Oklahoma’s drones – the next generation

Ed Pilkington in Stillwater, Oklahoma

The Federal Aviation Authority will soon announce the six states that it has chosen as the hosts of the official drone test sites that within a couple of years will provide a “road map” to drone participation in civilian life. In Oklahoma, a wide range of crafts are in development.

Fully autonomous unmanned helicopter that can carry up to its own weight – 15lbs – in thermal imaging sensors and camera equipment. Performs in snow, rain and winds of up to 40 knots. Electric motor reduces noise for surveillance and keeps it airborne for up to 40 minutes.

Full military-grade autopilot allows the Raptr to be pre-programmed to fly to hundreds of points on a map within a range of 10 miles under its own control

The Raptr (Remote Aerial Platform / Tactical Reconnaissance)

Fully autonomous unmanned helicopter that can carry up to its own weight – 15lbs – in thermal imaging sensors and camera equipment. Performs in snow, rain and winds of up to 40 knots. Electric motor reduces noise for surveillance and keeps it airborne for up to 40 minutes.

Full military-grade autopilot allows the Raptr to be pre-programmed to fly to hundreds of points on a map within a range of 10 miles under its own control.

• Uses: police and military surveillance, fire fighting, precision agriculture, pipeline maintenance etc. Equivalent model already being used by police in Arlington, Texas
• Produced by: Tactical Electronics.
• Cost: $50,000 to $200,000, depending on package of sensors and other specialised equipment.

PMAW-MK4

The PMAW (pronounced “P More”) isn’t your typical drone – developed in 2011 by a public-private partnership on behalf of the US military, it’s shaped not like its manned predecessors, but like an owl. The Army wanted the drone to mimic the shape of a bird of prey for added stealth; the developers chose an owl as the bird is found in every continent, and only the paint scheme would need to be changed to make it suitable for differening terrains. The plumed wings and fanned tail also add aerodynamic benefits.

• Produced by: Design Intelligence Incorporated, in conjunction with students from Oklahoma State University.
• Cost: not available commercially.

Hexelectric 550 ‘Hexcopter’

As its name implies, the Hexcopter has six rotor blades that provide stability as it flies. Though light at 5lbs and small at about 20 inches in diameter, it is built to be rugged, with an aluminium frame that can resist high temperatures. It carries a high-definition camera that sees 360 degress around itself and allows fire chiefs to see above and in front of wild fires – intelligence that can help them contain the fire, and save lives.

• Uses: designed for use by firefighters and other public services to provide advance information on wild fires and other emergency situations.
• Produced by: Frontier Electronic Systems.
• Cost: $12,000 including case, control systems and support.

Flanker

Ultra-light foam aircraft that weighs only 4 lbs but has an 84-inch wingspan and can fly for more than two hours. It is called the “Flanker” as it is designed to fly along the flanks of a fire or law enforcement situation, sending back thermal imaging and high-definition video to help locate individuals and buildings.

• Uses: fire-fighting and police surveillance. Already being used in Possum Kingdom, Texas for search and rescue. US military also planning to use it for surveillance.
• Produced by: Fireflight UAS.
• Cost: $11,000- $15,000 including ground station with monitor to receive real-time images and data

Eturnas

Solar cells built into its extra long wingspan – up to 10ft – allow the Eturnas to operate all day long in good sunlight conditions. Weighing only 9lbs, it can be folded up for easy transport into a 20-inch by 30-inch box.

• Uses: ability to fly long distances and for many hours at a time makes it suitable for wildfire, livestock or biological surveys across open spaces, for example delivering medicines or keeping an eye on sheep flocks in the Australian outback. Also suitable for checking for faults along energy pipelines.
• Produced by: currently in development by Design Intelligence Incorporated.
• Cost: not yet announced.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/26/oklahoma-drone-next-generation-faa