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15 Dr Donough Wilson Dr Donough Wilson is innovation lead at VIVID/ futureVision, which specialises in game- changing thinking for defence, homeland security, and both manned and unmanned aviation innovations. He was first to propose the automatic tracking and satellite download of airliner black box data, technology which is now being adopted. His defence innovations include the automatic cockpit vision system that protects military aircrew from asymmetric high-energy laser attack. As a pilot, he has more than 3000 hours of flying experience in both military and civil environments, and is currently a flying instructor and a flight test examiner. Paul Weighell Paul has been involved with electronics, computer design and programming since 1966. He has worked in the real-time and failsafe data acquisition and automation industry using mainframes, minis, micros and cloud-based hardware on applications as diverse as defence, Siberian gas pipeline control, UK nuclear power, robotics, the Thames Barrier, Formula One and automated financial trading systems. Ian Williams-Wynn Ian has been involved with unmanned and autonomous systems for more than 20 years. He started his career in the military, working with early prototype unmanned systems and exploiting imagery from a range of unmanned systems from global suppliers. He has also been involved in ground-breaking research including novel power and propulsion systems, sensor technologies, communications, avionics and physical platforms. His experience covers a broad spectrum of domains from space, air, maritime and ground, and in both defence and civil applications including, more recently, connected autonomous cars. Unmanned Systems Technology’s consultants Unmanned Systems Technology | June/July 2018 Jetoptera has developed a box-wing UAV with a canard structure that is designed for high-thrust aerodynamics, as well as two turbojet engines (writes Rory Jackson). “The J-55 weighs 55 lb, fitting in with Part 107 weight requirements, and its technologies will be featured on our future systems as well,” said Andrei Evulet of Jetoptera. “It can take off and land vertically in a tail-sitter configuration and hover in place, or be configured for short take-off and landing.” The vehicle is currently tested to fly at more than 200 mph, with a 50-mile range if carrying a 5 lb payload (with up to 15 lb as maximum payload capacity). The company also plans a J-110, a J-220 and a J-500, in corresponding weight profiles and operate in jump-jet configuration. In addition to the box wing, they are expected to include Jetoptera’s patented fluidic propulsion system. “This is planned to give longer endurance and VTOL-transition capability – it’s essentially a turbofan with no moving parts,” Evulet said. “It uses a gas turbine inside the fuselage to feed multiple fluidic- propulsive devices that draw in the air and accelerate it to generate thrust. “The best existing comparison would be a medium-bypass turbofan but without any fans, which can swivel for VTOL and be distributed across the airframe.” A manned vehicle using the structure and power systems from Jetoptera is planned for the future, once the company’s designs are finalised. The J-2000 will weigh 2000 lb and will go through manned tests before eventually being designed with full autonomy. A four-seater ‘J-4000’ is also envisioned for a later date. High-speed UAV set for launch Airborne vehicles Like its smaller, unmanned counterpart, the J-2000 uses a novel jet propulsion system