BAE HERTI

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HERTI

BAE HERTI at Farnborough
Type Reconnaissance UAV
Manufacturer BAE Systems
Maiden flight 2004
Introduction 2007
Primary user United Kingdom

The BAE Systems HERTI is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by the British company BAE Systems. HERTI stands for "High Endurance Rapid Technology Insertion" and was developed in Warton, United Kingdom. The HERTI airframe is based on a motor glider designed by Jaroslaw Janowski of J&AS Aero Design, Poland.[1] Its first flight was in December 2004 at the Australian Woomera test range where much of the test flight programme has been undertaken. HERTI was also the first and so far only UAV to have flown in the UK with the flight being certified by the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority.[2]

The first vehicles had a maximum take-off weight of 450 kg and a payload of about 150 kg. However the first production example will, according to Flight International, weigh about 750 kg. The first production example will be delivered by Slingsby Aviation to BAE Systems at the end of November 2007. The endurance of the production variant is up to 20 hours.

Contents

[edit] Flight test programme

[edit] Australia

The HERTI UAV started flight trials in Australia in late 2004. Since then, quite a few key points have been addressed, however, slightly slower than BAE Systems wanted to. The two main test centres are the Woomera range in central Australia and the West Sale airbase which is in south-east Australia. In late 2006 a HERTI vehicle flew several fully autonomous missions from the Woomera test centre to expand the flight envelope, or distance and height limits to which the UAV has flown in real tests.[3] In mid-2007 BAE Systems started a flight campaign to increase the flight envelope even further, this time from West Sale airbase. In these trials the HERTI UAV should fly 28 km from base and at altitudes of about 1830 m.[4] To achieve a UAV that can safely fly within civilian airspace, BAE Systems is developing a "sense and avoid" system for HERTI, utilising a radar and electro-optical systems.[5]

[edit] United Kingdom

The relatively few flight tests undertaken in the UK have been done over the Machrihanish bay, flying from Campbeltown Airport. Due to these flights in 2005, BAE Systems claims that it was the first UAV to fly in the UK with a CAA certification.[2]

[edit] Operational debut in Afghanistan

Under Project Morrigan, BAE Systems deployed a HERTI UAV to Afghanistan where it flew missions from Camp Bastion. Specific mission profiles are still classified, however the system did send data back to the UK in a procedure called "reach back" and BAE Systems claims that the deployment was a success. The Royal Air Force said that the HERTI was successful "in demonstrating its capability in an operational environment".[6][7]

[edit] Military and other uses

Currently BAE Systems is showing the HERTI to potential customers at various air shows, such as the Farnborough Air Show, Dubai Air Show and others.[8] The potential for HERTI use by the British police and border control forces has been mentioned. Other potential fields of application for HERTI and other UAVs are the oil and gas industry, traffic control, coastal protection, search and rescue and many more.[9]

[edit] Variants

HERTI-1D
The first prototype, jet powered, HERTI version. It uses the same powerplant, systems and ground station as the BAE Corax. Its mass is about 350 kg. The HERTI-1D was based on the J&AS Aero Design J5 Marco motor glider.[1] BAE Systems quickly realised that a piston engine powered HERTI had a better payload and endurance than the HERTI-1D and subsequently discontinued its development.
HERTI-1A
Powered by a BMW piston engine, with a larger, modified composite airframe based on the J&AS Aero Design J6 Fregata motor glider[1] with a higher endurance and payload than the HERTI-1D.[10] Top speed with an ICE ("Image Collection and Exploitation") system is 125 knots.
HERTI-1B
Powered by a Rotax piston engine and controlled by multi-lane flight controls. This variant also has the more advanced autonomous ICE II mission system (payload).

[edit] Future developments

Armed HERTI version
BAE Systems has been investigating an armed version of HERTI.[11] The armed version is currently under investigation and the work is mainly being under taken to be ready, if a customer requires an armed version of Herti. Up to 4 hardpoints are planned for such an armed version, with these being able to carry a range of free fall weapons and mission equipment.
High altitude, long endurance version of HERTI
A HALE version of HERTI should have a bigger wing span to achieve the higher endurance and the higher altitudes needed for such a UAV.
Catapult launched version of HERTI
Tests have been carried out in 2005 in Finland to see if the HERTI could be catapult launched. The Finnish company Robonic has developed a "dummy mass" to simulate a HERTI launch. A real launch has, as of July 2006 not been carried out.[12]

[edit] Specifications (HERTI-1A)

General characteristics

  • Crew: none
  • Payload: 150 kg ()
  • Length: ()
  • Wingspan: 12 m ()
  • Height: ()
  • Loaded weight: 750 kg ()
  • Powerplant: × Rotax propeller, () each

Performance

Avionics Information and Exploitation Systems

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c BAE Systems HERTI (United Kingdom). Jane's Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Targets. Jane's (2007-02-19). Retrieved on 2008-04-22.
  2. ^ a b BAE Systems (7 November 2007), “BAE Systems' HERTI A Success In Frontline Trials”, Air-Attack, <http://www.air-attack.com/news/news_article/2819/BAE-Systems-HERTI-A-Success-In-Frontline-Trials.html> 
  3. ^ Wastnage, Justin (31 January 2007), “BAE Systems tests Herti UAV over South Australia”, Flight, <http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/01/31/211860/picture-bae-systems-tests-herti-uav-over-south-australia.html> 
  4. ^ Flight International (3 April 2007), “Herti project set to resume”, Flight, <http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/04/03/213008/herti-project-set-to-resume.html> 
  5. ^ La Franchi, Peter (25 August 2006), “BAE Systems plans twin sensor collision avoidance system for Herti UAV”, Flight, <http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2006/08/25/208664/bae-systems-plans-twin-sensor-collision-avoidance-system-for-herti-uav.html> 
  6. ^ Hoyle, Craig (9 November 2007), “UK RAF details Reaper, Herti UAV operations in Afghanistan”, Flight, <http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/11/09/219305/uk-raf-details-reaper-herti-uav-operations-in-afghanistan.html> 
  7. ^ Hoyle, Craig (19 November 2007), “BAE Systems details Herti UAV success in Afghanistan”, Flight, <http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/11/19/219684/bae-systems-details-herti-uav-success-in-afghanistan.html> 
  8. ^ UPI (14 November 2007), “BAE shows new UAV system in Dubai”, United Press International, <http://www.upi.com/International_Security/Industry/Briefing/2007/11/14/bae_shows_new_uav_system_in_dubai/6736/> 
  9. ^ Bowler, Tim (20 July 2006), “BAE spyplane eyes commercial sector”, BBC News, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5198364.stm> 
  10. ^ airforce-technology.com, “Taranis Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) Demonstrator, United Kingdom”, airforce-technology.com, <http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/tanaris/> 
  11. ^ La Franchi, Peter (25 July 2006), “Farnborough: BAE looks at arming its Herti UAV”, Flight, <http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2006/07/25/208001/farnborough-bae-looks-at-arming-its-herti-uav.html> 
  12. ^ Flight International (18 July 2006), “Herti plans revealed”, Flight, <http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2006/07/18/207902/herti-plans-revealed.html> 

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