103 drag-minimising, low profile. Finally, Calian showed its newest crossdipole antenna, the SSL990XF, which, though a little heavier than a helical equivalent, provides reliable reception of GNSS signals in open-pit mines, under tree canopies or in urban canyons. C-Astral Aerospace displayed the SQA, a fixed-wing VTOL UAV, developed from the catapult-launched Bramor in response to demand for vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, according to Rok Tomazic. C-Astral has received the prestigious Red Dot Best of the Best Award in industrial design for SQA. SQA offers a flight endurance of 2.5 hours and there are plans to extend this to three hours using higher capacity batteries. SQA supports a variety of payloads, including EO/IR cameras, Lidar and photogrammetry systems. Tomazic noted: “We work case by case… if the client has any special needs, we can always adapt the system to them.” Tomazic highlighted a project with the EU, in which it integrated YellowScan Surveyor Ultra Lidar for forest-cover mapping under the auspices of the EU Observatory on Deforestation and Forest Degradation. SQA’s modular design allows for easy assembly and disassembly without special tools, while C-Astral’s proprietary control software simplifies flight operations through automatic waypoint following, but still offers manual joystick control for remote piloting. Tomazic confirms that the system is already in production, with around 70-80 units in operation. Riegl continues to develop its range of UAV-compatible Lidar sensors, focused on miniaturisation, advanced scanning and processing techniques, and multi-sensor integration. The miniVUX-series, for example, embodies the company’s core Lidar technology miniaturised, offering lightweight, cost-effective, highperformance, 3D sensing capability, and bringing survey-grade accuracy to small, commercial UAVs. My-Linh Truong highlights the 1.75 kg miniVUX-3UAV with the newly integrated Riegl location and orientation component (RiLOC-E) system, which integrates a MEMS IMU, a GNSS receiver and software. “This is our lightest-weight integration yet, offering both Lidar and IMU capabilities all within the Riegl house,” she said, adding that this simplifies workflows, as users no longer need thirdparty hardware or software integrations. Another recent advance is the forward and backward scanning technology in the larger VUX-12023 and VUX-16023 sensors. Traditionally, Lidar systems scan using a linear pattern, but these two sensors offer forward-and-backward scanning, providing more comprehensive coverage in fewer flight passes. For operators seeking an extended range, the 2.7 kg VUX-18024 offers such capabilities while remaining compact. Further, Riegl’s new open-platform mounting plate accommodates different combinations of sensors, cameras and IMUs. Sunhillo Corporation showed its cutting-edge situational awareness solutions for BVLOS UAV operations, designed to enable real-time decision-making for operators. According to Doug Walczak, its technology integrates radar data and ADS-B signals. “We can fuse that data to provide one surveillance picture without duplicate targets,” he explained. Sunhillo’s Surveillance Monitoring System (SMS) features customisable visual and audible collision alerts. “You will have time to get an alert identifying traffic nearby and an instruction to change course,” Walczak said. This tool also allows operators to see the same information as their command centre, enhancing coordinated decision-making. Their solutions incorporate advanced hardware such as the US militarydeployed Margate II ADS-B receiver, which boasts a 200 mile range, making it ideal for large-scale operations. Looking ahead, Walczak highlights ongoing work on integrating Remote ID into the system. “We will have radar, ADS-B and remote ID, so you’ll be able to see UAVs as well as crewed aircraft,” he added. Uncrewed Systems Technology | October/November 2024 SQA VTOL modular, fixed-wing UAV
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