The C-Astral Bramore

Introduction

When it comes to stable platforms for aerial data gathering there are very few that come close to the C-Astral Bramore. The platform that we have at Purdue is the PPX variant. This particular wing has a downward-facing sensor bay that can house a multitude of different sensors that can help with data gathering. 

Features

Aircraft

The Bramore PPX is an auto-piloted UAS platform with limited manual capabilities. The Bramore's ability to gather data while also being able to fly for almost 3 hours makes the aircraft an invaluable asset for data gathering. The aircraft's onboard flight controller allows it to fly the programmed route without the need for human correction and the only occasion where one might have to interact with the drone is in an emergency. It is launched with a catapult that quickly accelerates it to its flight speed where the engine can catch it and fly the aircraft. It lands via a parachute which allows for very short landing zones (weather dependant) which can help land the aircraft in tight areas where other fixed wings would struggle.

Sensor

The sensor for the Bramore is very powerful, at 42.2 megapixels it allows the pilot to gather data almost to the centimeter level. The other option that we have available is the Altum Multispectral which "sees" in 5 bands, 2 of them outside of the human spectrum. This is very useful when it comes to data gathering as filtering according to the band type will allow you to see things that your eyes originally wouldn't have seen.

Ground Station

The ground station is where all of the programming for the Bramore's flight happens. It is as easy as drawing a box over the area and the computer will automatically plan a route to cover the area in the least amount of passes. As mentioned previously the manual controls are limited but this is because of the excellent ground station. Allowing the PIC to manage what the aircraft will do through failsafe if a dangerous situation occurs. There are a multitude of things that the aircraft has the ability to during a failsafe, it can loiter in the area, return to the home point or even just deploy the parachute if the situation is very dangerous.

Conclusion

The Bramore PPX is a very powerful high-end UAS platform that gives you what you pay for. With a price close to $80,000 you get a platform that can fly for about 3 hours and give you data that's so accurate you could practically take your measurements for a suit with the data.