Posted in Beijing 2024-02-01 09:00.
According to the "Drive Network" on January 30**, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) revealed that the company has developed and manufactured a new small unmanned aerial system (SUAS) - Advanced Airborne Effect (A2LE).
Images released by the manufacturer show that the new A2LE was launched from the internal ** cabin of the MQ-20 Avenger drone, which the company owns.
The A2LE demonstration took place on November 28, 2023, over the D'Agway Proving Ground in Utah, USA, and is undergoing fabrication, structural testing, and flight demonstration work. "This demonstration is a critical first step in demonstrating GA-ASI's ability to rapidly develop, manufacture, and test small unmanned aerial systems in a controlled, low-risk approach," said Mike Atwood, senior vice president of programs at GA-ASI. ”
GE said it partnered with Divergent Technologies on the design and build of the A2LE aircraft, using the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS) to support the rapid, low-cost manufacturing of the demonstrator aircraft. DAPS is a highly automated "digital factory" concept that includes software and hardware elements and was originally developed for the manufacture of automotive components. The use of the system as part of the A2LE project is designed to help create small unmanned aerial vehicles that can be customized to meet specific needs at a fraction of the cost and lead time of currently deployed systems.
According to reports, the A2LE fuselage is designed to accommodate the ejection payload associated with launching from the jet-powered MQ-20 internal ** cabin, and its structure was validated by verification and pit ejection tests prior to flight demonstrations.
"The idea of a drone carrying a drone for an air-launch effect has really become a concept of survivability outside the standoff and penetration at the same time," said D**id Alexander, president of General Atomics. ”
We are using additive manufacturing of metal body parts, and we can print complex metal body parts that previously required many parts to be manufactured individually. We print them all together at once, which gives you economies of scale and the ability to ramp up [yield] super quickly," Alexander adds.
The ability to rapidly design and build new types of aircraft to meet emerging needs in a cost-effective manner is a capability that cannot be underestimated. Traditionally, manufacturers and customers have had to invest heavily in hardware associated with individual programs, limiting the ability to create new custom platforms for new roles. In addition, the ability to effectively "print" the body as needed allows for a more reactive and versatile approach to procurement.
Hotspot Engine Program