ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES / Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)

Government and commercial enterprises often develop payloads for aerial applications only to find that testing using manned aircraft is cost prohibitive. In answer to this concern, GTMR has a developmental program to design and field a stable of comparatively low cost unmanned aerial vehicles capable of lifting payloads weighing between ounces to 200 pounds using inexpensive materials and power plants.

Based on past precedent, these organizations have purchased off the shelf vehicles and, through lack of experience, crashed the vehicles early in the test program with no fallback position to support continued tests. This puts expensive technical and support staffs on hold until an alternative can be found. GTMR’s basic approach somewhat differs from this method. While we may occasionally sell these vehicles as products, we rather intend to provide integration and flight test services, including our vehicles, to support testing evolutions.

Our engineering staff includes electronics experts in radio control, navigation avionics and required communications, and experts in aviation airframe and power plant design. Our manufacturing facilities have the ability to fabricate the requisite parts and components serially and in quantity.

We design these vehicles for maximum crash protection of the payload while retaining high aerodynamic efficiency and performance to minimize the vehicle direct operating cost. The vehicle type is selected for the payload size, weight and operating requirements, then the payload is integrated into a crash module, then the module into the vehicle. Special support requirements and modifications outside the crash module (antennas, optical windows and similar) are then made to the basic airframe.

GTMR currently has three parallel programs in design and fabrication, one exclusively for test applications two suitable for both test and tactical operational use. We are engaged in the procurement and fit-out of an Ultralight vehicle exclusively for test purposes. This vehicle will incorporate full remote control, an autopilot/navigation systems, FAA required flight instrumentation and a digital datalink for control and test functions. We are engaged in discussions to provide a truly man-portable vehicle suitable for several different payloads that can be carried in a tube container no larger than 4" in diameter and 48" long, yet be made ready to fly in less than two minutes, and another, flying wing, design suitable for test and potentially operational use.

We are also occupied in study/preliminary design for the manufacture of high endurance vehicles of various sizes exclusively for test purposes, but based on their performance and low cost, may also be suitable for several operational applications.