Applied Aeronautics, a manufacturer of unmanned aircraft and airframes, has announced that it has begun delivery of its Albatross UAV platform. The Albatross is the first in a comprehensive line of products designed to bring utility UAVs to everyday customers.
“The Albatross came to the team a little over a year ago when we were in search of a high grade, affordable UAV platform for personal use,” said Catherine Edmonds, Applied’s Director of Marketing. “Unfortunately we found that unless we were willing to dig deep into our pockets we were left to rely on an inferior product to meet the demands of our complex tasks. We were anything but satisfied with this reality.”
Applied Aeronautics designed the Albatross UAV to be the most efficient of its kind. It offers low stall speeds, high max efficiency, a large cruise window and payload capacity, built-in wing component bays, an entirely electric propulsion system and a 10 foot wingspan. It is also nearly silent, can fly for over 2 hours, reach speeds of up to 90 MPH and travel for over 100 miles.
Its transformative design allows for dynamic use. Applied offers DIY Kits and Ready to Fly models that enable the Albatross to takeoff, fly and land autonomously via predefined flight paths. The UAV’s capabilities are further maximized by adding a thermal camera for heat detection, NDVI camera for crop health assessment, or HD camera for land surveying.
In conjunction with the launch of the Albatross UAV, Applied Aeronautics also announced the launch of its line of supporting products, starting with AppliedHD, a proprietary High Definition Video streaming device.
Product Specifications
Airframe
- Wingspan: 3000 mm / 9.8 ft
- MTOW: 10+ kg/ 22 lbs
- Endurance: 2+ hrs
- Range: 100+ km / 62+ miles
- Cruise Speed: 18 m/s / 40 mph
- Max Level Speed: 40 m/s / 90 mph
- Takeoff: 40 ft– 100 ft (Runway, Unpaved Roads, Catapult)
- Glide Ratio (L/D): 28:1 – 30:1
Airplane
- Engine Type: Electric
- Battery Type & Capacity: LIPO / LI-ION* capacity only limited by MTOW
- Onboard Sensor Capabilities: EO/IR Sensor, NDVI
- Advanced Features: Large & versatile payload capacity, adaptable payload bay
- Analog Payload Link 1: Analog Unencrypted Video Transmission @ 1.3 GHZ
- Digital Payload Link 2: Digital Encrypted Video Transmission @ 5.8 GHZ
- Telemetry Data Link: Digital Transmission @ 915 MHZ (~40km typical range with long range unit)
- Command & Control Link: 433 MHZ UHF Transmission / 2.4 GHZ (~40km typical range w/ UHF)
