Page 40 - World Airnews Magazine January 2020 Edition

UNMANNED

SUCCESSFUL TEST FLIGHT

FOR TELLUMAT ASTUS

outh African provider of defence and
Ssecurity technology provider Tellumat
recently successfully completed flight trials

with its ASTUS unmanned aerial system (UAS).
Willie Malan, support and services
manager for Tellumat defence and security,
said the ASTUS unmanned aerial system

flight team is back home after a number of

successful test flights in the Overberg re-
gion of South Africa under SA Civil Aviation

Authority (SACAA) regulations.

“Flying under SACAA’s RPAS (Remotely

Piloted Aircraft System) regulations for the

first time, all flight operations were done

with assistance from and under cover of

UAV Industries’ RPAS Operators Certifi- “The flight test campaign to date proves tion and peacekeeping. The ASTUS can also

cate,” Malan said. the ASTUS UAS to be a stable platform for be used to train UAS pilots for beyond line of
sensor deployment.” sight operations of larger UASs.

CHALLENGING CONDITIONS Unveiled at Africa Aerospace and De- The system integrates an aircraft, ground

Poor weather conditions saw any number fence (AAD) Exhibition at AFB Waterkloof control system and camera payload capa-
of test flights done in strong winds, freezing last September, ASTUS is Tellumat’s first bility in a robust, durable, easily transport-

temperatures and various layers of cloud foray into full-scale UAS systems provision. ed, quick to deploy and easy to operate

cover. This did not deter the flight team “Before that, Tellumat developed, man- high-performance surveillance package.
and the UAS coped – admirably - with all ufactured and supported market-leading “The significance of our first full SA-

conditions, he said. UAS sub-systems for more than 30 years,” CAA-vetted flight cannot be overstated,”

Among flight milestones achieved were Tellumat Defence and Security managing Tellumat Group chief executive Andrew
successful climbs to 16 000 feet above sea executive Shirley McLean said. Connold said.

level and maintaining cruise speeds varying “With UAS demand taking off worldwide, “Design, development, completion and

from 50 up to 90 knots. ASTUS has allowed Tellumat to step up with now proven success of the ASTUS UAS have

At all times, two live video channels high-end UAS performance in a medium taken more than four years, after many

transmitted feeds to the ground station. sized, cost-effective package.” more building up technical expertise and

The Tellumat XTP30 optical training pay- ASTUS is a medium-sized, medium-range market credentials.”

load provides one video channel. tactical surveillance UAS system. It is suit- “We are delighted and believe it will help

Malan said take-off performance was able for lengthy missions requiring real-time further entrench South Africa and Tellumat’s

excellent, using less than 150 metres of surveillance data collection and delivery for position in the global UAS/UAV industry. Q
runway and the efficient braking system a variety of missions. These include border Article courtesy: https://www.defenceweb.

allowed landings in the same distance. and coastal security, environmental protec- co.za/
THE SUPER DUPER
The Super Tucano landed at
the Malta airport whilst on a
long journey to Dubai to be
showcased there as a light
attack platform ideal against

insurgents. The aircraft is known

to have excellent qualities being

highly manoeuvrable and with
the ability to operate in high
temperatures and rugged terrain.
Photo by Rowen Aquilina.
World Airnews | January 2020
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