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Yamaha R-MAX (Rotary-MAX)

1995 MODERN AIRCRAFT DRONE TECHNOLOGY

History

Yamaha Motor Corporation (founded in 1955), perhaps best known for its motorcycle and marine engines, has been in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) business for about 25 years. The "R-MAX" helicopter system is the result of such investments, developed in the 1990s to serve the agricultural spraying market.

This type has been used consistently since its introduction, although its market environment has now expanded to include natural disaster reconnaissance, general research, and military applications. After the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami, the series was actively used to investigate the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

The plane's layout resembles that of a conventional helicopter, with a two-bladed main rotor atop a compact, streamlined fuselage. The drive shaft is embedded in the stern shaft and drives the starboard offset twin-blade tail rotor unit. The vehicle uses a four-point dual landing skid for ground contact, allowing it to land almost anywhere. Built-in wheels fold down on the chute to allow ground crews to maneuver the aircraft both unpowered and on the ground. Depending on the type of mission, the hull can be customized with a variety of cameras and sensors, with real-time reporting and data collection capabilities.

Liquid tanks and spray systems for spraying large areas of farmland can be installed on both sides of the hull.

Structural dimensions include an overall length of 11.10 feet, a width of 2.3 feet, and a height of 3.6 feet. The curb weight is 140 lbs and the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is approximately 215 lbs. Power is provided by a single Yamaha liquid-cooled 2-cylinder 2-stroke engine driving a 10.2-foot-diameter main rotor. The aircraft has a mission duration window of approximately one hour and is controlled by the ground operator through line-of-sight (LoS) input.

The control scheme is Yamaha's in-house Attitude Control System (YACS).

R-MAX is also expanding into the company's military segment, which in 2014 partnered with US defense contractor Northrop Grumman to develop the R-MAX-based "R-BAT", which will increase Autonomous capabilities and support for advanced military systems and sensors. R-BAT is currently (2018) still actively marketed by Northrop.