UAVOS’ UVH-170 unmanned helicopter successfully completes first high altitude flight

July 1, 2020 | AUVSI News

UAVOS’ UVH-170 unmanned helicopter recently showcased its value to mountainous areas operations by successfully conducting its first high altitude flight and reaching a height of 16,400 feet. During its flight, the UAS performed surveillance missions. 

The rotary-wing UAS carried the Gyro-stabilized two-axis gimbal with integrated Radio data link. The payload weighed just under nine pounds.

During the two-hour flight, the climb rate was over one meter per second from 13,120 feet to 16,400 feet. The drone’s high altitude capability was made possible through the modification of the fuel injection system of the 4-stroke gasoline propulsion system. 

The practical ceiling can be greatly increased through the enhancements of the fuel injection system. Depending on the operating conditions, it can be very precisely tuned. Fuel-efficiency of the UAS is also increased significantly through the UAS engine improved fuel injection technology.

“UVH-170 unmanned helicopter is designed for commercial operations and immediate air response, emergency relief under demanding conditions and tight timescales,” UAVOS CEO and lead developer Aliaksei Stratsilatau comments.

“The aircraft’s high standoff distance and altitude makes it well-suited to humanitarian and disaster relief in high-altitude conditions.”

An unmanned helicopter and multi-payload UAS, the UVH-170 is equipped with UAVOS’ most cutting-edge technologies. The UAS can operate under harsh weather conditions as a result of its its strong design, and it can also operate in windy conditions with gusts more than 14 miles per hour while taking off or landing in both land and maritime environments.

The UVH-170 can operate in a tropical climate in a hot and moist environment thanks to its state-of-the-art air cooling engine. The temperature range is negative 31 degrees Fahrenheit to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The UAS has a maximum takeoff weight of 99 pounds, a payload of up to 22 pounds, and flies at a maximum speed of 74 miles per hour.

In emergency situations, the UVH-170 can land in autorotation mode. The vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAS is equipped with an emergency rescue system and satellite communication data link, which supports beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights.