Micro and Mini UAS are in great demand

Micro and Mini UAS are in great demand

This post is also available in: heעברית (Hebrew)

drone_etop_lebourget_2011

By ARIE EGOZI

Unmanned air systems (UAS) replaced oranges. In the past the sweet and sour juicy fruit was the best selling export item of Israel but Its place was taken by the UAS. In spite of the fact that many countries have begun developing UAS, the Israeli companies still manufacture some of the most advanced samples – some are still and will be for many years to come on the top secret list, guarded by the strictest security measures in the country.

Israeli companies manufacture tactical UAS and strategic ones. In between they also develop UAS for special forces.

When we look at the tactical level, the question is – can an airforce use technology to achieve dominance of a defined territory? The Israeli manufacturers of UAS claim that with the right systems the answer to that question is positive and they  also offer the tools.

The current doctrine used by the Israeli defense forces (IDF) is that a ground force has to keep a continuous presence in the defined area with the air force supporting from above when called in. This doctrine, however, is changing and UAS play a major role.

Israel aerospace industries (IAI) offers a new doctrine and the tools to perform it. By developing the tools for such aerial control of an area, the largest UAS manufacturer in Israel tries to teach the Israeli Defense Force how to act.

A few years ago the new proposed doctrine looked vague and hard to achieve. “Now we offer it again but this time we offer the tools to perform it”, says a company source.

He explained that by using unmanned air systems (UAS), hovering intelligence platforms and standoff sensors on aircraft, the air force can achieve the needed sustained dominance. “Some of these aerial systems should be operated by the infantry and become part of the sensors that create the big picture. But by doing so the ground force can stay in safe areas and move in only when the targets are well defined and precisely located.”

The proposal looks very serious by looking closely at some of the new systems developed by IAI to enable the IDF’s proposed change of doctrine. One is the Panther tilt rotor UAS. The Panther uses an innovative automatic flight control system that controls the transitions between the hovering takeoff phase to forward flight and vice versa before landing. The Panther takes off and lands automatically by a simple click of the operator console, thus eliminating the need for an external pilot.

According to IAI the Panther is powered by 3 ultra-quiet electrical motors, has a takeoff weight of 65 kg and an endurance of 6 hours. The Mini Panther is only 12 kgs when taking off and its endurance is 2 hours.

The second such tool is the IAI ETOP – a hovering aerial vehicle (HAV) a purely electrically-powered, tethered, airborne platform which can be used for observation, surveillance and other applications. The HAV can carry a payload of up to 20kg and operate up to a maximum altitude of 100 meters. ETOP combines an electrically-powered aerial platform and a ground system which includes the means for automatic deployment, cables, and a mission management unit.

The third tool developed by IAI is the “Ghost” vertical takeoff UAS.

IAI is ready to reveal that it also developing the “Harlim” – a solar powered UAS that takes off when the fighting starts and stays in the air for its duration.

IAI is also developing the “Butterfly” micro-UAS with flapping wings, and the “Mosquito” super mini-UAS that is under extensive development.

With the mini and micro UAS becoming more popular, IAI is looking for advanced propulsion systems for these systems with focus on batteries and Hybrid systems as alternatives to the fuel cells that have begun entering the market in recent years. IAI considers fuel cells power packs as less suitable for its current and future UAS systems.

AUS&R2015_E_728x90

A senior IAI source said that the introduction of fuel cells power packs for UAS is “going in a slower pace than we thought”. He added that at this point, some Lithium ION batteries are the near term preferred solution for small UAS. “These batteries have been improved in recent years, and they are giving good results” the source said.

Hybrid power packs are being developed in some centers in the U.S., Europe and Asia.

Only recently, the U.S. air force has asked the industry to develop a hybrid power pack that will weigh less than 20 pounds and will be capable of powering an UAS for mission durations of 4 hours.

A Hybrid power pack is based on an internal combustion engine that drives a small auxiliary power unit (APU). This APU recharges the batteries that are the source of power that drives the propeller .

The IAI “Ghost” has a MAX TOW 4 KG, an endurance 25 minutes. The “Ghost” has a speed 35 knots , and an operational range 4m km. The mini uas is powered by electric motors and will have Automatic takeoff and landing.

Subscribe to our newsletter.