The smallest aircraft. The most unusual aircraft. Steam engine airplane

People have been obsessed with the idea of ​​taking to the air for centuries. In the myths of almost all nations there are legends about flying animals and people with wings. The earliest known flying machines were wings imitating those of birds. With them, people jumped from towers or tried to soar by falling off a cliff. And although such attempts usually ended tragically, people came up with more and more complex aircraft designs. We will talk about iconic aircraft in our today's review.

1. Bamboo helicopter

One of the world's oldest flying machines, the bamboo helicopter (also known as the bamboo dragonfly or Chinese pinwheel) is a toy that flies upward when its main shaft is quickly spun. Invented in China around 400 BC, the bamboo helicopter consisted of feather blades attached to the end of a bamboo stick.

2. Flying flashlight

A flying lantern is a small balloon made of paper and a wooden frame with a hole in the bottom under which a small fire is lit. It is believed that the Chinese experimented with flying lanterns as early as the 3rd century BC, but traditionally, their invention is attributed to the sage and general Zhuge Liang (181-234 AD).

3. Balloon

The hot air balloon is the first successful technology for human flight on a supporting structure. The first manned flight was carried out by Pilatre de Rosier and the Marquis d'Arlandes in 1783 in Paris in a hot air balloon (tethered) created by the Montgolfier brothers. Modern Balloons can fly thousands of kilometers (the longest balloon flight is 7672 km from Japan to Northern Canada).

4. Solar balloon

Technically, this type of balloon flies by heating the air inside it using solar radiation. As a rule, such balloons are made of black or dark material. Although they are primarily used in the toy market, some solar balloons are large enough to lift a person into the air.

5. Ornithopter

An ornithopter, which was inspired by the flight of birds, bats and insects, is an aircraft that flies by flapping its wings. Most ornithopters are unmanned, but a few manned ornithopters have also been built. One of the earliest concepts for such a flying machine was developed by Leonardo da Vinci back in the 15th century. In 1894, Otto Lilienthal, a German aviation pioneer, made the first manned flight in history in an ornithopter.

6. Parachute

Made from lightweight, durable fabric (similar to nylon), a parachute is a device that is used to slow an object's movement through the atmosphere. The description of the oldest parachute was found in an anonymous Italian manuscript dating back to 1470. Nowadays, parachutes are used for descent various cargoes, including people, food, equipment, space capsules and even bombs.

7. Kite

Originally constructed by stretching silk over a frame of split bamboo, the kite was invented in China in the 5th century BC. Over time, many other cultures adopted this device, and some of them even continued to further improve this simple flying machine. For example, kites, capable of carrying humans, are believed to have existed in ancient China and Japan.

8. Airship

The airship became the first aircraft capable of controlled takeoff and landing. In the beginning, airships used hydrogen, but due to the high explosiveness of this gas, most airships built after the 1960s began to use helium. The airship may also be powered by engines and contain crew and/or payload in one or more "pods" suspended beneath a gas cylinder.

9. Glider

A glider is a heavier-than-air aircraft that is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air on its lifting surfaces, i.e. it is independent of the engine. Thus, most gliders do not have an engine, although some paragliders can be equipped with them to extend their flight if necessary.

10. Biplane

A biplane is an aircraft with two fixed wings that are located one above the other. Biplanes have a number of advantages over conventional wing designs (monoplanes): they allow larger area wings and lift with a smaller wing span. The Wright brothers' biplane became the first aircraft to fly successfully in 1903.

11. Helicopter

A helicopter is a rotary-wing aircraft that can take off and land vertically, hover and fly in any direction. There have been many concepts similar to modern helicopters over the past centuries, but it was not until 1936 that the first working helicopter, the Focke-Wulf Fw 61, was built.

12. Aerocycle

In the 1950s, Lackner Helicopters came up with an unusual aircraft. The HZ-1 Aerocycle was intended to be used by inexperienced pilots as the standard reconnaissance vehicle for the US Army. Although early testing indicated that the vehicle could provide sufficient mobility on the battlefield, more extensive evaluations indicated that it was too difficult for untrained infantrymen to control. As a result, after a couple of accidents, the project was frozen.

13. Kaitun

Kaitun is a hybrid of a kite and a hot air balloon. Its main advantage is that the kite can remain in a fairly stable position above the rope's anchor point, regardless of wind strength, while conventional balloons and kites are less stable.

14. Hang glider

A hang glider is a non-motorized, heavier-than-air aircraft that lacks a tail. Modern hang gliders are made from aluminum alloy or composite materials, and the wing is made of synthetic canvas. These devices have a high lift ratio, which allows pilots to fly for several hours at an altitude of thousands of meters above sea level in updrafts of warm air and perform aerobatic maneuvers.

15. Hybrid airship

A hybrid airship is an aircraft that combines the characteristics of a lighter-than-air vehicle (i.e., airship technology) with the technology of a heavier-than-air vehicle (either a fixed wing or a rotor). On mass production no such designs were delivered, but several manned and unmanned prototypes emerged, including the Lockheed Martin P-791, an experimental hybrid airship developed by Lockheed Martin.

16. Airliner

Also known as a jetliner, a jet passenger aircraft is a type of aircraft designed to transport passengers and cargo through the air, propelled by jet engines. These engines allow the aircraft to reach high speeds and generate sufficient thrust to propel a large aircraft. Currently, the Airbus A380 is the world's largest passenger jet airliner with a capacity of up to 853 people.

17. Rocketplane

A rocket plane is an aircraft that uses rocket engine. Rocket planes can reach much higher speeds than similarly sized jet aircraft. As a rule, their engine runs for no more than a few minutes, after which the plane glides. The rocket plane is suitable for flight at very high altitudes, and it is also capable of much greater acceleration and has a shorter takeoff run.

18. Float seaplane

It is a type of fixed-wing aircraft that can take off from and land on water. The buoyancy of a seaplane is provided by pontoons or floats, which are installed instead of the landing gear under the fuselage. Float planes were widely used before World War II, but were then replaced by helicopters and aircraft operated from aircraft carriers.

19. Flying boat

Another type of seaplane, the flying boat, is a fixed-wing aircraft with a hull shaped to allow it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that it uses a specially designed fuselage that can float. Flying boats were very common in the first half of the 20th century. Like float planes, they were subsequently phased out after World War II.

Also known by other names (such as cargo aircraft, freighter, transport aircraft, or cargo aircraft), a cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft that is designed or converted to carry cargo rather than passengers. IN this moment The largest and most payload-carrying aircraft in the world is the An-225, built in 1988.

21. Bomber

A bomber is a combat aircraft designed to attack land and sea targets by dropping bombs, launching torpedoes or launching air-to-ground cruise missiles. There are two types of bombers. Strategic bombers are primarily designed for long-range bombing missions - i.e., attacking strategic targets such as supply bases, bridges, factories, shipyards, etc. Tactical bombers are aimed at countering enemy military activities and supporting offensive operations.

22. Spaceplane

A spaceplane is an aerospace vehicle that is used in the Earth's atmosphere. They can use both rockets and auxiliary conventional jet engines. Today there are five similar devices that have been successfully used: X-15, Space Shuttle, Buran, SpaceShipOne and Boeing X-37.

23. Spaceship

Spaceship is a vehicle designed to fly in outer space. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, Earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, planetary exploration, and transport of people and cargo.

A space capsule is a special type of spacecraft that has been used in most manned space programs. A manned space capsule must have everything necessary for daily life, including air, water and food. The space capsule also protects astronauts from cold and cosmic radiation.

25. Drone

Officially known as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a drone is often used for missions that are too “dangerous” or simply impossible for humans to fly. Initially they were used mainly for military purposes, but today they can be found literally everywhere.

Miniature tactical drone HUGINN X1. Sky-Watch Labs, in collaboration with the Danish Technical University, is currently developing the MUNINN VX1 UAV with partial government funding through the Innovation Fund. The MUNINN VX1 UAV is capable of taking off and landing vertically in cramped and confined spaces, flying horizontally at high speed, covering long distances and quickly reaching objects or areas of interest

Is the world of mini- and micro-UAVs becoming overpopulated? What is the landscape like there? Will Darwinian selection occur, allowing the best to live and develop along with scientific progress?

Behind last years Small UAVs (both mini and micro) have become a popular surveillance tool in the defense and security industry, and ever-evolving technological advancements are likely to ensure a bright future for this technology. Special attention is focused on further improving these systems for military operations in urban environments, and continuous research and development work in this direction is being conducted in many countries around the world.

However, in today's operational space, these technologies are also spreading among terrorist and insurgent groups seeking to use UAVs to deliver dirty bombs, forcing authorities to improve the security of their own systems, as well as fundamentally change tactics and methods of combating UAVs.

The April 2015 landing of a small VTOL vehicle with traces of radiation on the roof of the Japanese Prime Minister's residence in Tokyo is evidence of a growing trend, and it has forced more advanced militaries to consider how best to use these technologies in offensive applications. and defense operations.

Mini UAV

Israel continues to maintain a strong market position through intensive development of small UAVs, primarily due to the fact that the Israeli army constantly conducts counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations as part of larger internal security efforts in built-up urban areas.

According to Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Malat general manager Baruch Bonen, the UAV market is witnessing a “steady” increase in the number of small UAVs (both micro and mini), especially as miniaturization of the size and weight of sensor equipment reduces the payload requirements of aircraft. In addition, he believes that this trend is also due to the fact that the use of small-sized platforms reduces the likelihood of their identification and falling into enemy hands.

The IAI Malat family of small aircraft includes the BIRD-EYE 400 mini-UAV, designed for low-level intelligence collection; micro-UAV MOSQUITO with a miniature video camera for urban operations; and the GHOST rotary-wing mini-UAV, deployable from two packs, also designed for urban operations and “silent” reconnaissance and surveillance.

However, in addition to traditional manufacturers of smaller UAVs in Europe, Israel and the United States, a number of companies have now appeared in the Asia-Pacific region, offering their advanced solutions to the world market.

Having gained extensive experience successfully developing larger platforms, Indian company Asteria Aerospace decided to begin development of its first mini-UAV, the A400, earlier this year. The A400 platform is a 4 kg quadcopter designed to perform reconnaissance missions in built-up areas. The operational speed of the device is 25 km/h, it is capable of performing its tasks for 40 minutes within line of sight at a maximum range of 4 km.

Asteria Aerospace reported that the A400 should arrive for evaluation in the armed forces and law enforcement agencies by the end of 2015.

In Europe, the Polish Armament Inspectorate has issued a request for proposals for mini-UAV systems as part of a broader strategy to increase the level of robotics in Poland's armed forces.

The Polish Ministry of Defense plans to purchase 12 large tactical UAVs under the designation ORLIK, but the Armament Inspectorate also wants to purchase 15 WIZJER mini-UAVs for urban operations and reconnaissance and surveillance missions behind enemy lines. In addition, the Polish Ministry of Defense will undoubtedly purchase smaller micro-UAVs.

The Polish Ministry of Defense already has a number of FlyEye UAVs from WB Electronics, as well as approximately 45 ORBITER mini-UAVs from Aeronautics, which were delivered in 2005-2009. These electrically powered systems are capable of line-of-sight reconnaissance and surveillance operations with a service ceiling of 600 meters, a maximum speed of 70 knots, a flight endurance of 4 hours and a payload capacity of 1.5 kg.

According to the terms of the request for proposals, each of the 15 WIZJER mini-systems will consist of three aircraft with associated ground control and logistics stations, including spare parts. The Ministry of Defense has requested a mini-UAV with a maximum range of 30 km, designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance at the company and battalion level. The contract is expected to be issued in 2016, and aircrafts will be delivered in 2022.

The preferred options submitted to the competition include an upgraded version of the FlyEye mini-UAV from WB Electronics, as well as joint proposal UAV E-310 UAV from Pitradwar and Eurotech.

The FlyEye device is capable of being hand-launched from “confined spaces” in urban areas; it has a unique parachute recovery system, with the help of which the device descends within a radius of 10 meters from the designated landing point.

The instrument unit is installed at the bottom of the fuselage to optimize the sensor's field of view; The FlyEye device is capable of carrying two cameras in one instrument unit. The device itself, which has anti-icing and anti-spin systems, is controlled using a light ground control station LGCS (Light Ground Control Station), while data and visual information from the instrument unit are transmitted to the video terminal in real time.

The device itself can fly directly to the target point along a predetermined route and is capable of patrolling over the area of ​​interest. The LGCS station allows you to control the device also in manual mode.

The digital data link also provides the ability to transmit target data to mortar fire control systems or battle management systems for the purpose of performing subsequent fire or other combat missions. The on-board communication system operates in the NATO frequency range 4.4-5.0 GHz. According to WB Electronics, the FlyEye UAV is operated by two people. air propeller driven by a “silent” electric motor powered by a lithium-polymer battery.

The length of this mini-UAV is 1.9 meters, the wingspan is 3.6 meters, and the maximum take-off weight is 11 kg. The flight speed of the device is 50-170 km/h, it can fly at altitudes up to 4 km for a maximum range of 50 km, the maximum flight duration is three hours.

According to Eurotech, the E-310 UAV can carry optical-electronic equipment or synthetic aperture radar, as well as other “specialized surveillance equipment.” It has “high mobility and reduced operating costs”, the device can take up to 20 kg of on-board equipment, while the maximum flight duration reaches 12 hours. The E-310's service ceiling is 5 km, it can reach a speed of 160 km/h and has a maximum range of 150 km. The device is also launched using a pneumatic installation and returns by parachute, or lands in the traditional way on ski or wheel stands. Eurotech explains that the E-310 is transported on board a “small vehicle” or in a trailer.

Elbit Systems' SKYLARK ILE mini-UAV has seen combat operations. It has been selected by the Israeli Army as a battalion-level unmanned aerial system, and has also been delivered to more than 20 customers from different countries. Soldiers from a unit equipped with the SKYLARK I-LE UAV spent a week in the Negev Desert, learning to operate the SKYLARK system (pictured)

Micro UAV

Micro-class unmanned aerial vehicles are also very useful during operations in urban environments. The military wants small, hand-launched systems capable of covert surveillance in buildings, confined spaces and target areas. Similar tiny systems have already been used in Afghanistan, such as Prox Dynamics' PD-100 BLACK HORNET UAV, although operators have criticized it for its lack of reliability when conducting operations in difficult wind and dusty conditions.

This specific “personal reconnaissance system” is actually an aircraft vertical take-off and “nano class” landings, which are powered by a virtually silent electric motor. With a propeller diameter of only 120 mm, BLACK HORNET carries a camera weighing 18 grams, reaches a speed of 5 m/s and has a flight duration of up to 25 minutes. The device with a remotely controlled optical reconnaissance station on a rotary support device is capable of operating in line of sight from the operator up to 1.5 km; it can fly along pre-programmed routes, as well as hover in place.

However, current trends most likely indicate that for reconnaissance missions, usually carried out before a combat operation, the military is choosing slightly larger micro-UAVs.

The InstantEye UAV, manufactured by Physical Science Incorporated (PSI), is currently in service with unnamed NATO special forces and counter-narcotics teams operating in South America. This aircraft has also been adopted by the US Department of Defense and was recently delivered to the British Army for testing. This manual launcher weighs less than 400 grams, and the manufacturer claims a ready-to-start time of just 30 seconds. The maximum flight time is 30 minutes, the InstantEye device has a maximum range of 1 km and can carry various sensors.

This UAV, which imitates the movements of a hawk moth (a type of butterfly) during flight, can be controlled in “manual” mode, reaching speeds of up to 90 km/h. InstantEye is controlled from a ground station; its surveillance and reconnaissance suite consists of forward, side and downward vision cameras that provide navigation, tracking and target designation. Visual reconnaissance capabilities can be enhanced by installing a high-definition GoPro camera or an infrared camera that can generate images created by a built-in infrared LED illuminator that can illuminate the ground from a height of 90 meters.

However, in addition to its existing use for covert surveillance and reconnaissance in the rear, this aircraft will soon receive a sensory WMD reconnaissance kit in response to possible counter-terrorism operations in urban environments. In addition, in order to meet the needs of NATO special units, relay equipment for transmitting voice and voice data can be installed on it.

Another system that is very popular among special forces is the SKYRANGER unmanned aerial system (UAS) from Aeryon Labs, which international market promoted by Datron World Communications. According to executive director Dave Kroetsch's Aeryon Labs, their LHC is a cost-effective alternative to other systems for providing real-time situational information. He explained: “The systems are vertical take-off and landing and do not require any additional launch and return equipment. They are controlled by a single operator and therefore other team members can focus on other tasks, that is, the UAV becomes a means of increasing combat effectiveness. Real-time video can be transmitted to the command center and to other devices on the network.”

The company recently revealed the new Aeryon HDZoom30 image transmission device for its SKYRANGER, which Kroetsch says provides “unprecedented aerial reconnaissance capabilities, which is critical to mission success. We get a UAV system with stable and reliable flight characteristics that can stay in the air for up to 50 minutes and that has a reliable real-time digital video feed.”

Meanwhile, DARPA's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is exploring technology that would help mini-UAVs and micro-UAVs fly in clutter-intensive environments independently of direct human control and without relying on GPS navigation. Earlier this year, the FLA (Fast Lightweight Autonomy) program was officially launched to study biomimetic information regarding the maneuvering abilities of birds and flying insects. Although DARPA is using a small six-propeller vehicle weighing just 750 grams as a test platform, the program will still focus on developing algorithms and software that can be integrated into any type of small UAV.

“The Department hopes that what has been developed software, will allow the UAV to operate in a number of spaces to which access was usually prohibited, a prime example being interior spaces. Small UAVs, for example, have proven useful in conducting short-range reconnaissance by deployed patrols, but they are, however, unable to provide information about the situation in the building, which is often a critical moment of the entire operation,” the DARPA representative explained.

The program provides for achieving the following characteristics: operation at speeds up to 70 km/h, range 1 km, operating time 10 minutes, operation without relying on communications or GPS, computing power 20 watts.

Initial demonstrations are scheduled for early 2016 in the form of "slalom tests on outdoors”, followed by indoor testing in 2017.

IAI's advanced, affordable BIRD-EYE-650 mini-UAV provides real-time video data day and night for urban operations and reconnaissance behind enemy lines.

As for the development of on-board sensors and systems, The general trend is to constantly reduce the size of the sensors. At the Aero India 2015 exhibition, Controp Precision Technologies showed its Micro-STAMP (stabilized miniature payload) optical reconnaissance station. The station weighing less than 300 grams, which includes a daytime color CCD camera, an uncooled thermal imager and a laser pointer, is intended for installation on a mini-UAV.

The stabilized station was created for conducting reconnaissance missions in depth and features a variety of functions, including surveillance, inertial target tracking, position hold, position arrival, scanning/aerial photography and pilot window mode.

The 10cm x 8cm station, specially reinforced for hard landings, can be installed in the nose or under the fuselage. The day camera is based on CMOS technology (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semi-conductor - complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor structure), and the thermal imager operates in the range of 8-14 nm. According to Controp, the station has already been tested in units of the Israeli army, in addition, in 2016 it is planned to develop a larger version weighing 600 grams.

A U.S. Army soldier prepares an InstantEye II micro-UAV for surveillance across a hill during a combined arms exercise at Fort Benning in May 2015.

Combating small UAVs

One of the most important advantages of using mini- and micro-UAVs is that they are able to perform reconnaissance missions without being detected, they cannot be detected by air defense radars and ground-based radars programmed to capture larger aircraft.

However, after the use of small-sized UAVs by militants of various types during military operations in Israel and Libya, the military and industry are now addressing this threat and have begun developing special technology that will allow them to identify, track and neutralize mini- and micro-UAVs.

At the 2015 Paris Air Show, Controp Precision Technologies showed its fast-scan lightweight thermal imager, the Tornado, capable of detecting and tracking low-altitude mini-UAVs flying from different speeds. The matrix, operating in the mid-wave IR region of the spectrum, provides a 360° all-round view; it is capable of detecting the slightest changes in space associated with the flights of small UAVs, both airplane and helicopter. The company's vice president explained: “Drones are becoming more common, and they pose new threats to personal safety. Most radar-based air defense systems are unable to detect the threat of small drones flying below 300 meters. Tornado panoramicly scans a very large area with high speed, using complex algorithms to detect very small changes in the environment. Tornado was recently tested to detect and track even the smallest, low-flying drones.”

It is reported that the system is capable of identifying small UAVs at distances from “several hundred meters” to “tens of kilometers”, but it is worth noting that, given the general concept of operations, which involves the use of platforms of this class in urban environments, such capabilities will simply be unclaimed.

The Tornado thermal imaging system can be used as a stand-alone device or integrated into various air defense systems. It has a built-in automatic system audible and visual warning to notify the operator of any intrusion into the no-fly zone. However, in order to neutralize the threat, this system must transmit a signal either to an electronic countermeasures system or to a weapons system.

A similar solution is currently being proposed by a consortium of British companies (Blighter Systems, Chess Dynamics and Enterprise Control Systems), which has developed a surveillance and radio frequency jamming system for UAVs.

A British consortium recently announced the development of a system to combat small UAVs, called the Anti-UAV Defense System (AUDS). Blighter Surveillance Systems, Chess Dynamics and Enterprise Control Systems (ECS) have partnered specifically to jointly develop this anti-drone system.

Blighter Surveillance Systems executive director Mark Redford explained in an interview that the AUDS system operates in three stages: detection, tracking and localization. Blighter's A400 Series Air Security Radar is used for UAV detection, Chess Dynamics' long-range Hawkeye surveillance system for tracking, and finally ECS's directional RF jammer acts as a neutralizing component.

Representatives of the companies said that the AUDS system is directly designed to combat small aircraft and helicopter-type drones, such as quadcopters, and even named some similar systems that can simply be bought in a store.

Redford said the system has advantages over similar systems because it includes components that have been proven in real-world conditions, such as the radar already in service with several armies in the form of ground surveillance radar, which operates there in very noisy environments.

Extended testing of the AUDS system has been carried out in France and the UK, according to Dave Morris, head of business development at ECS. The system was tested against several aircraft in scenarios close to real ones; To date, a total of 80 hours of testing and 150 flights have been carried out.

The French Ministry of Defense carried out the tests in March 2015, while the UK Defense Science and Technology Laboratory carried them out in early May. The AUDS system is currently heading to the US, where it will be demonstrated to several potential US and Canadian operators. It is also planned to conduct tests in one of the countries of the Asia-Pacific region.

During testing, the system demonstrated the ability to detect, track and neutralize targets in just 15 seconds. The neutralization range is 2.5 km with an almost instantaneous impact on the target.

A key feature of the system is the ability of the RF jammer to tune to specific data channels with the precise level of impact required. For example, a jammer can be used to jam the GPS signal received by the UAV or the command and control radio link. There is also the potential to introduce an “interception” capability into the system, allowing the AUDS operator to “virtually” take control of the UAV. The jammer's job is not only to "shoot down" the vehicle, it can be used simply to disrupt the functionality of the UAV in order to force its operator to remove his device from the area.

Representatives of the companies admitted that the most difficult problem for the AUDS system may be the fight against low-flying UAVs in urban areas, since in this case there is a large amount of interference and a large number of reflective surfaces. Solving this problem will be the goal of further development.

Although the system is different high degree automation in a number of aspects, especially in detection and tracking, human participation is key to the functioning of AUDS. The ultimate decision to neutralize the target or not, and to what extent, rests entirely with the operator.

Technologies for the radar are borrowed from ground-based surveillance radars in service with the British Army and also South Korea, where they monitor the demilitarized zone with North Korea.

The CW Doppler radar operates in electronically scanned mode and provides 180° azimuth and 10° or 20° elevation coverage depending on configuration. It operates in the Ku band and has a maximum range of 8 km, and can detect an effective reflection area of ​​up to 0.01 m2. The system can simultaneously track several targets.

The Hawkeye surveillance and search system from Chess Dynamics is installed in one unit with a radio frequency jammer and consists of an optical-electronic camera with high resolution and a cooled mid-wave thermal imager. The first has a horizontal field of view from 0.22° to 58°, and a thermal imager from 0.6° to 36°. The system uses a Vision4ce digital tracking device that provides continuous azimuth tracking. The system is capable of continuous azimuth panning and tilting from -20° to 60° at a speed of 30° per second, tracking targets at a distance of about 4 km.

The ECS Multi-Band RF Jammer features three built-in directional antennas that form a 20° wide beam. The company has gained extensive experience in developing technologies to combat improvised explosive devices. A company representative spoke about this, noting that several of its systems were deployed by coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. He added that ECS knows the vulnerabilities of data transmission channels and how to exploit them.

The heart of the AUDS system is the operator control station, through which all system components can be controlled. It includes a tracking display, a main control screen, and a video recording display.

In order to expand the surveillance area, these systems can be combined into a network, be it several full-fledged AUDS systems or a network of radars connected to one “survey and search system/silencer” unit. Also, the AUDS system could potentially be part of a larger air defense system, although the companies do not yet intend to develop this direction.

An executive at Enterprise Control Systems noted: “UAV incidents and security perimeter breaches involving drones occur almost every day. In turn, the AUDS system can alleviate the heightened concerns in military, government and commercial structures associated with small UAVs.”

“While UAVs have many positive applications, they are expected to increasingly be used for nefarious purposes. They can carry cameras

People have been striving for the sky since ancient times. Suffice it to recall the stories about Icarus, the magic carpet, Carlson and Baba Yaga with her broom. Centuries have passed since then, and fairy tales have been replaced by science with its clear and constructive approach. Therefore, our article today will be devoted to small aircraft.

1

We all know about the existence of parachutes. The main disadvantage of this flying vehicle is its inability to control the flight. The Paraglider can easily cope with this.
A paraglider is an ultra-light non-motorized aircraft. The flight is carried out thanks to the incoming air flow, which is supplied through special openings - air intakes.

2

It is analogous to a Paraglider, with the only difference being that it is equipped with an engine that ensures its launch and flight.

3

A device similar in structure to a motor paraglider, but, unlike it, the engine is not placed on the pilot’s seat, but is mounted on a frame, which is also equipped with a landing gear for take-off.

4

The aircraft is named after the Greek letter Delta. The flight is carried out thanks to rising air currents and the pilot's balancing suspension. It was with the help of a hang glider that Russian President V.V. Putin led a flock of cranes. True, his hang glider was equipped with a motor. As a result of this, it turned into a “motor hang glider”, or “hang plane”.

5

Translated from English, wingsuit reads “flying squirrel.” Externally, it looks like a wing suit. There are additional folds between the arms and legs, which turn into wings during flight. They use a wingsuit when performing their breathtaking stunts. Landing is carried out using a parachute.
The most spectacular are proxy flights over the slopes. Video on the topic

6

At the same time, we will not talk about a ball on a string in the hands of a child, but about a ball on which you can fly around the entire globe. The scientific name of the ball sounds like “Balloon” or “Hot Air Balloon”. This is an aircraft that uses heated air to fly. Attached to the ball is a basket for passengers, which also contains a burner to maintain the required temperature. Flight is carried out thanks to a physical law, according to which it follows that heated air is lighter than cold air. This is why flight occurs.

7

Despite the fact that the device does not yet have a sonorous name, it is still worth talking about. The device, developed by the Japanese corporation GEN Corporation, is a chair on top of which there are four helicopter rotors capable of lifting a load of up to 210 kg. The design weighs only 70 kg and can be in flight for up to 30 minutes.
The cost of the device is 30 thousand dollars!!!

8

Personal ultra-light vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The developer of Martin Jetpack is a New Zealand company. The device runs on gasoline. It can fly up to 100 km/h, rising to a height of up to 2.5 km. When fully charged, it can stay in the air for half an hour.

9

The device, developed by the Americans, is the smallest manned jet aircraft. The design of the aircraft is a rigid structure equipped with wings - an exoskeleton. The device is so light that it can be worn like a backpack. Thanks to EXO-Wing, you can fly up to 15 km without landing.

10

Our last nominee is a real contender for the Sikorsky Prize, which is worth 250 thousand dollars.
According to the terms of the competition, he must rise into the air to a height of 3 meters and hold on for one minute. The device is a hybrid of a bicycle and a helicopter. He flies solely on human muscle power!!!

Man never lost his desire to fly. Even today, when traveling by plane to the other end of the planet is a completely common thing, you want to assemble at least the simplest aircraft with your own hands, and if you don’t fly yourself, then at least fly in first person using a camera, for this they use unmanned vehicles. We will look at the simplest designs, diagrams and drawings and, perhaps, make our old dream come true...

Requirements for ultra-light aircraft

Sometimes emotions and the desire to fly can overcome common sense, and the ability to design and correctly carry out calculations and plumbing work is not taken into account at all. This approach is fundamentally wrong and therefore several decades ago the Ministry of Aviation prescribed General requirements to homemade ultra-light aircraft. We will not present the entire set of requirements, but will limit ourselves to only the most important ones.

1. A homemade aircraft must be easy to control, easy to pilot during takeoff and landing, and the use of unconventional methods and systems for controlling the aircraft is strictly prohibited.
2. If an engine fails, the aircraft must remain stable and ensure safe gliding and landing.
3. The aircraft's run-up before take-off and lift-off from the ground is no more than 250 m, and the take-off speed is at least 1.5 m/s.
4. The forces on the control handles are in the range of 15-50 kgf, depending on the maneuver being performed.
5. The clamps of the aerodynamic steering planes must withstand an overload of at least 18 units.

Requirements for the design of an aircraft

Since an aircraft is a high-risk vehicle, when designing the aircraft structure, the use of materials, steels, cables, hardware components and assemblies of unknown origin is not allowed. If wood is used in the structure, it must be free of visible damage and knots, and those compartments and cavities in which moisture and condensation can accumulate must be equipped with drainage holes.

The simplest version of a motorized aircraft is a monoplane with a pulling motor propeller. The scheme is quite old, but time-tested. The only drawback of monoplanes is that in emergency conditions it is quite difficult to leave the cockpit; the monowing gets in the way. But the design of these devices is very simple:

• the wing is made of wood according to a two-spar design;
• welded steel frame, some use riveted aluminum frames;
• combined or full linen cladding;
• closed cabin with a door operating according to an automobile circuit;
• simple pyramidal chassis.

The drawing above shows a Malysh monoplane with a 30-horsepower gasoline engine, take-off weight is 210 kg. The plane reaches a speed of 120 km/h and has a flight range of about 200 km with a ten-liter tank.

Construction of a braced high-wing aircraft

The drawing shows a single-engine high-plane Leningradets, built by a group of St. Petersburg aircraft modelers. The design of the device is also simple and unpretentious. The wing is made of pine plywood, the fuselage is welded from steel pipe, and the skin is classic linen. The wheels for the landing gear are from agricultural machinery so that it is possible to carry out flights starting from unprepared soil. The engine is based on the design of the MT8 motorcycle engine with 32 horsepower, and the take-off weight of the device is 260 kg.

The device proved to be excellent in terms of controllability and ease of maneuvering and was successfully operated for ten years and took part in rallies and competitions.

All-wood aircraft PMK3

The all-wood PMK3 aircraft also showed excellent flight qualities. The plane had a unique shape of the nose, a grounded landing gear with small-diameter wheels, and the cabin had a car-type door. The aircraft had an all-wood fuselage covered with canvas and a single-spar wing made of pine plywood. The device is equipped with a water-cooled Vikhr3 outboard motor.

As you can see, with certain skills in design and engineering, you can not only make a working model of an airplane or a drone, but also a completely full-fledged simple aircraft with your own hands. Be creative and dare, have a good flight!