GPS-Independent Lightweight Unmanned Helicopter
Steadicopter will present its next-generation BLACK EAGLE 50 advanced lightweight unmanned helicopter at DSEI, the company announced on 2 September. New capabilities include an inertial navigation system (INS) with no dependence on GPS, as well as support for naval missions.
The helicopter has been upgraded with several additional new features and is tailored for naval missions with its robust mechanical and electronic capabilities that support flight in maritime conditions. The company also recently signed a cooperative agreement with Israel Shipyards for marketing the BLACK EAGLE as part of the defence, intelligence and surveillance systems installed on its family of offshore patrol vessels (OPV).
The rotorcraft features a special INS capability, based on input from the system’s inertial and other sensors. Through a unique smart navigation algorithm, this input enables management of the mission without relying on GPS – providing the BLACK EAGLE 50 with a significant advantage in GPS-denied situations.
“In recent months, we have invested considerable resources in improving and equipping our unmanned helicopter in order to adapt it to a wide range of missions both on land and at sea. We have also developed cooperation with a number of Israeli companies ‒ each a leader in its field ‒ so that we can equip our helicopter with the highest quality and most advanced payloads,” commented Steadicopter’s Sales and Marketing Director, Noam Lidor.
BLACK EAGLE 50 weighs in at 27kg and has a useful payload capacity of 5kg. It has a steady hovering endurance of 3 hours, flight endurance of up to 4 hours and boasts a cruising speed of around 80km/h (max speed 126km/h). With a service ceiling of 10,000ft, a communications range of up to 150km and measuring just 2.54m in length, the robotic helicopter represents a compact and capable resource for a wide variety of mission sets.
