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ARCA AirStrato

2021 MODERN AIRCRAFT DRONE TECHNOLOGY FUTURE FLIGHT

History

AirStrato is Romanias answer to the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industrys need for low-cost, medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE / HALE) commercial aircraft. It is powered by electricity and solar installations combined with aerodynamically refined shapes.

Flight tests have been taking place at the New Mexico State University Test Facility since late 2014, with production planned in the United States sometime in 2015.

The AirStrato series will feature two different production models, covering the mid-altitude and high-altitude categories. The mid-level variant, dubbed the "Pioneer" (available in 2016), can reach a maximum altitude of 26,000 feet, has a mission payload of 45kg and a wingspan of 12m.

Its battery life is designed to be 20 hours of flight time. The advanced model, known as the Explorer, will reach altitudes of 60,000 feet and offer a greater maximum take-off weight (MTOW) for a wider mission range. Its wingspan is 16 meters.

The basic design approach involves a straight-wing main aircraft amidships. The nose section is kinked and bulbous and contains avionics. Propulsion is provided by six small electric two-bladed propeller units (Robbe 8085/10 electric motors, each producing 44 pounds of thrust) located on the trailing edge of the main aircraft. A row of solar panels covers the main aircraft's onboard batteries. The rear wing consists of a pair of outwardly sloping components with large downwardly curved tips.

Communication is based on satellite or GSM.

As a cost-effective alternative to more complex systems currently on the market (or under active development), the AirStrato series will support pneumatic catapult launches (via a proprietary compact "accelerator" catapult mount) and Parachute recovery. The air system will also support wheeled three-point landing gear for more conventional landings.