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 Fantail,
developed by ST Aero is a miniature "tail sitter", capable of
vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and hovering, even under
severe weather conditions, such as strong winds and gusts. When
positioned in a vertical orientation, the FanTail maintains a
stable, low speed flight while the horizontal orientation enable
high speed dashes (70 knots) from one position to another.
The FanTail is designed for operation in difficult
terrain, especially in urban area, where it can fly along narrow
streets and position itself precisely on roofs, between trees or
at other vantage positions. The ducts help protecting the spinning
propeller from strikes against obstacles. The FanTail will be able
to perform various missions such as "around the corner, over the
hill" surveillance, as well as detect and track chemical and
biological hazards.
The vehicle's body
is constructed
from modular carbon-fiber composites and weighs only 3 kg, of
which 30% are payload. Rotor diameter is 29 cm, and overall length
is 76cm (excluding landing gear). Flight control and stability are
provided by control surfaces positioned below the rotor, providing
high effective hover control and withstanding strong winds and
gusts. It is controlled by an autopilot system, and is equipped
with powered with an internal combustion engine. It is controlled
from a compact ground station.
FanTail can be operated in direct
(line of sight) mode, or in cooperation with communications relay
UAVs, such as the MAV-1, also developed by ST Aero.
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