One of the largest events in the Middle East dedicated to civilian unmanned systems (UAS), robotics and components – UMEX and SimTEX 2024 exhibition and conference is held in Abu Dhabi on 23-25 January.
Russian UAS manufacturers Ikar and Aeromax have unveiled the SH-450, SH-750 and SH-3000 unmanned helicopters, capable of carrying 50kg to 1 tonne of cargo, at the exhibition.
“Experimental and serial production of the presented helicopter models is based in Rudnevo Industrial Park of Technopolis Moscow SEZ, while production of aeroplanes and copters is based in St. Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don,” Icarus CEO Boris Bogomolov said.
According to him, these unmanned systems are actively used by Aeromax to provide monitoring services, cargo delivery, airborne laser scanning, aerial photography.
The flagship of the SH-750 helicopter-type UAS powered by hydrogen fuel cells is also presented at the exhibition.
The development of a domestic hydrogen propulsion system for civil UAVs is being carried out by the Hydrogen Technology Centre. The project is creating an electrochemical generator based on a hydrogen-air fuel cell with a capacity of up to 100 kW. It is expected that such a unit will be able to lift an unmanned cargo helicopter with a take-off weight of 750kg into the air.
Another exhibit is a copter with a hydrogen fuel cell. It is capable of staying in the air for up to three hours with a payload of up to 5kg.
“Hydrogen technology opens up new perspectives for longer, autonomous and more efficient flights. The interest in our power systems for the SH-750 unmanned helicopter and multi-rotor copter presented at the exhibition underlines the importance of hydrogen technologies in the development and improvement of civil aviation,” said Yury Dobrovolsky, Director of the Centre for Hydrogen Technologies.
