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Aerosonde®

Small Unmanned Aircraft System

Aerosonde

Overview

Designed for expeditionary land- and sea-based operations and equipped for simultaneous day/night full-motion video, communications relay, signals intelligence and a customer-selected payload in a single flight, Textron Systems' Aerosonde Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS) delivers reliable, multi-mission performance in a class by itself. It is field-proven with more than 600,000 flight hours, including desert heat and Arctic cold.

We also offer turnkey, fee-for-service operations with our systems, operators and trainers. Our hybrid approach provides hands-on training for customer staff while we launch operations.

System Features:

  • Expeditionary land- or sea- based operations
  • Powered by Lycoming® EL-005 heavy-fuel engine for benchmark-setting reliability
  • Covert operation, with negligible visual and auditory signature
  • Multi-intelligence (multi-INT) payloads, i.e., electronic warfare (EW) and communications relay, in a single flight

Payload Capabilities Available: 

  • Full-motion video (FMV) and day/night imaging
  • Voice communications relay
  • Ad-hoc networking (MANET)
  • Synthetic aperture radar (SAR)
  • EW
  • Signals intelligence (SIGINT)
  • Communications intelligence (COMINT)
  • 3D mapping
  • Automatic identification systems (AIS)

configurations

Choose a Section
    Aerosonde® Fixed Wing
    Aerosonde® Mk. 4.7 HQ
    Aerosonde® Mk. 4.8 HQ FTUAS
Aerosonde® Fixed Wing
Aerosonde® Mk. 4.7 HQ
Aerosonde® Mk. 4.8 HQ FTUAS

Aerosonde® Fixed Wing

Textron Systems' Aerosonde SUAS offers superior reliability and multi-mission performance in its class.  With an easy-to-use launch and recovery trailer for constrained land and shipboard operations, our Aerosonde system is ready to go in any environment.

Commercial variant available in most countries.

Aerosonde® Mk. 4.7 HQ

Combined with our Aerosonde system's proven performance and benchmark-setting reliability, the Aerosonde HQ brings unparalleled levels of mission capability and flexibility.  Textron Systems' Aerosonde HQ is runway-independent  using Hybrid Quadrotor technology to achieve vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL). 

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Aerosonde® Mk. 4.8 HQ FTUAS

Purpose-built to meet the U.S. Army’s Future Vertical Lift requirements, the Aerosonde® Mk. 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) is runway independent, bringing enhanced flexibility through Hybrid Quadrotor technology to achieve vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL). Learn more

Specifications

  Aerosonde® Fixed Wing Aerosonde® Mk. 4.7 HQ 
Payload Up to 20 lbs (9.1 kg) up to 200 W 15 lbs
Max Wingspan 12.0 ft (3.7 m) 12.0 ft (3.7 m)
Ceiling 15,000 ft (4,572 m) 10,000 ft
Range 140 km (75 nm) 140 km (75 nm)
Max Takeoff Elevation 8,000 ft (2,438 m) 7,000 ft
UHF-, L-, S- and C-Band Capability Yes Yes
Weight 80 lbs (36.4 kg) 105 lb
Endurance 14+ hr 8 hrs (with 10 lb payload)
Automated Launch and Recovery Single system with hydraulic pneumatic launcher and net recovery Vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) capability
Airspeed 45-65 kt 45-65 kt
Transition Altitude N/A 50-150 ft above ground level

 

Lycoming EL-005 Engine

lycoming engine

 

  • Lycoming’s EL-005 is optimized for jet fuels and uses digital electronic controls to create a seamless flying experience.
  • Single-cylinder, air-cooled, direct-drive, spark-ignited two-stroke engine controlled by the Electronic Control Unit.
  • Produces 4 HP @ 5,500 RPM and has a dry weight of 13.8 lbs (6.25 kg).
  • Over 170,000 fielded flight hours of maturity on the Aerosonde SUAS.

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