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Tekever AR5 Life Ray Evolution

2014 MODERN AIRCRAFT DRONE TECHNOLOGY

Development history of Tekever AR5 Life Ray

Portugal follows a global push to locally design, develop and produce Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) of all shapes, sizes and battlefields. Tekever's AR5 "Life Ray Evolution" is a product from the country that fulfills the role of "Mid Altitude, Medium Endurance" (MAME) at a time when such vehicles are still in high demand.

Compared to typical industry leaders such as General Atomics' "Predator" series, the AR5 features reduced operating costs, low risk and superior durability.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected the AR5 as its primary European maritime patrol aircraft to test the maritime surveillance role of such aircraft (as part of the RAPSODY programme).

Despite being classified as UAS, the Ar5 retains the traditional aircraft layout. There's a sleek, streamlined fuselage that houses the engines, fuel tanks, avionics, sensors and cameras. As always, the main plane of the wing is placed on the side of the fuselage and has upward-pointing tips for added control and fuel efficiency. The empennage consists of a dual vertical rudder assembly and a horizontal plane connecting these elements to the fuselage. Air intakes are installed above the rear of the aircraft to introduce the engine into it.

The engine drives a three-bladed propeller unit in "propeller" mode. The landing gear is movable on all three ground running elements and is attached to the underside of the aircraft.

Dimensions of the aircraft include a length of 3 meters and a wingspan of 4.3 meters. The cruising speed reaches 140 km/h and the battery life is 12 hours.

Communication with operators on the ground is via satellite-based beyond-line-of-sight (BLoS) systems (line-of-sight communications are also supported). The onboard real-time processing system covers still images, motion video and general sensor data collection. Internally, the aircraft can carry different payloads for a more modular tactical approach. The air system can achieve a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of up to 500kg. The AR5 is flexible enough to be launched from unprepared airfields for takeoff and landing operations.

Both are managed through automated processes that reduce operator workload.

In addition to its obvious military value, AR5 can be used in industry-oriented roles such as humanitarian assistance, search and rescue (SAR), and environmental disasters (oil spills, etc.). Border patrol and maritime security are other strong points where abuse is rampant in the industry.