US & German Harassment Drone / LOCUST / DAR Designs

[overscan (PaulMM)]

• Model 270: "Midi-RPV" for U.S. Navy (a typo for "Mini-RPV"?)

No, Midi-RPV is a larger class than Mini-RPV but still smaller than standard RPVs.

 

[Stargazer]

No, Midi-RPV is a larger class than Mini-RPV but still smaller than standard RPVs.

Thanks. I'll edit it out of my comment. Also, I've added the PDF of the article, which was missing.

 

[aim9xray]

For the commentariat, the classes of RPV discussed in 1973-5 were defined by weight:

Mini-RPV: Less than 200 pounds
Midi-RPV: 200 to 5000 pounds
Maxi-RPV: above 5000 pounds

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

DSI RPA-9 SCOUT

For Northrop, under a US Air Force contract, DSI designed, built and flight tested an electrically-propelled mini-RPV named Scout. Development continued by DSI as a company-funded programme, with a new engine and autopilot. Experimental flights were continuing in 1978, the Scout having recently flown with two different power plants. One was an electric motor powered by lithium batteries, using a small petrol engine for launch only; the other was a low-cost 3-7 kW (5 hp) two-stroke engine, installed for harassment RPV development.

Airframe: Sweptback shoulder-wing monoplane, with servo-actuated trailing-edge elevons and sweptback endplate fin at each wingtip. Wings, elevons and fins have Kevlar skins, with partial urethane foam support. Tapered body, of super-elliptical cross-section, built of bulkheads and Kevlar skin and having detachable nose-cap. Non-retractable tricycle landing gear.

Power Plant: See introductory copy.

Launch and Recovery: Conventional wheeled T-O and landing standard.

Guidance and Control: As for Sky Eye.

Equipment: DSl-PSA-WL-OI stability augmentation autopilot. Eight telemetry channels to monitor speed, altitude, autopilot functions and onboard sensors.

Dimensions, external:
Wing span 2-715 m (8 ft 10-92 in)
Wing area, gross 1-38 m^ (14-86 sq ft)
Length overall 0-91 m (3 ft in)
Height overall 0-20 m (8-04 in)

Weights:
Weight empty, equipped 15-4 kg (34 lb)
Max T-O weight 25 kg (55 lb)

Performance (at max T-O weight):
Max level speed 60 knots (111 km/h; 69 mph)
Stalling speed 32-5 knots (60 km/h; 37 mph)
Max rate of climb at S/L 91 m (300 ft)/min

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

The LCEHV (Low Cost Expendable Harassment Vehicle) is a mini RPV designed to harass opposing forces.

Site Unavailable | WestHost

E-SYSTEMS E-75, E-90, E-130, E-150, E-175, E-200, E-260 and E-310

The first in Melpar’s developing family of single-tailboom minis was the E-75, which in 1977-78 became a candidate in the US Air Force’s LCEHV (low cost expendable harassment vehicle) programme.

Source: Jane's World Unmanned Aircraft

 

[Stargazer]

Three photos of the MBB Locust, which I had to restore as the copies were stained and cut in places (see fourth image). They were found in the Ryan Aeronautical Archives.

 

[aim9xray]

The 28 July 1980 LOCUST proposal was submitted by MBB, Teledyne Brown Engineering and Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical.

 

[Stargazer]

The 28 July 1980 LOCUST proposal was submitted by MBB, Teledyne Brown Engineering and Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical.

Hmm... Interesting. I'll edit my comment then to avoid misleading future researchers. Thanks!

 

[flateric]

1976 ad

 

[Eagle2009]

Some images of Boeing BRAVE drone concept mockups at the Kansas Aviation Museum, taken back in 2015.