The AtlasPRO UAS System
Established in 2015 in Riga, Latvia, Atlas is specialised in VTOL unmanned air systems. Its current main product is the AtlasPRO, a VTOL UAS with three rotors with a maximum take-off weight of 1.9 kg, of which 315 grams are the payload, the company also producing its own payloads with different types of optronic packages. Each two-blade standard rotor has a diameter of 305 mm and weighs 12.2 grams, however a silent rotor set is available, each rotor having a 332 mm diameter and a weight of 15.8 grams. Using the latter maximum speed is reduced from 56 to 46 km/h. With standard rotors noise level is 56 dBa at 15 meters, no data being provided for low noise rotors. Maximum ascent speed is 5 m/s with maximum ceiling of 3,000 meters above sea level, while descent speed can vary between 1.5 and 3.5 m/s. The AtlasPRO is fitted with GPS, GLONASS and Galileo satellite navigation systems as well as with a downwards looking LiDAR providing height over ground data, those systems ensuring a hovering accuracy of 0.5-2.5 meters. Obstacle sensing range is 20 meters.
The 6500 mAh 15.2 V LiPo 4S battery weighs 535 grams and ensures a maximum flight time with payload of 32 minutes, maximum flight distance being 16 km. Atlas developed the AtlasNEST, which at the iMUGS demonstration was shown installed on a KMW AMPV 4×4 vehicle. A docking and charging station that can be easily installed on top of any vehicle, it looks like a rooftop cargo carrier. The AtlasNEST weighs around 90 kg and is 1.6 meters long, 0.96 meters wide and 0.42 meters high in travelling order, while when deployed these dimensions become 2.5 x 1.1 x 0.52 meters, a landing platform being extended at the rear allowing automated landing and take-off. When the AtlasPRO comes back from a mission it lands on the platform, which is then retracted inside the body of the system to allow replacing the battery in 3 minutes, three spare batteries being available. The UAS is then moved once again out of its “hangar” and is ready for the next mission, while the expended battery starts reloading, an operation that lasts around one hour.
The AtlasPRO is controlled from a ground control station, the company offering two options, the AtlasSTATION and the AtlasSTATION PRO, both with an 11-inch multi-touch screen, the difference being that the PRO model is also fitted with physical joysticks. A relay is available to extend range, while four different payloads are also provided.
Photos by P. Valpolini
