Unmanned Systems Technology 017 | AAC HAMR UAV | Autopilots | Airborne surveillance | Primoco 500 two-stroke | Faro ScanBot UGV | Transponders | Intergeo, CUAV Expo and CUAV Show reports

but the HAMR creates yawing forces by gimballing the outer pair of motors through a few degrees. That provides dramatically more yaw control authority, Fredericks says. AAC chose a PixHawk 2 autopilot running ArduCopter open source software to control the HAMR. While the autopilot issues commands to the electronic speed controller and receives motion feedback from sensors, it is not otherwise integrated with the propulsion system. “In fact the autopilot is not aware that it is even a hybrid electric propulsion system,” Fredericks says. “That is to simplify system-level complexity and allow a more modular architecture.” While the autopilot is capable of fully automated flights, the vehicle is not autonomous yet. Fredericks says, “We are looking for companies to partner with who can integrate some autonomous capabilities into the aircraft, specifically to enable BVLOS operations.” Accommodating payloads While AAC does not have exclusive agreements with individual payload suppliers, the company has so far integrated a Sony block camera in a turret and a Trillium Orion HD25, also a turreted system. These would be alternative payloads, as both would be accommodated in the nose bay. To date, the HAMR has flown with ballast rather than sensors in its payload bays. Payloads will be secured in the bays with custom-designed 3D-printed plastic brackets. At the moment, the HAMR’s electrical system provides payloads with 50 W of power at 12 V DC, but Fredericks emphasises that a different voltage regulator can be used if a customer has other requirements. “We have plenty of electrical power because all of the power the engine generates goes into producing electricity, and payload power draw We design the part, upload the geometry and then ShapeWays put it in a box and mail it back to us – that’s all there is to it