Flamingo Mk3
Around the world, commercial and military operations are recognising the benefits of autonomous aircraft.
The Flamingo Mk3 is delivering high-value solutions in asset monitoring, agriculture and agribusiness, emergency services, energy supply, research and military operations. A fixed wing aerial vehicle, with a typical take-off weight of 25kg, it is capable of carrying large payloads and completing multiple tasks in one mission.
For autonomous and long-endurance missions, the Flamingo Mk3 is hard to beat - providing an efficient and cost-effective means to access large, remote or dangerous areas of land for surveillance, intelligence gathering, site or equipment monitoring, surveying, security and safety.
What sets the Flamingo Mk3 apart?
PAYLOAD POTENTIAL
The Flamingo Mk3 offers class-leading payload capacity of up to 7.5kg (traded with fuel capacity), and the flexibility to integrate a variety of custom payloads, while allowing rapid reconfiguration between missions.
COST EFFECTIVE
It costs less to buy and less to run than manned aircraft or other UAVs in terms of fuel (vs battery), transportation, wages (for operation), and parts and maintenance.
DEPENDABLE ENDURANCE
With a Corvid 29 EFI 2 stroke Engine and our autonomous systems, this RPAS is built for reliable, repetitious, long-endurance flying. Up to 8 hours of flying time, including reserves, ensures a more reliable and efficient mission. We also offer optional custom fuel tanks to extend endurance by another 3 hours.
CUSTOM BUILD
A refinement of our ground-breaking Flamingo technology, each Mk3 is built using a quality controlled process ensuring compatibility across platforms with the configuration designed and integrated to individual needs
STRONG, RELIABLE, REPEATABLE
Captured design with repeatable manufacturing process for compatibility across platforms. Using composite materials to keep the weight down, whilst maintaining strength and rigidity
BETTER LOGISTICS
The Flamingo Mk3 means a smaller logistical footprint – it is lightweight and easy to transport and simple to set up, with a full suite of maintainance documentation for ongoing airworthiness
Technical specifications
Performance
Dash speed – 105 kph
Vne - 160 kph
Cruise Speed – 85-95 kph
Stall speed (no flap 25 kg) – 48 kph
Maximum cross wind (landing) – 35 kph
Operational Ceiling 10,000 feet (theoretical; tested to 6,500’)
Specifications
Airframe
Wingspan – 4.1 metres
Length – 2.9 metres
Height – 0.55 metres
MTOW – 25 kg (in standard set up)
Construction material – composite
Retractable single nose wheel and fixed main landing wheels
Engine
Corvid29 EFI engine recommended
Compatible with a number of engines
Fuel: Standard 6.9 litres ( > 8 hours endurance)
Long Range 10.5 litres ( > 12.5 hours endurance)
Custom fuel tank size upon request
Propeller 16”- 18” 2 or 3 blades
Payload
Nose pannier – 5.5 kg maximum, 900 mm long, > 35 litres volume, with in-house design capability to customise payload bay for tailored solutions
External wing stores - 4.0 kg external wing stores (max 2.0 kg per wing)
Customised configuration – optional fuel tank and payload configurations available to meet operational requirements.
Power supply
On board generation from the Corvid 29 engine
250W maximum power supply
Power management unit supplying 6V and 12V power
Battery backup that can supply power to the flight control systems for 1 hour. Shore power is also available.
Auto pilot and ground control system
The Flamingo UAV package has been designed with the Micropilot autopilot with our propriety communications and system health monitoring solution.
The ground station includes Micropilots Horizon GCS software and Silvertone's Systems Panel for monitoring electrical, engine and payload systems
The Flamingo can accommodate various other commercial autopilots currently on the market designed for small RPAs/UAVs.
Tested Configurations
While the vehicle build is flexible, we have integrated and tested the following configurations:
ISR packages consisting of stabilised gimbal with EO/IR sensors and High-bandwidth radio link
Digital VHF radio repeater used with the Rural Fire Service
Active node in a communications mesh with Wave Relay 5 technology
Integration of the VUX-1 UAV LiDAR
CL90 and APX20 IMU
Logistics
Pelican transit case for complete configured platform and for GCS
Customised Configuration
The Flamingo Mk3 can be customised to your requirements, with an engineered solution for your payload and mission. We work with our clients to produce a solution to their problem.
Optional engine systems
Optional autopilot/GCS set ups
Optional fuel tank sizes
Optional payload configurations
Optional parachute capability
Parachute testing by our Brazilian partners CTR3SM during the certification tests for ANAC, the Brazilian regulator.
Night operations of the Flamingo in Queensland, 2023.
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
Emergency Services & Disaster Response
Asset Monitoring
Agriculture & Livestock Management
Military
Border Control
Science & the Environment
Photography, Videography, Cinematography
Forestry
Flamingo MK3 in action
Commercial returns
Energias de Brazil is one of the largest Brazilian electric utility companies and is a subsidiary of Energias de Portugal. They serve a total of 3.1 million customers over nine Brazilian states.
Silvertone is supplying Flamingo Mk3 bare airframes to the SSIAD AERO R&D project being conducted as a “Proof of Concept” by Energias de Brazil. This will form an integral part of an Automatic UAV Electrical Poles and Wires Utility management and maintenance operating system across their network of territories worldwide.
Energias de Brazil chose the Flamingo Mk3 because of its proven airframe characteristics, versatility of its operating configurations and payload flexibility. Early indicators have identified measurable benefits for the company, with significant savings and efficiencies, and plans to include the platform in their future global UAV activities.
Military interest
Silvertone UAV participated in the Autonomous Warrior 18 (AW18), a Five Eyes (FVEY) trial at Jervis Bay in November 2018, where the Flamingo Mk3 led ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) activities as part of the exercise.
In response to demand from Military, Police and Border Control operators in Australia and New Zealand, Silvertone has successfully integrated Wave Relay technology into the Flamingo Mk3
In partnership with CISTECH Solutions Silvertone will provide communications ‘forward eyes’ – oversight capability not offered by any other civil UAV platform.
In the pipeline
Silvertone is currently working on SIAD AERO proof of concept for EDP.
We are also interested to receive opportunities to integrate other sensor packages into the Flamingo Mk3.
