Platform one 16 Airbus has completed the assembly of its first SIRTAP prototype tactical UAS in Spain, writes Nick Flaherty. The aircraft is ready to start ground tests at the Airbus Defence and Space facilities in Getafe, Spain. These tests will cover structural evaluations, mainsystems components and software testing, and will finish with the maiden flight, scheduled for the end of 2025 at Spain’s National Institute of Aerospace Technology’s Unmanned Systems Test Centre in Huelva, Spain. SIRTAP (Sistema Integrado de Vigilancia Aérea Remotamente Tripulado) is important because the design is free of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) that require licensing and approval by US regulators. It has a maximum take-off weight of 750 kg with a payload of 150 kg, and has been designed to operate in all weather conditions by adopting ice protection, enabling it to operate between -40 and +50 C. It has endurance of more than 20 hours and can use a range of heavy fuels, reaching an altitude of more than 6000 m for day/night and maritime intelligence and surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Flight testing is planned for 2026 to obtain airworthiness type certification for delivery. Airborne vehicles SIRTAP UAS completes assembly August/September 2025 | Uncrewed Systems Technology Experts wanted! If you have experience far and wide across uncrewed systems technologies, and would like to help peer-review our articles as a technical consultant, contact rory@uncrewed-systems.com Dr Donough Wilson Dr Wilson is innovation lead at aviation, defence, and homeland security innovation consultants, VIVID/futureVision. His defence innovations include the cockpit vision system that protects military aircrew from asymmetric high-energy laser attack. He was first to propose the automatic tracking and satellite download of airliner black box and cockpit voice recorder data in the event of an airliner’s unplanned excursion from its assigned flight level or track. For his ‘outstanding and practical contribution to the safer operation of aircraft’ he was awarded The Sir James Martin Award 2018/19, by the Honourable Company of Air Pilots. Ian Williams-Wynn Ian has been involved with uncrewed and autonomous systems for more than 20 years. He started his career in the military, working with early prototype uncrewed systems and exploiting imagery from a range of systems from global suppliers. He has also been involved in ground-breaking research including novel power and propulsion systems, sensor technologies, communications, avionics and physical platforms. His experience covers a broad spectrum of domains from space, air, maritime and ground, and in both defence and civil applications including, more recently, connected autonomous cars. Dr David Barrett Dr David Barrett’s career includes senior positions with companies such as iRobot and Walt Disney Imagineering. He has also held posts with research institutions including the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, MIT and Olin College, where he is now Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, and Principal Investigator for the Olin Intelligent Vehicle Laboratory. He also serves in an advisory capacity on the boards of several robotics companies. Bri O’Neill Bri O’Neill is an engineering leader with over a decade of experience in uncrewed systems and safety-critical technologies. She has led the design, certification, and integration of UAS C2, comms networks, detect and avoid equipment, and flight test infrastructure for Raytheon, Insitu and others. Her work has spanned civil aviation, defense applications, robotics R&D, and regulatory engagement with the FAA and global standards bodies. Uncrewed Systems Technology’s consultants Read all back issues online www.ust-media.com UST 57 : AUG/SEPT 2024 UK £15, USA $30, EUROPE €22 Surveying the skies Painting a picture of airspace with UTM Hitting the right frequency Transponders on track for safer aviation Poetry in motion Schiebel’s S-100 balances capability, flexibility & performance The assembled SIRTAP tactical UAS (Image courtesy of Airbus) Read all back issues online www.ust-media.com UST 58 : OCT/NOV 2024 UK £15, USA $30, EUROPE €22 Quantum delights Testing driverless sensing systems Rugged and ready Advancements and standards for GCSs Intelligent auto WeRide’s Robobus offers a safe, smooth ride ANNIVERSARY ISSUE ANNIVERSARY ISSUE Read all back issues online www.ust-media.com UST 59 : DEC/JAN 2025 UK £15, USA $30, EUROPE €22 The god of thunder Takeoff for a heavy-lifter from Sweden More room in bed Embedded system chips shrink and gain power Ups and downs The latest on launch and recovery systems Ocean Pioneer How ACUA Ocean engineers its H-USVs for certification Plug and go Connectors keep up with big data Swarm mentality New tech for simultaneous autonomy Read all back issues online www.ust-media.com UST 60 : FEB/MAR 2025 UK £15, USA $30, EUROPE €22 Little big van Profiling a plucky Swiss courier Current events Intelligence and efficiency in motor controllers Lighting the way A new dawn for Lidar Read all back issues online www.uncrewed-systems.com UST 61 : APR/MAY 2025 UK £15, USA $30, EUROPE €22 Eye in the sky Going Dutch with the Airboxer UAV Smart watching AI enhancements for video encoding Taking control Sparking ECU advancements Read all back issues online at www.uncrewed-systems.com Issue 62 : JUNE/JULY 2025 UK £15, USA $30, EUROPE €22 Evolution in action How Tekever adapts its UAVs for a combat zone Health check Monitoring uncrewed system performance Cutting edge High-tech material machining Read all back issues online at www.uncrewed-systems.com Issue 63 : AUG/SEPT 2025 UK £15, USA $30, EUROPE €22
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