MicroPilot Successfully Flies CryoWing in the Arctic
October 8, 2008
Operating a UAS in the extreme temperatures and high altitudes of the Arctic is technically challenging. The Northern Research Institute of Norway (Norut) has developed a UAS for research on remote sensing and demonstration of civilian applications. The CryoWing was designed as a low cost platform with long endurance, moderate payload capacity and capability to operate without a runway.
The CryoWing airframe is equipped with a MicroPilot MP2x28 autopilot and satellite communication link. An onboard computer controls the payload and stores the data from different sensors and instruments. The payload computer utilizes a GSM/GPRS (where available) or independent satellite downlink, and key personnel can monitor the UAV position and payload status from anywhere in the world connected to the internet.
Rune Storvold, Senior Research Scientist of Norut stated: We had a very successful campaign in August in Svalbard (Ny-Aalesund) with the longest flight of 3.5 hours and a 300 km roundtrip out into the Fram Strait. We were very pleased with the performance of MicroPilot's MP2x28 autopilot. The success of CryoWing equipped with a MicroPilot autopilot opens new possibilities within research, resource management and environmental surveillance. For CryoWing images and more information see http://uas.norut.no.
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