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 Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) family of products delivers reliable, multi-mission performance in a class by itself. It is field-proven with more than 750,000 flight hours, including desert heat and Arctic cold.
We also offer turnkey, contracted uncrewed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) services with our systems, operators and trainers. Our hybrid approach provides hands-on training for customer staff while we launch operations.
System Capabilities:
- Covert operation, with low visual and auditory signature
- Proven performance with heavy-fuel engine including JP-5, JP-8, F44, Jet-A, Jet-A1
- Multi-INT capabilities with up to six payloads in a single flight
- Over 40 payloads available including:
- Full-Motion Video (FMV) and day/night imaging
- Maritime Wide Area Search (MWAS)
- Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
- Automatic Identification Systems (AIS)
- Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B)
- Electronic Warfare (EW)
- Signals Intelligence (SIGINT)
- Communications Intelligence (COMINT)
- Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)
- 3D mapping (Multi-Spectral)
- Voice communications relay
- Ad-hoc networking (MANET)
- Anti-Jam/APNT
Contract Vehicles:
The General Services Administration (GSA) manages ASTRO, which is a family of multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts that support or involve manned, unmanned, or optionally manned platforms and robotics. Learn more about ASTRO and our involvement here.
configurations
Aerosonde® Mk. 4.7 Fixed Wing
Textron Systems' Aerosonde UAS offers superior reliability and multi-mission performance in its class. With an easy-to-use Launch and Recovery System (LRS) for constrained land and shipboard operations, our Aerosonde system is ready to go in any environment.
| Aerosonde® Mk. 4.7 Fixed Wing | |
|---|---|
| Service Ceiling |
15,000 ft (4,572 m) |
| Max Endurance |
19 hours (EO/IR) |
| LOS Range |
75 nm (140 km) |
| Max Takeoff Weight |
93 lbs (42.2 kg) |
| Payload Capacity |
Up to 32 lb (14.5 kg) |
| Datalink Bands |
L, S, C, UHF, LEO |
| Wingspan |
14.45 ft (4.4 m) |
| Automated Launch and Recovery |
Single system with hydraulic pneumatic launcher and net recovery |
| Airspeed |
42-65 kt |
Commercial variant available in most countries.
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Aerosonde® Mk. 4.7 VTOL
Combined with our Aerosonde system's proven performance and benchmark-setting reliability, the Aerosonde Mk. 4.7 VTOL UAS brings unparalleled levels of mission capability and flexibility. Textron Systems' Aerosonde VTOL is runway-independent using Hybrid Quadrotor technology to achieve vertical takeoff and landing.
| Aerosonde® Mk. 4.7 VTOL | |
|---|---|
| Service Ceiling |
10,000 ft (3,048 m) |
| Max Endurance |
13 hours (EO/IR) |
| LOS Range |
75 nm (140 km) |
| Max Takeoff Weight |
122 lb (54.4 kg) |
| Payload Capacity |
Up to 32 lb (14.5 kg) |
| Datalink Bands |
L, S, C, UHF, LEO |
| Wingspan |
14.45 ft (4.4 m) |
| Automated Launch and Recovery |
Vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capability |
| Airspeed |
47-70 kt |
| Transition Altitude |
up to 150 ft (46 m) |
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Blackstone & Training Support
Our Aerosonde Center of Excellence located in Blackstone, VA is a 38,000 sq ft. facility that covers the full product life cycle of the Aerosonde UAS from production and assembly, to testing and training. Staffed with dedicated instructors, we provide both classroom and flight-line training on-site. Our courses cover Aerosonde familiarization, crewmember qualification and maintenance certification. Home to a global logistics hub, this facility also handles shipping, receiving and quality inspection.
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