Alenia Aeronautica concludes successfully the first flight campaign in Italy of the Sky-Y UAS

13:31 GMT, March 31, 2009 With five missions the Sky-Y, Alenia Aeronautica’s unmanned technological demonstrator, has completed its first series of tests in Italy. With this tests campaign the Sky-Y has to day accumulated three test phases, two in Sweden and one in Italy.  Thanks to the Permit To Fly granted by ENAC - Ente Nazionale per l’Aviazione Civile (National Agency for the Civil Aviation), the Sky-Y has accomplished this flight testing cycle in an area in the Puglia Region, defined for this purpose. The test campaign in Italy of the Sky-Y, the only European-made unmanned vehicle to make flight tests and the only one equipped with European sensors and production systems, has taken place in March, and has allowed the testing of some automatic functions of the ground surveillance mission systems; these are key elements to fully assess the operational capabilities of the production machines which will have in the future to be used for this role.  In particular, the tests campaign has brought to continuing the carrying out of the tests on the EOST-45 electro-optical sensor of SELEX Galileo – started in Sweden in the 2008 Autumn - and on the real-time data transmission via satellite.  In detail, the satellite link made by Telespazio has been used to test real-time data and images transmission with the Civil Defence Agency, during missions which simulated ground surveillance, fire control, detection and monitoring of boats’ and crafts’ traffic and of signalling of possible shipwrecked persons.  The tests recently completed in Italy have concerned also the functionalities of advanced management of the EOST-45 sensor, through an On Board Mission Computer (OBMC) provided with a software developed by Alenia Aeronautica; among such functionalities: target’s automatic tracking, automatic scan of pre-defined areas, definition of the geographical coordinates of the surface target under observation, on land and also, for the first time, on sea. Thanks to these tests Alenia Aeronautica consolidates its own continental leadership in the technological and operational testing of unmanned aircraft. Alenia’s UAV technological demonstrator’s flights so far made are 48, of which 29 accomplished by the Sky-X and 19 by the Sky-Y. Such successes have been made also thanks to the support and collaboration of other Finmeccanica companies like SELEX Galileo and Telespazio, proving once more synergies and integration capabilities of the Group’s companies.

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Company or Organisation Portrait: Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica Company, is the largest Italian aeronautic player which operates world-wide in the commercial and military aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles and aerostructures. Alenia Aeronautica also coordinates the activities of Alenia Aermacchi and Alenia Aeronavali - wholly owned companies – respectively active in the design and manufacturing of military trainer aircraft and in the overhaul, maintenance and modification of military and civil aircraft. With its joint ventures ATR, SCAC and Superjet International, Alenia Aeronautica is the world leader in the regional turboprop market and a top player in the regional jet sector. Over 2008 Alenia Aeronautica reported revenues of 2,530 millions Euro, backlog for 8,281 millions Euro and orders for 2,720. The total workforce is 13,907.

UAV Rental Business Booms

March 31, 2009: The Netherlands is renting Israeli Aerostar UAVs for its troops inAfghanistan. This is a 460 pound UAV, that can carry 110 pounds of sensors and batteries. Endurance is about twelve hours, maximum altitude is 18,000 feet. The Aerostar can operate up to 200 kilometers from its base station radio (or use an optional satellite comm. link and operate over 600 kilometers away). With a wing span of 21 feet, the Aerostar moves at from 108 to 200 kilometers an hour. The Aerostars cost $1.5 million each. But add in ground equipment, spares and training, costs per aircraft are about 30 percent more (close to $2 million per UAV.) The $51 million lease contract is initially for 18 months (through the Summer of 2010), and will include contractors to operate and maintain about a dozen of the Aerostars. 

Holland, like Canada, sent troops to Afghanistan, equipped with Sperwer UAVs. Having heard of Canadian dissatisfaction with the French built Sperwer, the Dutch soon found out for themselves. The $2.6 million Sperwer LE (Long Endurance) weighs 772 pounds, carries a 110 pound payload, is 12 feet long and has an endurance of 12 hours. Sperwer can operate up to 200 kilometers from its ground control unit. But the Sperwer uses a noisy engine (think lawnmower) and flies low enough to be heard. The Sperwer has suffered from the heat, dust and wind that is so abundant in Afghanistan. At first, the Canadian troops came to depend on their Sperwers, and wanted more of them, than realized that another, newer, UAV, would do the job better. The troops have learned that operator experience is a major factor in UAV success, and much of that would be lost if they switched a new model. But the Sperwer proved increasingly unreliable, while NATO officers were able to see other, more reliable UAV models in action. Canada went and rented Israeli Heron UAVs, to replace their Sperwers.

Surveillance vehicles take flight using alternative energy

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This photo shows the Ion Tiger. Credit: US Naval Research Laboratory

Piloted remotely or autonomously, UAVs have long provided extra "eyes in the sky" especially for missions that are too dangerous for manned aircraft. This latest technology is showcased by Ion Tiger, a UAV research program at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) that merges two separate efforts — UAV technology and fuel cell systems.

In particular, the Ion Tiger UAV tests a hydrogen-powered fuel cell design, which can travel farther and carry heavier payloads than earlier battery-powered designs. Ion Tiger employs stealthy characteristics due to its small size, reduced noise, low heat signature and zero emissions.

"Pursuing energy efficiency and energy independence are core to ONR's Power and Energy Focus Area," said Rear Admiral Nevin Carr, Chief of Naval Research. "ONR's investments in alternative energy sources, like fuel cell research, have application to the Navy and Marine Corps mission in future UAVs and vehicles. These investments also contribute directly to solving some of the same technology challenges faced at the national level."

Fuel cells create an electrical current when they convert hydrogen and oxygen into water and are pollution-free. A fuel cell propulsion system can also deliver potentially twice the efficiency of an internal combustion engine — while running more quietly and with greater endurance.

"In this size range, we are hopefully able to conduct very productive surveillance missions at low cost with a relatively small vehicle, and a high-quality electric payload," says NRL Principal Investigator Dr. Karen Swider-Lyons.

This spring, Ion Tiger's flight trial is expected to exceed the duration of previous flights seven-fold.

"This will really be a 'first of its kind' demonstration for a fuel cell system in a UAV application for a 24-hour endurance flight, with a 5 pound payload," says ONR Program Manager Dr. Michele Anderson. "That's something nobody can do right now."

In 2005, NRL backed initial research in fuel cell technologies for UAVs. Today, says Swider-Lyons, it's paying off with a few lessons learned from the automotive industry.

"With UAVs, we are dealing with relatively small fuel cells of 500 watts," she explains. "It is hard to get custom, high-quality fuel cell membranes built just for this program. So we are riding along with this push for technology from the automotive industry."

"What's different with fuel cell cars is that developers are focused on volume…so they want everything very compact," adds Swider-Lyons. "Our first issue is weight, our second issue is weight and our third issue is weight!"

Besides delivering energy savings and increased power potential, fuel cell technology spans the operational spectrum from ground vehicles to UAVs, to man-portable power generation for Marine expeditionary missions to meeting power needs afloat. In fact, it's technology that Marines at Camp Pendleton are using today to power their General Motors fuel cell vehicles.

Across the board, the Navy and Marine Corps are seeking more efficient sources of energy. ONR has been researching and testing power and energy technology for decades. Often the improvements to power generation and fuel efficiency for ships, aircraft, vehicles and installations yield a direct benefit to the public.

"ONR has been a visionary in terms of providing support for this program," says Swider-Lyons.

Source: Naval Research Laboratory (news : web)

Nearly undetectable from the ground, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are widely used by the military to scan terrain for possible threats and intelligence. Now, fuel cell powered UAVs are taking flight as an Office of Naval Research (ONR)-sponsored program to help tactical decision-makers gather critical information more efficiently... and more quietly.

Hydrogen fuel to boost range of drones seven-fold

Washington (IANS): Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones that scan terrains unobtrusively for possible threats and intelligence can now fly farther and carry heavier loads with the help of fuel cells.

This latest technology has been showcased by Ion Tiger, a UAV research programme at the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington that merges two separate efforts - UAV technology and fuel cell systems.

Ion Tiger tests a hydrogen-powered fuel cell design, which can travel farther and carry heavier payloads than earlier battery-powered designs. The craft employs stealthy characteristics due to its small size, reduced noise, low heat signature and zero emissions.

Ion Tiger's flight trial is expected to exceed the duration of previous flights seven-fold.

"Pursuing energy efficiency and energy independence are core to the Office of Naval Research's (ONR) power and energy focus area," said Rear Admiral Nevin Carr, chief of naval research.

Fuel cells create an electrical current when they convert hydrogen and oxygen into water and are pollution-free. A fuel cell propulsion system can also deliver potentially twice the efficiency of an internal combustion engine while running more quietly and with greater endurance, according to an ONR release.

"In this size range, we are hopefully able to conduct very productive surveillance missions at low cost with a relatively small vehicle, and a high-quality electric payload," said NRL principal investigator Karen Swider-Lyons.

"This will really be a 'first of its kind' demonstration for a fuel cell system in a UAV application for a 24-hour endurance flight, with a five-pound payload," said ONR programme manager Michele Anderson. "That's something nobody can do right now."

UAV sector poised for dynamic growth worth over $62 billion over next 10 years

In recent months, we have published a series of stories on South African unmanned air vehicle (UAV) programmes, projects and proposals in our print, online and video (Real Economy Report) editions. These have covered the products and projects of Advanced Technologies & Engineering (ATE), Denel Dynamics and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Indeed, there is a story on the CSIR research UAV programme in this very edition.

This is because South Africa has been a world leader in UAVs, and UAVs are becoming very important, both technologically and as a business sector, within the aerospace industry.

US aerospace and defence market analysis company Teal Group recently forecast that the global UAV market will be worth more than $62-billion over the next ten years. It states that UAVs are the most dynamic segment growth sector in the global aerospace industry. Currently, total world expenditure on UAVs amounts to $4,4-billion a year, and this should reach an annual figure of $8,7-billion after ten years.

In addition, billions of dollars more is being, and will be, spent on payloads for UAVs.
During the 2009 US financial year (FY), worldwide expenditure on UAV payloads exceeded $2-billion, and Teal expects this spending to rise to $5-billion in US FY2018. These payloads include command, control, communications, computer and intelligence systems; electro-optical/infrared sensors; electronic warfare systems; signals intelligence systems; chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear sensors; and synthetic aperture radars.

Respected British aerospace journal Flight International currently lists 59 companies worldwide which manufacture UAVs, including ATE and Denel. (The CSIR is not a UAV manufacturer; it only produces a handful or less of each of its designs, and they are all for research purposes, not for series production.)

UAVs are big business. They are also cutting-edge technology, especially with regard to autonomous control systems, both hardware and software. At the very top end, both the US and UK are known to be working on tailless blended wing body (BWB) stealth UAVs, which also involve leading-edge airframe and materials technology, design and manufacture.

UAVs are also aircraft that South Africa has the financial resources and technological capability to totally design and manufacture on its own. And South Africa has successfully exported UAVs.

But, while five years ago one could have confidently asserted that South Africa was a world-leader in UAVs, along with the US and Israel, today the country is grave danger of losing that status. Huge amounts of money are being poured into UAVs, by the US, UK, Israel, and many others.

There are now, or now under development, nano-, micro-, and mini-UAVs (issued to infantry companies, even platoons, and often hand-launched), battalion-level tactical UAVs (like ATE's Vulture, designed to provide observation for field artillery units), brigade-level tactical UAVs (Denel's Seeker would fit here), medium altitiude long-endurance (Male) UAVs (for divisions, corps, and armies) and high altitude long-endurance (Hale) UAVs (strategic systems, exemplified by the extremely expensive US Global Hawk). There are fixed-wing and rotary-wing designs, and ducted fan designs that look just like flying saucers. And there are Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles (UCAVs), of which the best known is General Atomics' MQ-9 Reaper (previously called the Predator B).

Ironically, South Africa was one of the first countries to develop a stealth UAV design, codenamed Flowchart, but it seems never to have progressed beyond the stage of a wind tunnel model. It was not, however a tailless BWB design. Nor was Denel's subsequent stealth UAV/UCAV design, designated Seraph.

At the small end off the UAV scale, ATE has developed the hand-launched Kiwit mini-UAV, which has not yet gained any customers (but it was only unveiled last year). Its Vulture system is now being delivered to the South African Army. Denel Dynamics is marketing the latest version of its Seeker family, the Seeker 400, which represents a significant improvement over the Seeker II. Top of the range in South Africa is Denel's Bateleur Male UAV - announced in 2003, it has still not progressed past the mock-up, and the company is hoping that Brazil will turn the project into reality by investing in it, just as they have invested in Denel's A-Darter missile. But Brazil is also talking to the Israelis about cooperating on a Male UAV programme. The CSIR is seeking to help the local industry keep up with the latest international trends - for example with its Sekwa BWB (altthough it has upturned wing tips) UAV, to develop local expertise in BWB flight control algorithms.

Despite all the work done on UAVs in this country, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) only operates the original Seeker system - which can now be regarded as obsolete - and the Vulture. The Kiwit, Seeker 400, and Bateleur would all be of enormous value to the SANDF, to support its peacekeeping deployments, and patrol the country's borders and maritime frontiers. But none have been ordered by the SANDF, nor is there any sign they will be (Denel is very hopeful for a foreign contract for the Seeker 400, as was ty achieved with the Seeker II).

Nor is there any large-scale local UAV research and development (R&D) programme to further develop and promote local capabilities. There are only small projects. Critical mass is lacking.

Through lack of investment in both R&D and in finished products, South Africa is abdicating the lead it once held, in a booming high-tech sector it could successfully compete in, globally. As the Americans say, go figure.

UAV Technology Ideas and Trends

We are seeing many top colleges and universities implementing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle UAV Programs along with their newest robotic engineering schools. One of the latest trends in UAV design is to make these new aerial vehicles very small perhaps ypu have indeed seen the trend I am discussing? What is driving this new industry is the science and of course business, together these two factors tend to drive the technology and of course the military and Department of Homeland Security buying. All these groups must work seamlessly together. Innovators, entrepreneurs, scientists and engineers must be on the same page for a new concept or emerging technology of any type to work.

If you have been watching there are sub sector growing trends within the UAV community, for instance blimp technologies, new materials for dirigibles, inflatable wings, etc and they are definitely an important direction in which those designing UAVs, MAV and Micro organic replica MAVs, must be thinking. If you go online at Google Images and search you will see some ideas. I myself have had concepts the Blimp type technologies and concepts, as well as submersible UAV-AUV combos? Both will be needed for military and commercial applications in the future.

For those graduate students designing and engineering prototypes; I suppose money issues could be an issue, as development money is needed to live and still work; plus materials, sensors and equipment are very costly and will hamper both student and school budgets, but Indeed there are ways to get such things done working with sponsors and industry.

What many of these students really need is a monthly paycheck for two-years and $120,000 for parts and materials it sounds to build their prototypes. There are ways to do this through government grants however most include an unfortunate level of disgusting bureaucracy. I have never understood why Government Agencies do not understand how much bang for the buck they can get by assisting small entrepreneurs in such things. And what these entrepreneurs can give back in return as they grow their companies, both for military and those technologies they are given permission for and allowed to pursue with commercial transfer of such technology. This indeed also assists large defense contractors with a steady influx of new ideas, concepts and things to sell the government, develop and add to their own research and development divisions. Many larger companies look to find these smaller companies to buy and integrate which can be beneficial for both the entrepreneur and the mega-corporation.

Any engineer worth their salt must agree that DARPA is a very smart group to get involved with. If you want someone to review your design and concept, I would tell them to send in a paper, drawings and digital pictures to DARPA and they would be willing to do so. They would be glad to exercise their brightest minds and they love such challenges. So may find yourself with a “proof of concept” solicitation if it is good enough.

If you are an engineer, grad student or tinkerer with a small company and prototype of such a workable concept and are looking for DARPA to fund you they are looking for bleeding edge technologies and such things, if you can write it up as a scientific paper, plans and design and send it, perhaps a short video and some digital pictures, you may find yourself in a good spot, or better yet a contestant in the Next Big DARPA Type Challenge, you should be thinking about that.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance;www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

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USMC Wasp III UAV

USMC photo

Wasp III has a wingspan of 29 inches, weighs 1 pound and carries integrated forward and side looking electro-optical color cameras as well as a modular forward or side-looking electro-optical or infrared payload. The system is backpackable and is capable of operating for up to 45 minutes at up to five kilometers from the transceiver.

Electro-optical payload to be integrated on to modular UAV

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has unveiled its unmanned air vehicle (UAV) simulator, which provides real-time man-in-the-loop simulation of UAV flights.

The simulator will serve as a research facility. "It is a tool that has lots of applications," says CSIR Principal Engineer for modelling, simulation and UAVs John Monk.

"With it, we can do research on flight control algorithms. The simulator will soon be loaded with helicopter flight simulation software, so we will also be able to do research on rotary-wing flight algorithms as well as on fixed-wing flight algorithms. It is a capability we can use to test any UAV design before we actually fly the prototype."

The simulator forms part of what is being called the National Unmanned Air Systems Research Infrastructure. This also includes CSIR designed UAVs - notably, but not exclusively, the Modular UAV, also known as the Meraka UAV (see Engineering News January 30, 2009) - wind tunnels and propeller test rigs.

"With this simulator, we hope to continue our long-term research cooperation with the University of Stellenbosch," he adds - Stellenbosch developed the autopilot for the Modular UAV and has a rotary-wing UAV project. The simulator can also be used to train UAV operators.

The simulator makes use of different hardware and software systems acquired by the CSIR. These were then integrated into a single system by researchers in the CSIR's Defence, Peacekeeping, Safety and Security (DPSS) unit.

"The simulator uses four personal computers (PCs), of which one runs the flight simulation package, also known as the flight dynamics model, which was bought from a Canadian company, Presages. We added an open source simulation package, which was slightly modified by us, for the visuals," explains Monk.

"The system can use three screens, one per PC, to display the visuals - the screen of the fourth PC is used to monitor the system. These screens can be either big or small or a combination. To maintain graphics quality, we operate separate but identical graphics software on each of the three display PCs; one acts as a master, with the others slaved to it."

The current simulator is unofficially known as Version 1.0, and it was developed using CSIR DPSS Aeronautics group technology development funds. The simulator could be developed to fulfil many additional functions, if additional funding was provided.

Meanwhile, in a separate but parallel project, DPSS researchers will integrate an electro-optical payload on to the Modular UAV in the near future. "There is a lot of research into electro-optical systems within the DPSS," elucidates CSIR DPSS aerospace contract research and development manager John Wesley.

"For example, into digital image enhancement, image stabilisation, and target identification and tracking. The Modular UAV allows us to take a low-cost payload and to do more realistic research."

Hitherto, the researchers have had to use static installations like buildings and towers as the platforms from which to conduct their research into electro-optical payload systems. By flying one on the UAV, they will be able to do the realistic research in a fully representative environment needed to advance to the next stage of development.

The payload that is in the process of being integrated onto the UAV is being supplied by specialist South African company Tower35.

"We're a small development company, and our objective is to take stabilised cameras, basically military systems, and adapt them to new, civil, applications, especially commercial and industrial," says company MD Pieter van Jaarsveld.

"To access these markets, these systems must be made lighter, simpler, and cheaper. Our objective is for our systems to be half the weight and half the cost of our competitors."

The payload being integrated with the Modular UAV is a 1,2-kg system comprising a daytime zoom digital camera, with a three gimbal mounting, stabilised in two axis (azimuth and elevation).

The complete system is 125 mm in diameter.It is a self-contained modular unit, referred to as a gimbal, and will be directly attached to the central pod of the UAV.

It has a real-time data link to a ground station, which is equipped with an antenna that automatically follows the UAV. The camera can be controlled in real time from the ground. The camera system and the UAV can be controlled separately and simultaneously. It is hoped to demonstrate this system on the UAV by the middle of next month (April).

Tower35 was contracted by the DPSS to provide this payload. This digital camera system has already been flown on manned aircraft, but this will be its first application for UAVs.

Tower35 has produced a number of such systems, of different sizes and capabilities, mostly for airborne applications, but they can also be mounted on vehicles, and one is installed at a race course.

"We have a fairly advanced 350 mm diameter gimbal, three axis stabilised (azimuth, elevation, and roll), five gimbal mounting, containing a high-definition two-thirds of an inch charge coupled device TV camera, with a big lens," cites Van Jaarsveld.

"It is for high-end TV and weighs 25 kg - our competitors' systems typically weigh 40 kg."

Investment in UAVs

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Five good planes to convert to a UAV

rson on July 10, 2008 at 11:00pm

• View Chris Anderson's blog

I get this question all the time: what's a good plane to turn into a UAV? The answer is that it depends on your needs, your budget and your RC skills. But here are some good electric candidates:

For RC beginners:

The NextStar (see above) is roomy, slow-flying and comes with everything you need (including a RC flight simulator). It even has its own rudimentary flight-stabilization system with a Futaba PA-2 optical co-pilot.


For DIY'ers on a budget:

The $110 SuperStar is a nice-flying four-channel plane with enough room for an autopilot and cameras strapped below. The ARF kit comes with a brushed motor and NiCad batteries, which are enough to get you started. When you're ready, you can upgrade to a brushless motor and LiPos. This is the plane we use for GeoCrawler 2 and will also be the basic platform for our ArduPilot-based UAV. You can hand launch it in a park, or take it off from a runway at an airfield. It's tough and can handle wind. All and all, a really comfortable plane to work with, especially once you upgrade the motor and battery.


For those looking for long flight times:

The Aero-Master is a powered glider with a pusher prop, which means no propellers in the way of your cameras. This is the aircraft used by Marcus UAV.

For those who want to carry heavy, high-resolution cameras, with unobstructed views:

If you're looking for something like the classic Pioneer UAV, with a twin tail and a pusher prop, you might want to consider starting with this Skymaster RTF. Skip the front motor (put your cameras there instead), double the size of the rear one, and you're pretty close. We've got one and the plane looks beautifully made. We haven't flown it yet, but the dimensions are encouraging.

For those who love the EasyStar:

The Multiplex EasyStar is a fantastic plane for almost all purposes, but it doesn't have ailerons so it's not great for autopilots. Its big brother, the EasyGlider, does have ailerons, but the current version has a fiddly attachment for its wings, and they sometimes fall off (!). Good news: Mutiplex is releasing a new version, the EasyGlider Pro, which seems to have fixed the wing problem and now comes with a brushless motor and other goodness. Here's a PDF of their latest catalog, which suggests it will be coming to the US soon. We'll be getting one for sure.

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Bental's MicroBAT Debuts on Oto Melara's Ibis a VTOL UAV

Bental continues to extend MicroBAT's versatility as it adds unmanned helicopter to its range of operational applications

(Israel, June 2, 2008) -- Bental Industries, Ltd., Israel's defense industry's leading motion systems supplier and its preferred source for specialized military and commercial applications, announces the addition of VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing ) - an unmanned helicopter - to the operational air and land platforms on which MicroBAT has successfully been integrated.

The successful integration of MicroBAT 275, Bental's smallest and most compact, stabilized payload system for mini and micro UAVs, was carried out on Oto Melara's and Celin Avio's Ibis unmanned helicopter. Oto Melara and Celin Avio have teamed to design and produce the VTOL Ibis, and will present it with MicroBAT installed at the Oto Melara Eurosatory booth in Paris next month.

Intended for integration on a variety of air, land, and sea platforms, MicroBAT is an operational system integrated on different types of air and land UAVs as well as on a variety of other platforms. Claimed the world's smallest and most compact stabilized payload system for mini and micro UAVs, the MicroBAT 275 meets the complex and evolving challenges of surveillance, reconnaissance, and observation missions. The MicroBAT family includes models for various platform sizes, and it is ideal for use in a wide range of small UAV applications which now include VTOL.

Discussing MicroBAT's recent integration, Michael Arnon, Bental's VP Marketing & Sales says, "With MicroBAT's growing integration success on different air and land platforms, this new application on Oto Melara's and Celin Avio's Ibis is another example of our system's inherent flexibility and of its ability to fit every type of existing and emerging UAV platform."

Source : Bental Industries

Recent News from Bental Industries
Bental's MicroBAT Debuts on Oto Melara's Ibis a VTOL UAV [Defence] [ Tue 3 Jun 2008 ]
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Bental Industries Introduces the RSA-06, 13 Nm Actuator: The Next Generation of the Advanced Aviatio... [Space] [Defence] [ Thu 6 Dec 2007 ]
Bental Industries Develops a Breakthrough Unified Family of Starter-Generators (SG) for UAVs which M... [Defence] [ Fri 3 Aug 2007 ]
Bental Receives First Order for New MicroBAT 275 Payload for Mini & Micro UAVs [Defence] [ Wed 6 Jun 2007 ]
Bental Introduces New MicroBAT 275 Payload for Mini & Micro UAVs [Defence] [ Mon 21 May 2007 ]
Bental Delivers Advanced Propulsion Solutions for a Wide Range of Platform Sizes [Aerospace] [Aviation] [Defence] [ Thu 10 May 2007 ]

Draganfly Innovations' X6 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Takes Flight in Police Applications

The Draganflyer X6 UAV helicopter, designed by Draganfly Innovations Inc. for aerial photography and videography, was used by the Forensic Identification Unit of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) on February 21, 2009 to collect evidence in a homicide investigation in a remote area outside of Kenora, Ontario, Canada. This represented the first operational mission of a federally approved, commercially produced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle by an emergency service in North America.

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However, it also became apparent that in order to improve and expand operational effectiveness, an optimal UAV would need certain attributes. It would need to be small and light, have Vertical Take Off and Landing VTOL capabilities, have a GPS hold system while hovering, be constructed of exceptionally strong materials and be completely transportable.

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (PRWEB) March 26, 2009 -- From the pages of Popular Science Magazine's "Top 100 Innovations of the Year", Draganfly Innovations' Draganflyer X6Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has made the significant leap to commercial utilization.

Identification Constable Marc Sharpe of the Kenora Identification Services Unit, Ontario Provincial Police with Draganflyer X6.

The six-rotor, one kilogram, electric, VTOL, UAV helicopter designed for aerial photography and videography was used by the Forensic Identification Unit of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) on February 21, 2009 to collect evidence in a homicide investigation in a remote area outside of Kenora, Ontario, Canada. This represented the first operational mission of a federally approved, commercially produced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle by an emergency service in North America.

Then, in March, 2009, the Saskatoon Police Service announced that it will follow suit, becoming the first urban police service in North America to utilize the Draganflyer X6 Police UAV for aerial forensic purposes within city limits.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles such as Draganfly's Draganflyer X6 helicopter are subject to Transport Canada aviation regulations. Prior to the Saskatoon Police Service being able to test the Draganflyer X6, Transport Canada officials were in Saskatoon for a flight demonstration, to undertake their standard risk assessment testing, and discuss technical issues with Draganfly Innovations.

Under the Special Flight Operations Certificate granted by Transport Canada, Draganfly Innovations personnel will operate the Draganflyer X6 Police UAV Helicopter while Saskatoon Police Service personnel will operate the cameras used for forensic support.

The use of UAVs goes back to the 1950's with the military, but only recently has it evolved into police applications. One of the innovators was Identification Constable Marc Sharpe of the Kenora Identification Services unit of the Ontario Provincial Police.

"Having used a fixed wing UAV since 2007, I could see the potential for great benefits to our forensic support operations. It gave us the ability to collect aerial evidence quickly and at minimum cost," states Sharpe. "However, it also became apparent that in order to improve and expand operational effectiveness, an optimal UAV would need certain attributes. It would need to be small and light, have Vertical Take Off and Landing VTOL capabilities, have a GPS hold system while hovering, be constructed of exceptionally strong materials and be completely transportable."

The Draganflyer X6 met all Sharpe's requirements for a Police VTOL UAV. Sharpe continued, "The Draganflyer X6 enables us to economically obtain high quality aerial photos of major case scenes in a timely fashion."

About Draganfly Innovations Inc.:
Draganfly Innovations Inc. has been manufacturing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles including radio controlled helicopters, airplanes, and airships for the past eleven years. From toys to industrial tools for police and military, Draganfly Innovations Inc. strives for optimum performance and ease of use. Draganfly's innovative products have been featured on CNN Headline News, MSNBC, Discovery Channel, and in magazines and newspapers such as Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, Gizmodo.com, WIRED, GQ, Stuff, Maxim, The New York Times, and The London Times. All Draganflyer helicopters, including the new Draganflyer X6 are exclusively available from Draganfly Innovations Inc.

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