Italy's CIRA aerospace research centre is to invest up to L150 billion ($66 million) in the development of a range of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) and associated technologies over the next seven years.
The programme - funded by Italy's research ministry through procurement body Segredifesa - is part of the Italian national aerospace research (PRORA) plan.
The UAV plan calls for initial development of a demonstrator, dubbed Cirrus (CIRA Research UAV System), capable of flying at 16,500-19,700ft (5,000-6,000m), with a range of 200km (110nm) and 10h endurance. It will be suited for military and civilian applications, and payloads would include electro-optical/infrared sensors and synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The Cirrus could start flying by the end of 2004 and form the basis for a tactical UAV.
A more advanced CR/X3 UAV, due to fly in 2008, will be able to operate at 82,000-98,000ft with a four-day endurance and 250kg (550lb) payload. CR/X3 may be modified for various applications, such as remote sensing, telecommunications relay, surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence.
The plan also calls for investigation and test by 2010 of amore advanced UAV that could fly for weeks or months at high altitudes.
CIRA is to co-operate with Italian aerospace and electronics companies in these programmes. A second project will develop a compact SAR that could be installed on aircraft and tactical UAVs, offering 1m resolution and a similar height measurement accuracy. The aim is to keep the radar's costs to a minimum, making it attractive for civil and military roles, such as aerophotogrammetry. CIRA has received an initial L5 billion research and development contract and will co-operate with CORISTA, a research consortium.
Source: Flight International
