Sponsored by The British Robotics Seed Fund
http: www.britbots.com/fund
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13 Dec 18. UK Royal Air Force Demos RPAS for Air Base Protection. Force Protection (FP) Force personnel from the FP Centre at RAF Honington recently carried out an Operational Capability Demonstration (OCD) utilising an Aeryon SkyRanger Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) to enhance Force Protection at RAF Akrotiri. The FP Centre’s RPAS Team have been issued with a provisional Categorisation for Class 1(b) MIL RPAS to operate on all RAF Units day and night. In doing so they are one of the 1st in Defence to be authorised for operation in this class.
“The RPAS is an excellent rapidly deployable capability for the FP Force providing enhanced FP for an airbase and its assets.” Flight Lieutenant Tom Wardel – Operations Officer No. 34 Sqn RAF Regiment.
An RAF Police dog handler and members of 34 Squadron RAF Regiment were involved in the trial as they are currently providing Force Protection support to RAF Akrotiri. The RPAS provides the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) commander with a live picture of the battlespace and incident, vastly improving his situational awareness before he briefs his section to move and restrain the intruder. This positive identification of an individual or threat can swiftly bring an incident to a close, allowing the air commander to maintain air operations unhindered.
Warrant Officer Galloway said: “RAF Akrotiri was a challenging Complex Air and Ground Environment to operate a new system within, however, we perfectly demonstrated how using novel technologies can have a direct impact as Force Multipliers.” The RPAS team will now complete a number of OCDs on UK RAF Stations. (Source: UAS VISION)
13 Dec 18. The European MALE RPAS programme successfully passed the System Preliminary Design Review as final milestone of the Programme Definition Study.
- System Preliminary Design Review achieved following launch of the Tender for Development, Production and the initial in Service Support phase
- Airbus Defence and Space GmbH will coordinate the industrial response to the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
- The schedule expects a contract signature in 2019
Another major milestone in the European Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (MALE RPAS) programme was attained with the achievement of the System Preliminary Design Review on November 22nd. This highly significant accomplishment follows the European Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR) inviting Airbus Defence and Space on October 31st to submit a Tender for the Development, Production and initial in Service Support phase of the European MALE RPAS Programme. This milestone will allow the Participating States and Industry to start developing the System with aligned requirements and a clear picture of the overall system design. As designated future prime contractor, Airbus Defence and Space will coordinate the industrial response to the Invitation to Tender (ITT) with the involvement of major Sub-Contractors: Airbus Defence & Space, Dassault Aviation SA and Leonardo. The ITT gives testimony to the willingness of the Participating States (France, Germany, Italy and Spain) to continue with the programme after a highly successful requirement alignment phase and a convincing demonstration of the quality and fitness for purpose of the proposed design. This successful achievement of the System Preliminary Design Review comes after a two-year definition study launched in September 2016 by the aforementioned Participating States. Three of these States had already signed a Declaration of Intent (DoI) to work together on a European MALE unmanned aerial system in May 2015, while Spain joined the programme in 2016. Designed for flight in non-segregated airspace, its characteristics will include mission modularity for operational superiority in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, both wide area and in-theatre. The Participating States’ agreed on the air vehicle configuration in mid-2017, selecting a twin-turboprop propulsion system. By the middle of the next decade the MALE RPAS will be operated worldwide to perform Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions.
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The British Robotics Seed Fund is the first SEIS-qualifying investment fund specialising in UK-based robotics businesses. The focus of the fund is to deliver superior returns to investors by making targeted investments in a mixed basket of the most innovative and disruptive businesses that are exploiting the new generation of robotics technologies in defence and other sector applications.
Automation and robotisation are beginning to drive significant productivity improvements in the global economy heralding a new industrial revolution. The fund allows investors to benefit from this exciting opportunity, whilst also delivering the extremely attractive tax reliefs offered by the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS). For many private investors, the amount of specialist knowledge required to assess investments in robotics is not practical and hence investing through a fund structure makes good sense.
The fund appoints expert mentors to work with each investee company to further maximise the chance of success for investors. Further details are available on request.
www.britbots.com/fund
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