86 Despite there being many VTOL-capable UAVs that can take off and land without needing a runway or special equipment, a vast number operating today require and benefit hugely from precision-engineered launch and recovery solutions. Using external launch-and-recovery equipment enables UAV airframe designers to avoid the need to add lift motors or tiltrotors to wings, reducing maintenance requirements and optimising aerodynamic efficiency. While many end-users will opt for the flexibility of an uncrewed system that requires no external infrastructure, many missions and applications will be made more productive when conducted by a combination of vehicles and static launch-and-recovery systems. Meanwhile, internal recovery systems such as parachutes and airbags are gaining popularity across a wide range of UAVs, as are several innovations for non-static launch and recovery. Launch catapults Pneumatic catapults are an iconic staple of the UAV world, and associated in people’s minds with long-running success stories in highly professional autonomous systems, such as the Insitu ScanEagle. However, they are also among the heaviest launch or recovery items for UAVs, and require quite a bit of training to use, not to mention that teams of three or more people are often needed for them to be assembled in a timely fashion. The need for more mobile, flexible uncrewed operations has driven a rising supply of more SWaP-optimised, non-pneumatic and often customised catapults to enable more efficient launching and flying of smaller UAVs (especially those weighing less than 30 kg) with minimal logistics and maintenance overheads. Optimising the catapult to the UAV requires getting numerous specifications right, such as the angle of the launcher rail Rory Jackson looks at the array of launch-and-recovery devices and backup equipment on offer Up, up and away External launch-and-recovery equipment continues to be innovated, for fixed-wing UAVs to fly without adding VTOL subsystems that would compromise their endurance (Image courtesy of Insitu) December/January 2025 | Uncrewed Systems Technology
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