30 Apr 15. 30 Apr 15. New UAS Targets 100+ Hour Endurance Flight. The Gooney Bird long-range drone has been unveiled. The 13-foot-span vehicle was created to set new range and endurance records for sub-55-pound model aircraft and UAVs. The craft is currently under preparations for a summer 2015 record-breaking 100+ hour endurance flight of more than 5,000 nautical miles. Designer and fabricator Rob Coatney commented, “I started with a conventional fixed-wing design. Then I distilled it down to the bare essentials and optimized everything that remained.” A video of the prototype’s first 30-minute flight in the fall of 2014 has just been released. It was glide tested under manual radio control with five pounds of iron ballast in place of the propulsion unit. Thanks to the help of several volunteers, the aircraft was launched into the strong ridge lift above Hood River, OR.
“I was a bit apprehensive about how strong the winds were, but 10 seconds after launch I had her trimmed out and I knew it was going to be a fun flight,” said Coatney. “The hardest part was keeping it from climbing too high. But it performed fantastically, even pulling off a few graceful loops.”
The airframe was designed and fabricated utilizing 3D CAD software, 3D printing, and the latest composite fabrication techniques. All major structural components are vacuum-infused carbon fiber, which gives superior surface finish and strength-to-weight ratio right out of the mold. The structure was designed to meet utility category load standards at the maximum takeoff weight of 55 pounds. It folds up compactly for easy transport, as will the new lightweight launcher that will accompany it. Autopilot and propulsion integration are ongoing. It will be powered by a gasoline engine with a loiter-optimized propeller. All systems are designed for high reliability and all-weather capability. (Source: UAS VISION)
30 Apr 15. 3D Printed UAV from Singapore. O’Qualia Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based unmanned aerial systems manufacturer brings to the security market a new fixed-wing unmanned aerial system (UAS) fully manufactured by Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) which is a technique used for 3D printing. Nicknamed the “CAPTOR”, the 2-meter wingspan aerial vehicle, is manufactured from ABS thermoplastics with carbon-reinforced skin. CAPTOR will be delivered in 3 main parts that will click together in the field, negating the use of tools and thereby reducing setup time.
“With the dynamic requirements of each individual client and the pace within which applications evolve, it just wasn’t cost-effective nor practical in certain scenarios to build a UAS the conventional way. We wanted to bring fully customisable solutions for our clients and saw the opportunity with 3D printing.”
“O’Qualia has always been differentiated by its customisability and with CAPTOR, I’m confident that a new standard has been set in terms of speed to market and cost ratio. Manufacturing times have been reduced by half and we’ve reduced the cost to produce each UAS by at least 40%.” Says O’Qualia’s Executive Consultant M. Rashed.
The aircraft has a maximum take off weight of 3.5kg and is designed to carry, either, the T707 EO/IR gimbal, which is designed in-house, or the CM100 manufactured by UAV Vision Pty Ltd.
Powered by a high torque electric motor, the CAPTOR has an endurance of 2 hours and a cruise speed of 16m/s making it an ideal choice for surveillance and monitoring applications.
According to E. Moseer, O’Qualia’s Business development manager, “we have endeavoured to bring to market an unmanned aerial system that is designed to be rugged, versatile, and most importantly, quick to deploy. Having said that, the FDM methodology used enables us to deliver a cost-effective solution that is highly customisable to meet the differing requirements of our customer base. The first fleet will be delivered in July of this year to one of our major clients operating in Asia-Pacific.”
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