search and rescue Tooth, who used to fly helicopters when he served in the RAF, said: "I've never had a job as exciting as this or as futuristic as this."Mr Tooth said that due to the helicopter being unmanned it is cheaper but also will lead to less loss of life in war zones when the aircraft is targeted. The aircraft, which is regularly fly tested at Keevil Airfield near Trowbridge in Wiltshire, has its rotor blade at the top of the helicopter, above the main rotor disc, a move said to be the first for a helicopter in the Aerospace said the aircraft's piloting is done remotely, which means it can carry more fuel and fly further. Senior engineer John Wilkinson from Wiltshire said: "It's been incredible to be on the forefront of a new emerging field."I've got friends who don't like their jobs but this is a great place to be." Intern Harry Johnson has been helping on test days and said: "It's really cool to be working here. "I'm doing an engineering degree so this is a chance to get some hands-on experience here." The aircraft is set to fly at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex in July.

More charges likely in cyclist death as Colorado biking advocates push for change
More charges likely in cyclist death as Colorado biking advocates push for change

CBS News

time23-05-2025

  • CBS News

More charges likely in cyclist death as Colorado biking advocates push for change

More charges likely in bicyclist death as biking advocates press for changes More charges likely in bicyclist death as biking advocates press for changes More charges likely in bicyclist death as biking advocates press for changes Boulder area District Attorney Michael Dougherty says there will likely be more charges against the 23-year-old accused in the hit-and-run death of bicyclist John Wilkinson on Sunday. Dante Johnson of Denver is already accused of two charges, including failure to remain at the scene in an accident causing death. That carries a potential penalty of four to 12 years. Dante Johnson Boulder County "We're going to be looking at additional charges, and there's also perhaps some aggravating circumstances," said Dougherty, explaining that the Colorado State Patrol is still working on a crash reconstruction analysis. So far, says Dougherty, it appears the vehicle that hit Wilkinson strayed into the bike lane on the right side of 95th Street, north of Valmont Road. The district attorney credited witnesses with providing information that led quickly to Dante Johnson. "The witnesses were easily able to identify that something was wrong because the bike was being dragged. There was a loud sound being caused by it, and the windshield of the car was so incredibly damaged." An affidavit in the case indicates the bicycle was dragged miles beneath the front bumper of a Toyota Highlander and found along Lookout Road. Additionally, the affidavit states Johnson later texted a friend a video recorded from inside the vehicle showing the smashed windshield. He told the friend by text he'd been hit by a rock. Johnson told investigators the vehicle he drove, which belonged to his mother, had been missing for a time. But because of the license plate shared by witnesses, law officers were quickly able to ping Johnson's phone as he went to Clement Park in Littleton. The Highlander, believed to be the vehicle that hit Wilkinson, was found in the same area. Cyclist John Wilkinson was struck and killed in Boulder County on Sunday. CBS Prosecuting the case, Dougherty has promised to "Fight like heck to make sure we get the right outcome." But another death on Colorado's roads leads to more concern from law enforcement and safety advocates. The charge of careless driving resulting in death, which is a misdemeanor under Colorado law, was being reviewed in the Legislature this session. "Think about that. A traffic misdemeanor. Take that up to a felony. That bill did not pass this session. I'm very confident that we'll see it introduced this next session," said Dougherty. The family of bicyclist Magnus White, a 17-year-old killed in the Boulder area in 2023, was among those pushing for the change. Tragedies like the death of John Wilkinson bring the issues again to the forefront. The death of John Wilkinson hits hard for Triny Willerton, President and founder of It Could Be Me. It is a safety organization based in Boulder. Willerton is a survivor of a terrible bicycle crash in 2018. "I feel like we take three steps forward and then one back," she said of the death of John Wilkinson. Boulder now has over 300 miles of protected bike lanes, but few roads in Colorado were originally designed with separation in mind. Triny Willerton CBS "I think we all know we need to separate different modes of transportation. Unfortunately, that takes time." Technology has created problems for sure. "There are a lot of factors that are unfortunately getting in the way of people behaving properly behind the wheel," said Willerton. But there are potential technology solutions to some problems ahead. Automated braking systems and, hopefully, autonomous driving will improve odds, she said. There is still a need to get the message out constantly to drivers. That message is often heard more clearly after tragedies. "It's very interesting because people start paying attention, and there's a very small window," said Willerton. The message right now is clear. "There is nothing that is more important than a human life, said Willerton. "Whatever decision you make will change their life and your life forever."

Beloved cyclist killed in hit-and-run in CO, reports say. ‘Miss you forever'
Beloved cyclist killed in hit-and-run in CO, reports say. ‘Miss you forever'

Miami Herald

time22-05-2025

  • Miami Herald

Beloved cyclist killed in hit-and-run in CO, reports say. ‘Miss you forever'

A 41-year-old cyclist with a 'vibrant spirit' was killed in a hit-and-run in Colorado, officials and loved ones said. The cyclist was riding in Boulder County just before noon on May 18 when he was struck by a Toyota Highlander, the Colorado State Patrol said in a news release. The county coroner's office identified the cyclist as John Wilkinson. The Toyota Highlander drove off but was found later that day abandoned in a park, troopers said. A 23-year-old man has been charged with failing to notify police of an accident and failing to remain at the scene/give information and/or aid after an accident, according to state troopers, who said more charges are expected. McClatchy News couldn't immediately reach an attorney for the 23-year-old on May 22. In the news release, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said, 'Throughout Colorado, there are far too many cyclists and pedestrians who are tragically injured or killed every year,' adding that 'these cases are a priority in this jurisdiction.' Wilkinson was remembered in news reports and on social media for his passion and dedication. He was 'a cycling machine,' his dad, Bob Wilkinson, told CBS News Colorado, adding that 'he rode hundreds and hundreds of miles a week.' And beyond cycling, 'He just was, he was just a good kid overall. It's a terrible loss to us,' his dad said, according to the outlet. The Colorado bike shop CyclErie — where Wilkinson worked, according to the Daily Camera — wrote on Instagram that 'the loss of John's vibrant spirit is heartbreaking, infuriating, and utterly avoidable.' The shop went on to say, 'There's no silver lining — only grief for a friend who won't join us at work, a brother who won't call back, and a loving partner who won't return from his Sunday ride,' adding that 'we'll miss you forever.'

Arrest made in Colorado hit-and-run that killed avid cyclist, Boulder DA ready to fight "for justice for the victim"
Arrest made in Colorado hit-and-run that killed avid cyclist, Boulder DA ready to fight "for justice for the victim"

CBS News

time22-05-2025

  • CBS News

Arrest made in Colorado hit-and-run that killed avid cyclist, Boulder DA ready to fight "for justice for the victim"

Colorado officials on Wednesday announced that charges have been filed against a 23-year-old man suspected of driving off after his car struck and killed a cyclist in eastern Boulder County. Dante Johnson was taken into custody on Monday morning in the southern part of the Denver metro area. Deputies from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office took him into custody on a warrant that was not related to the hit-and-run that killed John Wilkinson. John Wilkinson Wilkinson Family Since that arrest, the Boulder County District Attorney's Office has filed formal charges against Johnson in connection with Wilkinson's death. They include at least one felony count. The fatal collision took place on Sunday on 95th Street north of Valmont Road. The SUV authorities believe Wilkinson was driving heavily damaged Wilkinson's bike. The SUV was located in Littleton in Clement Park later that day. It had been abandoned. CBS Johnson is being held in the Arapahoe County Jail. District Attorney Michael Dougherty called the case a "heartbreaking loss of life." "As the criminal prosecution now moves forward, our office is committed to fighting for justice for the victim and his family," Dougherty said. Wilkinson's family members told CBS Colorado that the 41 year old who moved to Broomfield not long ago was an avid biker who covered hundreds of miles on his bike each week.

Family grieves cyclist killed in hit-and-run as investigators focus on suspect driver: "A terrible loss for us"
Family grieves cyclist killed in hit-and-run as investigators focus on suspect driver: "A terrible loss for us"

CBS News

time21-05-2025

  • CBS News

Family grieves cyclist killed in hit-and-run as investigators focus on suspect driver: "A terrible loss for us"

According to the Colorado State Patrol, pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities have increased 78% in the state since 2015. Between 2018 and 2023, there were more than 560 crashes involving cyclists in Boulder County. Broomfield resident John Wilkinson has become the latest victim in what's becoming a disturbing trend in deadly cyclist crashes. John Wilkinson was riding his bicycle when he was killed in a hit-and-run on North 95th St. north of Valmont. CBS Forty-one-year-old Wilkinson of Broomfield was a force of nature. "He was very physically fit," said his father. "He's 6-foot-2, not a bit of body fat, just a cycling machine. And that was his passion." Bob Wilkinson talked with CBS Colorado from his home in Miami, where his wife used to worry about their son. "He used to bike in Miami, Dade County, and it's dangerous. And she was always worried about him, you know. I was, too. But a mother's worry is on a whole other level from fathers, you know," said Bob Wilkinson. His son had moved to Colorado not long ago with his longtime girlfriend, an accomplished rock climber. John Wilkinson had sold off his interest in a bicycle shop in Columbia, Missouri, to make the move. He loved biking, and people loved him. "Biking and riding were his life. He enjoyed it. He rode hundreds and hundreds of miles a week. He rode on gravel country roads, asphalt," all of it said his father. John Wilkinson Bob Wilkinson On Sunday, the family got the worst of calls from the Colorado State Patrol. A man had been killed in a hit-and-run on North 95th St. north of Valmont just before noon. It turned out to be the son his father and mother have been so proud of. "He just was, he was just a good kid overall," his father said, filled with emotion. "It's a terrible loss to us. It's one phone call every parent should never get from a trooper." The driver behind the wheel of a Toyota Highlander hit John Wilkinson so hard that the windshield was gone. The bike was dragged beneath the vehicle as it drove off. A friend – one of many made quickly - riding with John Wilkinson was behind him, but too far back to see what happened. "He was cycling behind him a couple of minutes, and by the time he got to him. Several people had stopped and were already giving him CPR, trying to save him." John Wilkinson was pronounced dead at the hospital. There were witnesses. They gave investigators a license plate number. The family has been told the vehicle was found in a county outside of Boulder, and a person was taken into custody on a warrant for another crime. No one has yet been charged in the case. The District Attorney in Boulder County has said it has been in contact with the Colorado State Patrol, which is handling the case, but has said nothing further publicly. The CSP said Tuesday there were no updates on the case. Bob Wilkinson reflected on his son's decency. He gladly helped people, especially with biking. Cyclist John Wilkinson was killed in a hit-and-run crash on North 95th St. north of Valmont. CBS "He had a lot of friends. I never heard him speak badly of anybody, helped a lot of people." He says his anger has abated a little. "I was initially. But being angry at that person isn't going to solve anything. He's still gone." It's hard to think of someone who lived to his fullest in athletic potential and kindness no longer alive, and there being no explanation why. "We haven't heard anything about why the driver did what he did. I'm hoping it was not intentional," said the father.

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