Issue 45 | Uncrewed Systems Technology Aug/Sept 2022 Tidewie USV Tupan | Performance monitoring | Bayonet 350 | UAVs insight | Xponential 2022 | ULPower UL350i and UL350iHPS | Elroy Air Chaparral | Gimbals | Clogworks Dark Matter

70 Show report | AUVSI Xponential 2022 e-rotors become highly efficient thanks to the passive lift from the ATLIS’ small wings carrying half the load.” The craft is powered by a TP-R90 microturbine engine from Turbotech SAS (an engine explored in issue 31, April/ May 2020) that produces 90 kW and consumes just 22.5 litres/hour. Emrax, in Slovenia, custom-designed its axial- flux electric motors using specialised windings and bearings for optimising the efficiency with which power is produced and regenerated (and as mentioned in issue 31, the motors are driven by new SiC ESCs from Advanced Power Drives). The ATLIS was designed by Aergility using CFD simulations and multiple generations of scale aircraft flight testing, optimised for manufacture by Airboss, and manufactured by Composites Universal Group. “The mean TBO for the microturbine engine is 3000 hours, and almost everything else on the aircraft lasts longer still, so our maintenance requirements are as minimal as our energy requirements,” Vander Mey added. “All that combines to create a rapidly deployable and cost-effective tool for humanitarian aid and resupply organisations around the world.” First-time exhibitor Alpine Advanced Materials showcased its HX5 material, an injection-mouldable nanocomposite reinforced with carbon fibres, and discussed some of its history and qualities. “HX5 was developed for the F-35 program at Lockheed Martin over 8 years and $50 million in r&d, and led to a formulation for a direct replacement for 6000-series aluminium,” explained Jeremy Smith. Alpine holds the exclusive, global, perpetual licence to distribute HX5, which it offers to aerospace, defence, space and other markets. It has a tensile strength of 38.3 ksi at 22.7 C, and at 122 C still has 27 ksi. “It’s a high-temperature material, with 93% of the tensile strength of 6000-Al and half the weight, so gram for gram it’s much stronger than aluminium,” Smith added. “It also has some unique characteristics such as a high surface energy, which allows it to be painted or plated with a wide range of functional or decorative coatings including high- temperature ceramic coatings. “It also has a low viscosity, so it flows very well into complex moulds and shapes. Traditional composites have trouble achieving that while matching our strength and temperature performance. UAVs are a great beneficiary from the strength-to-weight increases that HX5 can drive, without sacrificing parameters such as performance, lifetime and ruggedness in harsh environments.” HX5 is non-hygroscopic and resistant to scratches, abrasion and galvanic corrosion, as well as chemicals including solvents, fuels and lubricants. It can also be machined and bonded for combination with other materials and structures without much difficulty, while meeting industry guidelines on performance amid flames, smoke and toxic environments. In addition to unveiling its Astro UAV (as discussed on page 58) Freefly Systems also attended the show to promote the continued development of its Alta X UAV. It has been designed principally as a multi-role heavy-lift system capable of flying for long August/September 2022 | Uncrewed Systems Technology Alpine’s HX5 nanocomposite is designed to replace 6000-series aluminium The Alta X from Freefly Systems