Phantom Eye

Phantom Eye - high-altitude drone, strategic. Powered by liquid fuel ivodorodnom. The project has developed and established American corporation "Boeing". Its main purpose is to conduct reconnaissance, surveillance and communication with the center. In addition, the UAV functions as a testing ground for new technologies.

This is not a new development. Drone is a continuation of outdated aircraft project at piston engines, which could set several world records at the end of 80-year of endurance and altitude. Phantom Eye UAV with the help of engineers was able to pass a stage in the evolution of the program X-45S. Development is conducted not only by specialists from "Boeing". Besides them, the project involved Aurora Flight Sciences, MAHLE Powertrain, Ball Aerospace and Ford Motor Co.

Unmanned vehicles equipped with four-cylinder engines 2 company "Ford", working on hydrogen fuel (volume 2,3 L), who first created with the expectation of the car Ford Ranger. Its main feature is the ability to be at the height of the day 20 4 km without refueling.

In June, the 2012 drone made its first flight at the air base, "Edwards", California, during which over 30 minutes he was able to climb in 4,08 thousand. Ft. The whole process of the flight was successful, but the landing gear fails caught on the ground and damage.

Without a payload weight of the drone is 3390 kg, which is extremely rare in devices such proportions. This effect is due to the extensive use of carbon fiber in the construction of the UAV and the absence of heavy chassis, instead of which the engineers have installed a special launcher system. It consists of a four-wheel truck, the machine is capable of accelerating to 55 km / h. This system eliminates the need to drone on in carrying extra weight in the form of a powerful chassis. Planting Phantom Eye makes a light front wheel and side supports.

But for this reason, one of the pillars unmanned landing buried in the bottom of the lake. Subsequent tests showed that on a hard surface such problems do not arise, but the UAV would be used in war or exploration at different geographical locations.

Phantom Eye is considered to be the last representative of a series of rapid prototyping program, funded by "Boeing", of which, in addition to Phantom Eye, also includes Scan Eagle and Echo Ranger. All of them are connected with an open system for monitoring and control the entire fleet of UAVs - COMC2.

Phantom Eye. Characteristics:

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