Horus 200 Watchdog
Flight Technologies was amongst the local companies on hand at the Latin America Aero & Defence 2011 Exhibition in Rio to display their domestic-built UAS.
The company had two UAS on display:
- Horus-100 – based on the FS-02 AvantVision tactical UAV. The Horus-100 is short-range and can be hand-launched in under four minutes. It can be operated and transported by two people. It has a backpack ground control station and data can be sent to individual arm-worn reception units. It provides streaming video and geo-referenced still photographs.
- Horus-200, – based on the FS-01 Watchdog short-range UAV. First shown at LAAD in 2007, it has been in development since 2008 under a contract with the Brazilian army for a prototype system with three aircraft. The aircraft were delivered in 2010 and the company is now awaiting a production contract from the army valued at $770,000 in 2008. The 70kg Horus-200 weighs 70kg, has an endurance of three hours, an operational altitude of 1500m,a range of 50km and requires three operators.
Sarvant
Spotted already at IDEX, on display was the Sarvant surveillance UAV developed by a consortium of OrbiSat (SAR) Aeroalcool (airframe) and AGX (flight controls). With a wing span of 6 m, an endurance of 6 hours, a cruise speed of 200 km/h, and a maximum take-off weight of 140kg, this UAV will carry a payload of 50 kg. With a push pull twin motors configuration it will offer a high reliability and low cost flight regime. The standard load for this UAV will be the SARVANT synthetic aperture radar integrated to two optical cameras, one in the infrared and the other in the visible spectrum. The SAR payload is a government requirement for a project to map the topography of the Amazon region. Development began a year ago and first flight tests are planned for later in 2011.
Santos Lab Photo: Tamir Eshel, Defense-Update
Santos Lab has a range of UAS for a wide range of missions – short range, short duration missions with miniature payloads – to medium size platforms with more advanced payloads. During the trade fair, Santos Lab and Embraer Defense and Security announced that they plan to cooperate in the development of UAS.
Avibras Falcao Photo: Tamir Eshel, Defense-Update
Avibras is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. It has a variety of interests, ranging from space research to telecommunications, transportation, defence in both civilian and military areas, as well as electronics and satellite communications. The company offers systems for air defence, airborne weapons systems, surface-to-surface rocket systems, and a growing number of advanced missiles for various purposes. At the show, it had the Falcao at the outdoor display. This is a medium size tactical UAV with a single EO payload for medium range operations. Avibras has apparently been cooperating with EADS to develop a tactical UAS.