During the Farnborough Air Show 2018, on 17th of July, SE Antonov, Ukraine and AIR-ION TECHNOLOGIES SA, Switzerland signed a Memorandum of Understanding about the establishment of partnership in area of design, tests, certification and serial production of hybrid and full electric unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) based on versatile, flexible, multifunctional platform developed by AIR-ION TECHNOLOGIES SA for performing different civilian and military missions.
Preliminary planned manufacturing of four types UAVs with maximum takeoff weight 1500kg, cruising speed 185 km/h and altitude till 3000m.
MOU is suggests several stages of cooperation, during first stage partners will conduct research of world technologies and market of electric UAVs applying as air taxi, and hybrid UAVs in other civil and military missions. SE Antonov will participate in design of the UAV body, manufacturing of prototypes, conducting of tests and in perspective creating of serial production line on Antonov’s site.
According to the existing forecasts, world market of civil UAVs like full electric Air-Taxi, Boarder Guard, Logistics, Security, Natural Disaster and other missions the global market will rise from todays 17.8 B USD in 2017 to 48.8 B USD in 2023 total market size during this period of over 215 B USD.
Military Market volume is estimated to be over 133 B USD during the period 2017 till 2027.
Source: Press Release