Aladin (German: Abbildende Luftgestützte Aufklärungsdrohne im Nächstbereich, imaging, airborne reconaissance drone for close-up range) is a small, simple and cheap reconaissance unmanned aerial vehicle of the Bundeswehr (German Army). Pioneer UAV flying over Iraq UAVs in a hangar A Boeing 720 being flown under remote control as part of NASAs Controlled Impact Demonstration An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), also called a drone, is a self-descriptive term used by the US military, the Israeli Defence Forces and others... The Bundeswehr ( â–¶ (help· info)) is the armed forces of Germany and its administration. ...

Basically it's a radio controlled airplane with an added auto-pilot, day and night camera and video-relay, that can be transported in two suitcases, which contain the disassembled drone, and a backpack with the control station. The aircraft can be assembled and disassembled without tools in the field within five minutes. ParkZone Slo-V Radio controlled airplanes (also called RC airplanes) are smaller, scale versions of full-scale airplanes, as well as non-scale models that use radio control with a hand-held transmitter (TX) radio, and a receiver (RX) within the craft, to move the crafts control surfaces using...

The aircraft can be launched by hand or with a bungee catapult. F/A-18 a split second after the red hold-back bar (on far left) has released and the catapult is hurling the aircract down the deck An aircraft catapult is a device used to launch aircraft from ships — in particular aircraft carriers — as a form of assisted take off. ...

Specifications

• Wingsan: 1.46m
• Length: 1.53m
• Height: 0.36m (including antenna)
• Mass: 3.20 kg (aircraft), 17kg (controll station)
• Allowed windspeeds: 8m/s for launch and landing, 10m/s in flight
• Propulsion: brushless DC electric motor, 12V
• Battery: lithium ion polymer battery, 14V, 9Ah
• Speed: 45—90km/h
• Range (without radio relay): over 5km
• Endurance: more than 30min

A brushless DC motor (BLDC) is a DC electric motor that uses an electronically-controlled commutation system, instead of a mechanical commutation system. ... Lithium ion polymer batteries, or more commonly lithium polymer batteries (Abbreviated Li-Poly or LiPo) are rechargeable batteries which have technologically evolved from lithium ion batteries. ...

References

• Aladin UAV System @ EMT (manufacturer)