Luxcopter SA ,recently established in Luxembourg, has started its business with the launch of the MITRON, a vertical take-off and landing RPAS for professional use.
Luxcopter SA specializes in custom-made solutions. To meet customer needs, Luxcopter integrates specific payloads for turnkey solutions, including but not limited to inspections, mapping and monitoring.
The MITRON is specially designed for remote observation and special operations. It is unique in its payload ratio of 50%, and in its outstanding stability.
The MITRON has the following features:
- Automatic take-off, mission (waypoint trajectory), and landing
- Two turbine engines running on Jet-A1 fuel with One Engine Inoperative (OEI) capability
- Ability to lift a 30 kg payload and fly for 1 hour
- Designed to fly up to 2.000 meters AMSL and 120 meters AGL
- Silent operation at 100 meters AGL and above
- Qualified for flight by the Dutch Civil Aviation Authorities
The MITRON consists of the highest grade components manufactured by the air and space industry: one-piece lightweight composite body with integrated fuel tank, lightweight composite rotor blades with a special design to reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency, robust and redundant flight computer, high-end drive train and twin turbine system. The MITRON can automatically take-off and land, fly a predefined mission, and carry a payload of choice under flexible weather conditions.
The Data Link System – a secure frequency hopping data link system – is used for command and control, and to provide live digital flight data to the remote pilot
station. The digital flight data telemetry includes primary flight data, navigation data, engine data, autopilot information, and alerts. A second digital link system sends live video footage to the Pilot View Display at the remote pilot station. A Built-In-Test (BIT) capability for helicopter, data link and remote pilot station are integrated. Depending on client usage, preferred range and available frequency bands, appropriate modems can be selected.
The remote pilot station includes a TV display with live pilot view and a control computer display showing on a graphical user interface: the primary flight data (attitude, speed and altitude), navigation data (coordinates and position on the map), autopilot information (status, flight mode, engine data) and alerts (of various aircraft systems).
The MITRON has several back-ups and built–in test procedures. In case the data link is lost, the MITRON automatically attempts to re-establish communication in hovering mode. After failure of several attempts, the MITRON will automatically return to base. An important safety characteristic is that the MITRON has two turbine engines with the possibility for the helicopter to land only on one engine. Two batteries back-up the electrical system generator on board.
The MITRON is delivered with an Approved Flight Manual containing information on the dimensions, control system, data link system, procedures for lift-off, landing and emergency situations, the maintenance schedule, flight planning, etc.
Luxcopter provides intensive 5-day training sessions to enable a pilot to control the MITRON under normal and abnormal operations. Prerequisites for the trainees are experience with model helicopters and/or experience with helicopter flight simulators.
The MITRON has been developed pursuant to the Dutch regulation of Light Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Critical components of the MITRON are supplied by AS 9100 certified aerospace suppliers.
Source: Press Release