The Snark - the meanest VTOL UAV on the planet

“As far as the Snark’s range, the Mk II extended flight duration to 11 hours and we’ve currently extended that with the Mk III to 24.5 hours. But we’re not far from some significant further developments and we think we can probably get the range up to 30 hours with the payload extended to 2000lb.

In order to extend the range and payload to that extent, TGR Helicorp has significantly reengineered every aspect of the Snark. “We’ve reversed the rotation of the engine, developed and built a new long-life gearbox and we’re attempting to significantly improve on the specifications I’ve already given you,” says Rogers.

“The secret to the next step will be in the remote electronic diesel injection system,” says Rogers. “Normal electronic injection runs at 12,000psi, and we’re in the process of developing an injection system with 33,000psi, which will vaporise the droplets, improve the combustion and offer a range of performance optimisation via the onboard computers that is not available anywhere else right now.”

“It’s already a rocket, but we’re expecting much more,”he grins.

“It’s a full-size helicopter which is 28 feet long,14 feet high and six feet wide”, says Trevor, “so we have a lot of potential yet.”

“The aircraft’s current empty weight is 1060 lb (480kg) and the gross weight is 2500 lb (1133 kg) and our payload is 1500lb (680 kg) which blows anything comparable in the UAV area completely out the door. If we can achieve a reliable 2000lb (907 kg) payload, it will become just that much more capable.

“We have fitted 24 missiles, eight defence missiles that we build ourselves and it can fit two Sidewinders too. We’ve even hung a Maverick under it too. It has the potential to be seriously nasty.

“Each snark will sell for US$5 million and will come complete with its own base station making it a very cost-effective one-man operation, autonomous flight aircraft.

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