MAI Develops an Airborne "Pickup Truck" for Drones
The system is designed to deliver groups of drones to emergency response zones.
Students at the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) are developing an unmanned aerial system for emergency responders. The concept is essentially an airborne "pickup truck" that enables rapid deployment of mini-drones at the scene of an emergency.
The system, named Glaukha, can take off from small launch sites and reach speeds of up to 180 km/h. As it approaches a disaster area, it releases two or three drones from its cargo compartment to conduct aerial reconnaissance. The carrier aircraft simultaneously serves as a communications hub, collecting data from the drones and transmitting it to the operator.
The unmanned system incorporates several unusual design features. One of them is a set of folding arms with propellers that enable vertical takeoff before retracting into the fuselage. A separate cruise propeller provides horizontal thrust during flight.
The current operational range of Glaukha is 70 kilometers. The developers plan to install a new engine that will increase that range sixfold.
