Vanilla Unmanned UAV
Vanilla Unmanned UAV takeoff
Role Unmanned aerial vehicle
National origin United States
Manufacturer Vanilla Unmanned
Status In development

The Vanilla UAV is a long-endurance, low-cost UAV produced by American manufacturer Vanilla Unmanned. It has flown unrefueled over 8-days.

Development

Vanilla Unmanned was founded by aerostructures designer Daniel Hatfield, systems engineer Neil Boertlein, and program manager Jeremy Novara. This team designed, built, and flew the VA001 prototype.[1] In October 2020, Vanilla Unmanned was acquired by Platform Aerospace, a provider of aircraft prototyping, modification, and systems integration.[2]

In December 2016, a VA001 set an FAI world record endurance of 2-days, 7-hours, 56-minutes in Las Cruses New Mexico.[3] In October 2017, a VA001 completed a flight of 5-days, 1-hour, 20-minutes at NASA Wallops in Virginia, covering 7,000 miles (11,265 km) and landing with three days of fuel remaining.[4]

On 2 October 2021, a Vanilla UAV completed an 8-day, 50-minute flight from Edwards AFB in California, flying 10,600 nmi (19,600 km) in circuits, an internal combustion engine-powered UAV record ratified by the FAI.[5][6][7] Only the Rutan Voyager has flown longer unrefueled (aircraft endurance records).

In November 2021, NASA flew the Vanilla UAV in the Arctic from Deadhorse Airport, Alaska, testing instruments to survey the region, monitoring sea level change, as it could fly for nearly five days over sea ice, Greenland, and Antarctica ice sheets. It carried a radar to measure the depth of snow on top of the sea ice, and ice-detecting sensors, heating systems, and a special anti-icing coating to manage flight in the cold temperatures.[8][9]

Design

The initial VA001 was powered by a off-the-shelf engine driving a pusher propeller, and was controlled by a Piccolo autopilot.[1] Weighing up to 600 lb (272 kg), it has a 36 ft (11 m) wing span and a 55-gallon (208-litre) fuel capacity.[1] It has a projected endurance of up to 10 days at 55 kn (102 km/h) and up to 15,000 ft (4,600 m), and burning 1 lb (450 g) of jet fuel per hour.[1] The VA001 was launched using a sled and pulled by a towline attached to a pickup truck. It lands at 40 kn (74 km/h) on a single center wheel.[1] The Vanilla UAV uses a pickup truck launcher for takeoff.

VA001 could carry a 30 lb (13.6 kg) payload for 10 days. Mission sensors include: electro-optical and SAR sensors for surveillance including maritime, or acting as a radio relay.[1] Platform Aerospace increased Vanilla's takeoff weight by 75 lb (34 kg). It can now carry maximum of 150 lb (68 kg) of payload, or fly over 13,000 nmi (27,780 km) with a 30 lb (13.6 kg).[10]

Specifications (VA001 / Vanilla UAV)

Data from Flight 2018[1]

General characteristics

  • Capacity: 30 lb (13.6 kg), up to 150 lb (682 kg)
  • Wingspan: 36 ft (11 m)
  • Wing area: 40 sq ft (3.7 m2)
  • Gross weight: 600 lb (272 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 55-gallon (208-litre)
  • Powerplant: 1 × internal combustion aircraft engine
  • Propellers: pusher propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 70 kn (81 mph, 130 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 55 kn (63 mph, 102 km/h)
  • Range: 13,200 nmi (15,200 mi, 24,400 km)
  • Endurance: 10 days
  • Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,600 m)
  • Fuel consumption: 0.016 lb/mi (0.0044 kg/km)

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Garrett Reim (23 April 2018). "ANALYSIS: Vanilla Aircraft eyes 10-day flight and first customer". Flight International.
  2. ↑ "Vanilla Unmanned is now solely owned and operated by Platform Aerospace" (Press release). Platform Aerospace. 13 October 2020.
  3. ↑ "Jeremy Novara (USA) (18087)". FAI. 2 December 2016.
  4. ↑ Black, Patrick (26 October 2017). "Vanilla Aircraft Conducts Record UAS Flight at Wallops". NASA.
  5. ↑ "Platform Aerospace Team (USA) (19576)". FAI. 2 October 2021.
  6. ↑ Garrett Reim (5 October 2021). "Vanilla UAV claims world record eight-day flight without refuelling". Flight Global.
  7. ↑ "Sweet success: Vanilla Unmanned completes 8-day record flight". USAF. 5 October 2021.
  8. ↑ Roberto Molar Candanosa (2 March 2022) [February 24, 2022]. "NASA Helps Fly 'Vanilla' Ice Drone to Study Arctic Sea Ice Thickness". NASA Goddard.
  9. ↑ "Vanilla UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System)". eoPortal. ESA. 7 March 2022.
  10. ↑ ""Game changer for the UAV industry" Vanilla UAV spends 192 hours in flight". Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. 17 May 2022.
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