Apid 55 Swedish Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
Apid 55
The Apid 55 is a miniature vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system designed and manufactured by CybAero (formerly known as Scandicraft Systems) for the United Arab Emirates Defence Agency (UAEDA). Each system incorporates three major components: Apid 55 aerial vehicle, a ground control station (GCS) and a payload control system. The vehicle can perform intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance operations in hostile environments even in adverse sight conditions. It captures the real time imagery or videos of the battlefield and transmits to the GCS through a satellite communication data link with in a range of up to 50km. Flying at a maximum altitude of 3,000m, the UAV can provide its operators with real time intelligence data by executing surveillance and reconnaissance missions over a large area. The aircraft can be transported on a pick up transport vehicle. An improved version, the Apid 60 was also built by CybAero. The Apid 60 can fly at a maximum speed of 110km/h. Its cruise speed is 90km/h. It can loiter in air for a maximum of three to six hours. The variant is fitted with a skid type landing gear.