ASC Pty. Ltd. is has had considerable experience in developing airborne prototype systems, aircraft modifications and helicopter-towed arrays. It specialises in the development prototype Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), equipment installations on various helicopters, and helicopter-towed arrays and pods. ASC Pty. Ltd. has been responsible for the conceptual design, aerodynamics, structural design and composites fabrication of a range of specialised systems prototypes.

Two Unmanned Aerial Vehicle prototype systems have been produced. The first is a reconfigurable Trainer UAV and the other is a Tandem Wing UAV. Details of these air vehicles are shown in the following sections. Note that these UAVs also include the associated ground systems including the ground control station, datalinks, antenna arrays, flight displays and flight planning software.

HELICOPTER TOWED ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ARRAYS
The worlds' first successful towed Electro-Magnetic (EM) array was designed by ASC Pty. Ltd in consultation with a mining exploration Company client. Several versions have been developed over the last few years and have seen service internationally in Chile, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

The current version of this array is fabricated from lightweight fibre composite materials. ASC Pty. Ltd. involvement has covered the design, analysis and flight testing of these lightweight flexible towed structures.

United Arab Emirates Defence Force Squirrel helicopter

AEM Mk III installation on Allouette in Chile

Early AEM Mk III installation on Bell 47

AEM Mk III installation Bell Jetranger	Early AEM Mk I array flights	AEM Mk III installation on UAE Defence Force Squirrel
Typical Flight Display and Equipment Installation	Click here to view a short video showing AEM Mk III array on Bell 47

UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE - TANDEM WING
The Unmanned Air Vehicle project started in 1997 as a design study to provide an airborne platform to conduct airborne mining exploration surveys.

The vehicle is fabricated from composite materials, and is currently powered by a 18 HP engine. The air vehicle has flown successfully and has proven that it meets performance requirements and possesses satisfactory flying qualities in accordance with the geophysical mission requirements.

As seen here, the early prototype air vehicle is 4m in length, has a wingspan of 2.8m and a maximum takeoff weight of 85 kg with a maximum 25 kg payload.

The design shown here is an earlier prototype.

Tandem wing

UAV first flight

UAV Ground Control Station during early test flights	Click links below to view video's Early inflight video showing forward camera view during takeoff. Early flight test footage on Tandem wing UAV. Approach and landing.

UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE - PAYLOAD TESTBED & TRAINER
With the successful flights of the tandem wing UAV came a requirement to provide a platform to test the avionics, recovery parachute systems and the ground control station.

This air vehicle was designed to serve as a UAV systems testbed for future air vehicles. The design specification called for a simple to construct and easy to repair air vehicle capable of 60 kts, and able to deploy a range of parachutes for recovery tests.

As seen here the air vehicle is 2.2m in length, has a wingspan of 3.3m and a maximum takeoff eight of 25 kg with a 8 kg payload.

Trainer UAV

Trainer UAV wing proof load static test

TOWED PODS
ASC Pty. Ltd. has provided engineering services in support of flight testing of helicopter-towed pods. These engineering services have been support of investigations into towed body aerodynamic instabilities.

Other towed body work has involved evaluation of towed target flight dynamics and behaviour using Learjet aircraft as the carriage aircraft.