(Gizmag) Darren Quick - Tilt-rotor aircraft combine the vertical takeoff and landing capabilities of a helicopter with the speed and range of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is bringing these benefits to unmanned aerial vehicles with its new Panther and Mini Panther UAVs that were unveiled last week. With an automatic flight control system that transitions between the hovering takeoff phase to forward flight and vice versa before landing, the system allows the craft to take off and land automatically with the click of a button on the operator console. The Panther is powered by three ultra-quiet electrical motors that allow the craft to loiter for approximately six hours, at an altitude of up to 10,000 feet, with an operational radius of over 60 km (37 miles).
2010-10-12 09:20:14Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive