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63 EO camera with 10x optical zoom and a FLIR Quark 2 IR camera with 19 mm lens and 8x digital zoom, and a Stanag 4609-compliant digital video output. UAV Navigation, a Spain-based developer of autopilots, flight control systems and motion processing modules, showcased a number of components for developers of fixed- and rotor-wing UAVs. The Polar MEMS navigation module measures 82 x 40 x 23 mm and includes AHRS and INS, consisting of a MEMS- based IMU, GPS and air data system. Communications are through RS-232, RS-422 and RS-485 serial ports, and 1 Mbps CAN inputs, and power inputs from 9 to 36 V dc can be used to provide for the unit’s 1 W power consumption. The Vector autopilot uses the same AHRS-INS core, input voltage and serial connectivity, but with a total of seven serial ports among its various I/O capabilities. These include CAN 2.0 A and B connectors, Ethernet and eight analogue-to-digital conversion ports with up to 1 MHz conversion rate at a 12-bit resolution. “While it can be used for just about any platform, rotary or fixed wing, the Vector is aimed primarily at NATO Class 1 and Class 2 UAVs, of up to 600 kg MTOW,” said Tobias Webster. Also integrated into Vector are two flight control CPUs and a dual power supply, as well as embedded software for continuous sensor diagnostics. The flight control unit itself enables a remotely piloted aircraft or optionally piloted vehicle to carry out fully autonomous following of multi-waypoint, 3D flight plans. “Most important is our ability to fuse sensor data intelligently and to provide protection against individual or even multiple sensor failures. The result is the ability to fly in a GPS-denied environment or when the airspeed sensor becomes unavailable,” Webster said. The company also presented the latest version of its Visionair ground control station software (version 4.30), with a redesign of the user interface and new features such as customisable alarms, a ‘Follow Me’ mode and an autogrid flight plan generator. Volz Servos unveiled a new generation of actuators suited to unmanned vehicle developers across a range of applications and arenas. All the new designs use brushless dc motors and a contactless wear-free position sensor to prevent damage to the servo/ actuator in case of vibration or shock. For vehicles needing SWaP-optimised actuators, Phillipp Volz stated, “The DA 30-LowProfile [LP] is based on the standard DA 30, but it’s now packed in a housing with a length reduction of 34 mm, and still weighs 640 g. Also, the new DA 36-LP uses a stronger motor, offering up to 20 Nm continuous torque instead of 8 Nm.” Also in the new range are the DA 15-N and DA 15-T, the former being the company’s smallest and lightest fully brushless dc actuator, the latter being its smallest and lightest fly-by-wire actuator designed for direct installation onto the throttle valve shaft of a combustion engine. Both types offer up to 4000 hours of service life. For applications demanding greater safety, the DA 26-Duplex and DA 30-Duplex use a dual-channel architecture for redundancy: the control and communications electronics, electric motors and power supply have dual channels, while the position sensor has a three-channel design. The company’s range of actuators for AUVs and other underwater vehicles has also been expanded. The DA 26- Sub is oil-filled (via a hose adapter on the bottom of the housing) to withstand extreme pressure conditions, and at the time of writing had been depth-tested to 6500 ft. Also, the IP67-rated housing is CNC-machined from saltwater-resistant aluminium, and with its special coating can withstand a minimum of 1000 hours of saltwater exposure without corrosion. For optionally piloted vehicles, the newly launched DA 26-MC comes with an electromagnetic clutch which, when voltage is supplied, engages and turns the control of each actuator’s output shaft over to the operator’s Commercial UAV Show 2016 | Report Unmanned Systems Technology | December/January 2017 Hydra fuses data into a common operational picture The Vector autopilot, from UAV Navigation

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