The Snark - the meanest VTOL UAV on the planet

[EnigmaNZ]

An updated report on this project. A helicopter that can stay aloft for 24+ hours, is unmanned and has a decent payload and is steathy to boot. Look a whole lot different to the earlier version posted here previously, that was a toy.

http://www.gizmag.com.au/go/4785/1/

October 29, 2005 Meet the Snark – an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle of immense capability that demonstrates just how far the breed has come in such a short period of time. Constructed mainly of Carbon Fibre and Kevlar, the Snark is light and fast (280 km/h), quiet (special rotor blades make it extremely quiet ), virtually invisible to radar or infrared detetection (it recycles its exhaust gases and emits little heat) and can carry a payload of 680kg, offering the ability to pack both massive firepower (enough to sink a ship) and surveillance equipment (such as high res infrared cameras with a magnification of 7500). But wait, there’s more, and this is the clincher. The Snark is the first UAV that runs on diesel fuel, which means it can be easily integrated into any military force – current UAVs require their own special fuel supply to be transported with them whereas the entire US Army plans to run on a single one fuel - diesel. Last and probably most importantly, the Snark can stay airborne for 24 hours at a time, offering an unprecedented loiter time for a machine of this capability.

 

[Whiskyjack]

An updated report on this project. A helicopter that can stay aloft for 24+ hours, is unmanned and has a decent payload and is steathy to boot. Look a whole lot different to the earlier version posted here previously, that was a toy.

http://www.gizmag.com.au/go/4785/1/

Very interesting, I can see why it has the interest of a few countries.

I must admit I had never heard of them and I would usually know of a NZ company like this, I thought it was a hoax, but there are a few articles on the net if you do the research.

Would Like to See the NZ Navy and Army utilise something like this.

 

[EnigmaNZ]

Same, I wonder if it is a diesel powered turbine, or a piston engine, with that endurance, it has to be the latter. There was a article on the net a few years ago about a diesel engine being developed for light civil aircraft, wonder if it uses that. Have to wait for more info to make the light of day.

 

[cherry]

Has there been any signs of funding by any defence organisation from around the traps? i.e. New Zealand or Australia or even US. Sounds like it may turn out to be a very versatile platform.

 

[gf0012-aust]

Has there been any signs of funding by any defence organisation from around the traps? i.e. New Zealand or Australia or even US. Sounds like it may turn out to be a very versatile platform.

i haven't seen anything since the initial web assault by the company.

I'm wondering whether Fire Scout and the Yamaha RMAX have beaten it on volume and technology issues.

 

[EnigmaNZ]

I think so, Lockheed I see now has a rpv helo capable of 24 hour flight as well. You will have to google it.

 

[pepsi]

I was wondering if something like this would be useful in mountainous places such as Afghanistan, from what i have read one of the problems there are Taliban up in the mountainous regions, i think awhile ago a bunch of US navy SEALS were ambushed in that kind of situation..

Anyway, having these fly around with some kind of camera attached might prove useful, surely much more effective in that kind of landscape and situation than a UAV plane

 

[gf0012-aust]

I was wondering if something like this would be useful in mountainous places such as Afghanistan, from what i have read one of the problems there are Taliban up in the mountainous regions, i think awhile ago a bunch of US navy SEALS were ambushed in that kind of situation..

Anyway, having these fly around with some kind of camera attached might prove useful, surely much more effective in that kind of landscape and situation than a UAV plane

AFAIK there were some problems with smaller UAV's operating at high altitude. maybe this is why they haven't been fielded?

Although IIRC some of the NATO participants have been trialling UAV's (not rotors though) in theatre.

On a side note, there was public comment in japan the other day that they think China has copied the RMAX - Someone in Yamaha is under investigation for it.