Unmanned Systems Technology 016 | Hydromea Vertex AUV | Power management systems | Unmanned Space Vehicles | Continental CD-155 turbodiesel | Swift 020 UAV | ECUs | DSEI 2017 Show report

67 Swift 020 UAV | Digest All four propellers are made from carbon fibre. The two centre props measure 21 in in diameter, and are scimitar-bladed and foldable to reduce drag during cruise when the centre motors are not in use. The two wing-mounted propellers measure 11 in in diameter. They are straight-bladed and do not fold (owing to their importance in both vertical and horizontal flight). Power All four motors are identical, and were customised to enable a balance between static thrust for vertical flight and the regime of horizontal flight. As Streett explains, “We have a static thrust stand here at Swift, and combined with acquisition equipment we can capture both thrust and torque. “That allowed us to measure propulsion efficiency out of multiple motor-prop combinations, so we were able to design the system in a way that matches the thrust and electrical draw we were aiming for.” The two-hour endurance is provided by lithium-polymer batteries, but the company is lab-testing new battery chemistries with the intention of doubling or tripling their flight time. Avionics The 020 platform is also designed to use IP mesh network radios for comms, to better address the nature of disaster scenarios, given that such events rarely happen in only one area or conveniently near the operator’s location. “When immediate intelligence or supply is required in a rural location, multiple light aerial platforms can provide that response. The mesh network enables one aircraft to be your signal relay or antenna, while another can provide live video surveillance and another makes deliveries,” Streett says. Where direct control or semi- autonomous flight is preferred to full autonomy, the 020’s comms system can be configured for multiple network bands, from 900 MHz to 5.8 GHz, with ranges of between 10 and 20 km achieved during flight tests – subject to the nature of the airspace. The company has also designed its own EO/IR gimbal from scratch. Intended for flights at 400 ft, and rated at NIIRS 7 or 8, the gimbal was designed with an emphasis on size and mechanical simplicity to minimise cost and aerodynamic signature. Air quality sensors, cooled IR cameras and multispectral payloads are also available for the UAV. In addition to a redundant back-up radio operating on a separate frequency to the primary radio, with autonomous homing behaviour in the event of network loss – and the ability to loiter and await further commands once the link is re- acquired – the UAV’s processors are built (in-house) with dual automotive-grade components on each circuit board to ensure redundancy for flight-relevant electronics. The future A Swift 020 takes between one and two hours to charge, depending on the circumstances. To improve the mobility of a team with two or more of the craft, the company has also patented a design for a charging station, for storing and transporting the system while wirelessly charging it with the help of solar cells. “A fleet of smaller, more nimble aircraft instead of one large asset greatly reduces your risk, and at the same time it allows you to do far more persistent data- gathering,” Streett says. Unmanned systems such as the 020, with their ability to take off and land vertically without ancillary equipment, could allow mission capabilities across a gamut of critical theatres – and these will become ever more widespread as advances in technology herald further improvements in vehicle flexibility and dexterity. Unmanned Systems Technology | October/November 2017 For agricultural missions, the Swift 020 can use multispectral cameras as well as an EO/IR gimbal