Comparison of Rq-7 shadow UAV and Pakistan Falco UAV
RQ-7 Shadow 200 Tactical UAV
The air vehicle is constructed of composite materials, with a wingspan of 12.3 feet, and length of 11.2 feet. Power is provided by a commercial 38-horsepower rotary engine that uses motor gasoline (MOGAS).
The payload has a commercially available electro-optic and infrared camera, and communications equipment for command and control and imagery dissemination. Onboard global positioning system instrumentation provides navigation information.
The air vehicle is intended to provide coverage of a brigade area of interest for up to four hours, at 50 kilometers from the launch and recovery site. The maximum range is 125 kilometers (limited by data link capability), and operations are generally conducted from 8,000 to 10,000 feet above ground level during the day and 6,000 to 8,000 feet above ground level at night.
The air vehicle uses a pneumatic launcher and is recovered by a tactical automatic landing system without pilot intervention on the runway. The air vehicle is stopped using an arresting hook and cable system.
Procurement cost for the Command and Control Suite, as well as two units of the Shadow 200 run at approximately $36 million. individual units of the Shadow 200 run at about $275,000 apiece.
Pakistan UAV FALCO
Falco is a state-of-the-art medium-altitude endurance and tactical unmanned air vehicle (UAV) designed and manufactured by the Italian sensors developer Selex Galileo.
Though the Falco UAV is large enough to accommodate both a missile and targeting system, it will currently be used for only reconnaissance and surveillance applications. Falco will be equipped with laser-guided missiles in the future to carry out offensive operations. The Falco UAV has one hard point on each wing and will carry a load capacity of up to 25kg.
FALCO UAV NEXT GENERATION PATROL SOLUTION:
The Falco UAV system is SELEX Galileo solution for 7/24
all-weather persistent surveillance needs. The Falco
applications range from border patrol, coastal watch,
law enforcement to power and pipelines surveillance,
environmental monitoring, oil spills and fire prevention.
It’s endurance, wide suite of payloads, integrated Ground
Control Station make it the best solution for emerging
surveillance needs of remote infrastructures such as
pipelines, power plants, offshore oil and gas fields requiring,
day / night accurate and real-time detection of threats such
as oil leaks and thefts, fires and sabotages.
THE UAV: A CRITICAL ASSET FOR PIPELINES SURVEILLANCE
• Remote, dangerous locations and conditions where the
Falco can fly for up to 14 hours with basic surveillance
payload without refuelling
• Fully redundant, fault tolerant architecture
• Minimal refuelling and lower maintenance and flying
costs compared to rotary or fixed wing aircraft
• Ability to fly at night
• Automated way-points based missions can be flown from
take-off to landing, including beyond radio-link coverage
• The complete Falco system is deployable by 5 people in
only 4 hours.
The Falco pilot has full authority over the aircraft and
mission at all times thanks to the availability of three
operation modes:
• Manual: featuring full pilot control through HUD
navigation and EFIS style console
• Semi-auto: based on “go-to-loiter-point” with the
destination selected on a digital map and feasibility
checks and validation prior to the mission
• Full-auto: way-point and straight leg navigation, where
points can be included in theflight programmes, feasibility
checks performed and emergency way-point associated
with each leg.
GROUND CONTROL STATION
The Falco Ground Control Station enables mission planning
and retasking, mission simulation for operator training, mission
rehearsal and play back.
From the GCS, the operator can either control payloads and
sensors and handle the collected data in real time or to
pre-program their tasks during the mission planning phase,
enhancing UAV autonomous operation features.
The aircraft can be flown in manual and in fully automatic
mode, including automatic take off and landing operations.
The Ground Control Station is capable of off-line target data
evaluation and processing, for further diffusion.
The Ground Data Terminal provides more than-200 Km
redundant link range between the Ground Control Station
and the Falco air vehicle, through real time data transmission
(optionally jam-resistant). The GCS is fitted in a container and
can be easily trasported and deployed.