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Reiner Stemme Q01

2017 MODERN AIRCRAFT DRONE TECHNOLOGY

Reiner Stemme Q01 Story

The Arabian Peninsula state Qatar occupies a strategic position in the Persian Gulf and remains an ally of the United States in the so-called "war on terror". In the face of internal struggles and external threats, the country's economy is more than 75% dependent on maritime transport, and the country has recently taken the initiative to modernize its military capabilities in response to increasing threats.

Part of this movement is a Qatari-German joint venture to manufacture the lightweight, long-life, budget-friendly surveillance platform offered in Reiner Stemme Utility Air Systems "Q01" based on its Stemme glider product.

Q01 will be the focal point of the recently (2014) Reconnaissance and Surveillance Centre (RSC) established by the Qatari military. Manned/unmanned capabilities will be built into the Q01 design.

The glider origin of the Q01 is clear, as the aircraft features a straight, high-mounted main aircraft assembly above the fuselage containing the cockpit, engines, fuel depot, avionics and mission payload. As usual, the engine is mounted on the front of the plane, driving a three-bladed propeller unit.

Aft is a two-seater side-by-side cockpit, with the fuselage contoured nicely to form a single rudder fin at the stern, assembled with a high-mounted horizontal stabilizer. Provides wheeled, retractable tricycle landing gear for ground operations.

The operator, when manned, consists of two people, with sleeping and toilet facilities on board (for long loitering missions).

The relatively compact dimensions of the Q01 (with the wings removed) ensure that it fits in the cargo compartment of a Qatar Air Force C-17 transport aircraft. RSC expects to procure an initial inventory of 17 Q01 aircraft for deployment from mid-2017.

The Q01 project is funded by the Qatari government and designed and developed by engineers from Germany, Reiner Stemme. The overall structure utilizes composite materials to achieve light makeup while maintaining the strength and durability required for military-focused aerial platforms. It is expected to operate at an altitude of 30,000 feet, with a payload of 1,322 pounds, and is designed to achieve up to 12 hours of flight time. When flying without a human pilot, stamina increases significantly - up to 50 hours of flight time.

Mission payloads will include a Thales "Search Water" system, an L-3 Wescam MX-20 and MX-25 electro-optical camera system, and an unnamed Textron system.

Power is provided by a Technify Motors CD-300 series diesel engine with two turbochargers and 300 hp.

A technical demonstration version of the Q01 made its maiden flight in November 2015, and a second airworthy prototype will be tested later in 2016, which closely resembles final production form and supports the intended mission equipment.