The annual Singapore Airshow – one of the largest defense exhibitions in the world – has highlighted a number of new technologies. On Tuesday, the Russian Information Satellite Systems (ISS) Company debuted its new line of satellites. On Wednesday, a Chinese defense company unveiled its latest missiles.
On Thursday, Singapore’s ST Engineering displayed its latest drone. Painted a sky blue, the vehicle incorporates a standard twin wingtip design. But jutting out from the plane’s rear fuselage are two gold propellers.
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The vehicle, which can be launched from a number of surface vessels, can operate like a standard UAV, using onboard cameras to conduct surveillance. But the drone can also be used as a submersible, where it serves in a mine detection capacity.
The vehicle is more than just a concept.
"That’s not a model, that’s the real thing," Milly Tay, head of the engineering group developing the vehicle, told Defense News.
While airborne, the drone has a range of roughly 4.3 nautical miles and can operate between 20 and 25 minutes, propelled by a single propeller engine. This propeller folds away while underwater, and the smaller, twin propellers beneath the wings give the vehicle a speed of 4 to 5 knots while underwater.
While ST has successfully tested the vehicles submerged capabilities, it has not yet been able to conduct test flights.
"We’ve not flown the vehicle due to restrictions [on unmanned aircraft operation] in Singapore. We’re looking for a good location and hope to find one this year," Tay said.
"Not many countries are comfortable with a 25 kg [55 pound] experimental aircraft in their airspace," Tay added.
