Triad RF Systems has confirmed that it has secured a design and production order from a prominent South Asian aerospace and defense company for a new high-powered radio system designed for use in Group 2 UAS (unmanned aerial systems)
The THPR1039 is a 10W (5W per channel) L-Band radio system based around the SOLO8 dual-MIMO radio from Domo Tactical Communications. It is designed to be used for long-range UAS video and C2 datalinks, and achieves RF link ranges in excess of 50km when used in both the ground and air radio segments. The radio system combines high power amplification and custom filtering in an easy-to-integrate package.
Group 2 UAS require the lightest payloads possible to maximize their flight endurance and mission duration. For this particular aircraft, Triad was given a directive to minimize the weight of the radio system. The challenge was met by designing the THPR1039’s housing from magnesium alloy, instead of the aluminium alloys traditionally used for housing RF systems. A final weight of 32 oz (<1 kg) was achieved for the product, amounting to approximately 33% weight reduction compared with an aluminium-housed unit.
The effort highlights Triad’s continual focus on exploring new ways to design RF systems. Innovation in materials, RF design, and manufacturing help Triad meet performance goals and SWaP (size, weight and power) limitations, keeping the company at the forefront of the industry.
Dean Handrinos, co-founder/partner of Triad, commented: “When it comes to UAVs, every gram of payload matters. Our engineering team is not risk-averse when it comes to meeting extremely stringent size and weight requirements. These efforts are reflected in our products, as we deliver some of the smallest and lightest high power RF systems in the industry.”
