SQ-4 Micro UAV

Today I introduce you to the SQ-4 Recon UAV. British company BCB unveiled this cutting-edge technology on October 16, 2012. This is another of those MAV (Miniature aerial vehicle) type quad-copters I’ve talked about in the past. With the small size of this UAV and its’ ability to fit in the palm of your hand it’s no wonder this UAV is making  news globally. BCB claims this UAV can fly up to 30 minutes on a full charge and can operate up to 1.5miles away from the operator. With 10 ultrasonic sonar modules it can maneuver in tight spaces and can even land on narrow perches out of the operators line of sight. With the motors stopped the onboard cameras can record 8 hours of live video before the UAV has to be recharged. In addition to all this the MAV has infrared LEDs allowing for stealth flight at night and recon in the dark.
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SQ-4 Micro UAV
Photo: bcbin.com
The SQ-4 can be operated by remote control with its onboard camera. An autopilot feature uses GPS for automatic navigation. BCB says it’s easy to fly and can be operated with little training. The UAV can also be configured to automatically return to its start point when the battery reaches 30%. The UAV has the ability to automatically hover at a set point during an emergency and if it is flipped or knocked off course while in operation it has the technology to correct itself. According to specifications the UAV weights about 10.2oz with its extended battery. The SQ-4 has an operation altitude up to 1,300 feet and can fly up to 15mph. At the beginning of the flight it emits a semi-loud 71db but it fades during flight. This is awesome new technology and I have no doubt this will soon become very prominent all around the globe.

Sixton UAV system

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.
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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.

Aeryon Scout (The flying camera)

uav quadcopterThe Aeryon Scout or the flying camera as it is so accurately named, was developed from 2007 to 2009 in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. What sets the scout apart from other UAVs in its class is its design which was developed to allow it to operate consistently in harsh and unpredictable weather conditions. The craft has been recorded enduring wind speeds up to 80 kilometers per hour (50 mph) and extreme temperatures ranging from -30°C to +50°C. Weighing in at less than 3lb and powered by four brush less DC motors and which has almost silent operation, The Scout has the ability to be operated beyond the line of sight at up to 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) away from the system, with an operational altitude of 300 to 500 feet and average flying speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour (31 miles per hour). Among other abilities the Scout requires no launch equipment and can hover in a fixed position for precise observation due to its vertical take-off and landing VTOL quad-rotor.

Length

80 cm (28.8 in)

Height

30cm (1 ft)

Loaded Weight

1.4 kg (3.1 lb)

Maximum Takeoff Weight

1.7 kg (3.74 lb)

Rotor Diameter

80 cm (28.8 in)

Propeller Diameter

30 cm (12 inch)

Cruise Speed

40 km/h

Maximum Speed

50 km/h (31 mph)

Range

3 km (2 mi)

Rate Of Climb

2 m/s (6 ft/s)

The Tablet PC-based interface system, that sets the Scout apart from other UAVs, differs from the standard method of joystick control allowing minimal training for operations of  the vehicle. Tablet PC-   allows the scout to be piloted by the user pointing to an area on the map that they wishes to fly to. Height is controlled  similarly with a scroll on the touch screen interface allowing altitude to be monitored. The scout can be flown real-time or pre-programmed to fly a series of GPS coordinates. With the ability to constantly monitor conditions, the Scout is able to make decisions on a course of action to take. The scouts built in intelligence allows for it’s return home, immediate landing, or to hover and wait. To prevent hijacking and video interception the scouts communications are digitally encrypted. The aircraft, as well as having a quick-change payload interface, is able to detect the type of payload it is  connected to, and configure and operate it accordingly.

Wait, so I can buy my own UAVs?

Today I will bring you some information about quadcopters! These relatively new MAVs (Miniature unmanned vehicles) have great potential to be used world wide. With relatively small size and the ability to “perch and stare” these devices could provide surveillance for a variety of things. The best part is, you can buy one too! Quad-copters sell for less than a $1000 with all equipment included. I’ve even seen people at my school fly these around with a camera attached, not even watching the vehicle from the ground. These look like tons of fun and I’d love to fly one sometime.
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An example of how torque is displaced on a quadcopter
Sourc: wikipedia.com

Due to the unique nature of these devices the torque of the propellers must be reversed on the x and y-axis. This can help with stability during flight. You may be asking, how do these devices even turn, and the answer is realtively simple. With each motor controlled by an ESC (Electronic Speed controller) they can be increased or decreased in power extremely fast, which when paired with a receiver can cause the quad copter to rotate on its x, y, and z-axis. These quadcopters are extremely agile, with the ability to fly in formation to accomplish tasks.

ar drone
Parrot AR.Drone 2.0
Source: wikipedia.com
One of the first successful quad-copter designs for sale to civilians was the Parrot AR drone. The Parrot AR drone is a flying quadroter helicopter developed by the French company Parrot. This device is intended to be controlled by iOS devices (iphone, itouch, and ipad) and android devices (HTC hero, etc). The drone originally presented at the Las Vegas International Consumer Electronics Show in 2010 is made of plastic and foam and ended up being around 30cm long. It has 2 onboard cameras that can be seen through the controller screen. This all goes to show just how quickly UAVs are developing, I might go by the store and pick one of these bad boys up just to show you guys!

 

If you’re interested you can buy the Parrot Drone here:

Aeryon Scout UAV in use with the Libyan Rebels

An awesome video from youtube showing just how well these UAV’s can see to spy on Libyan Rebels