Uncrewed Systems Technology 046

The Rapace is uAvionix’s purpose-built test UAV, which carries much of the company’s RF avionics for scrutinising the Vantis network’s performance and consistency (Courtesy of uAvionix) 91 Cube Orange but with additional sensors for pitot static and magnetic field data. Some DO-254 certified hardware that uAvionix has validated across its other products is also installed. “It also directly integrates our MicroLink C2 ISM radio, which is what Vantis is initially being built on, as well as our pingRX Pro ADS-B receiver,” Ramsey says. “Other key equipment for the test flights are our truFYX GNSS receiver for navigation and localisation, and our SkyLink C-band radio, which incorporates two C2 radios and is a back-up to the MicroLink, although it’s on the Vantis roadmap to be a potential future UAV comms system requirement. It’s a fairly empty-looking platform on the inside, because we’ve integrated so much in the George autopilot, and we don’t need anything for cameras or ADS-B Out just yet.” Andrew Clark, director of UAS operations for uAvionix, adds, “The Rapace is designed for simplicity, as we needed something modular that could be quickly disassembled and packed into a van for cross-country transport, then set up rapidly for field testing. It has an electric powertrain for simplicity’s sake too, which helps keep it light, at 25 lb [11.4 kg] fully equipped, although the motors are powerful enough to tolerate take-off and landing in winds and gusts of up to 25 mph.” The wings and tailplane are also designed to accommodate the antenna array used, with enough interior space to enable uAvionix to mount its autopilot and other systems in different positions as needed. The battery allows a nominal flight endurance of up to roughly an hour, although Clark’s team has yet to fly for that long, given the unnecessary risk it would pose. “We use two 22,000 mAh packs connected in series for a 50 V power bus, and we always try to land with 50% of charge remaining, because of how much power is consumed during landing,” he says. “To be honest, we can get between 40 and 50 minutes and still have a very safe margin of energy left.” Ramsey adds, “We also have other test assets in the form of a few small quadrotors, mostly Freefly Astros. We’ll fly those with one of our radios installed as their payloads, not as the C2 link, as they’re somewhat closed in their architecture, but they’re great for ‘pop- up’ tests where we just need to drive to a new location and scope it out for something like connectivity, signal strength, or ease of take-off or landing, where the larger test platform isn’t really necessary.” In addition to these vehicles, uAvionix is commissioning a hybrid VTOL- transitioning UAV that will use a gasoline engine for longer cruising times, along with electric motors for take-off, hover and descent. This combination will enable radio tests, and hence more data to be accumulated, over longer flights. “We also supply our pingStation 3 ground ADS-B receivers to the network, for detecting cooperative aircraft,” Ramsey says. “Those, plus Thales’ radars, provide Vantis’ DAA capability.” Frank Matus, Thales’ director of ATC & digital aviation solutions, Americas, adds, “Remaining well clear of crewed aviation when performing BVLOS operations requires a surveillance infrastructure and an electronic means of observation. So with Vantis we’ve installed medium- range radars, a control and non-payload comms radio as well as ADS-B at sites in Watford City, Keene and Arnegard. “Specifically, we installed Terma’s Scanter radars, which detect crewed aviation to be visualised on a common display at the MNOC. That is especially important, as not all VFR flights are equipped with ADS-B.” Uncrewed Systems Technology | October/November 2022 The Rapace is not an aircraft we sell, it’s basically our utility truck – we load it up, fly it around and record data. There’s no camera payload