Fighter Drone
Northbird 0.1
Northbird is a low-to-medium altitude, short-range unmanned air system (UAS), The UAS is intended primarily for military missions such as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaiss ance(ISR), and also can be configured for civil applications. We developed our own control station and communications systems for the Northbird.
Northbird unmanned air system design and features:
The Northbird unmanned air system consists of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), payloads, ground control station, launcher, communications, and data transmission systems.
The UAV has a length of approximately 3m, a height of 0.7m, and a wingspan of 5.4m. Its airframe is made of composite materials.
The middle section features two long, fixed wings with winglets, providing improved aerodynamic efficiency. The tail section has two vertical fins, mounted in a V shape. With a maximum take-off weight of 80kg, the drone can carry payloads of up to 20kg. It requires low operational costs and offers high mobility. The modular, open-architecture design enables the integration of different mission systems.
The Northbird drone is launched into the air using a catapult or pneumatic launcher, towed by a wheeled vehicle, and is recovered by parachute or retracted landing skid. It has the ability to take off and land on unprepared fields. It can perform highly autonomous operations, from take-off to landing using pre-defined waypoints. A data link in the nose facilitates secure communication between the unmanned aircraft and its mission control station.
Mission specific sensor suite:
The UAV can carry a variety of mission-specific sensors in a modular payload pod, placed underneath the nose. The on-board electro-optical (EO) / infrared (IR) imaging sensors detect and track objects in both day and night lighting conditions.
“The UAS is intended primarily for any missions such as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and also can be configured for civil applications.”
The payload pod also incorporates electronic intelligence (ELINT), a CCD camera, advanced reconnaissance and observation sensors, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), night vision sensor, laser rangefinder, and other specialized surveillance equipment.
Mission control station:
The UAV can be remotely controlled by its operator from the mobile ground control station. The payload data is down-linked in real-time and processed at the control station, then commands are sent to the UAV over the data link.
The control station is carried on a medium-capacity vehicle, which is also used for towing the launch trailer.
Northbird propulsion and performance:
Powered by an electric motor, the Northbird UAV can fly at speeds ranging between 120km/h and 160km/h. The motor drives a three-bladed propeller, placed in pusher configuration.
The drone can reach up to an altitude of 5000m and has a range of 150km. It is easy to operate and has the ability to perform missions in hard-to-reach areas. It can stay afloat for up to 6 hours.