Textron Systems plans to offer its unique Aerosonde HQ unmanned, multi-rotor, tilt-rotor aircraft that combines vertical takeoff and landing capabilities with the speed and efficiency of a small fixed-wing unmanned aircraft systemа for US Coast Guard.
That was reported by SEAPOWER magazine.
The vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) version of its Aerosonde small unmanned aircraft system will demonstrate it at sea this summer to contend for the US Coast Guard (USCG) requirement for a small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS) to operate off National Security Cutters (NSC).
The Aerosonde HQ has a wingspan of 11.9 ft. and makes the transition from vertical to horizontal flight between 50 and 150 ft. above ground level. It has an eight hour flight endurance with a 10 pound payload and flies between 45 and 65 knots at a service ceiling of 10,000 feet.
The Aerosonde has a 16-hour endurance. The objective for the HQ version is 12 hours, so that two HQ versions could sustain 24/7 coverage from a single platform.
The HQ version is intended to be highly mobile and its footprint is so small it could be launched from a vehicle such as a Humvee or a pickup truck.