Uncrewed Systems Technology 049 - April/May 2023

64 Digest | Eurolink Systems Beluga cost, weight, or power consumption. “The change detection capability can be used in mapping as well,” Lapiana notes. “Consider the recent devastating earthquake affecting Turkey and Syria, where much of the land will have changed and countless buildings have been damaged. A change detection AI for quick analytics could rapidly output GNSS coordinates with the highest concentrations or most severe instances of building damage. “Along with the other modular systems, we’ve put multi-standard comms interfaces inside the UAV as well, to enable 4G, 5G, LTE and satcom, because we don’t know for sure what comms network and infrastructure an end-user will want. We’re quite certain though that they will need persistent BVLOS connectivity, whether that’s through satcom, local GSM systems, or repeaters.” To that end, Eurolink tends to install Microhard radios in its standard-issue Belugas, although it is open to other radios should other standards elsewhere require it. For example, if a MANET approach is requested for interoperability under NATO standards, then other compatible radio models can be selected and integrated. Future plans Eurolink now plans to continue expanding its range of uncrewed product offerings. One of the first on its list is a tethered version of the Beluga, for powering and operating the system from a moving vehicle such as a truck or SUV, or from a hangar or box station as a resident inspection system. Lapiana suggests the latter application might be of interest to markets with assets prone to fires breaking out, such as industrial installations or forests in hot regions. He says, “We are in contact with one company in the US for developing a drone box-type station for the Beluga.” The company is also planning a fixed- wing version of the Beluga that will be capable of VTOL-transitioning between horizontal and forward flight, covering extended ranges and even higher airspeeds for missions such as delivery or airborne survey jobs. “After that, the final version of the Beluga is going to be aUUV,” Lapiana says. “That will take some rounds of new research, to make surewe’re proficient in designing underwater propellers and flooded hulls, but it’swhat some customers are interested in, and it feels right to us that our Belugawill one day return to the sea.” April/May 2023 | Uncrewed Systems Technology Beluga UAV Quadrotor Battery-electric Dimensions: 980 x 630 x 450 mm MTOW: 10 kg Payload capacity: 3 kg Cargo capacity: 2.5 litres standard, 14 litres optional Flight endurance: 1 hour (with 1.5 kg payload) Top speed: 112 kph (31 m/s) Cruise: 57.6 kph (16 m/s) Operating temperature range: -25 to +55 o C Maximumwind resistance: Up to 40 kph Maximumdata link range: 50 km (with tracking directional antenna) Some key suppliers Autopilots: Embention Autopilots: MicroPilot Autopilots: uAvionix GPUs and other processors: Multiple suppliers Comms systems: Fenix Group Comms systems: L3Harris Comms systems: Microhard Comms systems: uAvionix Comms systems: Silvus Comms systems: Trellisware Cybersecurity: Terranova Defense Solutions GCSs: UXV Technologies IFF system: uAvionix Transponders: uAvionix Transponders: Sagetech Avionics CFD and noise output consultation: Niccolo Cusano University Specifications As well as customising the gimbal with sensors and windows as needed by a customer, multiple GPUs can be installed for real-time processing and AI capabilities