68 Internally the X-P5 is also being designed by PteroDynamics as a modular platform for ISTAR-suited payloads such as EO/IR/laser rangefinder gimbals and COMINT devices, as well as different attachments for other defence missions and a range of commercial applications. “We’ve also looked at several powertrain configurations, using multidisciplinary engineering tools to design thousands of Transwing variants, including UAVs carrying different arrangements of propulsors tailored to customers’ technical and mission requirements,” Whitehand notes. “Some of those have a series-hybrid or range extender engine in the fuselage, while others have one engine on a wing, and others have one or more pairs of engines split across the wings.” Another version of the X-P5 is also being developed to target the requirements of DARPA’s AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (Ancillary) X-Plane programme. This is an ISTAR initiative aimed at producing a VTOL-transitioning aircraft with 12-16 hours of flight endurance, a flight range of at least 100 nautical miles from the launch and recovery location, and at least 80 knots cruising airspeed. In terms of suitable powertrain configurations for PteroDynamics’ X-Plane project, Whitehand comments, “Top of our list are parallel hybrids, with energy and power-rich heavy-fuel IC engines driving the propshafts and motor/generators, maybe directly, to avoid the double conversion losses of a series hybrid.” The X-Plane will also be expected to be launched and recovered in difficult weather conditions, without relying on any external infrastructure, and to operate safely in emissions control conditions when all radio transmissions must cease for safety or security. PteroDynamics is also fleshing out concepts for an X-P6 and an X-P7, each of which will be progressively bigger – just shy of 600 kg and 1361-1814 kg MTOWs respectively – and Whitehand suggests that these heavy multi-role UAVs will need appropriately large powertrains such as recuperating turbo-generators, depending on end-user requirements and specific fuel consumption. “That MTOW range for the X-P7 is targeted as a sweet spot for what we see our end-users needing in their futuregeneration UAVs,” he adds. “Internal studies on that have found a considerable crossover between the pragmatic scalability of the Transwing range and the multi-role UAS sizes and capabilities requested by our customers. “For the time being though, we’ll continue demonstrating the X-P4 for the US Navy, including autonomous demonstrations of real-world ISTAR trial missions or simultaneous operations with multiple UAVs by using the data gained in Florida to improve our autonomy software and performance with useful naval ops in mind.” Future tactical UASs The US Army’s Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) programme is a competitionbased effort to choose the ideal uncrewed aircraft design to replace its ageing RQ-7 Shadow. Key requirements from the US military for this next-generation UAV include significant modularity for installing different payloads, such as EO/IR gimbals, comms relay systems or SIGINT devices, and the ability to launch and land independently of runways. As of September 2023, the competition field had narrowed, with Textron Systems among those having been selected to advance with their contender UAVs. Textron Systems’ entry for the FTUAS is its Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ), a VTOL-transitioning fixed-wing aircraft with four upward-facing rotors for vertical lift, landing and hover, by which it covers the US Army’s runwayindependence requirement. “It weighs 93 kg, and is a larger variant of our Mk 4.7 HQ,” says Jim Ryan, senior director at Textron Systems for air domain. “The Mk 4.7 was reviewed by the Army, and their feedback was that they liked the mobility and transportability but wanted more capacity for payloads, station time, higher altitudes and so on. “So we took the Mk 4.7 and scaled December/January 2024 | Uncrewed Systems Technology The Hybrid Fleet Campaign event saw PteroDynamics’ X-P4 UAV perform nine successful autonomous launches and recoveries from a moving ship, a first for the company (Courtesy of PteroDynamics)
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