Nostromo Yarará
| Nostromo Yarará | |
|---|---|
| Role | tactical UAV |
| National origin | Córdoba, Argentina |
| Manufacturer | Nostromo |
| Designer | Marcelo Martínez |
| First flight | [1] |
| Introduction | June 2006 |
| Status | In service |
The Yarará project is the first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programme in South America to be produced in series and for export. The system is developed by Nostromo Defensa for surveillance, border patrol and reconnaissance. It was unveiled at the Air Show of the Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Argentina, FAA) on 10 August 2006. The manufacturer says it has been produced in small series for export to an unidentified government customer in the United States.
Design
The vehicle was named after the yarará, a South American snake.
Yarara was developed by Nostromo-Defensa under contracts from the US Southern Command with a system comprising three aircraft delivered in June 2006.
Evolution of the design has seen an increase in the width of the undercarriage footprint to support rough field landings, while a Zenoah 6.5hp engine is an option. The first powerplant is a Modellmotoren 3W 5.5hp two stroke system. [1][2]
The current Yarara is powered by a single Sonic 35 multifuelled air-cooled wankel rotary engine which produces 5.9KW of output power. It is fitted with a three-bladed propeller at the rear of the fuselage section raised on an engine pylon with integral fuel tank. This engine is designed and built by British Company Cubewano. It is the first kerosene-functioned (heavy fuel) rotary engine flown on a UAV that can JP8 as fuel. It was first flown in this configuration in August 2009. [1]
The Wankel engine has electronic injection.
Specifications
Data from [3]
General characteristics
- Crew: 0 (unmanned)
- Payload: 5 kg (11 lb)
- Length: 2.472 m ()
- Wingspan: 4 m (13 ft)
- Height: ()
- Empty weight: 15.5 kg ()
- Max. takeoff weight: 22.5 kg (50 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Piston, Wankel, 8 hp ()
- Propellers: 1 propeller, 1 per engine
Performance
- Maximum speed: 145km/h
- Cruise speed: 115 km/h
- Stall speed: 45 km/h ()
- Range: 50 km (27 nautical miles)
- Endurance: 6 hours
- Service ceiling: 3.5 km (11,483 ft)
