ECA Group, a developer of robotics solutions for harsh environments, has announced that it has extended its UAV IT180 range of unmanned aircraft with a new solution intended for operation in polar regions.
As part of its Research and Development program, ECA Group develops technological solutions related to global warming by working with the French National Centre for Scientific Research (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CNRS). The new aircraft follows demand from the Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Géophysique de l’Environnement (LGGE).
The new unmanned aircraft, based on ECA Group’s existing UAV IT180-60 model, can be operated at temperatures as low as -30°C, and has been tested in CNRS’s test laboratories down to -40°C. The aircraft is capable of withstanding wind speeds of up to 60km/h.
In addition, IT180’s autopilot system has been upgraded in order to allow autonomous flying in the absence of a magnetic heading in polar regions.
The aircraft has recently been successfully tested at high altitudes over the French Alps in conjunction with the LGGE.
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