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Version
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K-MAX Lockheed Martin Unmanned helicopter |
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| General
information |
Lockheed
Martin Corporation and Kaman Aerospace Corporation
have successfully transformed Kaman’s proven
K-MAX® power lift helicopter into an unmanned
aerial system (UAS). Its mission: battlefield
cargo resupply for the U.S. military. Team K-MAX
has flown the UAS nearly 400 hours in autonomous
mode since joining forces in 2007. The system
can lift and deliver a full 6,000 lbs of cargo
at sea level, and more than 4,000 pounds at 15,000
ft density altitude. Team K-MAX demonstrated the
unmanned cargo resupply mission capability to
the U.S. Marine Corp during three days in late
January, 2010 at the U.S. Army’s Dugway
Proving Ground, Utah. The system showcased autonomous
and remote control flight via both line-of-sight
and satellite-based beyond line-of-sight data
link. The original helicopter K-MAX is manufactured
by Kaman Aerospace Company at the company's production
facilities at Bloomfield, Connecticut. The first
flight of the single-engine, single-seat helicopter
was completed in March 1992. FAR parts 27 and
133 certification and Canadian certification were
awarded in 1994. In March 2007, Kaman and Lockheed
Martin announced a partnership to develop a manned
/ unmanned version of K-MAX for military applications.
Lockheed Martin will be prime contractor. KMAX
has demonstrated more than 12 hours unmanned flight
during trials with the USMC in the Burro Technology
Demonstration.
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Variants
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- Drone UAV Unmanned aerial vehicle
- Fire fighting
- Cargo
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| Armament |
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| Design |
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The cockpit houses a single crash- and impact-resistant
seat supplied by Simula and fitted with
a five point harness. The pilot has an excellent
forward, side and downward view from the
narrow fuselage. The curved windscreen is
fitted with a demister. The panels in the
domed side windows can be opened to provide
a clearer direct view and in hot weather
the helicopter can be flown with the side
doors removed. The cargo compartment behind
the pilot, capacity 0.74m³, is fitted
with cargo tie-down rings. One or two passenger
seats can be attached externally to the
sides of the helicopter forward of the main
wheel legs. The Kaman designed-and-built
K-MAX helicopter features a unique intermeshing
rotor system that eliminates the need for
a tail rotor, directing all of the power
from the Honeywell T5317A-1 gas turbine
engine to the main rotors. The design gives
the aircraft a one-to-one lift ratio, enabling
the K-MAX aircraft to lift up to 6,000 pounds
- more than the aircraft's own weight -
and providing superior high altitude and
hot environment performance and low noise
signature. Currently flown as a manned power
lifter by the logging and construction industries,
the aircraft has low operating costs per
flight hour, and has maintained a high reliability
rate over more than 225,000 flight hours
in demanding environments.
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| Propulsion |
The helicopter is powered by a single Honeywell
turboshaft engine, type T53-17A-1, with
a take-off power of 1,007kW. The engine
is derated to provide a high standard of
reliability and long operating life. The
fuel tank of 865l capacity is installed
at the helicopter's centre of gravity for
stability. The fuel system is equipped with
two electric fuel pumps.
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| Accessories
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K-MAX unmanned aerial system was controlled
by Lockheed Martin's KineForce™ mission
management system, which is designed to
translate the ground controller's objectives
into mission executable plans, provide autonomous
flight control capability, understand the
dynamic battlefield environment, and react
to threats. To command and control the K-MAX,
a ground controller used a hand-held tablet
computer - compatible with a common interface
system used by the U.S. Army for control
of unmanned aerial vehicles - to define
the mission plan and monitor the aircraft
during flight.
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| Specifications |
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Armament |
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No
a
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Country
users |
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Prototype
United States |
Designer
country |
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United
States
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Accessories |
Day
and night capacity, cargo
tie-down rings.
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Crew |
1/2
or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle |
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Type |
Firefighting
- Cargo - Unmanned Aerial
Vehicle UAV Drone |
Weight |
2,334 kg empty |
Speed |
185
km/h |
Range |
556 km |
Dimensions
with rotors |
Lenght,
18.85 m; Width, 15.67 m;
Height, 4.14 m |
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