Overview

The company is focused on engineering services through Bye Engineering Partners (www.ByeEngineering.com), and the development of certain aerospace and defense aircraft including those described as a “drone” or “unmanned aerial vehicle” (“UAV”).

A UAV is a remotely piloted aircraft or autonomous aircraft that flies without a human flight crew on board the aircraft. These aircraft range in size from very small with a wingspan of 5 feet to 17 feet weighing less than 25 pounds; to large with wing spans of more than 100 feet and weight exceeding several thousand pounds. A UAV is not limited by human pilot constraints and can be quite versatile with cameras, sensors, detecting devices and other defense payloads.

Most UAVs are developed for government and defense use and have become well known for their surveillance and ordinance delivery functions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Less known are a variety of civil applications including high value defense manufacturing, chemical, power generation and other industrial site security. Commercial port security, police, border patrol, pipeline survey, forest fire assessment, geophysical surveying, agricultural monitoring, and wildlife tracking are among the additional civil UAV uses.

Most UAVs are defense oriented, mission specific and not well suited to civil use. They are typically expensive to acquire and operate commercially. As a result, opportunities exist for joint use or civil-only UAV. Civil markets are emerging to take advantage of UAV benefits. These markets include states with large areas of low population, such as Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Alaska, Texas, New Mexico. Countries like Canada, Brazil and Australia with large geographic regions may have a greater demand for UAVs. Some very long endurance UAVs could even be used to cover areas such as Africa, Artic and Antarctic regions, and oceans.

UAV Benefits

  • Mission equivalent savings: Typical fixed wing manned aircraft contrasted to a mission equivalent small UAV:
    • Unit cost. Small UAV is much less expensive than a larger, manned aircraft.
    • Fuel cost/consumption. A typical fixed wing manned aircraft consumes 10 times more fuel than a small UAV.
    • Maintenance cost. Support and maintenance is much simpler and less expensive on a small UAV over a typical manned aircraft.
  • A modern, well-equipped UAV is highly capable and avoids the necessity of a pilot, along with potential fatigue and human error.
  • UAV control automation allows flight to be conducted outside normal operational parameters of manned missions: for example, very low or very high altitude operations.
  • UAVs are able to operate in high-risk environments without putting a pilot at risk.

In addition to other engineering services through Bye Engineering Partners, the company is supporting three advanced UAV programs.

Concept

The company provides research and engineering support for the Silent Falcon UAV being developed by Bye UAS, Inc. The Silent Falcon is a small electric remote piloted vehicle utilizing stored electric power, thin film solar photovoltaic (PV), high efficiency 6 blade propulsion system and other technologies to enhance its endurance, quiet operations and zero emissions.

Silent Falcon 1

An efficient electric 1 kW motor provides the Silent Falcon with remarkable climb rates and efficient cruise which facilitates quick access to areas requiring tactical surveillance.

Silent Falcon 2

The easily transportable Silent Falcon system is very quiet with low thermal signature to reduce detection. The Silent Falcon carries a proprietary sensor gimbal with electro-optical and infrared camera on a lightweight mechanically and digitally stabilized gimbaled payload allowing the operator to keep eyes on target." With long endurance the Silent Falcon provides multi-fold the value and capability of competitive systems.

Silent Falcon developmental flight test is validating initial performance estimates. The combination of remarkable persistence, payload and reduced acquisition and operating cost over similar-sized systems gives the Silent Falcon a significant advantage over competitors.

Features

  • Li-Ion batteries, thin film photo-voltaics, advanced efficient propulsion system
  • Beyond visual range, autopilot with GPS, electric autopilot and servo-control
  • Proprietary ISR sensor gimbal with daylight and low light video optics
  • Tri-pod or hand-launch; short field operations
  • Gross weight up to 28 pounds with cruise at 20 - 25 knots, with dash to 45 knots

Suppliers

Bye UAS is teamed with:

  • Bye Engineering Partners is providing design, development and complete engineering support
  • Ascent Solar to develop and integrate solar energy capture
  • Scion Aviation provides vehicle systems and prototype integration

Other primary suppliers will be announced in the future.

Applications

Potential government applications include homeland security, and military visual and thermal tactical reconnaissance. Potential civil applications include high security facility surveillance, pipeline and power line inspection, aerial law enforcement, forest fire detection, weather monitoring and aerial photography.

Bye UAS is supplying the E-RPV platform, ground and training systems (see www.ByeUAS.com). Customers will define payload requirements. Contact Mike McGill at mmcgill@byeuas.com.

Concept

U.S. Navy awarded a research contract to Global Near Space Services (“GNSS”) to develop a two stage lighter than air (“LTA”) unmanned air system (“UAS”). The GNSS program developed a clean, cost-effective satellite-type capability utilizing a high altitude upper-stage shaped LTA coupled with an unpiloted detachable, flying, lower stage UAS containing sensor systems. GNSS subcontracted to Bye Engineering Partners to design the flyable lower stage, ‘stratospheric recovery vehicle’ or SRV detachable UAS.

gnss-1

The unique GNSS “StarLight” LTA system is predicted to persist on station against prevailing winds at very high altitudes for 4 months for a fraction of the cost of a satellite. Solar electric energy provides the necessary power for all systems including both motors for station keeping and customer surveillance payloads.

gnss-2

gnss-3

The Bye Engineering Partners - GNSS Phase 1 subcontract which included conceptual design and systems trade studies was successfully completed in 2010. In August 2011, Phase 2 subcontract detail design of the lower stage SRV vehicle, as well as design and assembly of a 40% scale lower stage SRV test vehicle was completed. Bye Engineering Partner’s responsibility included the design and assembly of composite structure of the SRV, along with support for its aerodynamics, solar-electric collection system, and electrical storage and propulsion systems.

The lower stage solar electric UAS features deployable thin film photo voltaic arrays that articulate up to +/- 50 degrees to optimize solar energy collection. The electric motor propeller system also articulates up to +/-30 degrees to provide enhanced steering for the LTA against altering wind conditions at altitude. The lower stage detaches on command and returns under powered flight to landing and for refurbishment and re-launch as required.

gnss-4

gnss-5

Bye Engineering Partners helped design and construct a 40% demonstration scale SRV (pictured) for GNSS and the U.S. Navy. The scaled SRV demonstrator vehicle is designed with advanced all-composite structure, has a length is 27.8 feet with a wing span of 25.6 feet, and gross weight of 854 lbs. It is designed to 5g strength and a 1.4 safety factor. The SRV test vehicle utilizes a partial array of thin film photo voltaics to provide solar energy collection. Light-weight Li-Ion batteries provide energy storage. The SRV demonstrator is designed to fly with a limited redundancy autopilot, initially to altitudes under 15,000 feet, and eventually to near operational altitudes of up to 65,000 feet. Test payload for the demonstrator up to 50 lb and 100 Watts of power.

Suppliers

Bye Engineering Partners is teamed in its GNSS subcontract with:

  • Ascent Solar to develop and integrate thin film solar cells
  • Scion Aviation to prepare and assemble composite structures

Applications

Potential government applications include homeland security and related air sovereignty support. Potential civil roles include surveillance, communications and air traffic management. For more information go to www.GlobalNearSpace.com


Silent Guardian UAS Solar-Electric Autonomous Remote Piloted Vehicle (SEH-ARPV)

 

H-UAV

 

Concept

The first of its kind SEH-ARPV concept developed by Bye Aerospace, named the Silent Guardian UAS, utilizes stored electric power, thin film solar photovoltaic (PV) and other technologies to enhance its potential endurance, quiet operations and low emissions.

An efficient Williams International turbofan engine will provide the SEH-ARPV with remarkable climb rates to high altitude which will facilitate quick access to areas requiring surveillance. Once on station the hybrid UAV will employ advanced aerodynamics, thin film PV to collect solar-electric energy, efficient electric motors and other design features proprietary to Bye Aerospace to remain on station for extended periods of time.

Suppliers

Bye Aerospace is teamed with:

  • Ascent Solar to develop and integrate solar energy capture
  • Williams International to provide an advanced FJ33-15 turbofan engine
  • Global Near Space Services to provide certain engineering; stragetic marketing collaboration

Other primary suppliers will be announced in the future.

Applications

Potential government applications include border patrol and homeland security, search and rescue, visual and thermal reconnaissance and forward air control. Potential civil applications include traffic control, pipeline and power line inspection, aerial law enforcement, forest fire detection, weather monitoring and aerial photography.