Ramon Lopez/PARIS
Critical land-based flight trials of the DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (Dasa) SEAMOS vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned air vehicle (UAV), due this September, have been delayed by at least four months because of a crash that severely damaged the only flight demonstrator.
The flight demonstration, at the Meldorf North Sea test range, is likely to be rescheduled for early next year, Dasa said at the Unmanned Vehicles 99 conference in Paris, France, which took place from 9-11 June.
The SEAMOS demonstrator was on its fourth preliminary tethered flight test at Dasa Dornier's Friedrichshafen facility when it fell off its shipdeck simulator following the failure of at least one of the four large magnets used to anchor the UAV to the metal structure.
The rotor blades, which were turning at the time, were destroyed, and some mechanical systems damaged. Sensors and onboard electronics appear undamaged, although checks continue. Project officials estimate it will take at least four months to repair the SEAMOS demonstrator using available spare parts.
The German Navy Drone project was initiated in 1989. Dasa won a contract from the German Office of Defence Technology and Procurement two years ago for the definition phase of the SEAMOS naval UAV, which is running in parallel with the development of the new K130 corvette. Initial deployment is planned for late 2005.
The coaxial-rotor SEAMOS will provide long-range reconnaissance and target acquisition using radars, electro-optical sensors and datalinks.
SEAMOS is a key element of NATO Project Group 35's international technology demonstrator project. Dasa has fixed problems with the autopilot and navigation systems which forced a delay of the land-based tethered test originally scheduled for April last year. Sea trials are due in 2002.
Source: Flight International
