Air Robotics announced today the release of its Modular Payload Lifting System™ (MPLS) saving customers thousands of dollars and days of down time between missions over other small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS).
Air Robotics’ MPLS design allows clients to use their Airborne Vehicle Systems (AVS) for multiple missions unlike a majority of other systems on the market today that are designed for mono-mission tasks. MPLS enables one AVS platform to be used for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC), ortho-rectified mapping missions and scientific studies by simply swapping payload modules which can be performed in as little as five minutes in the field. One Air Robotics Airborne Vehicle System (AVS) is able to perform the work of several mono-mission sUAS saving customers thousands of dollars in equipment and downtime.
Air Robotics is an aerospace company that designs and manufactures blended wing body Airborne Vehicle Systems™ (AVS) for use in remote sensing and airborne scientific applications. The AVS is designed to carry a wide variety of sensors to include electro-optical (EO), infrared (IR) and chemical sensors. The company’s core product provides real-time, persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) of a focused engagement area with a four plus hour dwell time and clandestine operation above 200 feet AGL. The AVS does not require a runway and carries up to a ten pound payload. It offers the highest lift, greatest endurance and most rugged airframe for any unmanned system in its size class. Air Robotics is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business.
Air Robotics is using SolidWorks and Rapid Manufacturing technology to design and build components for its Airborne Vehicle Systems.
Rapid manufacturing is used to create an item directly from a three dimensional computer aided design model of the piece. This process eliminates the creation of any tooling and tooling costs, reduce production cost overhead and increase production speed. Traditionally, rapid prototyping has been used for making parts that are used in the design or testing phase. Rapid manufacturing means taking that one step further – making the finished item that will be used by the end user.
“Using the latest, most advanced resins we are able to manufacture fully functional parts and assemblies that can be immediately used. It’s the advancements in resins that allow us to use rapid manufacturing to create the finished goods,” says Jeff Imel, Founder of Air Robotics.
Air Robotics Im IV-A AVS. Less than 2 lbs ready to fly and 10 lb payload capacity.
The man-portable Airborne Vehicle Systems (AVS) from Air Robotics provide special operation teams (SOT) real-time, persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) of a focused engagement area with a four plus hour dwell time and clandestine operation above 200 feet AGL. The AVS does not require a runway and carries up to a ten pound payload. The AVS is simple, mission flexible, and completely transparent. The Air Robotics AVS is the solution for special team ISR requirements as it offers the highest lift, greatest endurance and most rugged airframe for any unmanned system in its size class.
High Lift. The AVS is the lift leader for its class. The high-lift airfoil allows special operation teams to carry the greatest amount of payload without the need for a runway and heavy wet-fuel engines. Launch and land in a small clearing close to the mission site using quiet electric power.
Airborne Persistence. The all-wing design eliminates the parasitic drag and excess weight found on conventional MUAVs. One hundred percent of the airframe is dedicated to lift. Carry more payload longer than in any other MUAV platform on the market today.
Crush Test Challenge. We parked a truck on the AVS. No damage and ready for another flight.
Impact Tolerant. Field conditions are never perfect and anyone with experience will tell you that the life expectancy of a conventional MUAV in the field can be short. We have eliminated the two most vulnerable areas, the fuselage and the tail group, and constructed our AVS out of light-weight, energy dissipating materials. The AVS remains operational even after being hit with thirty caliber rounds from 25 meters, run over by a truck or hitting a field obstruction while landing. In situations where other MUAVs break, our AVS is ready for another flight.
Air Robotics announced today a new Airborne Vehicle System™ (AVS) going to beta testing. The new AVS uses design features from both the Im VII and the original Im IV. The result is an airborne platform the that weighs 50% less and creates 25% more lift then the orignal Im IV.
Im IV-A. Blending design features from the Im IV and Im VII.
“Our moldless construction method around a memory foam core creates an Impact Resistant Airframe™ that can take an incredible amont of abuse that would destroy most other aircraft,” says Jeff Imel, inventor of the patent pending flying wing design. Imel continues, “We test crashed an Im VII straight into the ground from an altitude of 250 feet. The AVS bounced and
The original Im IV, December 2003
landed on its back. We took the aircraft back to the shop, checked it over thouroughly and flew it again the next day with no visible damage other than a dirt and grass stain on the nose of the AVS. That’s how much abuse our airframes can endure. ”
The new airframe will be used for payload lift and endurance testing over the next two weeks. More information on Air Robotics can be found by visiting the company’s website at www.airroboticsllc.com
Jeff Imel, founder of Air Robotics, LLC, recently appeared as a keynote speaker at the Top Farmer Crop Workshop. Hosted by PurdueUniversity, the Top Farmer Crop Workshop features the latest agriculture research, technology, and crop management advice beneficial for farmers and other agricultural professionals. Participants from all over the United States andaround the world came to attend and participate in this valuable conference.
Air Robotics, an aerial imaging company capable of delivering a variety of imaging solutions, presented their newest airborne vehicle system (AVS) to interested farmers and agriculture professionals at the workshop. The AVS platform is unique in that it can capture higher resolution images than current industry technology. Additionally, the lightweight, remotely piloted AVS platform is built to be highly maneuverable and can fly and acquire quality images in a variety of weather conditions that current industry technology cannot. Lastly, Air Robotics provides near real-time image processing including geo-referencing and near infrared imaging to allow for quick and beneficial image analysis and delivery.
These features combine to offer farmers high quality imaging solutions on a schedule consistent with their site-specific management needs that result in data that can lower input costs and increase yields.
To learn more about Air Robotics, LLC, and its unique AVS platform, log on to www.airroboticsllc.com.
The photo comparison shows a field taken with a RGB (visual range) camera and a Near Infrared (NIR) camera at 720 nm. This field has drainage problems caused by the tractor making tight turns and the tires making deep impressions into the ground. The weeds in this field are reflecting more light than the corn and are showing up as bright areas in the NIR photo. Notice the triangle of weeds in the lower middle portion of the lower (NIR) picture.
RGB and NIR Photo Comparison. NIR photo shows weeds with higher reflectance than the surrounding corn.
Air Robotics today announced the completion of construction of Im VII Air Vehicle Four (AV-4). AV-4 represents the first aircraft in series production and will be used to fly imaging missions for clients. Air Vehicles One through Three have been used for testing construction methods, flight training and research and development flights. The company has filed both design and utility patent applications on the Im VII. More information on Air Robotics can be found by visiting the company’s website at www.airroboticsllc.com
Air Robotics, LLC announces the release of a new class of Unmanned Aircraft System built for use in a wide range of scientific applications, the Im VII AVSTM. The aircraft is currently integrated to hyper-spectral cameras for use in precision agriculture image capture and analysis. The images are used by growers to determine the health of their crops, insect infestation, storm damage assessment and nitrogen run-off analysis.
Jeff Imel, company founder and chief design engineer states, “Potential users require an aircraft that is capable to carrying a wide range of sensors and cameras. We designed our aircraft to meet this demand. The Im VII AVSTM is a universal airborne vehicle able to carry a wide range of sensors and cameras making it the platform of choice for organizations who wish to simplify their airborne fleet with one platform. Unlike most UAV’s that are built around a single sensor payload, the usercan customizethe Im VII with a wide range of sensors and cameras for on-demand missions, saving money over competitor systems. The design is so unique, it is appropriate to differentiate our aircraft from the standard, run-of-the-mill drone. Thus the nomenclature “Airborne Vehicle System.”
The company recently announced the successful completion of the Im VII AVS™ test flight program. The program consisted of 50 hours of flight time where the company worked through a series of test flight cards to explore the flight handling specifications and characteristics of the Im VII AVS. The Im VII AVS represents over six years of research and development into flying wing aircraft that do not require an onboard flight computer to remain stable in the air. The company is the only designer and manufacturer of all-wing aircraft developed specifically for scientific imaging applications. The company is working with universities and agriculture businesses across the states of Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia.
