Evergreen Unmanned Systems, a division of Evergreen Helicopters, is to receive its first Insitu Insight unmanned air system in mid-September as part of a six-aircraft order underwriting the launch of a new commercial UAV services business.
The deliveries will include a truck-mounted mobile command and control station and launch and recovery system with all elements now in final fit-out stage.
Evergreen plans to use the system in both demonstration and operational roles. The company is initially focusing its services business model on forest fire management, petrochemical industry support, maritime monitoring and environmental clean-up tasks.
The UAVs will have a high-visibility colour scheme that reuses Evergreen's existing green and white livery for the air vehicle fuselage, but with the wings an intense fluoro orange. The scheme will maximise visibility of the UAV to assist with planning for safe integration into airspace. "It emphasises our priority on safety, but is reflective of the Evergreen legacy colour scheme," the company says.
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©Evergreen Unmanned SystemsEvergreen plans to use its Insight UAV systems to launch commercial services |
Advanced development work is also under way on a rapid deployment configuration for the UAVs that will allow systems to be transported aboard Evergreen's Boeing 747 freighters using either the nose or side loading doors on those aircraft. This will be based on a single trailer small enough to fit on to a standard air cargo pallet, but will support a ground control station, launch and recovery systems, and an unspecified number of UAVs.
Insitu and Evergreen announced plans for a strategic alliance in June this year, with this aiming at development of a global commercial services business that mirrors Insitu's existing relationship with Boeing for the military marketplace.
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Source: Flight International
