Wed, Sep 17, 2008
While perusing the many extraordinary sights and sounds of the
2008 Heli-Expo, ANN's Aero-TV crews got a look at an intriguing
helicopter-based UAV program with a number of missions applications
and capabilities. Call the CybAero 'Vantage', this UAV is a
vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned helicopter developed
by US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). With fully autonomous flight
operation and differential GPS navigation, CybAero claims the
Vantage can perform a wide variety of missions in both military and
commercial applications.
The Vantage is powered by a specially configured UEL 801 42-HP
heavy-fuel (JP5, JP8, Jet A) rotary engine, utilizing an
electrically driven ducted tail rotor, powered by an onboard
starter/generator. This configuration saves weight and mechanical
complexity. The overall fuselage length is 112 inches with a rotor
diameter of 109 inches. CybAero utilizes a foldable tri-blade
system making the Vantage HMMWV-transportable. It has a gross
weight of 380 lb., and a payload capacity of 25–35 lb. The
UAV has an estimated endurance of 3–5 hours with a top (dash)
speed of 100 kts, along with a service ceiling of 8,000 feet.
The concept was the brainchild of the US Naval Research
Laboratory (NRL), while the Vantage project now continues as a
collaboration between NRL and CybAero under a Cooperative Research
and Development Agreement. NRL has in-depth experience in designing
and developing UAV prototypes and has been conducting research in
unmanned systems technologies since the mid 1970s. CybAero now
holds the exclusive commercial rights for Vantage worldwide.
In February 2008 the Vantage's first test flight, under the
NRL/CybAero agreement, took place on a restricted range near NRL's
Washington DC facility in the USA. This year, CybAero and the
United States Naval Research Laboratory will be continuing the
development and commercialization of the Vantage, with a market
introduction currently scheduled for 2009.
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