UAV Works

- VALAQ Patrol 120

VALAQ Patrol. Surveillance & Security VTOL Airplane

VTOL Airplane, simple to control and operate, with the fastest deployment (2 min to be airborne). 70 km range and 1 hour endurance with just 4.2 kg MTOW. Camera power gives, or 40x visual zoom with IR, or 80x zoom without IR. Camera images and control can be shared with other users through internet connection.

Operational advantages, and main features.

One click fast functions:

• Take-off and wait. If the pilot is waiting to receive orders, but knows that these are imminent, he can decide to make the plane take off and have it waiting in a circle over the take off point to start any immediate route when the order arrives.
• If 4G/LTE is given in the flight area, a simultaneous commanding of up to 10 VALAQ Patrol can be managed and commanded by a team of just two people in a command post anywhere in the world.
• Target follow function (auto tracking). As soon as a target is identified in the image, the pilot with a single click is able to make the drone follow that target in motion automatically, not worrying about the flight control of the plane, since the camera talks directly to the autopilot and it interprets the orientation of the target by automatically following it.

• Go and show me. With just a couple of clicks on the screen pointing your finger on a specific map location, VALAQ Patrol will go there and will show the image from it flying around until the next command is executed.
• Follow me function (convoy mode). Function especially aimed at convoys, where the pilot goes inside a land or marine vehicle and the drone always remains in a perimeter or advance observation position with respect to the convoy. The pilot configures a constant follow me flight and takes care and focuses on the observation camera.

• Follow a hidden device. You can use an external device (like a smartphone with our specific configuration) to be hidden in a vehicle to be followed by your VALAQ Patrol, whose camera will point it always at.
• Follow camera: Here we underline the concept “WYLIWYG”, Where You Look, at Is Where You Go. This is the easiest way to command the aircraft. It gives directional full control to the pilot through the camera view. This mode allows just one person to manage both aircraft commanding and camera controlling.
• Share aerial view. It may be interesting at one point to share the camera image with a third operation participant who just needs a cell phone or PC (such as a centralized command post) with internet access and our own specific app. This is aimed at sharing the live images of the drone with ground forces, something tactically useful in assault, pursuit or perimeter closure operations. All VALAQ Patrol are equipped with 4G/LTE communication and direct link to the pilot’s base control station.
• Fully autonomous operation. No RC pilot skills required. All flight is controlled automatically by the drone itself, just command orders and the VALAQ Patrol will do it. If manual control is necessary to take over, flip a switch and you will have all the plane control if needed. Height is automatically maintained by our autopilot (elevation data flight area must be preloaded) so the pilot just focuses on the mission.
• Longer flight times and high-speed cruise. With the VALAQ Patrol you have at least 50 minutes guaranteed of flight time in airplane mode thanks to the increase of efficiency of the design. In addition, cruise speed can be increased from the standard 70 km/h up to 120 km/h if the situation demands it, that's something not available in other unmanned systems. 60 minutes endurance can be guaranteed if long time charging batteries are selected (see options)
• No take-off and landing infrastructures required. The VTOL capacity of the aircraft removes the need for runways, catapults or even having to hand-launch it. It is possible to perform a take-off anywhere with a small safety zone around. In some conditions a take-off and landing over the head holding it by hand is possible even if there is not a landing safe area, like in a small boat.
• Robustness and free maintenance. The mechanical simplicity, the full carbon fiber structure and our in-house design, manufacturing, assembly and test, guarantees that the VALAQ Patrol will perform as intended in all proved operation conditions. As there are no complex mechanisms like tilting rotors, maintenance is almost nonexistent.
• Quick release battery change. Battery change is done in less than 10 seconds, and it can be done without powering off the system so no delays between continuous flights.
• Silent operation. In cruise speed and at a height of 120 meters is aurally imperceptible in airplane mode. In addition, strobe lights can be turned off if needed for complete stealth missions

Aircraft specs

Physical

• Wingspan: 1220 mm
• Height (landed): 720 mm
• Width (landed): 530
• Width (flying): 410 mm
• Package dimensions: 1300 x 850 x 500 mm
• Weight: 4.5 kg

Performance

• Cruise speed: 65 - 80 km/h
• Maximum speed: 120 km/h
• Maximum wind take-off and landing speed with no damage risk: 30 km/h
• Range wind take-off and landing speed with low damage risk: 30 - 35 km/h
• Range wind take-off and landing speed with medium damage risk: 35 - 45 km/h
• High risk of damage wind speed: 45 km/h. However, if pilot skills are high, low risk landings might be managed with manual commanding assistance during ground contact.
• Maximum service ceiling (ASL): 2500 m
• Operational temperature range: -10 to 55 ºC
• Maximum endurance in plane mode: 70 minutes.
• Guaranteed endurance in plane mode: 50 minutes and 60 minutes with long time charging batteries set (optional).
• Combined maximum flight time for take-off and landing without reducing plane mode endurance: 2.2 minutes.

 Aerodynamics and structure

• Full carbon fiber flying wing construction.
• Motor pylons in V inverted quadcopter configuration.
• Elevons aerodynamic control for both muticopter and plane modes.
• 3 point always-in-contact automatic retractable landing gear.
• Automatic retractable camera mount, protects the camera during takeoff and landing in case of accident.

Communications

• 4G LTE connection module for live control, telemetry and video stream over internet as standard.
• Direct datalink for control, telemetry and video stream up to 10 km as standard and 30 km if selected option.
• Strobe and navigation lights on wing tips (can be deactivated if needed by command).
• Communications antennas integrated into winglets.
• Data privacy is guaranteed. No data is sent to third parties.

Propulsion and electric system

• Brushless motors with combined power of 3000 W.
• 9 inches propellers.
• Flight mode dependent batteries, allowing for maximum use of capacity.
• Two 22.2 V Li-Ion batteries over wings for plane cruise mode.
• One 22.2 V Li-Po battery on the fuselage for take-off and landing.
• Total Li-Ion capacity for plane cruise mode: 284 Wh.
• Total Li-Po capacity for take-off and landing: 46.6 Wh.
• Battery charger with 4 ports as standard.
• Redundant and independent regulated power supply for internal and payload electronics.

Flight control and sensors

• Hex Technology-ProfiCNC Pixhawk 2.1 The Cube autopilot.
• 3 IMU and dual 32 bit micro controller (main and backup).
• Additional Linux computer for navigation and communication purposes.
• Additional 8 bit microcontroller for auxiliary tasks.
• GNSS system with 4 constellation support (UBLOX M8N), fast and precise location.
• Temperature compensated airspeed and barometer sensors.
• Current and voltage Hall-effect power sensor for precise battery monitoring.