Bell Eagle Eye vertical take-off UAV

January 13th, 2013   Filed under: predator uav, uav airplane, uav predator, uavs Add Comment

The Bell Eagle Eye TiltRotor UAV demonstrator had been developed to validate and also refine fundamental flying characteristics and also additionally functional performance properties of the lightweight model Tiltrotor with the possibility for long-term applications to VTOL UAV missions. Scaled Composites had been chosen to style and also also fabricate the composite layout for the two demonstrator airframes, most notably the landing gear, and also to incorporate Bell-supplied propulsion and flight control techniques.

uavs
A full size Bell Eagle Eye
Photo: helis.com

Due to Its twin specifications to each hover and also to launch as a traditional aircraft, the Eagle Eye needed a rather complex constructive arrangement. Its fuel turbine engine (the Allison C20) is mounted within The center body and also really is attached up to a pairing transmission. Disc drive shafts from all the incorporating transmission pass thru The center of the wing and also connect to transmissions at every each wingtip. The wingtips contain the transmission as well as as the actuator used to tilt the wingtip transmission and also rotor assemblies.

The cantilever wing container experiences really diverse constructive loading for the duration of hover and also conventional frontward flight. The extra challenge was actually to make the wingbox a fuel fish tank (wet wing), even while preserving the dried out condition of the transmission disc drive shaft conduits.

The composite sandwich fuselage presented three removable sections; the nose, centre portion and also tail. This became set up to permit for a reduction in general length during the course of transport and also space. The nose portion had been mounted upon hinges allowing effortless access to the avionics as well as other objective equipment. The center piece incorporated the wingbox, fuel tanks engine and also landing gear. Access to The center piece is right through the reduction of the entire top piece of the fuselage. The removable tail was actually attached through a straight forward handy screw sequence. The tail contains several antenna and also actuators for the pitch control surfaces. Every of the hard aspects and also mounts had been setup by Scaled and all of the system components such as the engine, transmissions, oil coolers, avionics, flight control techniques, flaps, and also control surfaces had been installed and also examined for clearance, interference and also easily fit into the fuselage structure before the vehicles happened to be delivered to Bell. Scaled Composites also manufactured and additionally integrated all of the landing gear components for each vehicles.

The structure ended up being in fact static load assessed with the customer’s involvement (and also for their satisfaction). Also available was training to teach Bell’s client (the U.S. Navy) regarding the composite structures utilized by Scaled.

Though the 1st vehicle was actually damaged in a powerful accident, the 2nd Eagle Eye demonstrator happens to be very successful, showing all of the flight stages from hover right through the transition, and also flew to around 165 KCAS in forward flight. The low-cost fast-paced demonstrator program was actually another highly showed demonstration of Scaled’s distinct capabilities.

What exactly are UAVs?

January 9th, 2013   Filed under: faa, predator uav, uav, uav airplane, uav predator, UAV related, uavs Add Comment

With all this talk about UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), you may be wondering; What exactly is a UAV? What qualifies it to be a UAV airplane, UAV helicopter, Micro UAV, or quad-copter. UAVs are commonly known as drones or an airplane without a pilot on board. The flight of the UAV is controlled primarily autonomously by computers in the UAV or under the remote control of an operator on the ground or in another vehicle. There’s tons of different types of UAVs, including different sizes, shapes, configurations, and characteristics. They are primarily deployed for military applications, however conjointly utilized in a small but growing variety of civil applications, like firefighting and nonmilitary security work, like surveillance of pipelines. UAVs are typically most popular for missions that are too ‘dull, dirty, or dangerous’ for manned craft.

barracuda ucav
An example UAV airplane (Barracuda UCAV)
Photo: trdefence.com

In the USA, the U.S. Navy and shortly after the Federal Aviation Administration has adopted the name unmanned aircraft (UA) aircraft craft systems with no flight crew on board. Some other common names include UAV, UAV airplane, drone, remotely piloted vehicle (RPV), remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), remotely operated aircraft (ROA), and for those “limited-size” (as outlined by the FAI) pilotless craft flown within the USA’s National Airspace System, flown alone for recreation and sport functions like models, which are typically flown beneath the voluntary safety standards of the Academy of Model aeronautics, the United States’ national aeromodeling organization. to control a UA for non-recreational functions within the us, users should acquire a Certificate of Authorization (CoA) to work in national airspace. Currently, COAs need a public entity as a sponsor. for instance, once BP needed to watch oil spills, they operated the Aeryon Scout UAV beneath a COA granted to the University of alaska Fairbanks. COAs are granted for each land and shipborne operations.

Because of this general approach UAS are not included within the U.S. Munitions List category VIII – airplanes and Associated equipment. Vice versa, the “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems” are clearly mentioned at paragraph 121-16 Missile Technology control Regime Annex of the U.S. Munitions List. A more in depth explanation is that the Missile Technology control Regime Annex levels rocket and unmanned aerial vehicle systems together.

  Different terms used for defining UAVs include:

  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(s)

  • Unmanned Aerospace Vehicle(s)

  • Uninhabited Aircraft Vehicle

  • Unmanned Air Vehicle

  • Unmanned Airborne Vehicle

  • Unmanned Autonomous Vehicle

  • Unmanned Vehicle

  • Upper Atmosphere Vehicle

Northrop Grumman Bat UAS (formerly KillerBee)

December 4th, 2012   Filed under: gcs, killerbee, micro uav, northrop grumman, predator uav, uav airplane, uav predator, UAV related, uavs Add Comment
killerbee uav airplane
Photo: robotliving.com

Northrop Grumman has been working on a series of low flying unmanned aerial vehicles; they have named this project the Northrop Grumman Bat (formerly Swift Killerbee). They are being developed for the USAF, USMC, US Navy, and the US department of Defense. The Bat is capable of carrying a 30lb payload that is unmatched on UAV’s with a 10ft wingspan. In March of 2006 the Killerbee was test flown in Nevada by Swift engineering for the USAF where it met approval by their representatives. The partnership between Northrop Grumman and Swift Engineering ended in 2007 when Northrop Grumman took over the UAS family and introduced the Bat later in their development.

The UAS system only requires two people to fully operate the UAV. Advanced automation of the system makes operation easy. The UAV can be automatically recovered into a net. GCS software allows for reduced operator workload and thus less human error factor. The Bat UAV is launched into the air by a catapult, the functions of the catapult are monitored by the GCS software making user input less necessary. The airframe is made largely of high tech composites making the airplane extremely strong at a light weight. Bat systems with the current engine under development will be able to be in the air up to 15 hours at a time with a payload of 30lbs. Top speed of the Bat is 105 km/h. The Bat’s unique design gives it a lower visual and radar profile making it stealth-like. The payload consists of still-image and real time video-cameras. Also possible are EO/IR and SAR sensors, laser range finders and designators, infra-red cameras, communication equipment, and flare dispensers.

With the ability to carry a 30lb payload on such a small UAV there are a lot of possibilities for this aircraft in the future. Nothrop Grumman has picked up on a great project and I can’t even imagine the possibilities of this aircraft in the future with newer technology. This aircraft is also thought of something that could be used as a private security measure, border patrol, and to monitor local pipelines and electrical lines.

X-47B updates and news

November 29th, 2012   Filed under: combat uav, drone, northrop grumman, predator uav, uav airplane, uav predator, UAV related, uavs, ucav, unmanned airplane, x-47b Add Comment
uav northrop grumman
Navy version of the X-47B UCAV
Source: mail2web.com

Hey everyone, today I’m going to bring you some updates on the X-47B UCAV. The first successful shore based, or on carrier deck, trial of the X-47B was in early November. The goal of the U.S Navy and Northrop Grumman is to make the X-47B capable of being operated from a hectic aircraft carrier deck. Northrop Grumman’s UCAS-D test director, Daryl Martis, reported that the CDU’s capability of controlling the crafts thrust as well as other functions such as roll break and stop is crucial for its ability to be flown from deck. “It will allow us to move the aircraft quickly and precisely into the catapult for launch, or out of the landing area following recovery. Both of these activities are essential to maintaining the rhythm of the flight deck.” (Martis 2012).

For operational purposes the deck operator and the director will stand one behind the other as the director via hand signals indicates where the craft should be moved to as the deck operator uses the CDU to carry out these operations.  The first shore-based catapults are scheduled for later this month, this test should help to prove  the CDU’s performance in an accurate (carrier deck) environment.     

Sixton UAV system

November 27th, 2012   Filed under: Alpi Aviation, MAV, quadcopter, uav airplane, uav predator, UAV related, uavs Add Comment

The SIXTON UAV, produced by the Alpi Aviation, is part of the remotely piloted “MICRO” aircraft family.  It has the ability automatically take-off and land,being a Electrical Maneuvers Class VTOL UAS Unit, it has been built for Maneuverability and Special Operation support. Since the Sixton is a Vertical Take-Off and Landing vehicle (VTOL) its has the capability with human surveillance to preforms take off and landing sequences autonomously. The system and its minimal operable configuration can be carried in a light weight back pack.
quadcopter
Example sixton quadcopter
The Sixtons can be assembled on the spot in no more then 5 minutes with a mission endurance of 30 minutes. Due to its easy transportability the entire system can be controlled by just one operator. Once in the air the flight can be modified on the go, interaction with the pay load allows it to have the ability to be flown during the day and at night with its night time pay load equipped with night vision through an IR camera.
The entire system consists of six brush less engines, perch and stare capability, continuous mission ability, virtually no noise, no visible cross section or recognizable radar, as well as the ability to operate up to 3 other systems at the same time. The Sixton was developed to aid short range tactical units. It has proved its self in unpredictable weather conditions, rough landing environment as well as limited training.