UAVOS has successfully tested the main landing gear leaf spring designed as part of the company’s Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft program to design, develop and launch advanced aircraft.
The leaf spring system is designed to support aircraft weight up to 1,200 kg. It is made of aircraft prepreg carbon by a high-temperature molding procedure, which makes it 50% stronger, thinner and lighter in comparison with the most commonly used steel.
According to UAVOS, this system offers a significant reduction in aerodynamic drag and in fuel consumption of aircraft while notably increasing flight performance.
Examples of the main landing gear leaf spring include the S1-V300 MALE UAS:
Systems running through the leaf-spring are hydraulic tubing, axles to connect the wheels, and brake system components. Spring leg weight is 19kg.
Rigorous ground-based proof tests conducted by UAVOS confirmed that the leaf spring system will be able to withstand all the aircraft stresses and strains associated with takeoff, flight and landing as well as soften the blows that occur when the unmanned aircraft lands or runs over an uneven runway.
“We are continually seeking ways to improve our unmanned platforms, making them more relevant for our customers’ emerging needs,” said Aliaksei Stratsilatau, CEO at UAVOS. “We’ve designed new heavy-weight landing gear, which greatly extends our MALE UAS endurance while further increasing their operational flexibility.”
Data collected from this test will inform UAVOS’ developments of future medium altitude long endurance unmanned aircraft capabilities.
