Uncrewed Systems Technology 049 - April/May 2023

IDEX 2023 | Show report Robotican showcased the latest version of its Rooster, a hybrid uncrewed vehicle capable of aerial flight as well as ground travel. The system features a quadrotor hub fixed inside a protective cage, with the cage being free to roll in the lateral or pitch axis. That means the cage functions essentially as a wheel, allowing the Rooster’s rotors to propel it through the air or along the ground. The Rooster’s battery enables up to 12 minutes of flight or up to 45 minutes of ground travel, given that the propellers are no longer fighting gravity as the UAV-UGV hybrid rolls along the floor. Up to 90 minutes of total mission duration is suggested by Robotican, as the vehicle can also turn off its motors for stationary observations. The company has designed the system with different missions in mind. One is search & rescue, with its combined flight and crawling modes enabling it to traverse through collapsed caves and structures. Its ability to sit stationary, without needing a clear landing space (as many multi-rotors do) means it can watch and listen for signs of survivors. Other applications include ISR for defence and security agencies, as well as indoor maintenance inspections of industrial facilities. The Rooster weighs 1.45 kg and carries up to 300 g of payload, including a 1080p EO video and NIR thermal cameras. It also integrates multiple mesh radio options in order to maintain a clear and secure data link with its GCS in metal and concrete- rich environments. Heven Drones attended the show to unveil the first aircraft in what is to become its H2D line of hydrogen- powered UAVs. The H2D55 is an X-8 multi-rotor with a MTOW of 25 kg. It features four coaxial motor-propeller drive pairs, and is powered by a PEM fuel cell from an unnamed supplier. Heven Drones also tells us that it is working with US-based Plug Power on other parts of its hydrogen ecosystem as well as some of the larger fuel cells for larger systems it is creating. The PEM cell and onboard hydrogen gas storage give the H2D55 a 120 minute maximum flight time, assuming a 5 kg payload and depending on weather conditions, or 100 minutes with a 7 kg payload. The H2D55 is also able to fly at a maximum airspeed of 54 kph, tolerate wind speeds of up to 37 kph, and cover a nominal distance of 60 km per flight. It is offered as a multi-role solution for defence as well as commercial applications, the latter of which includes agricultural and enterprise surveys, and last-mile deliveries. Future models in the H2D line, with greater flight times and payload capacities than those of the H2D55, will be announced in the future. Hensoldt Group showcased its ASTUS UAS, which is designed principally as an airborne sensor platform for monitoring and protecting high-value assets such as critical infrastructure, as well as border patrol missions and long-distance ISR. The ASTUS has been developed and flight tested over the past 3 years, during which Hensoldt’s engineers have verifyied key operational capabilities of the aircraft. Willie Malan commented, “We have proven that the platform is very stable and can handle any operational challenges in all weather conditions day and night.” These challenges included the integration of different EO payloads, their use in aerial tracking of illegal activities, vehicles and personnel, as well as laser target designation and relaying surveillance information to ground forces in real time. These capabilities are enabled through a range of mission-critical avionics including ISR cameras, gimbals, radars, data links and transponders. A synthetic aperture radar for the UAV is also to be developed with a partner. The ASTUS can fly for up to 8 hours and to a flight ceiling of 16,000 ft, with a 200 km data link for live telemetry. At the time of writing, it was entering initial series production, with further tests aimed at trialling some optional mission systems for military and civilian users. 81 Uncrewed Systems Technology | April/May 2023 Hensoldt Group’s ASTUS UAV