The UAE is training with its first aerostat, which it intends to deploy for border surveillance.
The aerostat, made by US company TCOM, will carry a camera and air-to-surface radar and is likely to be the first of several purchased by the UAE. It will have the capacity to carry a 90kg (200lb) payload to 300m (980ft) and stay on station for four to five days.
The aerostat is just one element of a major effort the Gulf nation is making to improve its surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
As part of this effort, in 1998 it set up, with Space Imaging Middle East, a Space Reconnaissance ground station to receive satellite imagery for purposes ranging from providing intelligence for UAE armed forces on overseas peacekeeping and humanitarian missions to town planning.
In 2003, it then inaugurated the armed forces’ UAV Research and Technology Centre at Al Butein air base, Abu Dhabi.
Ground station manager Maj Ali Al Shehhi said at the show yesterday the intention of the UAV effort was not only to supply the military with high-quality imagery but to create a pool of suitably-skilled engineers and scientists for the nation.
As well as the aerostat, the UAE has programmes running based on the Austrian-built Schiebel Camcopter S-100 and Swedish CybAero APID 55 rotary-winged UAVs.
The first is in the final stage of integration testing and is equipped with real-time imaging, video recording and target-tracking facilities. The UAE is undertaking R&D for arming the vehicle.
The second, shorter-range, machine is in the process of sensor integration. Both will become operational soon.
Both types are controlled from a mobile ground station from South Korea’s Uconsystem.
The aerostat, made by US company TCOM, will carry a camera and air-to-surface radar and is likely to be the first of several purchased by the UAE. It will have the capacity to carry a 90kg (200lb) payload to 300m (980ft) and stay on station for four to five days.
The aerostat is just one element of a major effort the Gulf nation is making to improve its surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
As part of this effort, in 1998 it set up, with Space Imaging Middle East, a Space Reconnaissance ground station to receive satellite imagery for purposes ranging from providing intelligence for UAE armed forces on overseas peacekeeping and humanitarian missions to town planning.
In 2003, it then inaugurated the armed forces’ UAV Research and Technology Centre at Al Butein air base, Abu Dhabi.
Ground station manager Maj Ali Al Shehhi said at the show yesterday the intention of the UAV effort was not only to supply the military with high-quality imagery but to create a pool of suitably-skilled engineers and scientists for the nation.
As well as the aerostat, the UAE has programmes running based on the Austrian-built Schiebel Camcopter S-100 and Swedish CybAero APID 55 rotary-winged UAVs.
The first is in the final stage of integration testing and is equipped with real-time imaging, video recording and target-tracking facilities. The UAE is undertaking R&D for arming the vehicle.
The second, shorter-range, machine is in the process of sensor integration. Both will become operational soon.
Both types are controlled from a mobile ground station from South Korea’s Uconsystem.
Source: Flight Daily News
