Bye UAS E-RPV

Eish yet another acronym invented E-RPV, it must be Friday

A solar-powered, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) soon will be rolling off the assembly line at a newly minted manufacturing plant in Albuquerque.

Bye UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) will build a 20,000-square-foot assembly facility here early next year, said CEO John Brown. The company will hire up to 25 employees to start commercial production of its new aircraft, dubbed the Silent Falcon, by mid-2012.

The Silent Falcon being developed by Bye UAS, Inc., a subsidiary of Bye Aerospace, is a small Electric Remote Piloted Vehicle (E-RPV) utilizes stored electric power, thin film solar photovoltaic (PV) and other technologies to enhance its endurance, quiet operations and zero emissions.

An efficient electric 1 kW motor provides the E-RPV with remarkable climb rates and efficient cruise which will facilitate quick access to areas requiring tactical surveillance. Once on station, it employs a combination of an efficient electric motor, thin film photo voltaics and Li-Ion battery pack to remain on station for extended periods of time.

The airframe reminded us very much of a Graupner Terry