Sonex UAVs

[ihab]

Sonex Aircraft Collaborates with NASC to Build Xenos-Based "Teros" Line of UAVs

http://www.sonexaircraft.com/press/rele ... 43015.html

I wonder what engines will be used for these, and whether the FWF kits for these engines might trickle back to the human-carrying Sonex kits!

Ihab

[Bryan Cotton]

Very cool! For engines it says Aerovee turbo. Though from my previous UAV experience I know DoD does not like auto fuel or avgas. I have been to many AUVSI conferences before, supporting the Sikorsky Cypher (see my avatar).

[ihab]

Oh thanks -- http://readingisfundamental.org/ ;) I failed to see that part in the writeup! Yes, I was hoping that this would result in a diesel FWF for the proverbial Rest Of Us [tm]. And ... the Sikorsky Cypher looks awesome!

Ihab

[Sonex1517]

An intriguing announcement!

Explains some of the mystery behind the "we are working on other R & D projects" that I heard in the past year.

[Bryan Cotton]

Though diesel is cool, you have to spend a lot of money to earn the gas savings.

Back in '99 I bought my new saturn for $15K, and a friend bought a new diesel jetta for $25K. He stated a primary reason was fuel savings. I did a calculation which showed it would take about 250K miles to pay off. I am at 181K miles now, I will have to check if he hit the payoff yet.

[berger]

An intriguing announcement!

Indeed! I first thought we were on the 1st of April, but no we are on the first of May.
As Sonex LLC highly contributed to Amateur building which tends to pull people together in a peaceful mind, I've some kind of reluctance to see them entering the defense industry. Everybody knows about the nasty jobs drones can be used to perform, by remotely killing with no soul on board. Personally do not like that idea, but this is just me... and I'm not the greedy type of guy neither.

Be Peaceful and Safe

[rizzz]

An intriguing announcement!

Indeed! I first thought we were on the 1st of April, but no we are on the first of May.
As Sonex LLC highly contributed to Amateur building which tends to pull people together in a peaceful mind, I've some kind of reluctance to see them entering the defense industry. Everybody knows about the nasty jobs drones can be used to perform, by remotely killing with no soul on board. Personally do not like that idea, but this is just me... and I'm not the greedy type of guy neither.

Be Peaceful and Safe

I don't think the NASC aircraft are used in the defence industry.
UAV's are used for all sorts of peaceful purposes as well.

[DCASonex]

[quote="Bryan Cotton"]Though diesel is cool, you have to spend a lot of money to earn the gas savings.

Justification for diesel is much greater outside of the US where av-gas can be even pricier,and hard to find, and local mo-gas questionable quality.

David A.

[jmtraylor]

I agree with Bryan. DoD prefers heavy fuel engines only. In essence, if it can't run on JP-8 or Jet A, they really don't want it. I was involved in the conversion of all vehicles, ground and air, to heavy fuels and away from MOGAS for all of the reasons Bryan listed.

As to whether NASC is working for DoD; the NASC website clearly states that they are a contractor to DoD. Whether or not the TEROS program is supporting DoD or another three letter agency remains to be seen.

[vwglenn]

An intriguing announcement!

Everybody knows about the nasty jobs drones can be used to perform, by remotely killing with no soul on board. Personally do not like that idea, but this is just me... and I'm not the greedy type of guy neither.

Be Peaceful and Safe

My issue with drones is they can be hacked. Spend all that $$$ on something to watch a Chinese kid with a laptop turn it against you.

I like the idea of the diversification of the Sonex line for the strength of the company. I also love that they seem to always be looking ahead. But I'm also cynical and that side of me can see a path where they abandon support for us lowly sport pilots and follow the big money.