SmartOne unmanned aircraft

SmartPlanes has developed the SmartOne unmanned aircraft system (UAS) which is specifically designed for aerial photography. Despite its small size and light weight, the SmartOne UAS is capable of fully autonomous flight and is in constant contact with the ground control station through a radio link. SmartOne uses an opensource autopilot design originating from Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile (ENAC) with a custom groundstation that runs on Windows computers. The aircraft carries a compact digital camera and weighs a total of 1.1 kg ready to fly.

With a typical mission altitude of 200m above ground level, the electrically powered SmartOne UAS has an operation mission endurance of 35 minutes. The wings are detachable so the aircraft can be packed and transported in a case measuring 85 x 40 x 15 cm. The system is designed for operation by a single person and can be set up in less than 10 minutes. It does not require large open areas or prepared runways for takeoff or landing since it is launched by hand.

The entire construction is designed to withstand frequent use in typical field conditions with special attention to protection of sensitive electronic components and safety. A very low kinetic energy combined with shock absorbing structures and an aft mounted propeller minimizes the risk of personal injury or property damage. The system complies with strict aviation safety requirements and has received operational permits in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany and the UK.

The ground control station consists of a telemetry unit (radio data link) and software for mission planning on a laptop computer. The operator needs only to define the area of interest and the autopilot’s navigation code works out the actual flying pattern and collects the necessary photos. The ground control station allows the operator to monitor the flight in real time and send commands to the aircraft over the data link. A separate radio control unit is used for manual takeoff and landing and as a safety manual override.

SmartOne

Ground station

Transport case