On Tuesday May 5th, Stavatti Aerospace announced the ongoing design of the SM-282, a new Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). This portable UAV is intended for detecting IEDs in urban and non-urban settings, insurgent identification, monitoring troop and insurgent movements, tactical/field reconnaissance, and other ISR tasks.

The UAV consists of an aft-mounted high-aspect ratio wing, a forward-mounted high-aspect ratio canard, and a streamlined, elliptical toroidal planform lifting-body fuselage. Powered by a single, dorsally mounted 107-lb. thrust SWB-100 turbojet, the UAV features two 60-in diameter, 36-blade, contra-rotating tip-driven fans mounted in the fuselage perpendicular to the line of flight. These fans provide sufficient vertical thrust to enable VTOL operations at typical SM-282 gross weights. Driven by high-pressure air diverted from the SWB-100 turbojet, the UAV applies technologies pioneered by the Ryan XV-5 for reduced-risk VTOL while providing efficient, high-speed cruise.

The SWB-100 powerplant uses an electrically driven diverter system to drive the tip-driven fans during VTOL, and in hovering flight and provide forward thrust during cruise and conventional takeoffs and landings. The UAV features a graphite composite fuselage, wings, canard and empennage with a ventral mounted centerline vertical stabilizer and two wing-mounted outrigger stabilizers that serve as fairings for the main landing gear. With fixed landing gear, the UAV can operate from unprepared, forward locations and will use its VTOL capability or a runway for conventional takeoffs and landings in less than 325 ft. The UAV will have a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 261 lbs. including 111-lb. empty weight and 50- lb. payload. The UAV will feature a 35 KTAS stall speed, a 50-to-75 KTAS cruise speed, and a maximum level speed of 125 KTAS. Maximum range is 265 nm with maximum endurance greater than four hours. Designed to carry a ventrally mounted L-3 Sonoma Model 12 DS/TS 200 Long Range Imaging System, the UAV may be equipped with a variety of mission specific sensor packages including SAR and “Sniffer” CBN sampling & detection packages.

The powerplant uses batteries for system operation and self-start and runs on heavy fuel (JP-8). A GPS guided, autonomous, fly-by-wire system controls and monitors the vehicle through a Mobile Command/Control Station. Operation requires no specialized military operational skills. The platform will provide real-time video feed to the operator with data-link capability to provide real-time information to the Tactical Operation Center. Capable of remote control by radio frequency, the UAV will be operable with current systems including passive early detection systems, Vehicle Optic Sen- sor Systems, Counter Radio Electronic Warfare Systems, etc. Wings and canards are removable for transport. The SM-282 UAV is designed for daily operation in harsh desert, arctic, maritime, and tropical environments for five years, equivalent to a 10,000 hour airframe life.