Today, at the facilities of the Hellenic Aerospace Industry a meeting was held between executives of the Ministry of Finance, the Hellenic Aerospace Industry management and representatives of the Universities of Thessaloniki, Thrace and Thessaly who have undertaken the research and development of the first Greek drone. During this meeting, a step closer to the production process of the first Greek UAV was made.
The project (program "ARCHYTAS") concerns the design and construction of an unmanned air vehicle of large dimensions and the possibility of vertical take-off/landing (VTOL UAV).
The design and operational exploitation of the VTOL UAV aims to the satisfaction of operational requirements of National Defense and Security (Surveillance of land and sea borders, naval surveillance, surveillance of enemy forces, etc.). It can also be used for civil protection purposes (forest surveillance – fire early warning , surveillance and evaluation of other natural disasters) and numerous commercial uses.
The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle will be designed and developed as a fixed wing platform, BWB innovative geometry, enabling the carriage of different types of payload, of large volume and weight (in the range of 20lt and 15kg to 20kg, respectively).
The UAV take-off/landing can be vertical (VTOL). In this way it will be possible to reach even particularly isolated islands or land areas, but also decks of large ships, giving it unique operational capacity and flexibility (use by frigates, small uninhabited islands, etc.).
The UAV will be manufactured by lightweight, composite materials that will ensure a combination of structural strength and low weight. Modern machining methods, supported by state-of-the-art equipment, will guarantee the high quality of construction of the prototype and the accuracy of its geometry.
The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle will be able to operate under adverse weather conditions (flight in strong winds up to at least 6 B) which often prevail in the Aegean, thus increasing its operational capacity. It will carry automatic navigation and flight control systems, thus enabling it to be used by operators with little experience. These systems will be installed to ensure the smooth operation of the UAV, both during the complex process of vertical take-off/landing, as well as during its flight under any conditions.
The meeting was attended by Mr. Konstantinos Tsamadias and Mr. Konstantinos Magoulas as representatives of the Ministry of Finance.
On behalf of the Hellenic Aerospace Industry Mr. Ioannis Koutras Chairman of the Board of Directors, Demetrios Papacostas Chief Executive Officer, Michael Koroneos Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, and executives of the company were present.
Mr. Cyrus Hyacinthos Scientific Coordinator of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Antonios Gasteratos, Scientific Coordinator of the Project and the Democritus University of Thrace, Mr. Georgios Stamoulis Scientific Coordinator of the University of Thessaloniki, Major General (M) Anastasios Chalvatzis Commander of the National Military Airworthiness Authority (ESAA), Georgios Kokkalas Colonel (M) Director of Airworthiness ESAA, attended as well.
HAI enters actively in the construction of the Greek drone based on its excellent know-how and the highly skilled manpower. Moreover, HAI will hold the full exploitation rights of the product to be produced.
The whole project will be funded by the Ministry of Finance for the development-production of two prototypes VTOL UAVs.
The amount of funding concerns the participation of the three Universities as well as the supply of materials and devices for the construction and control of the VTOL UAVs.
