VMI Blog

1. Futbol Facelift:   Thirty robots,  produced by iRobot, will be patrolling the World Cup this year in Brazil.
2. Where’s My Money???: Gmail users can now transfer money electronically through the Google Wallet application.
3. Scaling the Peak: Google’s stock price hit a high this week of $915.
   
4. History in the Making :After this week, Samsung’s Galaxy S4 will be the fastest selling smartphone device in history.
5. Acquisition Rumor?: Yahoo is potentially looking at acquiring the social media website, Tumblr.

The U.S. Navy took a big step into the future on Tuesday when it catapulted the Northrop Grumman prototype of an unmanned plane off the deck of an aircraft carrier for the first time in history.

The test flight of the X-47B marked what Navy officers and analysts see as a key moment in the evolution of naval air power that will better equip U.S. forces to counter the challenges on the global stage.

Officers said Tuesday’s test off the coast of Virginia was successful, representing a milestone in naval aviation, which began with Eugene Ely’s 1910 flight off the deck of the USS Birmingham.

For the most part, UAV programs across the military have avoided rounds of deep defense budget cuts as military commanders favor unmanned systems in a growing number of missions. A video of the takeoff can be seen by clicking on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XdbfBD0ils