Austrian general aviation manufacturer Diamond Aircraft has adapted its DA42 Guardian, the surveillance and reconnaissance variant of its four-seater twin, as a radio monitoring platform.
Munich-based communication specialist Rohde & Schwarz has built a version of its existing COMINT radio-monitoring and -locating equipment, which can be installed in the aircraft's luggage compartment and operated via a laptop and several screens from the rear seats.
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DA42 Guardian Copyright: BillyPix |
The equipment is already certificated and has been employed on board the turbo diesel engine-powered DA42 in demonstration flights in Austria and Germany. Diamond says the broadband system can reliably detect radio signals and monitor several radio channels per frequency band.
An electro-optical/infrared camera can be optionally installed to add visual data to the radio information.
The radio monitoring configuration is targeted at border guard, maritime rescue or military operators. Diamond says the aircraft can also be remotely operated as an unmanned air or optionally piloted vehicle.
Source: Flight Daily News