The Centre for Technological Research and Development of Spain (CDTI) has approved project SINTONIA (acronym in Spanish meaning ‘UNMANNED SYSTEMS WITH ZERO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT’). The principal objective is the development of key technologies aimed at reducing environmental impact, and improving the efficiency of Unmanned Airborne Vehicle (UAV) incorporating ‘step change’ technological advances applied to the whole life cycle. This project presents a large, complex scientific and technological challenge requiring the mobilization of large scale, interdisciplinary industrial and scientific resources. To respond to this challenge, the SINTONIA consortium, led by Boeing Research and Technology Europe (BR&TE) involves participants who are leaders in many aerospace and technological sectors of Spain and abroad including INDRA, AMPER, SENER, AERNNOVA, CESA, ARIES COMPLEX, INSA, APPLUS and ADEX among others. This consortium comprises a total of 23 companies including 13 SME’s known for their innovation, and a total of 25 private and public research organisations including the UNED (Open University of Spain).
To the 12 activities included in the project, ADEX brings its industrial and technological experience to bear on many of them including:
NEW FABRICATION TECHNOLOGIES, oriented towards the reduction of energy consumption, increase in quality, and reduced wastage during the production of composite materials.
UNCONVENTIONAL GEOMETRIES where adaptive control enables in-flight changes in the physical shape of the UAV.
AVIONICS AND LOW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT SYSTEMS for the development of navigation, communications, actuator control.
HARNESSING OF ENERGY to enhance the autonomy in flight of the UAV’s by taking advantage of the various energy sources available to the aircraft during flight.
In addition, ADEX will collaborate with the UNED (Open University of Spain) on research in an activity called LOW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF POWER PLANT” in which the focus will be to optimise all the components of the propulsion unit to improve autonomy and power, accompanied by much reduced noise levels. ADEX is also involved in an activity entitled METHODS OF EFFICIENT LAUNCH AND RECOVERY where the objective is to examine and develop various options for vehicle take-off and landing appropriate to different configurations and sizes of UAV as well as types of mission.
Success in this ambitious R&D project will position the Spanish aeronautical sector at the leading edge of unmanned airborne vehicle technology; an area clearly requiring new development, and will provide for sustainable growth in this incipient industry.