Quad 8s to be Used in Emergency Overwatch Role

Zenith AeroTech has delivered two Quad 8 tethered multi-rotor UAVs to a US federal agency which will use them to carry out overwatch during a emergency response operations.

The Virginia-headquartered developer stated that the platforms were selected as they met a customer requirement for long-endurance flight capability while carrying EO/IR sensors, communications relay equipment and high-intensity light panels simultaneously. “The client wanted an overwatch capability to help secure their area of operations during emergency response efforts,” Chairman Kutlay Kaya said. “And unlike regular, untethered drones, our TAVs can stay in the air for days at time while carrying a variety of payloads.”

The aircraft have a payload capacity of 20lbs and operate at 200-400ft, with power drawn from a supply on the ground and delivered via the tethering cables. The lighting units carried for this customer’s aircraft are weather-resistant LED panels rated at 17,000 lumen each.  “These high-powered lights are ground-controlled for intensity and on/off functions,” Doganc Kucuk, Zenith’s lead designer, said. “When they are activated, it becomes like daytime on the ground.”