Arcturus UAV enhances JUMP 15 UAV

Arcturus UAV announced upgrades to its JUMP 15 fixed-wing vertical take-off landing (VTOL) UAV.

The northern California-based company fitted the JUMP 15 with new wings to maximize endurance and efficiency. Arcturus also converted its 4-stroke engine to fuel injection. The new engine operates with greater fuel efficiency, allows for higher density altitude operation and gives the JUMP 15 a flight time of up to six hours. 

JUMP 15 has all of the versatility of a quadrotor while retaining the superior range and endurance of a fixed-wing. It requires no special launch equipment and does not require runways for launch or landing, said the company. The JUMP 15 can be easily transported and operated by only two technicians. Once on site, it can be set up and ready for flight in less than 15 minutes.

The UAV’s vertical lift motors are shut off for winged flight and the rotors are feathered longitudinally for minimum drag. Its seamless transition to winged flight is gained through the Piccolo autopilot command center software coupled with Latitude Engineering’s Hybrid-Quadrotor technology, according to the company.

Arcturus UAV also manufactures the T-20, T-16XL and the T-15e UAVs. The T-20—Arcturus UAV’s newest vehicle—has a wingspan of 17 feet, and the ability to carry a maximum payload of 65 hours. The T-16XL is suited for both commercial and military applications with mission duration ranging from 12 to 24 hours. Arcturus UAV’s T-15e vehicle is a high-performance, application-configurable UAV that can be optimized for standard surveillance and reconnaissance missions using the new Cloud Cap TASE gimbal system for day and night coverage, said the company.