Issue 41 Unmanned Systems Technology December/January 2022 PteroDynamics X-P4 l Sense & avoid l 4Front Robotics Cricket l Autonomous transport l NWFC-1500 fuel cell l DroneX report l OceanScout I Composites I DSEI 2021 report

74 Show report | DroneX ecosystem is capable of running on a Raspberry Pi board.” The company has worked mainly for defence operators so far but is being increasingly called upon by UAV and eVTOL developers to apply its technology to safe navigation through urban environments and others where relying on GNSS and failing to compensate for gusts is hazardous to human lives. “We could drop our board into most any other UAV, and it would fly it more precisely and in harsher conditions than before,” Hamilton added. “We have an MoD-funded project aimed at achieving that right now, with our machine learning optimising the flight dynamics and our digital twin modelling all the terrain and environmental factors at play.” We met Xer Technologies to discuss its X8 and X12 UAVs, two all- new and unique hybrid engine-powered multi-rotor systems for heavy-duty applications that the Swedish company had on display as part of the platforms’ launch at DroneX. “We’ve developed our platforms to include hybrid-electric engines, to provide long-range uninterrupted operations and to save end-users the hassle and cost of having to swap expensive battery packs or recharge every 10-30 minutes,” Kristofer Skantze said. “Naturally, the Xer UAVs’ batteries provide redundant power so that a safe landing can be performed if the engine breaks down.” The eight-rotor X8 weighs just below 25 kg MTOW, which includes up to 3 kg net payload capacity, and is capable of flying for 2-3 hours depending on payload and fuel weight. The X12 has 12 electric motors and props across six arms, with an endurance of up to 4 hours on a standard-issue fuel tank, and a MTOW of 55 kg. This includes a 20 kg payload capacity, for which Xer can supply customised gimbals as well as fixtures for mounting different mission sensors or other equipment such as a controllable release hook. The X12 airframe measures 248 cm across when deployed, 75 cm wide when disassembled for transport, and it can operate in winds and gusts of up to 18 m/s. Xer already has clients and interest in its platforms for long-distance inspection, search & rescue, public safety, environmental monitoring and humanitarian relief efforts. Also attending the show was DST Control, which unveiled its new OTUS-U200 sensor gimbal. “It’s named for the 200 mm diameter of the ball,” explained Magnus Sundstedt. “Our customers wanted a bigger gimbal to incorporate more sensors simultaneously, particularly cooled as well uncooled IR cameras, in tandem with laser rangefinders and of course EO daylight cameras. “We’ve increased the sealing quality to achieve an IP55 rating for the enclosure, to ensure the system is safe for use in maritime environments, as well as being certified to DO-160G and Mil-Std-810G standards.” The OTUS-U200 typically consumes 40 W, weighs up to 5 kg (exact weight depends on sensor configuration), operates in two axes and can be controlled via Ethernet, RS-485 or RS-232 interfaces, with video outputs available in component, CVBS, HD-SDI, or Ethernet H.264. Riegl introduced the latest version of its VUX-1UAV Lidar, the VUX-1UAV22, at the show. “The VUX-1UAV22 offers several performance improvements over its predecessor,” said Philipp Amon. “For December/January 2022 | Unmanned Systems Technology The X12 from Xer Technologies has a 4 hour endurance and a 20 kg payload capacity DST Control’s OTUS-U200 gimbal is certified to a number of key standards