Plano-based innovation company Martin UAV has offered a variant of the enhanced vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) tactical unmanned aerial system (UAS) for U.S. Army’s Shadow replacement programme.

U. S. Army renewed focus on rapid innovation and deployment of truly tactical, runway and equipment independent UAS and select Martin UAV and Textron, to provide unmanned aircraft systems.

According to a Defense Department statement, Martin UAV and Textron will compete for each order of the $99,5 million contract for procurement of non-developmental tactical unmanned aerial systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 27, 2022.

Martin UAV is offering its “V-BAT” that can be deployed in a wide range of missions such as force protection, aerial patrol, search and detection of targets, small unit surveillance, shipboard operation, aerial mapping, urban monitoring, autonomous delivery and placement of payloads, and agricultural and wildlife surveillance. It can also be used for other restricted launch and recovery applications.

The V-Bat also demonstrated the unique ability to precisely, repeatedly land autonomously in an area less than 8 ft x 8 ft from a hover several hundred feet above the intended landing spot. Then V-Bat can land on the back of a 2.5 ton truck as it drives along the road.

The V-BAT is the only single-engine, ducted fan VTOL that has the ability to take off and land from a hover in a confined area, fly more than 8 hours in horizontal flight and make mid-flight transitions to “hover & stare” at any time throughout a given mission set.