Small aircraft for humans. Hoverbike and jetpack: top unusual aircraft

People have been obsessed with the idea of ​​taking to the air for centuries. In the myths of almost all peoples there are legends about flying animals and people with wings. The earliest known flying machines were bird-like wings. With them, people jumped from towers or tried to soar by falling off a cliff. And although such attempts ended, as a rule, tragically, people came up with more and more complex aircraft designs. Iconic aircraft will be discussed in our today's review.

1. Bamboo helicopter

One of the world's oldest flying machines, the bamboo helicopter (also known as the bamboo dragonfly or the Chinese pinwheel) is a toy that flies up when its main shaft is quickly spun. Invented in China around 400 B.C., the bamboo helicopter consisted of feather blades attached to the end of a bamboo stick.

2. Flying flashlight

A flying lantern is a small balloon made of paper and a wooden frame with a hole in the bottom, under which a small fire is kindled. It is believed that the Chinese experimented with flying lanterns as early as the 3rd century BC, but traditionally, their invention is attributed to the sage and commander Zhuge Liang (181-234 AD).

3. Balloon

The hot air balloon is the first successful technology of human flight on a supporting structure. The first manned flight was carried out by Pilatre de Rozier and the Marquis d "Arlande in 1783 in Paris in a balloon (on a leash) created by the Montgolfier brothers. Modern balloons can fly thousands of kilometers (the longest balloon flight is 7672 km from Japan to North Canada).

4. Solar balloon

Technically, this type of balloon flies by heating the air in it with solar radiation. As a rule, such balloons are made of black or dark material. Although they are mainly used in the toy market, some solar balls large enough to lift a person into the air.

5 Ornithopter

The ornithopter, which was inspired by the flight of birds, bats and insects, is an aircraft that flies by flapping its wings. Most ornithopters are unmanned, but a few manned ornithopters have also been built. One of the earliest concepts for such a flying machine was developed by Leonardo da Vinci back in the 15th century. In 1894, Otto Lilienthal, a German aviation pioneer, made the first manned flight in an ornithopter.

6. Parachute

Made from lightweight and durable fabric (similar to nylon), a parachute is a device used to slow an object through the atmosphere. A description of the oldest parachute was found in an anonymous Italian manuscript dating back to 1470. In modern days, parachutes are used to lower a variety of cargo, including people, food, equipment, space capsules, and even bombs.

7. Kite

Originally built by stretching silk over a split bamboo frame, the kite was invented in China in the 5th century BC. Over a long period of time, many other cultures adopted this device, and some of them even continued to further improve this simple flying machine. For example, kites capable of carrying a person are believed to have existed in ancient China and Japan.

8. Airship

The airship became the first aircraft capable of controlled takeoff and landing. In the beginning airships used hydrogen, but due to the high explosiveness of this gas, most airships built after the 1960s began to use helium. The airship may also be powered and the crew and/or payload located in one or more "nacelles" suspended below the gas cylinder.

9. Glider

Glider - an aircraft heavier than air, which is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of air on its bearing surfaces, i.e. it is independent of the engine. Thus, most gliders do not have an engine, although some paragliders can be equipped with one to extend the flight if necessary.

10 Biplane

Biplane - an aircraft with two fixed wings, which are located one above the other. Biplanes have a number of advantages over conventional wing designs (monoplanes): they allow for more wing area and lift with a smaller wingspan. The Wright brothers' biplane in 1903 became the first aircraft to successfully take off.

11. Helicopter

A helicopter is a rotary-wing aircraft that can take off and land vertically, hover and fly in any direction. There have been many concepts similar to today's helicopters over the past centuries, but it wasn't until 1936 that the first operational Focke-Wulf Fw 61 helicopter was built.

12. Aerocycle

In the 1950s, Lackner Helicopters came up with an unusual flying machine. The HZ-1 Aerocycle was intended to be operated by inexperienced pilots as the standard reconnaissance vehicle in the US Army. Although early testing indicated that the vehicle could provide sufficient mobility on the battlefield, more extensive evaluations indicated that it was too difficult for untrained infantrymen to control it. As a result, after a couple of accidents, the project was frozen.

13. Kaitun

Kaitun is a hybrid of a kite and a hot air balloon. Its main advantage is that the kaitoon can remain in a fairly stable position above the anchor point of the line, regardless of the strength of the wind, while conventional balloons and kites are less stable.

14. Hang glider

A hang glider is a non-motorized, heavier-than-air aircraft that lacks a tail. Modern hang gliders are made of aluminum alloy or composite materials, and the wing is made of synthetic canvas. These vehicles have a high lift ratio, which allows pilots to fly for several hours at an altitude of thousands of meters above sea level in the rising currents of warm air and perform aerobatics.

15. Hybrid airship

A hybrid airship is an aircraft that combines the characteristics of a lighter-than-air vehicle (i.e. airship technology) with a heavier-than-air vehicle technology (either a fixed wing or a rotary propeller). Such designs were not put into mass production, but several manned and unmanned prototypes appeared, including the Lockheed Martin P-791, an experimental hybrid airship developed by Lockheed Martin.

16. Airliner

Also known as a jet airliner, a jet airliner is a type of aircraft designed to carry passengers and cargo through the air that is propelled by jet engines. These engines enable the aircraft to achieve high speeds and generate enough thrust to propel large aircraft. Currently, the Airbus A380 is the world's largest jet airliner with a capacity of up to 853 people.

17. Rocket plane

A rocket plane is an aircraft that uses rocket engine. Rocket planes can achieve much higher speeds than similarly sized jet aircraft. As a rule, their engine runs for no more than a few minutes, after which the plane glides. The rocket plane is suitable for flying at very high altitudes, and it is also capable of developing much higher acceleration and has a shorter takeoff run.

18. Float plane

It is a type of fixed wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. The buoyancy of the seaplane is provided by pontoons or floats, which are installed instead of the landing gear under the fuselage. Float planes were widely used until the Second World War, but then they were replaced by helicopters and aircraft used from aircraft carriers.

19. Flying boat

Another type of seaplane, the flying boat, is a fixed-wing aircraft with a hull shaped to allow it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that it uses a specially designed fuselage that can float. Flying boats were very common in the first half of the 20th century. Like floatplanes, they subsequently fell into disuse after World War II.

Also known by other names (for example, cargo aircraft, freighter, transport aircraft, or cargo aircraft), a cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted to carry goods rather than passengers. At the moment, the An-225 built in 1988 is the largest and most lifting in the world.

21. Bomber

Bomber - a combat aircraft designed to attack land and sea targets by dropping bombs, launching torpedoes or launching air-to-ground cruise missiles. There are two types of bombers. Strategic bombers primarily intended for long-range bombing missions - i.e. to attack strategic targets such as supply bases, bridges, factories, shipyards, etc. Tactical bombers are aimed at countering enemy military activities and supporting offensive operations.

22. Spaceplane

A spaceplane is an aerospace vehicle that is used in the Earth's atmosphere. They can use both rockets alone and auxiliary conventional jet engines. Today there are five such vehicles that have been successfully used: X-15, Space Shuttle, Buran, SpaceShipOne and Boeing X-37.

23. Spaceship

A spacecraft is a vehicle designed to fly in outer space. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, planetary exploration, and transportation of people and goods.

A space capsule is a special type of spacecraft that has been used in most manned space programs. A manned space capsule must have everything you need for daily life, including air, water and food. The space capsule also protects astronauts from the cold and cosmic radiation.

25. Drone

Officially known as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the drone is often used for missions that are too "dangerous" or simply impossible for humans. Initially, they were used mainly for military purposes, but today they can be found literally everywhere.

Man has long dreamed of learning to fly like a bird, and aircraft are exactly what this desire and the scientific and technical vector of human development led him to. Aircraft - a long branch of evolution and progress, starting first unsuccessful attempts to create a muscle plane (like the one that Icarus blundered with) and ending with modern Boeings, fighters, bombers, spacecraft - everything that allows us to move around land and sea. Despite the seemingly unimaginably complex technology behind them, aircraft are for the most part considered a relatively safe and fast means of transportation. Only tragedies that claim the lives of several hundred people at once cause a special resonance. However, a person’s desire is the law, and it can be said with confidence that he overfulfilled the plan to repeat the feat of the birds of this world.

Do you think the flying skateboard (hoverboard) from the movie "Back to the Future" really exists? For many, this may be a revelation, but a fantastic vehicle has long been created and used for flights. It's called Flyboard Air and was invented by . The hoverboard is capable of flying at speeds up to 280 kilometers per hour at a height of 3,000 meters. In 2016, Frankie covered 2 kilometers on his board, and now he wants to move on it from France to the UK across the English Channel. Will he succeed?

Since ancient times, people have been striving for the sky, so for decades they have been inventing various aircraft to achieve their goal. And it would seem that everything that could be invented has long been invented. But no, there are daredevils who take to the skies in a variety of ways, sometimes very small in size. We present to your attention the TOP 10 smallest aircraft in the world.

1. Paragliding

A paraglider is an ultralight aircraft created on the basis of double-shell parachutes. Sometimes you hear some people call a paraglider a parachute. But this is not entirely correct. In appearance, they are so similar - a parachute and a paraglider, a paraglider is a distant relative of a parachute, but at the moment this relationship is only in one thing - both devices for flying in the air basically have a soft wing, not equipped with a frame. The fundamental difference between a paraglider and a parachute is that the paraglider is designed to fly. A paraglider is a foot-launched, air-filled canopy that some pilots can use to fly over 300 km and rise above 7,000 meters. The paraglider is easy to take off, control and land, and fits in a backpack.

2. Paraglider

Motoparaglider (or "paramotor") - a paraglider with a dorsal power plant, providing takeoff and movement in the air. A motor glider allows you to make the flight more dynamic and give it new, bright colors that you will not get when you jump with a parachute or rise into the air on a hang glider.

3. CMC Leopard

The smallest passenger aircraft in the world, perhaps the most outstanding high-speed light aircraft ever built and flown. The good aerodynamic shape of the Leopard, according to the designer's calculations, even with engines of such low thrust will provide it with a speed of 870 km / h, a flight range of 2775 km. It can be operated from a runway with a length of 700-800 m. After the first flight, test pilot A. McVitie said that the Leopard turned out to be obedient in control, quite stable and not prone to stall. Evaluating the so-called "tailerons" used by Chichester-Miles, that is, the differentially deflected halves of the stabilizer, the tester stated that he did not notice much difference in control.

4. Gen H-4

The smallest helicopter The single-seat rotary-wing aircraft of the GEN H-4 model began to be developed by the Japanese designer Gennai Yanasigawa in the late 90s of the last century. New helicopter was supposed to acquire compact dimensions and, as a result, become very popular vehicle. Despite the rather simple design, the GEN H-4 helicopter has high reliability, which ensures its complete safety during flights, which has been confirmed by dozens of tests and the subsequent use of this aircraft, which, unfortunately, due to its limited capabilities, has never been was able to gain wide popularity among the public.

5 Colomban Cri-Cri

Who today does not know, at least in circles of fans of light aviation, the name and twists and turns of a small twin-engine aircraft called "Cri-Cri" (Cricri) - an aircraft that could be seen at many aviation festivals and which became the subject of numerous articles and publications presses. It all started in 1958, when the first mention of a small single-seat aircraft with two engines with a total power of 20 hp appeared. The first flight of the MK-10 Cree Cree (F-WTXJ) prototype took place on July 19, 1973. In front of a small group of spectators, photographers and television operators, Robert Buisson, a 68-year-old pilot with more than 12,000 flying hours, tore off earth unusual plane. In flight, the Kri-Kri resembled a small fighter.

6. Bede BD-5J Microjet

The BD-5 is a small, single-seat aircraft with a two-cylinder, two-stroke engine. The prototype (N500BD) first flew on 12 September 1971. The aircraft had a short fuselage with a glider-type cockpit, in which the pilot was located in a semi-recumbent position. pusher air propeller was located behind the tail and connected to the engine using an elongated shaft and a V-belt drive. Subsequently, Bede developed a version with a jet engine with a thrust of about 90 kg. The aircraft was produced in the form of a set of blanks, from which anyone could assemble the aircraft.

7. McDonnell XF-85 Goblin

An American jet aircraft designed as an escort fighter that could be based on the Convair B-36 heavy bomber. The cabin volume was only 0.74 m3. Due to such tightness, the pilot's seat could not be made adjustable in height, but it was possible to adjust the machine gun sight and pedals. The working ceiling of the Convair B-36 of the first models was as much as 13 km, therefore, despite the modest volume of the cabin, it was provided for heating, pressurization and pressurization. In addition, the aircraft was equipped with a high-pressure oxygen system and a cylinder with a supply of oxygen for the pilot to breathe in case of an emergency exit from the aircraft.

8. Flyboard Air (flying board)

Tests of the invention of the Frenchman Frank Zapata are completed. Flyboard Air allows a person to rush through the air at speeds up to 150 km per hour! And at the same time, no wings - only a special stand on which four jet engine. Each with a capacity of 250 horsepower. The supply of kerosene is in the tank-pack on the back of the pilot. The flying board is controlled with the help of a remote control in the pilot's hand and platform tilts with their feet.

9. Bumble Bee 2

The smallest aircraft in the world in terms of wingspan. The title of "the smallest aircraft in the world" passed from model to model quite often. The first official holder of this title was the California-built Wee Bee, which first flew in 1948. In the next four years, engineers Ray Stits entered the fray with the Junior aircraft and Wilbur Stabe with the Little Bit machine. In 1952, Stits put an end to it: his new mini-plane Stits SA-2A Sky Baby had a wingspan of 2.18 meters, and the record held until the 1980s. Yes, the main parameter of the dimensions of the aircraft is precisely the wingspan, the length may be slightly more than the previous record holder.

10. Hang glider

The hang glider completes our rating. A non-motorized aircraft heavier than air, made according to the tailless scheme with a swept wing, the flight control of which is carried out by shifting the center of mass due to the movement of the pilot relative to the suspension point. Flight control is carried out by the pilot by moving his body relative to the suspension point. Landing is on the feet.

Miniature tactical drone HUGINN X1. Sky-Watch Labs in collaboration with the Danish technical university is currently developing the MUNINN VX1 UAV UAV with partial government funding through the Innovation Fund. The MUNINN VX1 UAV is capable of taking off and landing vertically in cramped and confined spaces, flying horizontally at high speed, covering long distances and quickly reaching objects or areas of interest

Is the world of mini- and micro-UAVs becoming overpopulated? What is the landscape like there? Will there be a Darwinian selection that allows the best to live and develop along with scientific progress?

Per last years small UAVs (both mini and micro) have become a popular surveillance tool in the defense and security sector, and the ever-evolving technological advances seem to provide a bright future for this technology. Particular attention is paid to the further improvement of these systems for military operations in urban environments, in many countries of the world continuous research and development work is being carried out in this direction.

However, in today's operational space, these technologies are also spreading among terrorist and insurgent groups seeking to use UAVs to deliver dirty bombs, forcing the authorities to improve the security of their own systems, as well as fundamentally change tactics and methods of combating UAVs.

The landing in April 2015 of a small vertical take-off and landing vehicle with traces of radioactive materials on the roof of the Japanese Prime Minister's residence in Tokyo is evidence of a strengthening of this trend, and it forced more advanced military forces to think about how best to use these technologies in relation to offensive and defense operations.

Mini UAV

Israel continues to maintain a strong market position through intensive development of small UAVs, primarily due to the fact that the Israeli army constantly conducts counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations as part of a larger internal security operation in built-up urban areas.

According to Malat General Manager of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Baruch Bonen, the UAV market is witnessing a “steady” growth in the number of small UAVs (both micro and mini), especially as the miniaturization of the size and mass of sensor equipment reduces the requirements for aircraft payload. In addition, he believes that this trend is also due to the fact that the use of small platforms reduces the likelihood of their identification and falling into the hands of the enemy.

The IAI Malat family of small aircraft includes the BIRD-EYE 400 mini-UAV, designed for intelligence gathering for lower echelons; micro-UAV MOSQUITO with a miniature video camera for urban operations; and the GHOST rotorcraft mini-UAV, deployable from two backpacks, also designed for urban operations and "silent" reconnaissance and surveillance.

However, in addition to the traditional manufacturers of smaller UAVs in Europe, Israel and the United States, a number of companies have now appeared in the Asia-Pacific region, offering their advanced solutions to the world market.

With a long track record of successfully developing larger platforms, Indian company Asteria Aerospace decided to begin development of its first A400 mini-UAV earlier this year. The A400 platform is a 4 kg quadcopter designed for reconnaissance missions in built-up areas. The operational speed of the device is 25 km/h, it is able to perform its tasks for 40 minutes within line of sight at a maximum range of 4 km.

The Asteria Aerospace company reported that the A400 by the end of 2015 should go to the armed forces and law enforcement agencies for evaluation.

In Europe, the Polish Ordnance Inspectorate has issued a request for proposals for mini-UAV systems as part of a broader strategy to increase the level of robotization of the Polish armed forces.

The Polish Ministry of Defense plans to purchase 12 large tactical UAVs under the designation ORLIK, but the Armaments Inspectorate also wants to purchase 15 WIZJER mini-UAVs for urban operations and reconnaissance and surveillance tasks behind enemy lines. In addition, the Polish Ministry of Defense will undoubtedly purchase smaller micro-UAVs.

The Polish Ministry of Defense already has a number of FlyEye UAVs from WB Electronics, as well as about 45 ORBITER mini UAVs from Aeronautics, which were delivered in 2005-2009. These electrically powered systems are capable of line-of-sight reconnaissance and surveillance operations with a service ceiling of 600 meters, a maximum speed of 70 knots, a flight duration of 4 hours and a payload of 1.5 kg.

Under the terms of the RFP, each of the 15 WIZJER mini-systems will consist of three aircraft with associated ground control and logistics stations, including spare parts. The Ministry of Defense requested a mini-UAV with a maximum range of 30 km, designed for reconnaissance, surveillance and reconnaissance at the company and battalion level. The issuance of the contract is expected in 2016, and the aircraft themselves will be delivered in 2022.

The preferred options submitted to the competition include an upgraded version of the FlyEye mini-UAV from WB Electronics, as well as a joint proposal of the E-310 UAV UAV from Pitradwar and Eurotech.

The FlyEye is hand-launched from "confined spaces" in urban areas; it has a unique parachute return system, with which the device descends within a radius of 10 meters from the designated landing point.

The instrument cluster is installed at the bottom of the fuselage in order to optimize the field of view of the sensor; FlyEye is capable of carrying two cameras in one instrument cluster. The device itself, which has anti-icing and anti-spin systems, is controlled using a light ground control station LGCS (Light Ground Control Station), while data and visual information from the instrument unit are transmitted to the video terminal in real time.

The device itself can fly directly to the target point along a predetermined route and is able to barrage over the area of ​​interest. The LGCS station allows you to control the machine also in manual mode.

The digital data link also provides the ability to transmit target data to mortar fire control systems or combat control systems in order to perform subsequent fire or other combat missions. The on-board communication system operates in the NATO frequency band 4.4-5.0 GHz. According to WB Electronics, the FlyEye UAV is operated by two people, the propeller is driven by a "silent" electric motor powered by a lithium polymer battery.

The length of this mini UAV is 1.9 meters, the wingspan is 3.6 meters, the maximum takeoff weight 11 kg. The flight speed of the device is 50-170 km/h, it can fly at altitudes up to 4 km for a maximum range of 50 km, the maximum flight duration is three hours.

According to Eurotech, the E-310 UAV can carry optoelectronic equipment or synthetic aperture radar, as well as other "specialized surveillance equipment." It has "high mobility and reduced operating costs", the device can take up to 20 kg of on-board equipment, while the maximum flight duration reaches 12 hours. The maximum practical ceiling of the E-310 is 5 km, it can reach speeds of 160 km/h and has a maximum range of 150 km. The device is also launched using a pneumatic installation and returns by parachute, or lands in the traditional way on ski or wheel racks. Eurotech explains that the E-310 is transported on board a "small car" or on a trailer.

Micro UAV

Micro-class unmanned aerial vehicles are also very useful during operations in urban environments. The military wants small, hand-launched systems capable of covert surveillance in buildings, confined spaces and targeted areas. Similar tiny systems, such as the Prox Dynamics PD-100 BLACK HORNET UAV, have already been used in Afghanistan, although operators have criticized it for lack of reliability when operating in difficult wind conditions and in heavy dust.

This specific "personal reconnaissance system" is actually an aircraft vertical takeoff and a "nano-class" landing that is powered by a virtually silent electric motor. With a propeller diameter of only 120 mm, BLACK HORNET carries a camera weighing 18 grams, develops a speed of 5 m/s and has a flight time of up to 25 minutes. The device with a remotely controlled optical surveillance station on a turntable is capable of operating in line-of-sight from the operator up to 1.5 km, it can fly along pre-programmed routes, as well as hover in place.

However, current trends most likely indicate that for reconnaissance tasks, usually carried out before a combat operation, the military is choosing slightly larger micro-UAVs.

The InstantEye UAV manufactured by Physical Science Incorporated (PSI) is currently in service with unnamed special units of NATO countries and drug control teams operating in South America. This aircraft has also been adopted by the US Department of Defense and was recently delivered to the British Army for testing. This hand-starter weighs less than 400 grams, and the manufacturer claims a ready-to-start time of just 30 seconds. The maximum flight time is 30 minutes, the InstantEye has a maximum range of 1 km and can carry a variety of sensors.

This UAV, which during the flight imitates the movements of the hawk moth (a type of butterfly), can be controlled in the “manual” mode, while developing a speed of up to 90 km / h. InstantEye is controlled from a ground station; its surveillance and reconnaissance kit consists of a front, side and bottom view camera, providing navigation, tracking and target designation. Visual reconnaissance capabilities can be enhanced by installing a high-resolution GoPro camera or an infrared camera that is capable of generating an image created by a built-in infrared LED illuminator that can illuminate the ground from a height of 90 meters.

However, in addition to the existing use for covert surveillance and reconnaissance in the rear, this aircraft will soon receive a WMD reconnaissance sensor kit in response to possible counter-terrorism operations in urban areas. In addition, in order to meet the needs of NATO special forces, it can be equipped with relay equipment for transmitting voice and voice data.

Another system very popular with special forces is the SKYRANGER unmanned aerial system (UAC) from Aeryon Labs, which is currently international market promoted by Datron World Communications. According to executive director company Aeryon Labs Dave Kroatch, their LHC is a cost-effective alternative to other real-time situational information systems. He explained: “VTOL systems and do not require any additional equipment launch and return. They are controlled by one operator and therefore other members of the group can focus on other tasks, that is, the LHC becomes a means of increasing combat effectiveness. Real-time video can be transmitted to the command center and to other devices on the network.”

The company recently showed off its new Aeryon HDZoom30 imaging device for its SKYRANGER, which Croatch says provides “unprecedented aerial reconnaissance capabilities that are critical to the success of the operation. We are getting a UAV system with stable and reliable flight performance that can stay in the air for up to 50 minutes and that has a reliable real-time digital video feed.”

Meanwhile, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is studying technology that would help mini-UAVs and micro-UAVs fly in heavily cluttered space, independent of direct human control and without reliance on GPS position navigation. At the beginning of this year, the FLA (Fast Lightweight Autonomy) program was officially launched, which provides for the study of biomimetic information regarding the maneuvering abilities of birds and flying insects. Although DARPA is using a small six-rotor vehicle weighing only 750 grams as a test platform, the program will still focus on developing algorithms and software that can be integrated into small UAVs of any type.

“The Department hopes that the developed software, will allow UAVs to operate in a number of spaces to which access was usually prohibited, a vivid example of this is the interior. Small UAVs, for example, have proven useful in close-range reconnaissance by deployed patrols, but they are, however, unable to provide information about the situation in the building, which is often the critical moment of the entire operation, ”the DARPA representative explained.

The program provides for the achievement of the following characteristics: operation at speeds up to 70 km / h, range of 1 km, operation time of 10 minutes, operation without relying on communications or GPS, computing power of 20 watts.

Initial demonstrations are scheduled for early 2016 in the form of "outdoor slalom tests" followed by indoor testing in 2017.

With regard to the development of onboard sensors and systems, the general trend is to constantly reduce the size of the sensors. At Aero India 2015, Controp Precision Technologies showed its Micro-STAMP (stabilized miniature payload) optical surveillance station. The station weighing less than 300 grams, which includes a daytime color CCD camera, an uncooled thermal imager and a laser pointer, is designed for installation on a mini-UAV.

The stabilized station was designed to carry out reconnaissance missions in depth and features various functions, including observation, inertial target tracking, coordinate hold, arrival at coordinates, scanning / aerial photography and pilot window mode.

The 10 cm x 8 cm station, specially hardened for hard landings, can be installed in the nose or under the fuselage. The daytime camera is based on CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semi-conductor) technology, and the thermal imager operates in the 8-14 nm range. According to Controp, the station has already been tested in the Israeli army, in addition, in 2016 it is planned to develop a larger version weighing 600 grams.

The fight against small UAVs

One of the most important advantages of using mini- and micro-UAVs is that they are able to perform reconnaissance missions while remaining undetected, they cannot be detected by air defense radars and ground-based radars programmed to capture larger aircraft.

However, after the use of small-sized UAVs by militants of various persuasions during military operations in Israel and Libya, the military and industry have now taken up this threat and have begun the development of special technology that will identify, track and neutralize mini- and micro-UAVs.

At the Paris Air Show in 2015, Controp Precision Technologies showed off its Tornado, a lightweight, fast-scanning thermal imager capable of detecting and tracking mini-UAVs at low altitudes flying at various speeds. The matrix, operating in the mid-IR region of the spectrum, provides a 360° all-round view, it is able to determine the slightest changes in space associated with the flights of small UAVs, both aircraft and helicopter schemes. A vice president of the company explained: “Drones are becoming more common, they represent new threats to personal safety. Most radar-based air defense systems are unable to detect the threat of small drones flying below 300 meters. Tornado panoramic scans a very large area with high speed using sophisticated algorithms to detect very small changes in the environment. The Tornado was recently tested for its ability to detect and track even the smallest, low-flying drones."

It is reported that the system is capable of detecting small-sized UAVs at distances "from a few hundred meters" to "tens of kilometers", but it is worth noting that, given general concept operations, which involves the use of platforms of this class in urban environments, such opportunities will simply be unclaimed.

The Tornado thermal imaging system can be used as a stand-alone device or integrated into various systems air defense. Built into it automatic system audible and visual warning to notify the operator of any intrusion into the no-fly zone. However, in order to neutralize the threat, this system must transmit a signal either to the electronic countermeasures system or to the weapon system.

A similar solution is currently being offered by a consortium of British companies (Blighter Systems, Chess Dynamics and Enterprise Control Systems), which has developed a UAV surveillance and RF jamming system.

A British consortium recently announced the development of a system to combat small UAVs called the Anti-UAV Defense System (AUDS). Blighter Surveillance Systems, Chess Dynamics and Enterprise Control Systems (ECS) have partnered specifically to jointly develop this anti-drone system.

Mark Redford, Executive Director of Blighter Surveillance Systems, explained in an interview that the AUDS system works in three stages: detection, tracking and localization. Blighter's A400 Series Air Security Radar is used for UAV detection, Chess Dynamics' Hawkeye Long Range Surveillance System for escort, and finally ECS's Directional RF Jammer works as a neutralizing component.

Representatives of the companies said that the AUDS system is directly designed to deal with small aircraft and helicopter-type drones, such as quadrocopters, and even named some similar systems that you can simply buy in a store.

Redford said the system has advantages over similar systems because it includes real-world tested components, such as the radar already in service with several armies in the form of ground-based surveillance radar, which operates there in very noisy environments.

Extensive trials of the AUDS system have been conducted in France and the UK, according to Dave Morris, head of business development at ECS. The system was tested against several aircraft in realistic scenarios; to date, a total of 80 hours of testing and 150 sorties have been conducted.

The French Ministry of Defense conducted tests in March 2015, while the British Defense Science and Technology Laboratory carried them out in early May. The AUDS system is currently being deployed to the US where it will be demonstrated to several potential US and Canadian operators. It is also planned to conduct tests in one of the countries of the Asia-Pacific region.

During testing, the system demonstrated the ability to detect, track and neutralize targets in as little as 15 seconds. The neutralization range is 2.5 km with an almost instantaneous effect on the target.

A key feature of the system is the ability of the RF jammer to tune into specific data channels with the exact required exposure level. For example, a jammer can be used to jam the GPS signal received by the UAV, or the radio control and management channel. There is also the potential to introduce an "intercept" capability into the system, allowing the AUDS operator to "virtually" take over control of the UAV. The jammer's job is not only to "knock down" the device, it can be used simply to disrupt the functionality of the UAV in order to force its operator to withdraw his device from the zone.

Company representatives acknowledged that the most difficult problem for the AUDS system could be the fight against low-flying UAVs in urban areas, since in this case there is a large amount of interference and a large number of reflective surfaces. Solving this problem will be the goal of further development.

While the system is highly automated in a number of ways, especially detection and tracking, human involvement is key to the operation of AUDS. The final decision to neutralize the target or not, and to what extent, rests entirely with the operator.

The technology for the radar is borrowed from ground-based surveillance radars in service with the British Army and also South Korea where they monitor the demilitarized zone with North Korea.

FM Doppler radar operates in electronic scanning mode and provides 180° azimuth and 10° or 20° elevation coverage, depending on configuration. It operates in the Ku band and has a maximum range of 8 km, can determine the effective reflection area up to 0.01 m2. At the same time, the system can capture several targets for tracking.

The Hawkeye surveillance and search system from Chess Dynamics is installed in one unit with a radio frequency silencer and consists of an optoelectronic camera with high resolution and a cooled medium wave thermal imager. The first has a horizontal field of view from 0.22° to 58°, and the thermal imager from 0.6° to 36°. The system uses a Vision4ce digital tracker to provide continuous azimuth tracking. The system is capable of continuously panning in azimuth and tilting from -20° to 60° at a speed of 30° per second, tracking targets at a distance of about 4 km.

The multi-band RF jammer from ECS features three built-in directional antennas that form a 20° wide beam. The company has gained extensive experience in the development of technologies to combat improvised explosive devices. This was told by a company representative, noting that several of its systems were deployed by coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. He added that ECS knows the vulnerabilities of data transmission channels and how to use it.

The heart of the AUDS system is the operator's control station, through which all system components can be controlled. It includes a tracking display, a main control screen, and a video recording display.

In order to expand the surveillance area, these systems can be networked, whether it be several full-fledged AUDS systems or a network of radars connected to one “surveillance and search system / silencer” unit. Also, the AUDS system could potentially be part of a larger air defense system, although the companies do not intend to develop this direction yet.

The CEO of Enterprise Control Systems commented: “Almost every day there are drone incidents and security perimeter breaches. In turn, the AUDS system is able to remove heightened fears in the military, government and commercial structures associated with small UAVs.

“While UAVs have many positive uses, they are expected to increasingly be used for villainous purposes. They can carry cameras

The Martin Jetpack jetpack was the result of many years of work by Martin Aircraft, led by its founder, engineer Glenn Martin. Jetpack is a device with a height and width of about one and a half meters and a weight of 113 kg. Carbon composites are used to make the starting material.

The device is lifted into the air by a 200 hp engine (more than the Honda Accord, for example), which drives two propellers. The pilot with the help of two levers can control the climb and acceleration of the device. The jetpack is able to fly non-stop for about 30 minutes, reaching speeds of up to 100 km/h. However, such a unit consumes much more fuel than a passenger car - about 38 liters per hour. The creators of the device especially emphasize its reliability: the jetpack is equipped with a security system and a parachute, which is necessary in the event of an impact during landing or a failure of the main engine.

The idea of ​​creating a personal jet device appeared about 80 years ago. The predecessor of the jetpack can be considered the rocket pack, which was fueled by hydrogen peroxide.

The first devices of this kind, for example, Thomas Moore's jet vest ("jet vest"), appeared after the Second World War and allowed the pilot to be lifted off the ground for a few seconds. After that, many years of development began on the order of the American armed forces. In April 1961, a week after Yuri Gagarin's flight, pilot Harold Graham made the first ever flight with a personal jet device and spent 13 seconds in the air.

Most successful model jetpack, Bell Rocket Belt, was invented in the same 1961. It was assumed that with the help of this device, military commanders would be able to move around the battlefield, spending up to 26 seconds in flight. Later, the military considered the development unprofitable due to high fuel consumption and operational difficulties. Therefore, the main application of the device was in filming films and staging shows, in which unusual flights have always caused general delight.

The popularity of the Bell Rocket Belt reached its peak in 1965, when the new Bond movie Thunderball was released, in which the famous special agent managed to elude his pursuers from the roof of the castle with the help of such a device. Since that time, all sorts of variations of jetpack models have appeared. Soon they created the first gadget with a real turbojet engine - the Jet Flying Belt, which extended the flight to several minutes, but turned out to be extremely cumbersome and unsafe to use.

New Zealander Glenn Martin came up with the idea to create his own jetpack back in 1981. He also involved his family in the process of creating the apparatus: his wife and two sons. It was they who acted as pilots on the first test runs of the device in their family garage. In 1998, specifically for the development new version Martin Aircraft was formed. Its employees, as well as researchers from the University of Canterbury, helped the inventor achieve the desired result. In 2005, after the release of several trial models, the developers were able to achieve the stability of the device during the flight - and after 3 years they successfully conducted the first demonstration flight at an air show in the American city of Oshkosh.

In early 2010, Martin Aircraft announced the release of the first 500 models, each of which will cost the buyer $100,000. As the company believes, with the growth of production and sales, the jetpack will cost about the same as the average car. In the same year, Time magazine named the Martin Jetpack one of the best inventions of 2010. Starting sales have already begun - according to the developers, the company has already received more than 2,500 requests.

Due to the low weight of the device, the jetpack pilot does not require a license to fly in the US (conditions may vary in other countries). However, there is a mandatory training course from Martin Aircraft prior to launch.

“If someone thinks they won't buy a jetpack until it's the size of a school backpack, that's their right,” says Martin. “But you need to understand that then he will not be able to buy a jetpack throughout his life.”

There is no special system for regulating such air transport in the United States yet, however, according to the creators, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is developing a project to introduce 3D highways in the sky based on GPS signals.