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GoldenEye-50
unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a vertical takeoff and landing
aircraft is designed to carry surveillance and chemical agent
detection sensors to restricted, hard to reach, or dangerous
locations.
GoldenEye 80 is the third version of vertical takeoff and landing
(VTOL) capable aerial vehicle designed by Aurora Flight Sciences
under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
programs. It is being developed under the
Organic Air Vehicle
(OAV-II) program, addressing requirements for the U.S. Army's
Future Combat Systems (FCS) program.The 65 inch long (1.65 m'),
150 pounds (68 kg) uses a propulsion system based on heavy fuel
(diesel) engine, embedded in a ducted fan assembly, enabling both
forward or vertical flight and hovering, with very low acoustic
signature. GoldenEye 80 takes off and lands vertically but can
transition to horizontal flight using wings. Because GoldenEye 80
is fully autonomous, a pilot is not required to fly the aircraft.
It is designed to carry an advanced multi-sensor payload,
comprising a high resolution video camera, a high resolution
infrared camera for night viewing, a laser rangefinder, a laser
tracker, and a laser designator. The payload is under developed by
FLIR Systems, under a separate program managed by the US Army's
Night Vision Lab.
GoldenEye 80 is the third generation ducted fan aircraft developed
by Aurora. The first, GoldenEye 100, was a
proof of concept aircraft first flown in 2003 under the
"Clandestine UAV" project. This success led a smaller aircraft,
the GoldenEye 50, which in 2005 successfully
demonstrated the ability to transition to and from horizontal
flight using wings that "float" rather than being rigidly attached
to the plane's body. GoldenEye 80 combines the stealth features
and the performance features of the earlier programs with a heavy
fuel engine and an advanced sensor payload to create a mature and
effective system. Aurora's partners in the GoldenEye development
program include General Dynamics Robotics Systems, Northrop
Grumman Corporation, and Athena Technologies.
Aurora is currently building the first of four
GoldenEye-50 flight test aircraft. GoldenEye-50 made its first
flight in July 2004. First autonomous transition to and from
horizontal flight was performed in April 2005. Demonstrated were
performed to US Army Ranger, Cavalry and Artillery and the forces
of a NATO country. During this period Goldeneye 50 performed over
35 flights. GoldenEye family
UAVs platforms were selected by DARPA to provide the basic
platform for the OAV
II Program, expected to be integrated into the US Army FCS
program. The UAV is being developed by Team GoldenEye, an
industry team led by Aurora Flight Sciences with Northrop Grumman,
Signal Systems Corporation and General Dynamics Robotics Systems.
Designed for a
wide array of missions including ship-based operations, the
fully-VTOL aircraft has the capability to provide maritime law
enforcement teams with a bird’s-eye-view during interdiction and
boarding operations, and first responders with reach into
dangerous areas and over obstacles. Low acoustic signature is an
important feature required for the OAV's clandestine surveillance
mission, because it reduces the standoff distance required for the
aircraft to perform surveillance without being observed.
According to Matt
Hutchison, Aurora's Vice President of Tactical Systems: "Our work
on GoldenEye's muffler system has created a new standard in
acoustic signature suppression for ducted fans without sacrificing
engine power or payload capacity," In flight tests the UAV
demonstrated acoustic signatures consistently below limits set by
DARPA for the OAV-II program.
Goldeneye's design offers rapid
transition from hover to horizontal flight and high-speed dash
performance. Among GoldenEye’s many features is unconventional
performance that enables it to take-off and land vertically, like
a helicopter, then level off into horizontal flight by virtue of
rotating wings. Goldeneye 50
GoldenEye’s engine
is housed in a ducted-fan configuration that includes a propeller
fully-enclosed within a cylindrical body - a design that
integrates advanced lightweight structures and innovative flight
controls to achieve remarkable performance. This configuration
makes it safer for people working in the area of operation, and
also makes the GoldenEye-50 quieter than a similarly sized
helicopter. Golden-Eye-50 is the GuideStar flight control system
developed by Aurora’s sister company, Athena Technologies.
GoldenEye-50 stands 70 cm tall, has a wingspan of 1.4 m', has a
gross takeoff weight of 10 kg, and has a payload of 1 kg. The
aircraft can cruise up to 1 hour at 100 km/h with a maximum speed
of 280 km/h.
The GoldenEye-50
is derived from the larger GoldenEye-100. Originally developed
under DARPA’s Clandestine UAV (CUAV) program, GoldenEye-100
carries a 11 kg payload. Flight testing of this aircraft began in
September 2003.
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