UASs on ships – a growing trend

UASs on ships – a growing trend

אילוסטרציה

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Navies all over the world want Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) on their ships. Technical problems have slowed the implementation down, but now it is moving ahead with Israeli companies leading the charge.

An Israeli developer, Aeronautics, which designed and manufactures Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV), is now offering its clients worldwide the option to operate its Orbiter – 3 UAS from navy ships.

The Orbiter – 3 has a wingspan of 4.2 meters. It also features a max takeoff weight of 28 kg and an endurance of 7 hours. It is capable of carrying a 5.5 kg dedicated payload.

In the framework of ground operations, the Orbiter 3 UAS is launched with a mobile catapult. It is subsequently recovered by a combination of a parachute and an airbag. When the system is deployed on a ship, the navy uses a special net to catch it at the end of its mission.

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AUS&R2015_728x90The adaptation of the Orbiter 3 for sea operations comes three years after its smaller version the Orbiter – 2 has been adapted for that same mission type. i-HLS has learnt that Israel’s Navy has already been using the system and operating it on its vessels.

According to Aeronautics, there is a growing demand for the operation of UASs from combat ships. In some navies, this is the direct replacement of a deck operated helicopter. The aerial platforms are needed mainly for early detection of “wave height” threats.

In recent years, several companies in Israel, including Aeronautics, have invested in converting different types of manned helicopters for unmanned operation. Nevertheless, these efforts were often, but not always, terminated mainly because of technical difficulties.