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2020-02-02

Leonardo’s Drone Aircraft Completes First Flight

Leonardo recently announced the maiden flight of its new Falco Xplorer drone aircraft. The Falco Xplorer S/N0001 took off from Trapani Air Force base, Italy, on January 15, cruised over the Gulf of Trapani in a dedicated fly zone, for around 60 minutes and then returned to base, landing safely. The maiden flight is a significant milestone, which has been achieved through technical and engineering support, at the test flight planning stages and with other related activities, by the Italian Air Force Test Flight Centre.

The Remotely-Piloted Air System (RPAS), which combines endurance of over 24h with a max payload of 350kg, will now embark on a series of flight campaigns, which will assess the full range of capabilities of the aircraft including its integrated sensor system. These campaigns will also certify the Falco Xplorer against NATO’s airworthiness STANAG 4671, expanding the territory over which it can operate.

The Falco Xplorer was unveiled at last year’s Paris Air Show. It has been designed to offer persistent, multi-sensor strategic surveillance to military and civil customers and can be procured as either an integrated system or as a fully-managed information-superiority service, flown and operated by Leonardo. With a maximum take-off weight of 1.3 tonnes and an operating ceiling above 24,000ft, the aircraft is an affordable option for Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR).

The United Nations and Frontex, the European border and coastguard agency, have chosen Falco’s previous variants. The Falco Xplorer design draws on feedback from these and other Falco customers. A broad multispectral sensor suite can be installed thanks to its payload capability. It features a powerful sensor suite, which includes the company’s Gabbiano T-80 multi-mode surveillance radar, its SAGE electronic intelligence system, an automatic identification system for maritime missions and an Electro-Optical (EO) turret. Customers, therefore, benefit from customisable situational awareness. An optional hyperspectral sensor will allow the Falco Xplorer to monitor pollution and agricultural development.

Strategic Surveillance

Powered by a conventional aviation engine and with endurance over 24 hours, the Falco Xplorer gathers information far over the horizon, relayed in real time via secure satellite connection to C4I centres. Typical system configuration includes a Ground Control Station (GCS) connected to a Ground Data Terminal (GDT), a Ground Support Equipment (GSE) and two Aircraft.

The native satellite link capability allows for beyond-line-of-sight operations, while its open system architecture means that third-party sensors can be easily integrated. Not subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) restrictions and meeting the criteria for Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) class II, Falco Xplorer is readily exportable around the world.

Relocation of the Falco Xplorer system would not be an issue for customers, as the logistic footprint is kept to minimum. The whole system can be relocated via ISO-668 air transportable containers in matter of hours. Legacy from the proven Falco EVO and other major RPAS programmes, the Falco Xplorer system is aimed at dual-use requirements providing 24/7, all-weather persistent regional surveillance, covering a wide range of missions and complementing typical military roles (theatre persistent multispectral surveillance) with governmental missions such as border patrolling, coastal watch, illegal immigration prevention, law enforcement, critical infrastructures surveillance, EEZ surveillance and environmental monitoring.

To relieve crew workload, the system features assisted and automatic flight management, including automatic take-off and landing, automatic area surveillance modes with real time target data processing, dissemination and exploitation.

The GCS enables mission planning and rehearsal, pre-flight system check, mission management, flight plan re-tasking, mission playback and simulation for crew mission training. It provides command and control in real time via a secure satellite data link, allowing operational ranges spanning far over the usual line-of-sight. The surveillance flight plan is typically flown automatically along the pre-programmed route including the take-off and landing phases, with the possibility to perform manual override any time during the flight. The GCS is also capable of off-line data evaluation and processing, for further diffusion through the C4I network in STANAG format. Small front line units via Remote Video Terminals (RVT) can also receive real-time data.

Reference Text/Photo:www.leonardocompany.com

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