Unmanned Systems Technology 021 | Robot Aviation FX450 l Imaging Sensors focus l UAVs Insight l Liquid-Piston X-Mini l Riptide l Eurosatory 2018 show report l Zipline l Electric Motors focus l ASTS show report

74 that run from the UAV’s 3 m wingspan to its tail. The propeller on the rear of the fuselage then ‘pushes’ the aircraft into horizontal flight. “You can keep this vehicle in a configuration for launching from a runway or catapult, but if you need to take off vertically, the new configuration we’ve developed allows you to do that too,” said Alexandre Cros. “It can carry a payload of up to 4 kg, as we anticipated integration requirements including data links up to 100 km. “We can integrate a lot of different data link solutions at this point; we’re working with a French company on testing different comms systems. All transmissions are AES-encrypted, and with a tracked antenna it should be able to fly for up to 100 km.” Flight tests are ongoing, with payload trials at distances up to 20 km from the GCS having been concluded earlier this year. But, as Cros noted, “In France, it’s generally difficult to be able to access enough testing range to conduct flights up to 100 km from the GCS. We’re working with local authorities to secure permissions for such tests.” Fischer Connectors launched the LP360, the first in the company’s new Freedom series. It has a surface contact to provide easier mating than typical male-female configurations, forgoing a the locking pressure, the dimensions of which Fischer can alter to reduce or increase the force with which the connector locks, depending on the application and its environment. The LP360 has seven signal and power contacts: four for USB 2.0 and Ethernet connections, two to deliver up to 5 A of current, and one for either signal telemetry or additional power. A smaller Freedom series connector with just four contacts is also in development. “For the locking mechanism, we chose stainless steel for its robustness,” Vanheertum said. “Military applications require that connectors can withstand at least 10,000 mating cycles, so the ring, balls and receptacle body are stainless steel, and the receptacle interface is made from a copper-nickel-zinc alloy that isn’t corroded by salt mist. “The rest of the housing is made from brass, and also has an anthracite-nickel coating to help with the requirement for 1000 hours of salt-mist spray resistance, which is critical in maritime applications. August/September 2018 | Unmanned Systems Technology Fisher Connectors’ LP360 has seven signal and power contacts The Zeus UGV from NIC Instruments can climb at angles of up to 45 º key code to enable 360 º locking of the contacts. Its receptacle interface is a series of concentric rings (the number of which corresponds one-to-one with the number of pins), allowing the plug’s spring- loaded pins to connect while oriented in any direction. That allows the connections and integrations within unmanned vehicles’ internal subsystems to be varied, as it makes for easier cleaning for system longevity. “It uses spring-loaded balls instead of magnetic mechanisms for its locking,” Wim Vanheertum explained. “Magnetic connectors can attract metal debris, and can create shorts over time and interfere with digital magnetic compasses, which is something military end-users are concerned about.” The plug end of the LP360 features the six stainless steel balls inside its rim, which during mating are squeezed outwards before snapping back into place. Integrated behind these balls is a stainless steel ring that provides