Russia-based Radar MMS released further details of its BPV-500 vertical-takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft system (UAS) at the MAKS 2017 airshow in Zhukovsky near Moscow.
Radar MMS representative Sergey Prokofiev told Jane’s that the BPV-500 is designed to operate from land and naval vessels, and is intended to fill a range of mission sets.
“The BPV-500 has been designed in accordance with global VTOL UAS development tendencies. Military bodies and law enforcement agencies can use the vehicle to conduct search-and-rescue [SAR], patrol, and counter-insurgency [COIN] missions,” he said.
A complete UAS consists of a single BPV-500 air vehicle, ground control elements that feature two work stations, communications equipment, and a set of payloads for the aircraft. The control stations can be fitted on board naval vessels or integrated on ground vehicles.
Prokofiev explained that the air vehicle is based on a Rotor-Flight helicopter and utilises only Russian-built components.
The aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 500 kg and a payload capacity of 150 kg. According to Radar MMS it has an endurance 5.5 hours, a ceiling of 11,482 ft, a maximum speed of 155 km/h, and a range of 320 km. The aircraft can operate with varying levels of autonomy, including pre-programmed missions.
The BPV-500 air vehicle’s fuselage measures 4.7 m long and 1.6 m wide, and has a height of 2.6 m. It features a coaxial main rotor that has a diameter of 6 m; in a naval configuration these blades can be folded.
Photo: Nikolai Novichkov
Source: Jane’s 360