DZYNE Technologies in the US is converting a sports glider into a low altitude, low-cost UAV, writes Nick Flaherty.

DZYNE is working with the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Centre for Rapid Innovation (CRI) on the Uncrewed Long-endurance Tactical Reconnaissance Aircraft (ULTRA), which has an endurance of over 80 hours while carrying 200 kg of payload.

The conversion takes a novel approach to achieve long endurance and acquisition cost objectives by repurposing a commercial sport glider and converting it into a military, hardened, uncrewed air vehicle with a propeller engine and fuel  tank.

It uses commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) UAS technology, such as GPS satellite navigation and autopilot, as well as existing manufacturing and supply channels and limited custom avionics to keep the cost down.

The UAV can use lower-cost EO/IR and RF sensors as it operates at lower altitudes, which do not require large optics or high-power RF to maintain effectiveness.

ULTRA uses an operator-friendly command-and-control system that allows for point-and-click operations in the ground station. Full, global operations are possible through satellite-based command and control links that also provide a data feed to the operators in real time.

DZYNE previously worked on the Long Endurance Aircraft Program (LEAP), which produced an autonomous aircraft that was deployed in 2016 and could fly for up to 40 hours.