By Pino Modola in Genoa
Nautilus Twin Flyer designed to perform long-endurance missions at medium altitude
A 16m (52.4ft)-long subscale twin-body multirole airship technology demonstrator is being built for September flight tests by its Italian designer, commercial airships company Nautilus.
The radio-controlled Nautilus Elettra Twin Flyer is an unmanned, electrically powered, helium-filled airship with twin main bodies connected side by side by a central structure. Its lithium batteries, fuel cells, two fixed vertical ducted fans, four 360° steerable horizontal fans, avionics and communication suite are housed in the central structure.
Nautilus says the Twin Flyer is able to perform long-endurance missions at low-medium altitudes, with a hovering capability in head winds of up to 46kt (85km/h) and side winds of 19kt, says Nautilus. Possible payloads include search radar, electro-optical and hyperspectral imaging sensors, nuclear radiation sensors, satellite communications, VHF/UHF radios and search lights.
|
|---|
| Test flights of the Twin Flyer could begin in September |
Following the technology demonstrator, a full-scale 26m (85ft)-long, 16m-wide and 9m-high prototype will be built by late 2007 for flight tests early in 2008. Visited by US Navy personnel to discuss mission profiles last year, Nautilus developed the Elettra Twin Flyer with the help from Turin's Politecnico University.
Source: Flight International