Logos Technologies has successfully tested its ultra-light wide-area sensor aboard Boeing subsidiary Insitu's Integrator small tactical unmanned aircraft system (UAS).
The Redkite wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) sensor was carried in the internal payload bay of a small UAS for the first time in Boardman, Oregon, US, Logos stated.
Logos Technologies president John Marion said: “In the past, we’ve mounted podded versions of our lightweight WAMI systems to rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft.
“Now, thanks to further reductions in weight, we can easily fit a Redkite inside a tactical unmanned platform, as demonstrated with our recent flights on the Insitu Integrator.”
The Redkite has been designed to detect, track and record activities of significant movers within its coverage area of more than 12 square kilometres.
It can store eight hours of this geo-tagged mission data on onboard solid state drives (SSDs).
The WAMI sensor allows multiple users to stream and watch real-time and/or historical video feeds on desktop screens, tablets and other mobile devices.
Additionally, Redkite can transmit up to ten unique views to hundreds of users at one time, the statement said.
Weighing less than 30lb, Redkite can also be integrated with even smaller unmanned aircraft in the future, according to Logos.
The sensor can be used in force protection, tactical-level persistent surveillance, route reconnaissance and overwatch, border security, police aerial patrol, suspect tracking, data-driven policing, monitoring wildfires and suppression progress.
Logos plans to launch a full-size model of the new internal payload version of Redkite at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX), which will be held in Abu Dhabi, the UAE between 19-23 February this year.
Image: Integrator launch with Redkite sensor. Photo: courtesy of Logos Technologies.
