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Camcopter
Objective
Provide an aerial platform to be used for identification, detection, digital
mapping and marking, and mission planning of mines and minefields.
Description
The Camcopter is a remotely controlled, fully autonomous aerial
platform for use in locating and detecting individual mines and minefields.
It is designed to carry equipment that can be used for data gathering,
minefield mapping, and demining mission planning.
The Camcopter system consists
of the Camcopter aerial platform currently configured with a dual
sensor gimbal consisting of a CCD camera and infrared sensor, a dedicated
Ground Control Station (GCS), a Flight Control Unit, and a Sensor Control
Unit. The Camcopter can be operated manually or automatically by
programming preselected routes or way points at the GCS. The Camcopter
operates in vertical takeoff and landing modes, therefore, there is no
need for launch or recovery equipment. The Camcopter system is
modular in design, is transported to a field site via a light utility
vehicle and can be carried into the field and set up by a single individual.
It has integrated fail-safe mechanisms that reduce the risk of injury
or inadvertent damage and is simple to operate.
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Contractor/Developer
Schiebel
Technology, Inc.
Vint Hill Farms Station, Building 5315
P.O. Box 861527
Warrenton, VA 20187-1527
ATTN:
Hans G. Schiebel
Phone: (540) 351-1731
Fax: (540)
351-1736
Email: gesc@schiebel.com
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Performance
During testing, the Camcopter
performed at cruising speeds of up to 90 km/h (56 mph) and reached altitudes
up to 1700 meters. These performance levels were achieved during favorable
weather conditions. The Camcopter can hold fuel tanks that range
in capacity from 5 to 30 liters and demonstrated an average fuel burn-off
rate of 4 liters per hour. During ideal conditions, the Camcopter
may be operated within a 10 km radius of a remote operator. The dual-sensor
gimbal system, with its InSb-based 256 x 256 thermal imager and monochrome
CCD camera, demonstrated the ability to locate mine-like objects. These
objects were digitally marked using the on-board DGPS. The video recorded
from the platform can be used for demining mission planning in previously
unmapped areas.
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The Ground Control Station allows
operations to program flights and
monitor the Camcopter throughout
the mission
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Limitations
- Must fly above treeline of heavily vegetated
areas.
- Urban environments can be difficult to fly
in because line of sight communication is required.
- Detection capability is limited to performance
of the sensors.
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The Camcopter's primary payload
is a dual sensor gimbal system,
consisting of an azimuth over
elevation gimbaled turret with
integrated thermal imaging and
monochrome television sensor
modules.
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Status
Additional sensors for this platform are currently under
development. To discuss the possibility of obtaining this item for field
testing through the U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program, contact the
DoD point of contact listed on page 65 of this catalog.
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Specifications |
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Camcopter Aerial Platform: |
Ground Control Station:
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| Power Plant: |
11 kw (14.8 hp) two-stroke engine
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Mission Control
Unit: |
Pentium 200 MHz 128 MB RAM
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| Fuel Tank: |
5 liters, expandable to 30 liters
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Sensor Control
Unit: |
Pentium 200 MHz 128 MB RAM
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| Burn-off: |
4 liters per hour is typical
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Flight Control
Unit: |
Pentium 200 MHz 64 MB RAM
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| Rotor System: |
Main rotor with Bell-Hiller
stabilizer and tail rotor |
Monitor: |
20.1 in TFT Color LCD, pixel flat
screen |
| Main Rotor: |
Typical 720 rpm |
Supply
Voltage: |
10 to 30 VDC IAW MIL-STD 1275A
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| Cruise Speed: |
90 km/h (56 mph) |
Power
Consumption: |
Approx. 500 W each |
| Mission Radius: |
10 km (6 miles) standard
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| Data Link: |
S-Band, bi-directional |
Dual Sensor
Gimbal System:
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| Video Link: |
C-Band (downlink) |
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| Tracking: |
Fully-autonomous |
Turret Field of
Regard: |
360° |
| Navigation: |
INS and DGPS-based |
Turret slew
rates:
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0 to 50°/sec
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| Climb Rate: |
300 m/min (990 ft./min.)
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Max.
Acceleration: |
60°/sec2
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| Hover Ceiling: |
1700 m (weather
permitting) |
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| Length: |
2500 mm (98.43 in.) |
Visible TV
Camera: |
| Main Rotor
Diameter: |
3020 mm (118.76 in.) |
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| Payload: |
Up to 25 kg (55 lbs.)
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Camera: |
˝ in monochrome CCD with an f/2.1 10X zoom lens
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| On-board Power Supply:
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28 VDC IAW MIL-STD 1275A
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Pixel Arrangement: |
811H x 508V (NTSC), 795H x 596V (PAL) |
| Thermal Imaging
Sensor: |
Focal Lengths: |
12 to 120 mm continuous zoom |
| Model: |
MkIII Quantum by Inframetrics
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Resolution: |
450 TVL (NTSC), 443 TVL (PAL) |
| Focal Plane Array: |
InSb based 256 x 256 array
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| NEDT (temporal): |
0.03° C |
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| Focal
Lengths: |
4 Positions - 25, 54, 116, 250 mm
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| Cooldown
Time: |
7–8 minutes |
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| Video
Format:
| RS-170/CCIR |
Manufacturer’s Suggested
Price: $980,000, includes 2 Airframes and 1 Ground Control
Station
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Humanitarian Demining Developmental
Technologies 2000 - 2001 |