Shadowfax UAS will be unveiling its new hybrid VTOL unmanned aircraft platform, the SF30, at the 2024 Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) Expo from 18 – 22 September at Air Force Base Waterkloof near Pretoria, South Africa.
The ITAR-free SF30 has been specifically engineered from the ground up to provide a long-endurance and versatile aerial ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) capability that can serve a variety of civilian applications as well as Group 3 defense roles. Of key importance to Shadowfax UAS and their prospective clients was the ability to provide a cost-effective solution that could deliver the lowest possible operational cost per hour of on-station time.
The SF30 UAS (unmanned aerial system) achieves this efficiency with the help of a propulsion unit based around a four-stroke internal combustion engine with optional electronic fuel injection. The modular unit can be easily swapped out in the field in a matter of seconds, enabling missions to resume with minimal downtime and increased availability and utilization of the platform. The highly aerodynamic aircraft also features a sophisticated system of position locking motors that reduce drag in flight, and was designed to allow for mission times of 10 hours and sortie ranges of 800 kilometers.
The SF30 can carry up to 7kg of field-swappable payloads in its spacious 40-litre modular payload bay. Sensor and equipment options include EO/IR gimbals, synthetic aperture radar, precision agriculture sensors, and laser designators, as well as a range of communications methods including SATCOM, cellular datalinks and encrypted MIMO radios. Shadowfax’s patent-pending Gravi-shift system allows large asymmetrically-mounted payloads to be installed without impacting flight duration.
Capable of autonomous take-off and landing, the rugged UAV is BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight)-capable and can operate day or night from almost anywhere and under challenging weather conditions. It requires only a minimal logistical footprint and can be assembled in just 30 minutes.
Key specifications of the SF30 UAS include:
- Wingspan: 4.132 metres (13.56 ft)
- MTOW: 32 kg (70.5 lbs)
- Maximum Payload: 7 kg (15 lbs)
- Flight Endurance: 10+ hours
- Operational Range: 800+ km (500 miles)
- Maximum Altitude: 4000 metres (13,200 ft)
“The development of the SF30 has been a five year long project and we are excited to be able to unveil it to the public for the first time at AAD 2024.” commented Liezl Beyers.
To find out more about Shadowfax UAS and the SF30, visit the website or meet the team at stand 3E2, Hanger 3 at The Africa Aerospace and Defence Expo.
