22 Dec 16. Czech Republic’s Primoco Announces New UAV. Primoco UAV SE, which this year started mass production of the One 100 with a maximum take-off weight of 100 kg, is coming out with a new model: One 150. The main difference from the One 100 is a completely new 50 HP engine, which allows the aircraft to reach a ceiling above 5,000 metres (FL150) and an increased amount of useful load. In addition, it is now the only UAV in the country with a transponder and, from the first part of 2017, satellite navigation as well. As a result, interest in the aircraft has significantly increased abroad.
“We are actually making improvements to the aircraft not only in the performance but also technological aspects. Our key advantages include a maximum degree of automation, i.e. fully automatic take-off, flight according to flight plan and fully automatic landing. In any phase of the flight, the pilot can make a change or a manoeuvre. All these features significantly increase the safety of the air navigation” says Ladislav Semetkovský, CEO and founder of the company. Furthermore, the aircraft is able to carry additional devices according to the focus of the mission, for example radar systems, camera systems, special electronics, etc., so it is suitable for use in a wide range of areas.
In the first quarter of 2017, the company plans to implement satellite communication, which is suitable for communication with aircraft at sea and in remote parts of the world where standard radio coverage is restrictive.
Given their flexible applications, Primoco UAV’s unmanned aerial vehicles, model One 100 and One 150 has stimulated business interest in a variety of industrial, agricultural and security areas. The company has customers especially in the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, China, South Africa, Benin, Chile, Malta, Finland and other countries. In addition, the preparation of the license production in Russia and China is underway. Moreover, the Primoco UAV offers also outsourcing tailor-made solutions for ad hoc projects, which require special technologies.
The anticipated volume of aircraft supplies in 2017 will be 50 aircraft. All transactions are subject to approval of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Czech Republic.
Primoco UAV SE was also awarded this year with a place among “the Czech Best 100”, which are 100 most successful Czech companies in the field of innovation and development within cultural, scientific and technological disciplines.
About the aircraft: The aircraft Primoco UAV kicked off mass production of UAV after two years of development. It is a civil unmanned aerial vehicle able to fly entirely independently according to the programmed flight plans. The key characteristics of the aircraft especially include its size, 10-hour endurance, 1,500 km range and fully autonomous take-off and landing. Its applications are primarily in the energy sector, agriculture, border protection and search and rescue. (Source: UAS VISION)
19 Dec 16. US Marine Corps Issues RFI for Group 2 UAS. The US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has issued a request for information (RFI) for a new long-endurance Group 2 unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for use by the US Marine Corps (USMC). The RFI, posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website on 14 December, is for a ‘small’ UAS capable of providing intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) during day and night operations in all environmental conditions. In the Department of Defense (DoD) classification of UASs, Group 2 equates to a vehicle that has a maximum gross take-off weight of 9.5 kg to 24.9 kg; a normal operating altitude of less than 3,500ft above ground level; and an airspeed of less than 250kt. These performance specifications are in the Insitu ScanEagle range of systems. According to the RFI, the US Navy and USMC Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office (PMA-263) is seeking information on a system that is capable of vertic