Issue 40 Unmanned Systems Technology October/November 2021 ANYbotics ANYmal D l AI systems focus l Aquatic Drones Phoenix 5 l Space vehicles insight l Sky Eye Rapier X-25 l FlyingBasket FB3 l GCS focus l AUVSI Xponential 2021

87 infrastructure of multiple ground and airborne radios. Based on numerous mission conditions including link quality, flight plan and the needs of other aircraft sharing the network, SkyLine seamlessly transitions the aircraft’s data link between ground radio stations without data loss and with virtually limitless range.” SkyLine has already had its first deployment at the Northern Plains UAS Test Site in North Dakota, in partnership with Thales for the Vantis project (North Dakota’s state-wide BVLOS network). UAvionix is now poised to deploy SkyLine in at least six more FAA-designated UAS test sites. These include the New Mexico State University Physical Science Laboratory Flight Test Centre, the Choctaw Nation Beyond UAS test site in Oklahoma, the ACUASI Pan-Pacific UAS Test Range Complex in Alaska, and the Tillamook UAS Test Range in Oregon (operated by Near Space Corporation). More deployments are to be announced in the months ahead. On the radios’ hardware, Ramsey added, “C-band radios will be critical to heavier and riskier BVLOS operations by moving essential command and control infrastructure to an ‘aviation-protected spectrum’. We’ll eventually transition all SkyLine infrastructure to C-band, to ensure operators can use the most secure network for supporting their mission safety cases.” Sky Power spoke with us about its SP-55 FI TS hybrid engine, which the company said is increasingly being used for aircraft running solely on electric power and propulsion across a range of applications. “The single-cylinder engine of the SP-55 series is designed with twin spark plugs, and is equipped with an electronic fuel injection system,” said Karsten Schudt. “With our ECU and SGC352 controller for the starter/generator, as well as integrated mechanical self-cooling, this set-up is load- controlled and can supply power of up to 2 kW [40 A] from a 48 V DC supply.” The two-stroke hybrid is controlled via CAN bus, and comes with a battery and BMS that can be programmed for managing the charge current as well as overload derating and other features. The ECU meanwhile monitors various electric performance metrics in real time, including generator current and external load current, alongside conventional parameters such as engine temperature. It can therefore perform autonomous throttle regulation and engine starting sequences. Doodle Labs attended the show to release two new additions to its Smart Radio product line, the Smart Radio Helix and the Smart Radio Wearable. The latter was demonstrated in the conference hall (in collaboration with iSensys), by using it to send commands to a hybrid-electric USV and to downlink its video stream, both over the 3.5 GHz network in the exhibition hall. “Doodle Labs developed the 25 g Smart Radio Helix to provide an AUVSI Xponential 2021 | Report Unmanned Systems Technology | October/November 2021 UAvionix now has FAA approval for testing its SkyLink C-band radios The single-cylinder SP-55 FI TS hybrid engine from Sky Power