UAVs

Denel Aerospace Systems is developing a mini-UAV system designed for use as a medical courier system for use in isolated regions.

The development programme is being funded by the South African Department of Health with an electrically powered prototype system now flying to support proof of concept explorations.

Denel says that the requirement is effectively for a UAV capable of being used to transfer medical samples from remote communities to regional medical clinics in a bid to speed up the patient diagnosis and response cycle. The system is seen as having particular application in transferring medical samples too and from quarantine areas during major disease outbreaks.

The demonstrator has been developed on the basis of low-technology solutions Denel says, with the objective that even untrained people in isolated communities can load and launch the UAV.

Significant areas of South Africa and southern Africa lack basic medical infrastructure and the same UAV could be used to supply urgently needed medical supplies to those same communities says Denel.

Launch funds were provided at the end of 2005 with initial application demonstrations to occur later this year.

Basic configuration data released by Denel indicates the system is hand launched and incorporates an automatic landing capability. The UAV demonstrator has a one hour endurance and a radius of operations of some 5km (3mi).