Im VII AVS™ Successfully Completes Test Flight Program

Indiana Unmanned Aircraft Systems a Muncie, Indiana based aerospace company and manufacturer of

Im VII AVS AV-2A after 50 hours of flight testing

Airborne Vehicle Systems™ (AVS) announced the successful completion of the Im VII AVS™ test flight program. The program consisted of 50 hours of flight time where the company worked through a series of test flight cards to explore the flight handling specifications and characteristics of the Im VII AVS. From these test card series, a Flight Operations Manual (FOM) will be created that can be used by future pilots as a reference for training and familiarization. In the six weeks of flight testing the aircraft has flown in winds gusting up to 35 knots and temperatures as low as five degrees below zero Fahrenheit.

”The Im VII has performed better than anticipated,” said Jeff Imel, designer of the Im VII AVS. “We have seen flight times last over three hours on a single battery and even in the worst wind conditions we were able to launch and land without any runway and with no incidents of damage to the aircraft. The Im VII has surpassed all customer and design specifications. This aircraft is a pleasure to fly.”

The Im VII AVS represents over six years of research and development into flying wing aircraft that do not require an onboard flight computer to remain stable in the air. The company is the only designer and manufacturer of all-wing aircraft developed specifically for precision agriculture imaging applications.

The aircraft is integrated to hyper-spectral cameras for use in precision agriculture image capture and analysis. The images are used by growers to determine the health of their crops, insect infestation, storm damage assessment and nitrogen run-off analysis. The company will be working with universities, agriculture business, and growers across the states of Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia.

Im VII Achieves 30 Hours of Flight Time

Indiana Unmanned Aircraft Systems announced today that their Im VII Airborne Remote Sensor Platform has surpassed 30 hours of flight time in less than three weeks.  ”Only 20 more hours to go and we will have the 50 hours required for airframe certification,” said Jeff Imel, designer of the aircraft.  The company is using the flight time to work through a series of test flight cards that explore the flight handling specifications and characteristics of the Im VII.  From these test card series, a Flight Operations Manual (FOM) will be created that can be used by future pilots as a reference for training and familiarization.  In the three weeks of flight testing the aircraft has flown in winds gusting up to 35 knots and temperatures as low as five degrees below zero Fahrenheit.

Stress Tests Completed

The Im VII wing structure has been undergoing a series of lateral and torsional twist stress tests.  

Im VII wing panel section after stress test.

The results of the two week test evolution revealed that the wing structure (weighing only 23 ounces) can support 110 pounds before failure.  Additional test performed included:

• Payload section survivability test where an Im VII was flown straight into the ground from an altitude of 250 feet. 
• Outer wing panel separation test that required the aircraft to land in field with harvested corn stalks and survive without a hull breakup.
• Flight surface control linkage and servo stress testing

The 110 pound failure point is above and beyond the Im VII’s maximum design payload weight of 20 pounds.  Most all airborne remote imaging sorties have a gross take-off weight of only five to six pounds so the Im VII is more than strong enough to endure the roughest of field conditions.

Air Vehicle-2A Logs Successful Maiden Flight

Indiana Unmanned Aircraft Systems, a Muncie, Indiana aerospace company announced the successful maiden flight

Im VII AV-2A

of its Im VII Air Vehicle 2A  (AV-2A) unmanned aircraft system.  ”Air Vehicle 2A took to the air this afternoon and flew a 30 minute sortie consisting of basic maneuvers and stall sequences.  The aircraft performed better than anticipated with more than 2 hours of battery power in reserve, ” said Jeff Imel, designer of the Im VII unmanned aircraft system.

 

Following a four week flight test program, Av-2A will be outfitted with hyperspectral cameras and fly remote sensing missions during the 2009 growing season.  The aerial images supplied by the Im VII will allow growers to evaluate and track crop health, enable them to make accurate input decisions and reduce nitrogen runoff.

New Skin for the Im VII

The Im VII now features a new skin system that increases airframe resisliancy beyond customer specifications.  ”While the base Im VII is built using light-weight, energy dissipating materials we wished to further extend the lifespan of the airframe though the addition of a tough skin system.  The system not only repels damage, it also adds additional lateral strength to the entire airframe.”  The Im VII is currently one-third through its flight testing program.

 

New skin system featured on the Im VII.

Two Hour Endurance Target Hit

AV-2 in Flight

On a battery that yielded less than one hour of flight time on the Im VII prototype air vehicle, AV-2 squeezed over two hours of flight time out of the same battery.  “AV-2 flew a beautiful sortie today and exceeded all of my expectations,” said Jeff Imel, designer of the Im VII.  “We kept flying until the flight computer warned us of a low battery state and that took over two hours.” 

The Im VII has been designed specifically for precision agriculture remote sensing applications.  The characteristics that make the Im VII the choice airborne sensor platform for agriculture has also generated demand from organizations performing atmospheric and geological research.

Flight Test Card: Endurance

Air Vehicle 2 (AV-2) enters the flight endurance portion of its six week flight testing program today.  AV-2 will be flying at maximum payload weight using a variety of power systems over the next four days, weather permitting.  Previous testing using the now retired prototype (AV-P) yielded flight times of over two hours.  Standard payload for most spectral remote sensing operations include a hyperspectral sensor that measures crop canopy reflectance at narrow wavebands.

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Im VII Air Vehicle II – First Flight

Im VII Air Vehicle II - 82" Wingspan

Air Vehicle II (AV-2) took to the air for the first time on November 9, 2008 at 1630 Hrs.  The platform required no center of gravity adjustments and flew flawlessly in less than perfect flight conditions.  Sustained winds at the time of flight were 15 knots with gusts up to 25 knots with light snow showers.   AV-2 has an 82″ wingspan and weighs 23 ounces with flight control avionics.  Typical gross take-off weight (GTOW) for an agricultural imaging mission is less than three pounds.  Maximum payload for the AV-2 platform is five pounds for hand launch and twenty pounds for catapult launch.

The production versions of the Im VII feature removable wing panels that require no tools for assembly.  The entire aircraft fits into a suitcase for easy transport in the trunk of most vehicles.  The high lift airfoil, quiet electric powerplant and efficiency of the all wing platform delivers flight endurance times of over two hours and as long as four hours.  The Im VII is easily hand launched with a gentle toss and requires only a small clearing for landing.  Optional spoilers allow the pilot to land the Im VII in a clearing as small as 40 feet.