TEAMPEGASO "VECTOR"
VECTOR Long Endurance Innovative Unmanned Airship for Surveillance and Security
The project
Vector is a remotely controlled Lighter Than Air (LTA) flying platform, adopting highly innovative technical solutions, in order to ensure operational effectiveness, low cost and ecological compatibility.
The Project is strongly focused on the realization of an innovative high technology product.
Cooperation with Research Institutes
The innovative technical solutions of the Project, in terms of scientific, technological and innovation content, result from the consolidated cooperation with the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS) of the Polytechnic of Turin.
Other Departments are involved under the DIMEAS technical coordination:
- Department of Electric Engineering
- Department of Electronic Engineering
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering
The Airship General Configuration
Vector is a remotely controlled Lighter Than Air flying platform, adopting highly innovative technical solutions, in order to ensure operational effectiveness, low cost and ecological compatibility.
Instead of the aerodynamic control surfaces, the Vector uses a system of Thrust Vectoring Propellers, suitably allocated to maneuver the vehicle with high efficiency during the phases of climb/descend, hovering and forward flight. Four forward flight propellers and two vertical axis propellers are used.
Operational Capabilities
The innovative design provides operational capabilities which overcome some important limitations of the existing conventional air vehicles.
Main Operational Characteristics:
- Long endurance
- Very low energy consumption
- Strong reduction of operation and logistic support cost
- Capability of operating in bad weather conditions: tenths of knots wind, low intensity rain
- Low or zero ecological impact: helium, electrical motors, batteries/supercap/fuel cells
- Low height operations possible
The VECTOR Airship is designed to provide greater efficiency and operational effectiveness when compared to conventional platforms for missions requiring long endurance, complex and heavy payloads and increased cost/effectiveness.
Surveillance and Security:
- Coastal/Maritime Surveillance
- Border Surveillance
- Agricultural Aerial Surveillance and Monitoring
- Environmental Monitoring
- Infrastructure Inspection and Monitoring
Military Applications:
- Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)
- Communications Relay
- Electronic Warfare
Payloads
The Vector can be equipped with various Payloads, selected according to the specific mission requirements:
- EO/IR Sensors
- LASER Sensors
- RADAR Sensors
- Electronic Warfare Sensors
- Communications Relay Platforms
- Large Scale Monitoring Sensors
