Ascent AeroSystems has unveiled it’s latest innovation, the Spirit, a dual-rotor coaxial unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), with defense technology leader Dynetics stepping in as the inaugural customer.
“Current industrial drones are often cumbersome,fragile,adn ill-equipped for adverse weather conditions,making them unsuitable for critical missions. Common issues like damage from handling and weather elements such as light rain and moderate winds frequently lead to flight delays or cancellations. This results in wasted time,increased costs,and heightened risks for operators and their clients,” stated Peter Fuchs,CEO of Ascent AeroSystems.
“Our vertical cylinder design minimizes the airframe size,enhancing portability. The inherent strength of cylinders allows for a simpler structure that is easier to protect against water and dirt, resulting in a compact, robust, and environmentally resilient aerial vehicle,” explained Nate Meringer, Chief Engineer.
the spirit is particularly well-suited for applications in public safety, military, and intelligence sectors. “The core of the drone is roughly the size of a coffee can and weighs only 3 pounds, yet it can carry over 10 pounds. With two batteries and a 2-pound payload, it fits conveniently in a backpack and boasts a flight time exceeding 50 minutes. This is a remarkable achievement,” noted CEO Peter Fuchs. “We’ve integrated quick-connect attachments on both the top and bottom of the drone,allowing for flexible configurations of batteries and payloads tailored to specific missions.”
Dynetics is the first to adopt the Spirit. Mark Miller, Vice president and Division manager of Missile and Aviation Systems at Dynetics, remarked, “We have been utilizing ascent’s coaxial technology for over a year and have been consistently impressed by the reliability and performance of these UAVs. The cylindrical design is particularly advantageous in challenging environments, enabling launch methods that other configurations cannot accommodate. This expands the range of potential missions beyond what traditional UAVs can offer.”
Steve Norris, Department Manager for Unmanned Systems at Dynetics, elaborated on the company’s choice. “We have observed that Ascent’s UAVs excel in stability, maneuverability, and speed, with extraordinary lifting capabilities for such a compact design. We envision a broad spectrum of applications for this innovative VTOL platform. The Spirit’s modular design also enhances our capacity to integrate new technologies, allowing us to swiftly develop new payloads and showcase advanced capabilities to our defense and intelligence clients.”
“The Spirit will be available in various configurations, including ready-to-fly models equipped with a gimbal, thermal camera, and a selection of ground control stations.An ‘airframe only’ option will also be offered,” added Jon Meringer, co-founder and COO.
Ascent AeroSystems is currently showcasing the Spirit at the AUVSI Xponential trade show in Chicago.
