Hybrid VTOL Reconnaissance UAS Launched

AeroVironment has launched the Quantix Recon, a fully autonomous reconnaissance UAS (unmanned aerial system) designed to be rapidly deployable by ground forces to deliver actionable intelligence such as high-resolution georeferenced terrain, vegetation and infrastructure imagery.

Quantix Recon features a hybrid VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) design, combining the advantages of a multirotor drone with the range, speed and efficiency of a fixed-wing unmanned aircraft. It can operate with full autonomy, surveying up to 1.6 square kilometers (0.6 square miles), or 20 linear kilometers (12.4 miles) in one 45-minute flight. Users can choose between several different flight modes, including line (route), area and waypoint targeted data capture, and five flight altitudes ranging from 150 feet to 800 feet. Aerial imagery can be further analysed with a wide variety of geographic information system (GIS) tools.

The Quantix Recon UAS features dual 18-megapixel cameras that can capture both high resolution true color and multispectral georeferenced imagery. Captured imagery can be viewed on the included operating tablet immediately upon aircraft landing. The tablet also features a Quick-Look HD app that allows users to pinch and zoom navigation down to centimeter-level ground sampling distance, enabling them to quickly and precisely identify and react to critical issues.

Rick Pedigo, vice president of sales and business development for AeroVironment, commented: “AeroVironment’s Quantix Recon is a low-cost reconnaissance solution that can be in the air within minutes, capturing high-resolution georeferenced imagery of hard to access areas or dynamically changing environments. Because it does not rely on radio signals during flight, Quantix Recon offers greater stealth for concealed operations and is unaffected by radio frequency jammers, providing greater protection for frontline troops while reducing cognitive load.”

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