Aeronava este numita Air Strato, este un vehicul aerian fara pilot – drona – si face parte dintr-o familie mai mare de astfel de UAV-uri care vor fi folosite de ARCA si partenerii sai pentru diferite misiuni.
Aparatul are o anvergura de 16 metri si este proiectat pentru misiuni la altitudini foarte mari de pana la 18000m, fiind propulsat electric si avand o autonomie de 7 ore -folosind sursele interne de energie (baterii), sau 3 zile daca sunt folosite panourile solare montate pe aparat.
Air Strato are o sarcina utila de 30kg si in acest moment se afla in teste, executand deja zborul inaugural. O alta versiune a acestui aparat are in vedere dimensiuni mai mici si o autonomie redusa, dar va dispune de o viteza mai mare si o sarcina utila superioara.
Directorul ARCA, domnul Dumitru Popescu a declarat: „Our activity requires that we perform stratospheric missions for our partners and clients, and solar and helium balloons we used until now, although capable of lifting heavier payloads to higher altitudes, are more expensive and time consuming in construction, are dependent on calm weather conditions and require aerial safety zones to be established. Air Strato can fill their roles much cheaper and reliable for an extended period of time and perform additional tasks for clients such as surveillance over a fixed area, telemetry testing and scientific experiments for extended period of time or other missions. It will make our entire aerospace activity much easier and less expensive.”
„The second prototype is already under construction and it will have a retractable landing gear and improved avionics.”
Daca testele vor decurge normal ARCA are in vedere dezvoltarea unei versiuni comerciale a Air Strato si ale celorlalte UAV-uri din familie.
Sursa: ARCA
Sorin R