New UAV for Airborne Video Surveillance
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A new UAV version developed includes a rough landing mechanism. The Supercam S450 is intended for real-time airborne video surveillance day and night. Series production is scheduled to start in late 2017.
The Russian company Unmanned Systems is showcasing a mock-up of its new development, the Supercam S450 unmanned aerial vehicle. This upgraded version of the Supercam S350 baseline has its accumulator-powered endurance extended to eight hours and can carry four kilograms of payload. The developer says the UAV has a maximum airspeed of 120 km/h and a maximum range of 560 km. The radio link has a maximum operational radius of 110 km, and the video channel range is up to 80 km.
The UAV is fitted with a wing detachment mechanism for rough landing situations. The detachable wing simplifies transportation and repairs.
According to rusaviainsider.com, the vehicle’s possible mission payloads include an remote-controlled HD video camera, a remote-controlled video camera with 720х576 resolution, a thermal imager, as well as assorted photographic cameras and radiation sensors. The payload is installed under the center wing for unobstructed coverage.
The company representative told Russian Aviation Insider that the aircraft has successfully passed the flight tests and is ready for production. The price tag will depend on the configuration and is negotiable. Unmanned Systems is also demonstrating a target acquisition and tracking module.
Mounted on a UAV, the module can acquire and track a target selected by the operator. It supports digital image stabilization; keeps the UAV in place based on the video imagery, including in situations when satellite-based navigation is unavailable; and also provides automatic target tracking and autonomous camera movement control based on the video picture.
The module can be installed on various fixed-wing UAVs from the Supercam series.
