An upgraded retractable platform for sensor packages mounted on rotary- and fixed wing aircraft has been announced by Colorado-based aerospace engineering company Genesis 3 Engineering.
The 15.9kg (35lb) retractable platform system can move payloads up to 136kg in mass and be fitted to aircraft capable of speeds up to 400kt (740km/h).
The platform, the patent for which is still pending, can be fitted to the aircraft’s nose or fuselage and the company claims it can aid stealth. The upgrade has seen 10 changes, including a weight reduction from 21.3kg, a scalable drive system that varies speed of retraction, and a maximum payload mass increase. Its retracting drive is powered by the aircraft’s own onboard power supplies.
“Not only is the retractable platform system ideal for surveillance cameras, in the future there will be broader applications such as mounting lights and personal address systems for crowd control,” says Genesis 3 Engineering president Jerry Lowe. He sees the increasing police use of aircraft for surveillance as a major market.
Lowe says retracted cameras are protected against foreign object damage, and bird and lightning strikes. He expects installation of the platform to take no longer than two weeks.
ROB COPPINGER/LONDON
Source: Flight International
