Finmeccanica subsidiary Galileo Avionica is to unveil an electrically powered vertical take off and landing (VTOL) UAV at this month’s IDEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi.
Designated ASIO, the system is being developed in conjunction with the Rome-based Unmanned Technologies Research Institute (UTRI). Galileo Avionica says that the UAV has fully autonomous capabilities and has been developed to support manoeuvre, urban and special operations roles.
A complete system, comprising air vehicle, ground control station and communications antenna is small enough to be carried inside a backpack.
The system is also designed to be interoperable with Finmeccanica’s existing intelligence, surveillance, targeting and reconnaissance systems
UTRI was established in 2003 to develop UAV autopilot and inertial measurement technologies and is known to have been working on a 2.8kg payload mini helicopter UAV for military and civil applications.