Sponsored by The British Robotics Seed Fund
http: www.britbots.com/fund
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09 Oct 23. Poland’s MADDOS Uses SP-210 TS ROS from Sky Power International as Hybrid Solution. The product portfolio of Polish UAS manufacturer MADDOS includes two VTOL solutions. In addition to the MADDOS VTOL 350e, which flies purely electrically, the VTOL 600h is also offered, which has been equipped with a hybrid propulsion concept.
In addition to the four rotors for vertical take-off and landing, the VTOL 600h also has a tail drive for horizontal flight. Here, the Polish company relies on two-stroke technology from Germany. The SP-210 TS ROS carburetor engine from Sky Power International was selected, with an integrated starter and a generator for power production. The SP-210 TS ROS is a 2-cylinder engine that develops 17.1 hp (12.6 KW at 6000 rpm) from a displacement of 210 cc. Due to the hybrid propulsion concept, the maximum flight time of the VTOL 600h is up to 10 hours.
The flight system has a wingspan of 6m. Up to 25 kg can be carried, resulting in a take-off weight of 110 kg. The cruising speed is 115 km/h, and the maximum speed is 138 km/h.
The hybrid MADDOS UAV platforms are designed in a VTOL configuration. Various automatic or manual missions can be performed with the UAVs. Thanks to the design, the UAVs can take off and land almost anywhere, even in strong winds. The high payload and fuselage capacity allows the UAVs to carry state-of-the-art sensor technology on board. MADDOS UAVs can be used in both military and civil applications for surveillance, border control, search and rescue, or public safety.
MADDOS belongs to the AP FLYER company, which operates in various technical fields. The fact that AP FLYER has very sensitive measurement equipment in its offer led the company to implement and develop its activity in the field of detection, tracking, observation and neutralization systems for unmanned aerial vehicles (C-UAS system).
Thus, the brand MADDOS was developed, under which they subsystems and components of various manufacturers of radar systems, RF systems, EOIR cameras as well as neutralization and elimination systems. Since 2020 the developed unmanned aerial systems also belong to the MADDOS brand.
About Sky Power
Sky Power International is a leading manufacturer of 2-stroke combustion- and Wankel engines for UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) and hybrid applications. Besides in-house development and manufacturing, Sky Power International produces all engines in Germany. Custom adaptations, new developments and continuous performance improvements of the combustion engines are ongoing company objectives. (Source: UAS VISION)
09 Oct 23. Antonov and Turgis & Gaillard Collaborate on Aarok Combat Drone Production. Turgis & Gaillard, a French aerospace company, has entered into a partnership with Ukraine’s state enterprise Antonov to jointly produce a scaled-down and cost-effective version of the Aarok drone. This collaboration, initiated during a visit by a French delegation to Kyiv on September 28, holds promise for enhancing the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. While specific contract details are yet to be finalized, it is clear that this drone will be exclusively utilized by the Ukrainian military and will not be available for export.
The Ukrainian variant of the Aarok drone is designed for both reconnaissance and combat missions, with aspirations of equipping it to carry weaponry. However, the proposed timeline for the French-Ukrainian drone’s readiness by next year may raise concerns, as the foundational Aarok drone is still in the prototyping phase and has not undergone flight testing.
The Aarok drone boasts a wingspan of 22 meters and a takeoff weight of around 5.5 tons, including a payload capacity of 1.5 tons. The company aims to conduct its inaugural flight by the end of this year, with production readiness and service introduction slated for mid-2025. The prototype of the Aarok drone was developed in secrecy over a span of two years in Blois (Loir-et-Cher) and was entirely self-funded by ETI Turgis & Gaillard.
Patrick Gaillard, co-owner of the company, is hopeful that the French military will show interest in their design. With its impressive specifications, the Aarok drone ranks slightly above the American Reaper (of which France has acquired 12 units) and the forthcoming European Eurodrone.
Despite these acquisitions, the French Armed Forces still grapple with challenges related to the saturation of large UAVs. The deployment of Safran Patroller drones experienced a substantial five-year delay, and they are still not equipped with armaments. In contrast, the much larger Eurodrone, led by Airbus, is not expected to be ready until 2030 at the earliest, with a high unit cost.
The Aarok drone aims to fill the void by offering an affordable and mass-produced armed drone solution for France. To maintain cost-effectiveness, its creators have adopted traditional aircraft features, including a single propeller-driven engine, robust landing gear with wide spacing, and the ability to operate from unpaved runways as short as 400-500 meters, situated close to operational theaters. While the exact price of the production model is undisclosed, it is anticipated to be slightly higher than that of the Turkish TB2 but considerably lower than the American Reaper.
With six hardpoints capable of carrying up to 1.5 tons of payload, the Aarok drone can transport four AASM precision-guided bombs and two Hellfire missiles. In addition to its combat capabilities, it can also perform reconnaissance and surveillance missions, offering a standard endurance of 24 hours, which can extend to 30 hours in a clean configuration without armaments. The Aarok drone is equipped with advanced technologies, including the Thales Searchmaster radar, Euroflir electro-optical sensor, and Safran’s AASM precision-guided bombs.
The manufacturer’s preferred engine is the Safran Helicopter Engines Ardiden 3TP, although an alternative engine may be considered if necessary, potentially aligning the UAV with the engine chosen for the Eurodrone, promoting interoperability within the armed forces. This collaboration between Antonov and Turgis & Gaillard heralds a promising future for both Ukrainian and French military capabilities in the realm of armed drones. (Source: UAS VISION/Military Leak)
10 Oct 23. Milkor’s flagship UAV takes flight. Milkor has flown its Milkor 380 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the first time, marking a giant milestone in the development of its flagship aircraft – the largest armed UAV designed and built in Africa.
The maiden flight on 19 September put South Africa among a handful of countries globally to have successfully developed and flown a UAV of this size – the aircraft has a wingspan of 18.6 metres and maximum takeoff weight of 1 300 kg.
The Milkor 380 was unveiled in 2018 and began taxi testing earlier this year. Daniel du Plessis, Marketing and Communications Director at Milkor, said the first flight “is a significant achievement for Milkor and the South African Defence Industry (SADI).”
Flight trials and sensor integration will continue throughout 2023. Specifically designed for long endurance Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) operations, the Milkor 380 will be able to carry 210 kg of external payload, including weapons and sensors – it has already been displayed with Al Tariq X-series precision guided munitions, Halcon Desert Sting DS-16 guided bombs, FZ602 laser-guided rocket launchers, an L3-Harris gimbal, and Airborne Technologies’ Self Contained Aerial Reconnaissance (SCAR) Pod.
Milkor has earmarked the first five units of the UAV for domestic use with the first aircraft produced at its 10 000 square metre manufacturing facility in Cape Town already being tested and evaluated exclusively by South Africa. Milkor, Armscor and the South African Air Force inked the memorandum of understanding during the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) expo in September last year.
“Having a locally developed UAV of this scale greatly enhances opportunities for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), South African Police Service (SAPS) and Border Management Authority (BMA) to increase their operational capabilities, while enjoying embedded support to ensure extended operational readiness,” du Plessis said.
“The only way to secure a long-term service life for South African end users is to share the responsibility for operational readiness with the local industry. Many of the other platforms that were imported have proven that, due to the increased cost of international support, over time operational readiness decreases and these programmes do not survive beyond five years,” he added.
First demonstrations of the Milkor 380 to the public are expected during the African Aerospace and Defence Exhibition in September 2024 – Milkor is the Diamond Sponsor of the event.
In addition to meeting domestic requirements, Milkor is looking towards the international UAV market as there is massively growing interest in procuring such systems across the globe. Milkor is well-positioned to meet global demand, as it now has offices in India, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Poland as well as South Africa.
“Over the past few years, the use of UAVs in active conflicts has shown their intrinsic value and we look forward to engaging with end users and decision makers around the world,” du Plessis said. “In developing this platform, we have also ensured that we are able to provide a turnkey solution by manufacturing all the critical components in-house. We are confident that our system is capable of meeting their requirements and are committed to ensuring that we deliver new technologies in the unmanned aerial vehicle environment.”
With an endurance of up to 35 hours, the Milkor 380 is classified as a medium altitude long endurance (MALE) UAV. Its 210 kg payload capacity allows for a wide array of weapons and equipment to be carried on five hardpoints, such as synthetic aperture radar, jammers, electro-optical gimbal etc. All avionics, communications and payload integration capabilities of the aircraft have been developed in-house. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
10 Oct 23. As Drones Swarm Battlefields, New Database Empowers Businesses with Comprehensive Uncrewed Systems Data.
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What sets the database apart is its production process. Beyond its vast online research exceeding 30,000 hours, the team behind it attend live events, engaging with members, and gleaning data from news releases. The result? A truly comprehensive, real-time database that offers both metric and imperial units, ensuring global applicability.
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For more information about this directory visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/aflh07
About ResearchAndMarkets.com
ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world’s leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. (Source: PR Newswire)
11 Oct 23. GA-ASI Advances Aerial Recovery for SUAS and ALE.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. recently advanced its Aerial Recovery System for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems/Air-Launched Effects (SUAS/ALE) by deploying and retracting a towline with a “smart end feature” from a GA-ASI MQ-20 Avenger Unmanned Aircraft System in flight.
The demonstration took place on Sept. 20, 2023, over Dugway Proving Ground, Utah.
During this demonstration, a hoist from Breeze-Eastern equipped with GA-ASI’s smart end feature was integrated into Avenger’s payload bay. While in flight, the towline was deployed away from Avenger to the optimal distance for aerial recovery. The smart end feature was able to wirelessly transmit its position back to Avenger, confirming its ability to transmit the data to a nearby SUAS/ALE for aerial recovery. The smart end feature’s “deployed” position correlated to GA-ASI’s multi-degree-of-freedom finite element catenary models, confirming its potential for SUAS/ALE aerial recovery.
“Integrating air-launched UAS from Group 5 unmanned aircraft is possible, in part, thanks to advances in relative navigation technology, complex towline analysis, and multi-aircraft control being pioneered by GA-ASI,” said Mike Atwood, Vice President of Advanced Programs at GA-ASI. “We are excited to see this technology enable long-range kill chains from today’s manned and unmanned systems supporting operations in highly contested environments.”
Beyond just captive carry back to base, the SUAS/ALE can be refueled, recharged, and/or rearmed and then redeployed. Redeployment can occur from the host aircraft, enabling SUAS/ALEs to conduct their own orbits from airborne launch and recovery positions. Aerial redeployment allows UAS like GA-ASI’s Avenger or MQ-9A Reaper to serve as mobile command centers for a network of SUAS/ALEs in a persistent, expansive grid for surveillance, electronic attack, enemy air defense suppression, communication pathways, or joint all-domain mobile command and control for days or weeks at a time.
Breeze-Eastern’s commercial-off-the-shelf helicopter rescue hoists, with performance capabilities that meet or exceed system requirements, provide a high Technology Readiness Level (TRL), and offer a low-risk solution to ensure SUAS/ALE aerial recovery. Throughout the hoist integration and flight testing, Breeze-Eastern provided technical and logistical support.
Ian Azeredo, Breeze-Eastern’s Chief Engineer, commented, “With this milestone demonstration, GA-ASI has once again awed the aerospace industry. The professionalism and surgical ingenuity shown in the integration phase by the Aerial Recovery team all but guarantee future program success.”
The novel aerial recovery concept utilizes a towline and smart end feature, which serves as a beacon and mechanical interface for aerial recovery. The SUAS/ALE calculates its precise position relative to the smart end feature for navigation into towline intercept, followed by a maneuver to capture the end feature. Once secure on the towline, the SUAS/ALE folds its wings and stops its engine to transition into a passively stable towed body. A podded hoist aboard the capital ship reels in the SUAS/ALE to a captive carriage state where the two platforms return to base together. (Source: UAS VISION)
06 Oct 23. FlyingBasket launches The FB3 – Commercial Heavy-Lift Cargo Drone with 100kg Payload capabilities. FlyingBasket, a leading player in Europe’s drone industry, proudly presents the FB3, a pioneering heavy cargo drone now available for commercial use. With an impressive 100-kilogram payload capacity.
Press video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4a7cbCDH4Y&t=18s
Since its establishment in 2015, FlyingBasket has been at the forefront of collaboration with National and European regulators, actively shaping and adhering to the highest safety standards in current European regulations.
With a solid seven-year background in drone design, manufacturing, and operations, FlyingBasket has played a significant role in the evolution of the drone industry. The FB3 is the result of extensive research, development with industrial stakeholders, and practical testing.
The FB3 stands as evidence of FlyingBasket’s dedication to excellence in which they have poured their collective knowledge and expertise into an innovative platform, aiming to deliver the best to drone operators.
The journey with the FB3 drone has been marked by extensive testing and collaboration with customers across various industries, enabling them to tailor its capabilities to meet specific and relevant needs. At FlyingBasket, they have always provided a Drone-as-a-Service solution, constantly evolving their equipment and gaining valuable insights into diverse applications.
The FB3’s outstanding heavy cargo transport and lifting capability has been rigorously demonstrated in a wide range of environments, including forests, wind parks, and urban settings.
Now, with the FB3 available for use, drone operators worldwide can expand their service offerings and meet the evolving demands of their customers. The FB3 offers two versatile cargo transport options: a spacious box compartment for package delivery and a sling rope option for oversized cargo, allowing it to transport even bulky loads.
The introduction of heavy-lift cargo drones, like the FB3, marks a significant milestone in the logistics industry. These drones have the potential to revolutionize various sectors by streamlining the transportation of heavy equipment to remote and demanding locations. This innovation not only enhances worker safety but also significantly improves operational efficiency. The use of cargo drones opens up exciting possibilities for businesses looking to overcome logistical challenges and explore new avenues for growth.
“The FB3 commercial availability is another milestone in the roadmap of FlyingBasket, who continuously commit to innovation, safety, and excellence within the drone industry. It represents a significant leap forward in cargo transportation possibilities. We are excited about the potential it holds for various industries” – states Moritz Moroder, the CEO of FlyingBasket.
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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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