The International Aviation & Space Salon (MAKS) as a communication platform biennially welcomes experts in airspace industry and associated areas, foreign guests, military and civil professionals. At the business events, participants discuss problems and future of the industry; visitors study the showpieces at the static exhibit and watch them in action at demonstrative displays. Here are three of ten novelties of MAKS-2019 that the editors of Mil.Press have selected as worth paying guests’ attention.
Ground-Launched Overhead Platform Berta with New Turbojet Engine
Berta ground-launched overhead platform
The ground-launched overhead platform E08M Berta designed and produced by ENICS will be powered by a turbojet engine. The drone equipped with a new powerplant will debut at the International Aviation & Space Salon (MAKS-2019). The two already known versions had an internal-combustion engine (ICE) and a pulsejet engine (PJE).
As a result, Berta can act both as a target drone and a recon UAV. The industry experts explained Mil.Press Today how application affected the engine type selection.
“The applied engine type depends on specific missions assigned to the air platform”, said Mikhail Koryukov, director of Itlan engineering center specialized in designing and production of UAV powerplants. “A prop-driven combustion engine is more fuel-efficient than a pulsejet one, it holds the drone airborne longer and ensures running landing. So, this version of UAV is better for recon missions”.
Pulsejet engines are cheaper and easier to manufacture, though consume more fuel, have shorter flight duration and are louder, shared the expert. This kind of drone lands by parachute. In terms of its features, Berta powered with pulsejet engine is better suitable for target drone missions.
Nikita Gusev, CEO at Reynolds that designs turbojets, agreed with Koryukov. He assumed that a turbojet for Berta drone was preferable to simulate fast-speed high-altitude air targets.
Except for the unmanned aerial vehicle Berta, the system includes a ground control station, a launcher, a maintenance kit, and a search/evac vehicle.