UAVOS has developed a tropicalised version of its UVH-170E vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) optimised for operations in hot and humid environments.
Jane’s understands from UAVOS officials that development and modification work had been completed at the end of December 2018. The company is currently performing operational testing with a modified example.
The updated UVH-170E is designed to offer improved reliability and performance in tropical conditions. Seen here is the baseline air vehicle. (UAVOS)
The baseline UVH-170E UAV has a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 41 kg and measures 3.28 m long and 0.85 m tall, with a main rotor diameter of 2.6 m. It is powered by a 4-stroke gasoline direct injection engine rated at 7 kW that enables it to attain cruising and maximum speeds of 60 km/h and 120 km/h respectively, with an operational ceiling of 8,200 ft (2,500 m). UAVOS claims that the air vehicle can perform VTOL manoeuvres in wind conditions of up to 14 m/s.
A 13 litre fuel tank supports up to five hours of flight when carrying a 4 kg payload, which includes a newly developed, gyro-stabilised, two-axis gimbal equipped with an integrated full HD (1080/60p) daylight camera with ×30 optical zoom, a longwave infrared (LWIR) camera with 1,024×768 pixel resolution, a laser rangefinder with a range of 2,500 m, and an onboard graphics processing unit (GPU).
A complete system comprises a UVH-170E UAV with its ground control station.
“The unmanned helicopter is adapted for flying in a tropical climate and is equipped with a modified payload for operations outside of direct radio coverage,” Aliaksei Stratsilatau, UAVOS co-founder and lead developer, told Jane’s .
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