The desert of Abu Dhabi was the stage for the FLYEYE demonstration that capped off WB GROUP’s exposition at UMEX 2018, the largest conference and exhibition for unmanned systems.
The FLYEYE is a modular system characterized by the ease of assembly and disassembly. Launch readiness can be achieved in less than 10 minutes. Hand-launch with no additional equipment which allows it to be operated in various areas.
Landing of the system consists of automatic ejection of a container holding the batteries and the surveillance payload, which descent and land via parachute. That ensures maximum security of the payload. The accuracy of landing remains within a range of 5 metres from the payload landing point. The air show featured a live commentary by a representative of the WB Group design team.
Both take-off, landing and the ejection of the payload were transmitted in HD directly from the aircraft on jumbotron set up in the sand for viewing by the invited guests. Among the spectactors were i.a. the representatives of UMEX, United Arab Emirates Armed Forces and the official delegation of the countries from the Persian Gulf.
The airshow was a complete success and the FLYEYE has once again proven that it can be used in any conditions.
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FlyEye is intended for battlefield observation, identification and location of artillery targets and for reconnaissance activities. The FlyEye is hand-launched, which allows it to be operated in tight spaces, such as urban areas or forest clearings and maximally simplifies logistics. Before FlyEye lands, it rejects its battery and payload container. Then the FlyEye glides towards the operator-specified landing location. Not only this ensures effective protection of the most expensive part of the system, i.e. the observation head, but it also facilitates control over the UAV in the last stage of the flight, helping to minimize its speed. The observation head with two cameras (visible light and IR) attached under the fuselage provides significantly better observation options and a function for rapid switching between the two video feeds. The whole system is operated by only two operators and can be securely stowed in two backpacks. This UAV’s ease of assembly and disassembly, modular design and launch readiness, which can achieved in 10 minutes, makes it usable in almost any terrain conditions, even for small squads.
