AR5 Evolution centre stage at European Maritime Safety Agency’s Workshop
TEKEVER is attending The European Maritime Safety Agency’s Workshop about Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for maritime surveillance (today) in Lisbon. Their AR5 Evolution is, literally, right in the middle of the room!
One of the topics in agenda is the Rapsody project for European maritime surveillance. Tekever’s AR5 Life Ray Evolution unmanned air vehicle has been selected to participate in the testing of Europe’s first UAV maritime surveillance system, following a contract award from the European Space Agency and European Maritime Safety Agency.
Rapsody, a project led by TEKEVER, will test the use of unmanned aerial systems in a maritime context through real-world demonstration of two scenarios: search and rescue missions; and pollution and oil spill monitoring. The systems will operate over the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. This is the first time unmanned aerial systems will be introduced into maritime surveillance missions in Europe.
This is a significant two year long project. The first year will be dedicated to the integration of the various sensors that will board the aircraft, developing on-board sensor algorithms to improve operational performance, as well as optimizing data transmission according to the type of missions that the system will carry out. In the second year of the project, there will be tests and demonstrations that will put the system in real scenarios and prepare it for a fully commercial use.
“The AR5 Life Ray Evolution is one of our larger platforms. With a wingspan of 4.3 meters and a payload of 50 kg,
The AR5 is capable of performing 8 to 12 hours missions and has the most suitable design for the RAPSODY project. With the use of satellite communications, our system is geared to perform multiple types of long-range missions, including search and rescue, surveillance and maritime patrol and pollution detection, among others”, explains Ricardo Mendes, COO of TEKEVER. “The AR5 is a clear advance in our systems, providing an excellent way to complement maritime surveillance operations, with a lower cost and greater flexibility than manned systems, as well as responding to the huge challenges posed by the European maritime space”.
The RAPSODY project is the result of a consortium lead by TEKEVER, which is responsible for providing and adapting the AR5 Life Ray system. There are many advantages in using unmanned systems for maritime surveillance. For example, a reduction of risks associated with the missions, performance which goes beyond that of human endurance, as well as less complexity and a lower cost when compared to manned systems.
