Uncrewed Systems Technology 049 - April/May 2023

77 6 t and power comes from two wing- mounted turboprop engines (each producing 750 or 450 bhp, depending on the configuration). This power and architecture gives the Akinci a 24-hour maximum flight endurance, a top airspeed of 195 knots and a 1500 kg payload capacity, with integration space in the nose, hardpoints under the wings, a single cruise missile hardpoint on the central underbelly, and a multi-sensor gimbal in the undercarriage behind the centre of the fuselage. The forward integration space ideally carries a radar, be it an air-to-air, collision avoidance, active electronically scanning array or synthetic aperture system. The wings meanwhile are designed to be capable of carrying and deploying a range of missiles and smart munitions. Lastly, the gimbal can carry a combination of EO and IR cameras with laser rangefinders and pointers. The Akinci can fly at up to 40,000 ft (12,192 m), and for added safety and security over its flight duration it has a triple-redundant autopilot as well as redundant servo actuators, redundant lithium batteries, and dual-redundant LOS and satcom data links. The autopilot also enables fully automatic take-off, landing, taxiing and parking on standard runways, as well as a proprietary GNSS- free navigation capability by fusing data from other onboard sensors. Wemet with Volz Servos, who promoted some of its latest project collaborations with defence organisations and governments. Of particular interest was the use of one of its extreme depth- rated actuators in a UUV operated by the National Oceanographic Centre (NOC) in Southampton, UK. Matthew Kingsland at the NOC said, “Our Autosub Long Range AUV carried out multiple surveys underneath ice shelfs near the Thwaites Glacier in the Antarctic, which has added to our knowledge of how shelfs in the area are melting. “We have two Volz actuators operating our control surfaces at the back – one controlling what we call our dive plane, meaning vertical, pitch-type movements, and another controlling our left-and- right fin movements. We’ve integrated Volz’s servos across all our AUVs. For IDEX 2023 | Show report The Bayraktar Akinci was one of the biggest UAVs in IDEX 2023’s static display zone. It has a 20 m wingspan, a 12.2 m-long fuselage and is powered by two turboprops (Courtesy of Baykar Tech) Uncrewed Systems Technology | April/May 2023 Volz’s DA 26-SUB servo inside the National Oceanographic Centre’s Autosub LR AUV