Seven-year-old local company Carbon-Based Technology (CBT) showcased two unmanned air system designs under its Uaver brand at the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE) this year.
The smaller Swallow design, which weighs 2kg and takes off with a bungee cord and launch rack, has a 40min endurance. It can be recovered with a parachute, and is mainly used in aerial mapping training, agriculture survey and forest monitoring. The system went into production this March.
It is similar to the larger, heavier and more expensive Avian design, which recently underwent a modification to the front of the aircraft, to allow for a larger capture of the mapping area.
Uaver's marketing chief Craig Wang says the company has sold around 40 sets of Avian and Swallow unmanned air systems (UAS) this year, largely to China, and expects to sell another 20 sets by the end of the year.
The Accipiter, which the company displayed at TADTE in 2011, has yet to receive a single order. Wang says the system - which has a 20kg maximum take-off weight and 6h endurance - has good potential, but will take time to realise. The Accipiter is targeted at tasks such as surveillance, pollution monitoring and fire fighting and rescue service missions support.
Source: Flight International
