REFLECTING ON THE SUCCESS OF FATM1.3: A New Era in Firefighting Operations Technology
At Silvertone UAV, we're beaming with pride as we reflect on the astounding achievement of FATM1.3. This mission was an audacious endeavour embarked upon at short notice, and it has left an indelible mark on the landscape of firefighting operations.
REFLECTING ON THE SUCCESS OF FATM1.3: A New Era in Firefighting Operations Technology
BACKGROUND
At Silvertone UAV, we're beaming with pride as we reflect on the astounding achievement of FATM1.3. This mission was an audacious endeavour embarked upon at short notice, and it has left an indelible mark on the landscape of firefighting operations.
This operation was conducted by Fire Connect (with involvement from Ambertech, Fliight, Beyond Flight, Elite Helicopters, McDermotts Helicopters, National Drones) with Eyes and Ears over the fireground provided by Silvertone UAV at Noosa in late August in conjunction with the AFAC 23 Conference and Exhibition held in Brisbane.
FATM1.3 was not just another mission for us at Silvertone UAV; it was another example of our resilience, innovation, and unwavering commitment to revolutionise firefighting operations. With limited time on our hands, we embraced the challenge and achieved remarkable success.
MISSION OBJECTIVES ACHIEVED
1. Procedural Development:
CASA.RPAS.0841, Revision Number Initial — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft beyond visual line of sight and above 400ft AGL (Australian UAV Technology Pty Ltd), ARN 1046100, Approval 2023. – SORA submission and approval turn around in 5 weeks.
Crafting procedures for safe coexistence between crewed rotary wing aircraft, our uncrewed fixed wing RPAS the Flamingo Mk3, and quad copter UAV was a formidable task, completed with the support of CASA.
Identifying separation requirements in uncontrolled airspace demanded creativity and precision.
2. Common Operating Picture (COP):
Implementing the COP developed with assistance from Fliight, as a vital situational awareness tool was pivotal.
Navigating proximity operations in blended airspace, using visual separation from a crewed helicopter under visual meteorological conditions, was an outstanding achievement.
3. Remote Resource Management:
Showcasing how an Incident Commander could remotely manage firefighting resources using the FATM data network was a game-changer.
FATM1.1 and FATM1.2 were stepping stones that taught us valuable lessons:
We grappled with visual acquisition challenges of our Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) from crewed aircraft, underlining the indispensability of the COP and robust voice communications for deconfliction.
FATM1.3 encompassed a whirlwind of activities, from structured preparatory sortie patterns to real-time Incident Commander direction. Our Flamingo Mk3 UAV stood tall among participating aircraft, both crewed and uncrewed. We operated the Ground Control Station for launch and recovery of the Flamingo Mk3 from a distant location with our mobile GCS trailer. Coordinating our transit to the fire front with other airborne assets under a CASA instrument for BVLOS operations, which relied on state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure.
The Flamingo Mk3 was equipped with multiple communication and identification technologies to facilitate safe operations and dissemination of our live video feed. Communication between the Air Attack Supervisor (located above the fire in a crewed helicopter) and Remote PilotMission Commander was maintained with multiple land and airborne radios.
Our meticulous data handling and processing procedures ensured that valuable information was secured. The precision with which we managed GPS, ADS-B, and PPLI data was showcased.
Safety wasn't just a checkbox; it was our guiding principle. Our comprehensive Test Hazard Analysis (THA) and adherence to operational restrictions were non-negotiable.
FATM1.3 held CASR 91.055 and CASR 101.055 guidelines as process defining, ensuring the safety of our aircraft and the personnel who operate them.
RESULTS
Our engagement extended beyond the mission's core. We diligently managed frequency licensing for the mesh network and addressed local concerns.
FATM1.3 exemplified our determination, expertise, and ability to rise to the occasion when it matters most. We have not only contributed to firefighting efficiency and safety but have also ushered in a new era of possibilities.
The above video showcases the remarkable achievement of FATM1.3 by Silvertone UAV, embarking on this audacious mission with Fire Connect, Ambertech, Fliight, Beyond Flight, Elite Helicopters, McDermotts Helicopters.
CL90 LiDAR Proof of Concept - Operation Case Study
BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) operate a group of mines in the Bowen Basin. These mines are surveyed by aerial means on a routine basis to capture pit progress.
Our client currently conducts survey activities for BMA and came to us with the question….”Can this survey work be conducted with a compact LiDAR fitted to an unmanned aircraft?”
WHITE PAPER – LARGE AREA SURVEY
SILVERTONE UAV | 21 JULY 2022 | KEN TAYLOR
BACKGROUND
BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) operate a group of mines in the Bowen Basin. These mines are surveyed by aerial means on a routine basis to capture pit progress.
Our client currently conducts survey activities for BMA and came to us with the question….”Can this survey work be conducted with a compact LiDAR fitted to an unmanned aircraft?”
Our Flamingo Mk3 was evaluated for fit, form and function of the Teledyne Optech CL90 LiDAR, coupled with the Applanix APX20 external IMU and GPS antenna. A proof of Concept project was undertaken.
PAYLOAD
To integrate the CL90 LiDAR into the payload bay a full structural design and analysis was required to ensure the integrity of the installation under all intended flight loads (maneuver and gust) and landing loads.
The complete system was a tight fit with vibration analysis being a key consideration for data capture quality. Electrical interface and EMI/EMC testing were required to ensure no aircraft critical systems were adversely affected by the installation. Finally, the system was connected via our onboard PicoLAN to facilitate dynamic tasking of the payload through our proprietary Systems Panel on the GCS.
Flight testing was conducted at our test facility in Wagga Wagga to validate system operations and data capture quality.
OPERATION
A small open cut pit located in the region was selected as a test case for the integrated system.
Operations took place in the early morning before shift for the day started.
The Flamingo Mk3 flew 2 separate flight paths in the one sortie, an East-West grid followed by a North-South grid.
The Flamingo Mk3 was launched and recovered from an unprepared section of the tailings pile.
RESULTS
The data captured was processed to reveal a quality equal to that captured by manned aviation, just at a fraction of the setup and operational cost.
The operation was conducted with 2 crew, around one hundred kilometers from Wagga Wagga. The GCS and airborne system were mobilized on the day of operations and were tucked up back at home by mid afternoon.
Large-Area Survey - Operation Case Study
Most people needing a topographical survey performed will need maybe some acres, or even a few square kilometers, of land covered.
Our client required over 250km2 of Queensland outback surveyed, and quickly, with high winds forecast in the latter days of the survey period.
SILVERTONE UAV | 21 JULY 2022 | KEN TAYLOR
BACKGROUND
Most people needing a topographical survey performed will need maybe some acres, or even a few square kilometers, of land covered.
Our client required over 250km² of Queensland outback surveyed, and quickly, with high winds forecast in the latter days of the survey period. The cost of manned aircraft to perform this task is significantly higher than for a Remotely Piloted Aircraft. Smaller unmanned aircraft, such as the ubiquitous multirotor, would be impractical for a task of this magnitude.
Our Flamingo Mk3, with its large fuel tank and extraordinary flight characteristics and autonomous systems developed by Silvertone UAV, was a perfect solution for a cost-effective execution of the task.
PAYLOAD
A Sony A7 camera and RTK unit was integrated into the payload bay of the Flamingo Mk3. Flight testing on location, launching from an unprepared surface in remote QLD, validated the anti-vibration mount and the image quality of the captured data.
The mission to capture the 250 km² of mining tenement was planned and operated from a commercial airport up to 42 km from the survey area.
Separation from other aircraft was managed with the use of our onboard ADSB, stakeholder engagement and airborne communications and CASA support through NOTAM promulgation.
Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations took place at 1,000 feet AGL. The terrain and our GCS setup facilitated uninterrupted communications between the aircraft and the GCS, resulting in a simple logistic footprint to maintain control of the platform and the payload.
OPERATION
Approximately 15 hours of on-task flying took place over three flying days, in weather with winds up to 65km/hr.
The survey area was approximately 42km from the mission control station, necessitating about 30 minutes of transit time each flight.
RESULTS
A single Flamingo aircraft was able to cover the entirety of the survey area rapidly and efficiently, gathering the data with sub 7cm resolution that exceeded customer requirements.
Operating at over 40km distance from the ground control station, the aircraft flew flawlessly and was able to cope with extremely adverse conditions.
By being able to gather the data despite local conditions being unfavorable, and within the timeframe specified, the Silvertone team were able to achieve a winning outcome for the client.
The changing wind conditions throughout the operation meant a change of flight direction on numerous occasions to ensure quality of the images captured. This was managed while on task, positioning the aircraft to the side of the survey area while new flight plans were uploaded and subsequently executed without the need to return to base.
Long Duration Surveillance - Operation Case Study
Silvertone was tasked by Australian Defence with providing an airborne mesh radio network node for their littoral marine activities for the duration of a multinational military exercise, Autonomous Warrior 2022.
SILVERTONE UAV | 21 JULY 2022 | KEN TAYLOR
BACKGROUND
Silvertone was tasked by Australian Defence with providing an airborne mesh radio network node for their littoral marine activities for the duration of a multinational military exercise, Autonomous Warrior 2022. The exercise took place at the Jervis Bay Naval Precinct in New South Wales, and was planned to extend as far as 60km out to sea. Whilst providing this facility we also provided oversight capability through a real time video feed of the operational area.
A Flamingo Mk3, fitted with an EO/IR sensor, MANET radio and a positional transponder was to be flown for up to 6-8 hours per day during the exercise. In addition, Silvertone planned to fly numerous test flights in the lead-up to gain familiarity with the exercise area and interoperability with the various Naval participants involved.
PAYLOAD
An Ascent Vision CM62 EO/IR gimbal, mounted in the payload bay of the Flamingo Mk3, captured the exercise as it unfolded. One of the MANET radios on board the aircraft provided this footage to the operations room in real time. At the same time another MANET radio installed to the aircraft was relaying video and tactical data from unmanned surface vessels back to the operations room for interrogation.
In a previous iteration of this exercise (Autonomous Warrior 2018), Navy had control of the camera gimbal on board the aircraft using STANAG 4586 protocol while the flight crew controlled the aircraft. This split of operational controls was not required in 2022.
Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations took place at between 3,000 feet and 6,000 feet AMSL and out to 30km from the GCS. Full time health monitoring of the aircraft’s state and critical systems was maintained using our proprietary Systems Panel software.
Operational status from the onboard autopilot, ECU, power management unit, communications network and payload are all connected via our PicoLAN and presented on a user friendly GUI we call Systems Panel.
A Silvus MANET radio system from Ambertech provided connectivity for air, ground and sea-based craft in the exercise. Full IP connectivity was available, with segregated traffic for video links, voice operations and aircraft telemetry and control.
OPERATION
The first week of operations were devoted to shake-down flights and liaison with relevant authorities to establish operational norms for the exercise.
Multiple daily flights of up to 6 hours duration became the norm and led to land, sea and air uncrewed systems having a dependable radio link throughout their operations.
All flights were in the air within minutes of the go-ahead and continued as required during all the days of the exercise itself.
RESULTS
A single Flamingo aircraft was able to cover the entirety of the exercise area for hours at a time, and a second Flamingo was available to take up duty on point so that coverage was continuous if required.
Operating at 5,000 feet ASL and above, the aircraft provided communications relay and covert surveillance across the exercise area on demand, with a logistic footprint that was far less than required to support crewed aircraft.
The central operations room had eyes-on-target as and when required, direct communications to equipment payloads and personnel in the field and data connectivity at their beck and call.
Autonomous Warrior 2022
The Silvertone team was thrilled to return to Jervis Bay for the Royal Australian Navy’s Autonomous Warrior exercise in May 2022.
The Silvertone team was thrilled to return to Jervis Bay for the Royal Australian Navy’s Autonomous Warrior exercise in May 2022.
With 40hrs of flight time over 6 days of operations, the Flamingo Mk3 proved a reliable platform as a communications relay, linking unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) to other unmanned vehicles and back to EXCON command room. Operating between 3000 and 6500 feet AMSL, and up to 30km away, the Flamingo Mk3 was transmitting video feed and data from multiple USVs as well as it's own video feed from the onboard CM62 gimbal supplied by Ascent Vision Technology. All facilitated by carrying multiple Silvus mesh radios on the one platform.
It was a successful run for the team again following our last trip to this event in 2018. Especially pleasing was the reliability of the Flamingo Mk3 despite the weather, navigating around storm cells and remaining clear of cloud was a new challenge for the team and the entire system.
Some other great results for the Flamingo Mk3:
30km Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS)
6500' AMSL
6 days, 40 hours flying
Operations around rain and above cloud
Service provider to RAN
Maritime surveillance
ISR live feed
Communications Relay to Offshore Unmanned Surface Vessels
Dual payload radios
Our team at AW ‘22:
Travis Downie
Sam Cowen
Steve Keep - Pilot
Jordan Kendall
Jeremey Randall
Wayne Girdlestone
Gerry Gerlach
We look forward to working with the Australian Royal Navy and other defence forces in the future.
Videos
Joint Venture & Technology transfer with Hawking Defence of Chennai
Silvertone UAV is very excited to announce a new joint venture/technology transfer with Hawking Defence of Chennai
Front Row: Rajeev Kourdinya CEO Hawking Defence Systems & Ken Taylor Owner Australian UAV Technologies (Silvertone UAV)
Back Row: Adil Mohamed Austrade Chennai (3rd from left), Vijay Rapalli Owner Hawking Defence Systems (4th from left), Abdul Ekram South Asia Consul Commercial Austrade Chennai(5th from left), Gerry Gerlach(6th from left), Travis Downie(7th from left)
Silvertone UAV is very excited to announce a new joint venture/technology transfer with Hawking Defence of Chennai
Australian UAV Technologies of Wagga Wagga and Hawking Defence of Chennai, India proudly announce that they have signed an agreement to enable a joint venture and technology transfer between the companies.
Both companies are significant unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturers with R&D capabilities and are suppliers to their respective governments and defence forces. The momentum generated by this agreement will enhance sovereign capabilities, employment and trade links on both sides.
Signed at the Austrade office at the Australian Consulate in Chennai, this agreement is among the first between defence industry companies since the Australia-India Free Trade Agreement came into effect.
TRADE ANNOUNCEMENT - Collaboration Agreement between Australian UAV Technologies and UAVE Limited
As of 1st January 2021, UAVE Limited and Australian UAV Technologies have entered into a collaboration agreement.
As of 1st January 2021, UAVE Limited and Australian UAV Technologies have entered into a collaboration agreement. Based in the UK and Australia respectively the agreement establishes representation and product promotion spanning UK/Europe and Australasia and extends client and operational support functions throughout more time zones.
Australian UAV Technologies Pty Ltd (Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia) and UAVE Limited (United Kingdom) have entered into an initial 12-month Collaboration Agreement in order to provide reciprocal business and operational support in their respective geographies of Australasia and UK / Europe. Phillip Slater MD UAVE Limited commented “Australasia represents a growing market place for fixed-wing UAV platforms of all sizes. Collaborating in this way enables client requirements on opposite sides of the globe to be supported and executed. By avoiding replicating competence shared in common between our two companies we eliminate any time lag that is otherwise inevitable when establishing a new overseas presence and eliminate COVID-19 type contractual risk in relation to current or future personnel travel restrictions.”
CEO of Silvertone UAV Technologies, Gerry Gerlach, supported this advantage whilst also recognising the value in new and emerging markets of getting the product solution exactly right for the clients intended and actual outcomes. This is impacted not just by the choice of Remotely Piloted Airframe, but the suppliers’ ability to integrate sophisticated sensors and operational processes that can exceed the expectations of the Air Traffic regulators, particularly in obtaining approval for beyond visual flight scenarios. Both companies have received approval to conduct ‘Beyond Visual Line of Sight’ (BVLOS) flights with their RPAS.
For further information, please visit the following websites:
Jordan passes with flying colours
We wish to congratulate our chief pilot, Jordan Kendall, on passing his Instrument Rating Exam last week!
We wish to congratulate our chief pilot, Jordan Kendall, on passing his Instrument Rating Exam last week!
Jordan has flown large scale model planes at the highest level for many years and has now up-skilled himself to be IREX qualified through self study without having any previous aviation theory qualifications.
It is a fantastic achievement by Jordan and well deserved.
Current regulations require a remote pilot to be IREX qualified to conduct BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) operations. Jordan now brings this capability to Silvertone UAV and we couldn’t be more proud of him.
Well done Jordan!
The Flamingo MK3 has received design standard certification!
The Flamingo Mk3, configured to conduct airborne inspection of the electrical power grid in Brazil, has received certification to conduct BVLOS operations out to 48km.
The Flamingo Mk3, configured to conduct airborne inspection of the electrical power grid in Brazil, has received certification to conduct BVLOS operations out to 48km.
The regulatory body in Brazil, ANAC, published design standards for small RPAS in May 2017, RBAC-E No94 AMdt 00, with the Flamingo Mk3 being the first platform to achieve this certification and receive approval to operate under an Experimental Certificate issued by ANAC.
The Experimental Certificate approves the Flamingo RPAS to conduct BVLOS operations out to 48km as proof of reliability to achieve a Restricted Certificate for routine operations.
Silvertone UAV have been working closely with their client Energias in Brazil to develop their end to end solution for autonomous fault detection along the electrical transmission network.
The business solution provides an automated approach to condition monitoring and fault detection along their power grid, encompassing the entire work flow from Energy company inspection schedules through to flight planning, data acquisition and automated post processing, with the end product being a report on faults identified along the flight path.
In the ANAC, RPA 110 refers to the Flamingo MK3 designation at Energias LTDA.
Guest Blog: From CISTECH Solutions on Autonomous Warrior 2018
This year, we had the privilege of being involved in a Defence led exercise to examine the potential for autonomous systems to support Defence while operating in coastal environments.
This year, we had the privilege of being involved in a Defence led exercise to examine the potential for autonomous systems to support Defence while operating in coastal environments. The focus was on control and integration of unmanned systems, with operational tasking efforts, innovative autonomous challenges and complex data integration.
We provided our integration services to multiple companies, including Silvertone with their Flamingo MK3 UAV, Ocius with their Bluebottle USV and Praesidium with their M.A.P.S UGV to provide them uninterrupted coverage throughout the Jervis Bay area and the ability to participate in the Autonomous Warrior exercise. With our Wave Relay MPU5, MaCE application and network integration skills, we allowed UAVs, USVs and UGVs to be controlled remotely up to 12km away, with multiple live video feeds and minimal latency back to the controller.
Alongside this, a member of the CISTECH Solutions team took one of our Wave Relay MPU5 radios down into the Jervis Bay waters for a dive, and successfully watched a live video feed from the Silvertone Flamingo MK3 on a Samsung S7 attached to his vest while 6.8m underwater. This provided him Situational Awareness of what was happening above the water, without having to raise his head.
Below, you can find a video of one of Silvertone's missions, recorded through our command and control application MaCE.
Guest blog courtesy of CISTECH Solutions.
Silvertone UAV confirmed as preferred supplier to Energias
Last week we sat down with the team from Energias do Brasil after discussions in Amsterdam and the MOU was signed.
Last week we sat down with the team from Energias after discussions in Amsterdam and the MOU was signed.
The MOU identifies Silvertone UAV as the preferred supplier of UAV’s to Energias for current and future projects. This is a significant step for our relationship and is the result of our customers service, willingness and capability to provide a bespoke solution as well as the fact that we could provide all engineering data to support certification of the Flamingo MK3 to the brazil UAV design standard.
More details about our Brazilian partnership coming soon!
To see what else we discussed in Amsterdam with Energias do Brasil click here.
Our catch-up with Energias Brazil in Amsterdam
Last week we headed over to the Netherlands to attend the Amsterdam Air Show. While we were there we were able to catch-up with the Energias do Brasil team and discuss some exciting new ventures for the future.
Last week we headed over to the Netherlands to attend the Amsterdam Air Show. While we were there we were able to catch-up with the Energias team and discuss some exciting new ventures for the future including:
The MOU among Energias and Silvertone: the signing of the MOU in order to establish a strategic partnership among the companies to deploy power line inspection systems flying Silvertone platforms. Discuss the possibility to make Silvertone the representative in Australia and Oceania to commercialise Brazil’s system, as well as Energias becoming Silvertone’s representative in Latin America.
The travel to Brazil to compare Flamingo’s performance with Silvertone’s standard flight control system and Energias’ flight control system.
The certification process in Brazil and Australia: the status and future.
A possible Silvertone participation as a strategic and preferred supplier for Energias projects: Energias is competing in a tender to supply Petrobras (Global Brazilian oil company, like Shell or BP, & today is the biggest global offshore oil producer) with a complete UAV system to comply with the company requirements for oil assets inspection and logistics in onshore camps and offshore platforms. The system must contemplate flight planning and control systems, logistics support plan, image processing algorithms and data analysis in an operational and tactic dash boards.
We will soon have an update on how all of the above talks went and where the next steps begin.
Latest News From Brazil
We have been talking to our friends over at Energias do Brazil, a Brazilian electric utility company, and what they have been up to over the last few months.
We have been talking to our friends over at Energias, a Brazilian electric utility company (read more about them here), and what they have been up to over the last few months. Check out what they have been doing below.
SIAD AERO was given approval to operate the Flamingo Mk3 in controlled airspace with manned aircraft. The unmanned Flamingo Mk3 had ground and air movements coordinated by Air Traffic Control and successfully conducted autonomous operations and sequencing with regular traffic. This is the first approval of this type granted by the air space regulator in Brazil and is another step towards full certification of the Flamingo Mk3 in Brazil.
We are really proud of our pedigree and original design intent to ensure we captured our design and testing to facilitate certification of our platform when the need arose.
Silvertone at Avalon Airshow and AAUS Conference 2019
We recently went to the Avalon Air Show held in Victoria to speak at the AAUS Conference on who Silvertone are as a company, what we do and what our capabilities are in area of UAVs.
We recently went to the Avalon Air Show held in Victoria to speak at the AAUS Conference on who Silvertone are as a company, what we do and what our capabilities are in area of UAVs. This year’s conference topic was ‘exploring an unmanned future’ and tied in perfectly with our talk.
A large part of our talk was showing how our capabilities make us a serious contender and partner in the development of the Shadow 200 replacement project JP129 Phase 3.
The Flamingo MK3 was a fantastic way for us to show our capabilities as well as talk about our recent achievements at both AW18 (read more here) and our VUX-1 Lidar trials with Mondo (read more here).
We also talked about the fantastic company Energias de Portugal in Brazil who are using and developing the Flamingo MK3 to incorporate their own monitoring systems for their network of poles and wires.
The talk ended on our value proposition including the following:
Location is a perfect test facility for trials
Design and build a sophisticated UAV to global best standards
Manage complex integration of operating systems
Design and develop complex software solutions including integration
REOC certified
Have met all demands placed by a multilateral defence consortium
VUX-1 UAV Lidar Trials a success with Mondo
The Flamingo Mk3 successfully completes data collection trials with the Riegl VUX-1 UAV Lidar for Mondo, one of Australia’s leaders in metering, mobile and spatial technology solutions for the utility and transport industries.
Flight path for the Lidar trials over the powerlines.
The Flamingo Mk3 successfully completes data collection trials with the Riegl VUX-1 UAV Lidar for Mondo, one of Australia’s leaders in metering, mobile and spatial technology solutions for the utility and transport industries.
The trials held at Silvertone’s test facility in Wagga Wagga last week are the culmination of a coordinated effort between the 2 companies. The data captured was of a better quality than had been captured by Mondo previously using manned aviation.
Phase 3 of the project is now being scoped for BVLOS trials and demonstrations in conjunction with Mondo.
VUX1-UAV LIDAR tests using The Flamingo MK3 RPA Platform
The VUX1-UAV Lidar is used for mapping and creation of 3D point cloud data in various applications. This and similar Lidar are being used on manned aircraft for commercial operations all over the world.
The Flamingo MK3 gets tested with the VUX1-UAV Lidar
The VUX1-UAV Lidar is used for mapping and creation of 3D point cloud data in various applications. This and similar Lidar are being used on manned aircraft for commercial operations all over the world. Increasingly users are identifying the potential for this unit to be flown on unmanned aircrafts to capture the same data at a much-reduced operating expense.
Silvertone UAV is constantly integrating different operating systems and sensor packages as part of their development path to providing commercial operators with alternative options for collecting their data.
In conjunction with an Australian energy provider we are scheduling flight tests with the VUX1-UAV Lidar and have developed an installation pod to be fitted to the Flamingo® Mk3 for these trials.
Trials are being conducted at the end of January 2019 to establish the Flamingo as a suitable platform for such work.
Silvertone wraps up Autonomous Warrior 2018
Exercise AUTONOMOUS WARRIOR 2018 (AW18) was a combined Navy (FIVEYS) and DSTG-led autonomous unmanned systems exercise conducted in Jervis Bay near Sydney in November 2018.
Flamingo MK3 performs at AW18
Exercise AUTONOMOUS WARRIOR 2018 (AW18) was a combined Navy (FIVEYS) and DSTG-led autonomous unmanned systems exercise conducted in Jervis Bay near Sydney in November 2018. It was the largest such exercise conducted in Australia and represented an exciting opportunity to demonstrate the utility and advantages of unmanned systems in a variety of warfare domains.
The Flamingo® Mk3 was the only Australian fixed wing UAV participating in this exercise and has demonstrated ISR capability and communications repeater capability as an airborne node, in a complex defence operation, operating in adverse weather conditions.
The Flamingo® Mk3 was tasked to operate within a 20km range of Jervis Bay Air Field, out to Beecroft Peninsula, at 5000’ altitude while providing live video feed from a remotely controlled gimbal sensor package. Entry into and out of Jervis Bay Air Field was achieved for every sortie, in accordance with Navy procedures and under the approval of Navy Mission Controllers.
The main objective of The Technical Cooperative Program (TTCP) exercise was to test a new Command and Control System (AIM C2) for use with multiple unmanned vehicles. The Flamingo participated in the 3-week exercise and was successfully tasked by the AIM C2 system, executing missions uploaded to the aircraft as received.
As an Australian SME engaged in R&D activities centred on developing innovative solutions and products to the unmanned industry, our participation in AW18 has heightened our resolve to engage further with Defence, now with a greater understanding of Defence needs. The development of programs like JP129 provide great opportunities for companies like Silvertone UAV to demonstrate their capability to deliver world class products to meet the evolving needs of this rapidly moving industry.
Silvertone UAV and Flamingo Mk3 to be showcased at Autonomous Warrior 2018 (AW18)
Silvertone® UAV along with their own remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS), on board their Flamingo® Mk3 will be attending FVEYS’ Autonomous Warrior event…
Silvertone® Group is a small Australian grown electronics and aviation company which has been operating from Wagga Wagga in the Riverina since the 1950’s. Silvertone® UAV along with their own remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS), on board their Flamingo® Mk3 will be attending FVEYS’ Autonomous Warrior event led by the Department of Defence Science and Technology (DST), commencing on the 5th November 2018 at Jervis Bay.
Silvertone® UAV is the developer of an unmanned, flexible payload, fixed wing aerial vehicle, the Flamingo® Mk3. With a typical take-off weight of 25kg, the Flamingo® Mk3 is capable of carrying large payloads and being flown autonomously on long endurance (>15hrs) covert missions, beyond visual line of site (BVLOS).
The Flamingo® Mk3 is able to carry various role equipment (including tracking cameras, infra-red cameras, multi spectral cameras, communications repeaters, air sampling sensors, and lidar) and remain aloft for long periods of time (10–20 hours). The screw-on/screw-off payload bay (for installing role equipment) is designed for flexibility to meet varying client requirements.
At AW18 Silvertone will be showcasing The Flamingo Mk3 as well as its capability as “Forward Eyes”, an ISR solution developed in conjunction with 2 other Australian companies, Cistech Solutions of Toowoomba and UAV Vision from Port Macquarie.
AW18 seeks to examine the potential for autonomous systems to support Defence while operating in coastal environments. It will focus on the control and integration of unmanned air, land, sea and underwater systems and includes a demonstration of these applications to Australian Defence Force (ADF) scenarios. Silvertone® UAV will be participating in two events at AW18, the ‘Wizard of Aus’ (WoA) and Industry Dynamic Exhibition (IDE).
The ‘Wizard of Aus’ autonomy strategic challenge seeks to demonstrate and evaluate industry innovations, with five-eyes (FVEYS) military operators, the ability of an operator to integrate and control 10 autonomous vehicles to meet a range of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)-based military missions. The IDE (Industry Dynamic Exhibition) gives attendees the opportunity to view the Flamingo® Mk3 up close, including a live demonstration of its capabilities.
Silvertone® UAV invites you to view the Australian-developed Flamingo® Mk3 at AW18 in Jervis Bay.
For further information:
First sale of the Flamingo Mk3 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Silvertone® Electronics of Wagga Wagga, Australia, is pleased to announce that this week we have commenced manufacture of three Flamingo® Mk3 Flexible Fixed Wing RPA's…
Silvertone announces first sales of the Flamingo® Mk3 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.
Silvertone® Electronics of Wagga Wagga, Australia, is pleased to announce that this week we have commenced manufacture of three Flamingo Mk3 Flexible Fixed Wing RPA's for supply to an arm of Energias do Brasil for use in BVLOS Energy Asset Monitoring. There are prospects for supply of many more after their proof-of-concept project is completed.
This is a significant endorsement of our flexible technology-based platform which allows customers to develop bespoke solutions across a wide variety of operational and payload solutions. In parallel with the manufacture for this client, Silvertone continues to work towards the proof-of-concept of the platform in a covert communications and surveillance role for the Australian Federal Police and other law enforcement bodies, in conjunction with Cistech Solutions of Toowoomba, Queensland, UAV Vision of Port Macquarie, New South Wales, and Currawong Engineering of Kingston, Tasmania.
About the client:
EDP Energias do Brasil or Energias do Brasil is one of the largest Brazilian electric utility companies, and is a subsidiary of EDP - Energias de Portugal in Brazil.
Through its subsidiaries the company generates, distributes and sells electric energy in nine Brazilian states. In the generation segment it has 2,3 GW of installed capacity. In the distribution segment, the group operates in two states (São Paulo and Espírito Santo) and serves a total of 3.1 million customers. In the commercialization segment, EDP operates in the free contracting environment both in the concession areas of their distributors as well as in other concession areas, and in renewable energy segment the company operates wind and hydro electric plants.
It is the third largest non-state electricity commercialization company in Brazil, the fifth largest non-state in generation and the fourth largest non-state in energy distribution.
Further information regarding the Flamingo® Mk3 is available on our website, or by contacting the Silvertone CEO directly.
Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation & the Flamingo® UAV
Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation (ARCAA)'s Fixed-Wing UAS program has logged many hours of successful operations of the Flamingo® UAV.
Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation (ARCAA)'s Fixed-Wing UAS program has logged many hours of successful operations of the Flamingo MK2 UAV.
