Raybird-3 (ACS-3) is an

unmanned aircraft system An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controller ...

designed for various long-term missions and ISTAR operations. It corresponds to the class I of

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

classification and the

Armed Forces of Ukraine , imports = , exports = , history = , ranks = Military ranks of Ukraine , country=Ukraine The Armed Forces of Ukraine ( uk, Збро́йні си́ли Украї́ни), most commonly know ...

. Created by APC "Skyeton". ''Raybird-3'' is the name of the aviation system for dual-use; ACS-3 is the name of the military version.

History of UAV creation and development

In 2014, the first prototype of

fixed-wing A fixed-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air flying machine, such as an airplane, which is capable of flight using wings that generate lift caused by the aircraft's forward airspeed and the shape of the wings. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinc ...

UAV was developed, with a gasoline engine for surveillance and inspection missions. Later, a number of state tests confirmed that the complex carries out necessary tasks in the conditions of counteraction to

electronic warfare Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...

(EW) and meets the requirements for tactical drones. In October 2020, an upgraded modification of the ACS-3M was introduced with a new injector engine, improved software, and an ability to mount a small radar with a synthesized aperture. In March 2021, the launch of a UAV from a moving object (vehicle in motion) was demonstrated. Since 2016, the UAV has been allowed to operate in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Also, the UAV manufacturer is included in the register of executors of the state defense order of Ukraine.

Design

Unmanned aerial system Raybird-3 consists of an unmanned aerial vehicle, a portable

ground control station UAV ground control station (GCS) is a land- or sea-based control centre that provides the facilities for human control of ''Unmanned Aerial Vehicles'' (UAVs or "drones"). It may also refer to a system for controlling rockets within or above the ...

, an

antenna Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to: Science and engineering * Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves * Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...

, and a

catapult A catapult is a ballistic device used to launch a projectile a great distance without the aid of gunpowder or other propellants – particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. A catapult uses the sudden release of store ...

. The whole complex is transported in four containers. It takes less than 20 minutes to start. UAV power plant is a single-cylinder four-stroke

gasoline engine A petrol engine (gasoline engine in American English) is an internal combustion engine designed to run on petrol (gasoline). Petrol engines can often be adapted to also run on fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and ethanol blends (such as '' ...

GF40 injector type with a capacity of 40 cm³ (manufactured by OS Engines), which drives the propeller. The engine operates in temperatures from −25 to +45 °C, its power is 3.8 hp (2.8 kW). The aircraft is launched by a mechanical catapult with a starting speed of 55 km/h. It lands on a parachute. The UAV does not require manual entry of coordinates, flies on a pre-programmed route, and returns to the operator. The operator does not need to directly control the aircraft and the whole system operators under autopilot command at all times. The maximum distance of the control link is 240 km. In offline mode Raybird-3 flies 2.5 thousand km at a maximum radius of 1 thousand km. Any number of aircraft can be connected to the control station, any number of operators can be connected to one aircraft.

Specifications of Raybird-3 (modification of ACS-3M)

Source:

Areas of application

The UAV can be used in a number of commercial and military tasks: *

Aerial photography Aerial photography (or airborne imagery) is the taking of photographs from an aircraft or other airborne platforms. When taking motion pictures, it is also known as aerial videography. Platforms for aerial photography include fixed-wing aircr ...

Fire prevention Fire prevention is a function of many fire departments. The goal of fire prevention is to educate the public on the precautions which should be taken to prevent potentially harmful fires and how to survive these fires in the event that they do o ...

Mapping Mapping may refer to: * Mapping (cartography), the process of making a map * Mapping (mathematics), a synonym for a mathematical function and its generalizations ** Mapping (logic), a synonym for functional predicate Types of mapping * Animated m ...

Search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...

operations *

ISTAR ISTAR stands for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance. In its macroscopic sense, ISTAR is a practice that links several battlefield functions together to assist a combat force in employing its sensors and managi ...

mission etc.

Note

References

External links

* {{cite web , url=https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/donbas-realii-turetski-bezpilotnyky-v-ukraini/29594490.html , title=Турецькі безпілотники в Україні. Чи необхідні вони на Донбасі? , author=Кречко, Ярослав , date=18 November 2018 , website=

Radio Liberty Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transm ...

, access-date=11 January 2022 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807161512/https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/donbas-realii-turetski-bezpilotnyky-v-ukraini/29594490.html , archive-date=7 August 2020 , language=uk , trans-title=Turkish drones in Ukraine. Are they needed in Donbass? Twin-boom aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Synthetic aperture radar Unmanned aerial vehicles of Ukraine Reconnaissance aircraft Military equipment of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine