The TOAD : A tactical ultralight autogyro

[KFRtoad]

My company C-LVL is working on a small rugged tactical autogyro. We based our design on a civilian model and modified it extensively to build a working ultralight (lifting body, crash proof cabin,efficient powerful turbocharged Rotax engine, hard-points, ...).
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The TOAD (Tactical Organic Airborne Demonstrator) has a simple autogyro design you can learn to fly in 2 weeks, the payload is limited compared to a typical helicopter but the cost enables swarm deployment. It is a VSTOL design that can land almost vertically but needs a short rolling take off.
Capable of transporting up to 3 crew members, it can be used for damage assessment, search and rescue, surveillance, tracking of vehicles and vessels, photography and reconnaissance.
It is like an “airborne horse”, capable of moving light supplies and carry out reconnaissance quickly and stealthily. It is cheap and rugged enough so one could be used over every convoy, or deployed to every FOB.

More information is available on our website : c-lvl dot com (I can't post URL yet, maybe someone can post it in a comment) .

I would be curious to hear what you think about our low cost / low tech approach to the scarcity of air assets.

Laurent, aka KFRtoad

 

[gf0012-aust]

Interesting concept. It would seem to be limited to benign uncontested battlespace though as it could be a prime target of interest to MANPADs and small cal (sub 50 cal) munitions.

Is the intent to also provide an unmanned version?

I'm curious as to the inference that it would be used as a convoy runner as the US already provides UAV's to ride shotgun on some runs.

 

[lobbie111]

I know im not one to comment but maybe instead of having two blades have the rear propeller that rotates to the top just like the Osprey it could even rotate through 180 for vertical takeoff? It might need to have add on Armour panels or have built in ballistic protection but otherwise a good idea.

Cost is a major plus, this would be great for light forces and customs even on navy vessels.

The low tech approach is good keeping costs down but you must think to be truly effective it will need probably 100kg of extra radio gear.

The only problem I see is that it can't carry too much (in terms of room), it might be able to take two people but with their gear it might be a little hard. It could however be effective as a very light support helicopter maybe a .50 RWS?

 

[KFRtoad]

Interesting concept. It would seem to be limited to benign uncontested battlespace though as it could be a prime target of interest to MANPADs and small cal (sub 50 cal) munitions.

Is the intent to also provide an unmanned version?

I'm curious as to the inference that it would be used as a convoy runner as the US already provides UAV's to ride shotgun on some runs.

The TOAD has a small size (similar to that of an Robinson R22) and is quiet, using a Rotax 912 so it does not generate much heat compared to turbines so it should be difficult to track with MANPADS.
As for small arm fire, the old adage "big sky, little bullet" might help. We intend on having an slightly armored version with kevlar bucket seats. It cn't be too heavy though. Besides MD500 aren't armored either and are used with great success.

There are no plans for an unmanned version as there are already plenty of offers available.
The advantage of a small manned platform that can loiter for several hours is that it can be used easily over civilian airspace which is nearly impossible in most countries with UAVs.

We hope the small acquisition price (less than $300,000), very low cost of use (around $50 an hour), easy pilot certification (about 2 weeks for initial proficiency and a few more flight hours to be efficient) will allow it to be used extensively. What about air assets such as the TOAD over EVERY convoy and not just the high value at risk targets.

 

[ELP]

New gen MANPADs aren't all about just heat.

As for trashfire, here are some motivational images if it gets too hot.

http://www.slideshare.net/lexl/battle-damaged-oh-58

 

[gf0012-aust]

Just a suggestion. From the dimensions indicated, you should be able to squeeze it or break it down into a short 20m shipping container.

If you make it a knock down kit able to be folded into a 20m shipping container it becomes a lot more attractive on a number of levels.

basically, logistics prefers turnkey solutions that come out of one box. It reduces deployment and loader issues

 

[KFRtoad]

Cost is a major plus, this would be great for light forces and customs even on navy vessels.

The low tech approach is good keeping costs down but you must think to be truly effective it will need probably 100kg of extra radio gear.

The only problem I see is that it can't carry too much (in terms of room), it might be able to take two people but with their gear it might be a little hard. It could however be effective as a very light support helicopter maybe a .50 RWS?

The idea is to keep it as simple and easy to maintain as possible, so no complex rotor head, flaps, pitch change. It is a basic autogyro, it is not intended to replace full fledge helicopters or Ospreys. It can be maintain in the field.

Our idea was to embed it with units using their regular tac radios to assist on the ground forces directly. There won't be a need for long flight and rendez-vous as it would travel (or fly) alongside the ground units it will be supporting.

It has enough payload for a couple machine guns or SPIKE missiles, you just have to keep in mind that it is a light platform. We had a discussion with a Dillon Aero rep and it appears that an M134 would probably have too much recoil for the TOAD. Additional studies are needed, such as mounting the gun sideways and doing orbiting trajectories à la mini AC 130 Specter .

 

[lobbie111]

yeah convoy protection would be great role, any chace it can be fitted with a RWS M134 (no M134 what about an M-240/FN-MAG) and some side seats like on the OH-1 Littlebird so the aircraft can defend the convoy and then be able to deploy troops to destroy or cover convoys?

 

[KFRtoad]

oversees shipping

If you make it a knock down kit able to be folded into a 20m shipping container it becomes a lot more attractive on a number of levels.

After taking down the rotor you should be able to fit 3 in a standard shipping container and it would take a couple hours to reset each one to be ready to fly.

 

[KFRtoad]

Minigun

yeah convoy protection would be great role, any chace it can be fitted with a RWS M134 (no M134 what about an M-240/FN-MAG) and some side seats like on the OH-1 Littlebird so the aircraft can defend the convoy and then be able to deploy troops to destroy or cover convoys?

See above message for the M134 answer. M240 or a 5.56 minigun should be fine.

1 pilot and 2 gunners/observer is what is planned for our heavy duty 1+2 version.

 

[lobbie111]

ah like a really cheap helo...Isn't the M134 7.62? I think its a great idea, only small forces or because its slow maybe a .50 BMG anti material rifle will knock this thing down I think it will need some armour.

 

[KFRtoad]

ah like a really cheap helo...Isn't the M134 7.62? I think its a great idea, only small forces or because its slow maybe a .50 BMG anti material rifle will knock this thing down I think it will need some armour.

Almost any helicopter is vulnerable against that kind of weapon.

I wonder if there are other ultralights in official use. I have heard of a few experiments by some units but did not get much details.

 

[Super Nimrod]

Can someone post another link as the original one doesn't seem to work.

I t does sound interesting though

 

[KFRtoad]

Can someone post another link as the original one doesn't seem to work.

I t does sound interesting though

www DOT c-lvl DOT com

(I am sorry, I can't post a clickable link being too new to the forum).

Or Google "observation autogyro", you will find C-LVL on the first page.

 

[lobbie111]

Almost any helicopter is vulnerable against that kind of weapon.

I wonder if there are other ultralights in official use. I have heard of a few experiments by some units but did not get much details.

Yeah you diddn't get what I was saying this is going to be a very low level flying machine/ aircraft barely skimming the ground and unsupported, even an assault rifle has the capability to knock this thing down...

 

[KFRtoad]

Yeah you diddn't get what I was saying this is going to be a very low level flying machine/ aircraft barely skimming the ground and unsupported, even an assault rifle has the capability to knock this thing down...

We are looking into fitting armored panels for the engines and a armored bucket seat for the pilot if we can keep the weight reasonable.

The TOAD has a service ceiling of 15,000 feet ...

 

[gf0012-aust]

We are looking into fitting armored panels for the engines and a armored bucket seat for the pilot if we can keep the weight reasonable.

You should try to get Wookis attention in here. he is the armour expert...