Mobile Recon Systems has announced a new unmanned multi-rotor air vehicle (UAV) capable of lifting more than its own weight. This model, called “Dauntless”, is designed to set new records for what multi-rotor UAVs can carry. At 78 pounds, the Dauntless has easily lifted an additional payload of 100 pounds as a tethered quadcopter.
It is designed to lift over 200 pounds as an octocopter, with a generator-powered flight time of several hours.
“Drones have proven to be great for videography. But, uses beyond that have been limited by low lift capacity, limited flight time, and narrow functional capability. With the Dauntless, that is no longer the case,” says Mobile Recon Systems founder, Mike Dowell.
Not only can the Dauntless carry up to 160 pounds of supplies in a climate-controlled transport box, it is a multi-functional platform. It can be outfitted with sensors, radiation detectors, radar, weather stations, multi-spectral, thermal, and infrared cameras, and many other devices. It can perform eight or more different functions at once. Plus, users can easily swap or combine devices to meet their needs.
Those capabilities enable this model to deliver high value services previously out of reach for UAVs.
“The Dauntless is ideal for border and perimeter security, as well as natural disaster response, medical emergency first response, routine inspections and aerial analysis, and mapping,” Dowell explains. “With its lift capacity, it can carry high end LiDAR and cameras, as well as supplies. Our flexible platform offers a myriad of possibilities.”
To illustrate, the Dauntless can carry an MSOP and four multi-axis gimbals, mounted on top and bottom, to accommodate optical, thermal and multi-spectral cameras, including Red Epic™. These can simultaneously capture multiple types of images from below, front, overhead, right and left of the flying platform.
Plus, the Dauntless emphasizes safety and quality. It has a full 3K (military grade) carbon fiber body and titanium and aircraft aluminium frame. The propellers are carbon fiber, and are safely surrounded by the body. It is waterproof and sand-proof.
Source: Press Release