What's next for the Pentagon after the Replicator programme?
Although the Replicator initiative has made several accomplishments, there are still multiple gaps to plug across the US Department of Defense (DoD) and its services.
Nostromo Defensa SA to develop advanced UAV
The Laboratorio de Sistemas Inteligentes Avanzados -Instituto de Automática Facultad de Ingeniería (Advanced Intelligent Systems Labs.) of the Engineering University of San Juan (Argentina), granted Nostromo Defensa SA with a contract to develop an advanced UAV powered by an electric motor ,and with innovative features, including adaptable wing span, modular payload bay, foldable tail for landing using parachutes, etc.
The new UAV named ZONDA I, will be use as scientific research unmanned aircraft to test advanced robotics system being developed by the University of San Juan. These systems include a new avionics system based on self-adaptative techniques, fuzzy logic and robotic behavior such as automatic adaptation of the flight planning to obtain energy from the atmosphere in order to increase endurance.
The Zonda I has a MTOW of 15 Kg and 3.6 meters span (max.).
Currently the new Zonda I will be powered by conventional high energy density batteries, but the project foresee to use next year a fuel cell as power system for the UAV.
Source: Nostromo Defensa SA
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