ShinMaywa INSIGHT

Achieving Practical Applications of the Fixed-Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle XU-S : (6)

November 18, 2021

Aircraft Division Research and Development

Flying over Sado Island During a Radio Wave Propagation Testing

Our Aircraft Division is continuing research and development of the fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) XU-S (Experimental Unmanned / Utility aircraft by ShinMaywa).

The UAV, which is powered by LiPo (Lithium Ion Polymer) batteries and has the unique ability to perform extended flights without generating exhaust gases, is capable of monitoring flights over a wide, high-altitude area.

On October 5 and 7, our Aircraft Division participated in a radio wave propagation testing using the XU-S at Sado Airport (Niigata Prefecture) at the request of Nagaoka University of Technology, a national university corporation.

This test is the second one after last year’s test and is part of the research commissioned by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (SCOPE) being undertaken by Nagaoka University of Technology.

In the previous test, we contributed by lending the aircraft, but this time we took part in the testing as a subcontractor in charge of flying the XU-S.

During the test, the XU-S took off from Sado Airport and circled over Lake Kamo, and also conducted circular flights beyond the hills to measure how the radio wave propagation characteristics change depending on altitude and obstacles (the hills).

We also provided video footage taken from above Lake Kamo during the test.

Although there were moments when the radio waves were interrupted by obstacles, we were able to maintain stable flight through autonomous control, as well as continue flight very reliably even in areas with altitude differences and obstacles, allowing us to acquire useful data.

Through the research and development of the XU-S, our Aircraft Division will continue to aim for the utilization of UAVs in a wide range of fields, including observation, surveillance, and communication, in the hopes of contributing to improvements to environmental infrastructure.