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

23 the 6.5 kg hand-launched SkyRobot FX10 (formerly the Spy Owl 200) – a market- ready product from UAS Europe, which Robot Aviation acquired this spring – and the 12 kg catapult-launched SkyRobot FX20 that was developed in-house. These vehicles are operated from hard- case GCS equipment with integrated laptops, or even from a tablet, while options for the FX450 will include a system installed in a large van that will also transport it once the wings are detached. The FX450 is designed to get airborne from any flat surface, such as a football pitch or rough track, and land up to 20 hours later. Discovering exactly how much space the FX450 needs to take off and land at various weights is an important goal of the flight test programme for the initial production- standard version that at the time of writing was about to get under way. Robot Aviation also decided to do without a parachute in favour of extra fuel capacity, a choice made easier by the level of reliability and redundancy it has in mind. The main aim of developing the FX450 is to create a rugged, reliable all-weather UAV system with carefree handling that is capable of that 20-hour endurance with an 8 in class gimbal that can be sold into most markets around the world. That last point means freedom from US International Trade In Arms Regulations restrictions is desirable, encouraging the scope for sourcing key components from Europe. In entering this endurance and payload class, it is likely to compete with the Boeing/Insitu Black Jack, Leonardo’s Falco and the AAI Shadow series. Sales director Niklas Nyroth considers this market segment, which encompasses such roles as maritime surveillance and border protection that require long endurance, to be a billion- dollar-plus proposition. To help set the stage for transforming the company into an OEM, the founders stepped back, although they remain on the board and serve in specific areas. Larsen was recruited from Kongsberg, chief technology officer John Guy is an experienced flight test engineer lately Robot Aviation FX450 | Dossier Unmanned Systems Technology | August/September 2018 The FX450’s large winglets reduce drag by managing tip vortices, provide directional stability and can act as aerodynamic brakes on landing (Courtesy of Robot Aviation) Personnel attach a cover to the wing root during a test operation. There are several such access covers around the aircraft (Courtesy of Robot Aviation)