Roke Manor Research has successfully integrated its miniature radar altimeter (MRA) onboard Saab‘s Skeldar V-200 Maritime unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) landing system.
The medium-range vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAV will use the MRA Type 2 system to accurately determine its height above ground.
Saab senior product manager Jonas Carlsson said that Roke’s MRA would provide very high accuracy, while supporting Skeldar’s high autonomy during landing to maximise safe conclusion of missions.
"The MRA’s compact size and light weight allows us to free-up space on Skeldar and maximise payload," Carlsson said.
Capable of providing a high level of flexibility to missions when compared with traditional laser altimeters, Roke’s MRA Type 2 enables reliable operations over various terrains including water.
The system has been designed to provide continuous accurate measurements even in challenging environmental situations such as misty or dusty conditions.
Independently certified to MIL-STD-810F standard for vibration, the MRA Type 2 can be installed on all major UAV platforms.
Roke Unmanned Systems business sector manager Paul Webb said: "Roke’s MRA has been developed for easy installation onto all major UAV platforms, providing an outstanding solution in terms of capability, cost and ease of use."
Powered by a two-cylinder, in-line, two-stroke, liquid cooled internal combustion engine, the Skeldar UAV is primarily used for surveillance, reconnaissance, and transfer of target data.
In addition to deployment for instant battle damage assessment and control of indirect fire, the UAV is used for logistics support and ship-to-ship or ship-to-land transfers in adverse weather conditions.
Image: Roke’s MRA Type 2 system and a Skeldar UAV in the background. Photo: Roke Manor Research Limited.
