Bluebear’s new UAS off to flying start

  The iSTART is a small, lightweight UAS that can be operated by a single user and is designed for use in military, law enforcement and civilian applications. With an endurance of 40 minutes the iSTART feeds real-time electro-optical or infrared video footage to a ground control station giving a bird's eye view of the terrain. Unmanned air systems are often used for the most dangerous military missions, providing surveillance of enemy activity from a safe distance. However, UASs are increasingly being used for diverse civil applications such as emergency service assistance, search and rescue and routine monitoring of difficult terrains. BlueBear recently delivered the Cybermoor ‘Flying Shepherd' project, which involved trialling the use of unmanned air systems to monitor livestock in remote areas. With a wingspan of just 75cm, iSTART is highly portable. The airframe, ground control station, and associated equipment fit into a single backpack. This allows the entire sytem to be carried by a single person on foot, in the boot of a car or on the load rack of a quad bike. The iSTART system is the first production UAS manufactured using Selected Laser Sintering (SLS) technology. BlueBear pioneered the use of this technology for UAS manufacture. The use of this technology enables the design and manufacture of complex structures rapidly and cost effectively. www.bbsr.co.uk