PETER LA FRANCHI / TAIPEI
Thunder Tiger unveiled a short-range surveillance unmanned air vehicle at the Taipei Aerospace Technology Exhibition. Three prototypes have been used for flight testing in the USA in the past two years.
Although the Thunder Eye UAV is being offered to civil and military users in the Taiwanese-based company's home market, the organisation regards the US market as likely to be more profitable in the short to medium term.
The air vehicle has a 3.3m (10.8ft) wingspan, is 2.3m long and powered by an over-wing mounted two-stroke engine driving a pusher propeller. Although maximum speed is around 70kt (130km/h), it would cruise at 30kt.
Maximum take-off weight is 27kg (60lb), while endurance is around 2.5h at 2,500ft.
The basic system would carry an infrared/electro-optic payload and uses a GPS satellite-based navigation system. Alternate payloads could include communications relays, electronic warfare systems and radar beacons.
The aircraft data terminal is a line-of-sight system with a 50km (27nm)range. The Thunder Eye vehicle would be operated by a three-man crew.
Thunder Tiger says that the UAV system is designed for rapid deployment, taking only 10min to assemble and launch.
Source: Flight International
