Centurion-based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) company Avior Labs has put its Elevation vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV into production, and is launching a new version of the aircraft at Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2024.
The new Elevation-G (Gimbal) aircraft is on display at Air Force Base Waterkloof for the exhibition. The first version was the Elevation-S (Survey), which was the original design intended for survey missions, and which can carry a variety of fixed high definition (HD), thermal or multispectral cameras. Elevation-G, in contrast, is designed for surveillance applications such as security and policing. It carries a NextVision DragonEye2 gimbal with its latest tracking computer and includes real-time video streaming.
“Both production versions of Elevation feature locally developed hidden embedded antennas that are part of the composite structure, along with various other improvements over the prototypes,” explained Dr Benjamin Broughton, Managing Director of Avior Labs.
Avior Labs unveiled the prototype Elevation at AAD 2022, and two years later low-rate production is underway, to be ramped up to full production in 2025. The company is open to accept orders on both versions (Elevation-S and Elevation-G) at AAD.
“We are one of very few truly South African VTOL manufacturers in the country capable of actual mass production of drone systems, including the airframes. The design IP, firmware, moulds, manufacturing IP and many of the electronic components are all our own, and we also own a patent and several trademarks associated with Elevation,” said Broughton.
“The airframes are manufactured at two facilities in Silverton and the final assembly, configuration, and software integration are done at our design and integration office in Irene. Excluding the payloads, our drones have approximately 85% South African content, and while we are actively marketing the drone overseas, we are also hoping to generate significant interest among local operators and government agencies at AAD.”
At AAD, Avior Labs has signed three agreements. The first, with Aerotechnic, will establish Aerotechnic as the exclusive global supply chain and procurement partner for Avior Labs. Secondly, an agreement with Litson and Associates Risk Management Systems will see joint development of a drone operations management system. Thirdly, Avior Labs and LambdaG signed a research and development partnership agreement to develop, integrate, and test enhanced embedded antennas suitable for UAVs and improved ground stations.
The Elevation UAV is a versatile, multi-role VTOL fixed-wing drone. It is fully electric with 90 minutes useful flight time in standard configuration. It has a single tilting propeller on the nose for flight efficiency, also creating an exceptionally low noise footprint (three other propellers around the airframe create vertical lift). The 2.54 metre wingspan Elevation has a maximum takeoff weight of 4.6 kg. The outer wings are detachable for transport and ease of assembly, allowing the UAV to be packaged in a convenient box that fits in the boot of a car.
Avior Labs said the Elevation-S is ideally suited to surveying areas of land around 200 hectares in size, and inspecting linear infrastructure such as pipelines, railroads, and transmission lines. The Elevation-G is equipped with an EO/IR gimbal payload and provides the perfect tool for surveillance or search & rescue activities day and night. Other applications include security, disaster management, deliveries, and precision agriculture.
Established in 2019, Avior Labs specialises in the development and manufacture of efficient commercial unmanned aerial vehicles, associated technologies and software. The company has designed and built aerial vehicles to develop and validate technologies, and these have also been used in support of computational modelling on behalf of its clients. Elevation is the first UAV designed by Avior Labs for commercial and military UAV operators and service providers.
