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Denel Dynamics Bateleur

2016 MODERN AIRCRAFT DRONE TECHNOLOGY

History of Denel Dynamics Bateleur

Denel Dynamics Bateleur is classified as a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) comparable to the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator-A series of UAVs. It is usually powered by a propeller engine and is used for unarmed reconnaissance and surveillance.

The origins of the Bateleur drone program can be traced back to 2003, and it was officially launched in 2004 as a private company of Denel (more specifically Denel Dynamics, formerly known as Kentron, which is now a division of Denel Ltd - the South African Defence Corporation. issue). Therefore, the target design range of the Bateleur is quite broad, as the South African military does not directly transmit military requirements.

While not armed in any way, drones like Bateleur fulfill a variety of important roles on the battlefield as needed, beyond basic enemy reconnaissance. This can and is likely to include acting as a communications relay, assisting in search and rescue missions, locating artillery support, laser marking ground targets, and basic patrolling (including at sea).

The target partner is of course the South African military, but there is also hope of exporting overseas products to interested buyers such as Brazil.

For South Africa, modern drones can play an important role in combating rising piracy and smuggling, as well as managing the countrys vast coastline. Its mission payload will consist primarily of cameras (electro-optical and infrared). A laser rangefinder will be an optional installation in the final product, and a laser designator will also be incorporated into the payload mix. Maximum payload weight will be around 440 pounds.

The hull will be modular so that the system can be disassembled in time and transported into several components with relative ease. Power is said to come from a conventional 115-horsepower 4-cylinder engine.

By modern standards, the Bateleur is considered a more traditional drone, characterized by a large nose assembly that houses the optics and sensor units and avionics. The fuselage is well contoured and relatively featureless except for some air intakes and access panels. The optics are suspended from a swivel under the nose of the aircraft. The wings are designed to be straight and located on the sides of the fuselage. The fin has a horizontal fin surface supporting a pair of vertical fins.

The engine is mounted at the rear of the fuselage and drives a three-blade propeller system placed between these two vertical tails. The landing gear is a traditional tricycle arrangement, with all legs being single-wheeled - a pair of main legs and a front leg.

The main leg retracts in the nacelle under each wing. The nasal bone is located under the nose of the aircraft.

The Bateleur will be designed as a fully autonomous drone, which means using GPS-based navigation, the drone will be able to self-manage preset waypoints during flight. The autopilot system will allow the Bateleur to take off and land without human intervention. Unlike other small catapult/hand-launched UAVs currently in service, its wheeled chassis requires the use of a prepared separation device.

This limits the Bateleur tactically, but its size prevents it from being launched/picked up in any other way.

A full-scale model of the Bateleur was unveiled at the African Aerospace and Defence 2004 (AAD2004) at Air Force Base Waterkloof, marking the official "arrival" of the Bateleur drone program. To the model, the system actually looks like a finished prototype.

A maiden flight is expected sometime in 2006, but as of this writing, that event has yet to happen, meaning extensive delays in its development are likely to be the cause. The South African Air Force intends to buy some sort of medium-range UAV in the near future, but the cost of procuring a single bateleur could force them to buy a cheaper foreign alternative to the domestic in-house design.

While still in development, Denel is confirming some performance specs for its Bateleur drone, including up to 24 hours of mission endurance and a range of around 500 kilometers. The maximum service ceiling is expected to be within 25,000 feet, with a cruising speed of 250 kilometers per hour.

By the way, the name "Bateleur" refers to the species of eagle found in Central and South Africa.