How is the 2019 Skyprowler 2 better than the 2017 Skyprowler 1?

The basic design principles of SkyProwler 1 and 2 are the same. SkyProwler 1 is an excellent UAV. Yet SkyProwler 2 has been much improved in many of the details and as a result is a significantly better aircraft. Compared to SkyProwler 1, SkyProwler 2:

• Is ~3 ounces / 100 grams lighter

• Has 20% larger wings for more payload and slower stall speed

• Has 50% larger battery capacity

• Has a lower/flatter and slightly shorter body, causing less air resistance

• Has 10mph/15kph higher top speed

• Has a 20 minute longer endurance

• Has 15 miles/22km longer fixed wing flight range

• Can carry a 3 ounces/100 grams heavier payload

• Has a 30% larger cargo compartment under the wings

• Instead of a two piece tail, has a one piece tail

• Instead of 4, has only 2 lids on the top of the aircraft

• Has a wider landing gear stance for more secure landings

• Has a digital 1080 HD instead of an analogue video down link

• Has a much longer range of the control and telemetry radio link - up to 10 miles/16km, depending on conditions

• Has a much better ground station, integrated into the carry case

• Has two tablet screens integrated into the carry case, one for video (if camera ordered) and one for telemetry

• Has an extendable antenna mast integrated into the case, to increase control and video range

• Keeps the tail on during transport in the case, only wings and camera have to be taken off

SkyProwler 2 is faster, more stable, able to lift more, and able to endure longer before the battery has to be changed. It’s also easier to use and more quickly deployed.

Technical Data and Details

Switchblade Mechanism

The patent pending switchblade mechanism forms the basis of the transformation of SkyCruiser and SkyProwler. Airplanes need to fly fast and to fly fast you need to be as aerodynamically clean as possible. That's why airplanes are long and narrow, somewhat drop-shaped and with as few 'things' sticking out as possible.

For vertical take-off and landing on the other hand, you need to be the opposite of aerodynamic. The more things you have sticking out producing lift (think of the extreme of a parachute for example) the easier it is to hover. This is the main reason why helicopters which a great at hover, are not very good at forward flight, being slow as well as needing a lot of fuel.

The switchblade mechanism transforms an aircraft from the aerodynamically clean airplane configuration to the VTOL configuration, which features a number of rotors that together have a large rotor disc area that is ideal for hovering at low power.

The switchblade mechanism is of similar technical complexity as a gear retraction mechanism and in itself adds very little weight to SkyCruiser and SkyProwler.

Performance Data

Winged cruise speed (Blade config): ~50mph/80kph

Winged top speed (Blade config): ~80mph/130kph

Non-winged cruise speed (Hornet config): ~25mph/40kph

Non-winged top speed (Hornet config): ~60mph/100kph

Winged cruise range (Blade Config): ~55 miles/90 km

Hornet range (No Wings): ~9 miles/15km

Endurance Blade Config (winged): ~55 minutes (extendable with second battery - US version only)

Endurance Hornet Config (no wings): ~20 min (extendable with second battery - US version only)

Max ascent speed: ~3m/s Blade, ~6m/s Hornet

Payload: ~600g/18oz (Blade), ~500g/16oz (Hornet)

Weather limit Blade: ~15mph/24kph crosswind VTOL, otherwise ~22mph/35kph; light rain

Weather limit Hornet: Wind resistance ~18mph/30kph; light rain

Service ceiling: ~6,000m/16,500ft (Winged Cruise)

Temperature range: ~-15ºC/5ºF to 50 ºC/122ºF; check battery condition, especially in very cold weather

Design Parameters

VTOL motors: 4x ~150W, ~1,200rpm per input Volt, brushless electric

Thruster motor: 1x ~500W, ~1,300rpm per input Volt, brushless electric

Servos: digital, metal-geared

Battery: 16V (4 cells), 6,000 mAh; can use smaller battery for shorter, more sporty flight; or carry additional battery for > 1 hour flight time (US version only)

VTOL propellers: ~9 inch

Thruster propeller: ~9 inch

Materials: carbon fiber, 7075-T6 aluminum, light weight foam, ABS

Wingspan: ~43inches/1,080mm

Length of body w/o tail and nose cone: ~25inches/640mm

Weight of body with tail (Hornet configuration): 985g/35oz

Maximum take-off weight: 2,300g/81oz

Control and Interfacing

Ground station radio frequency: 915 MHz or 868 MHz (FCC and CE compliant)

Ground station radio technology: Black Sheep Crossfire

Video down-link: 5.8 GHz (FCC and CE compliant)

Ground station radio and video antennas: directional

Flight controller CPU:32 bit, 168 Mhz, 256 KB RAM, Pixhawk based, with backup CPU

Flight controller compatibility: USB interface on flight controller and ground station

Ground control software: QGroundControl customized

Ground control software functionality: program SkyProwler for autonomous missions independent of the radio ground station via ground station tablet, enables Mapping, Surveys, GPS waypoints including transitions from cruise flight to hover and back, Automatic photography, Autonomous flight, etc.

Eye Aerial Action Cam and integrated gimbal stabilization (igs)

Video: 4K UHD at 30 fps, 1080p HD at 60 fps and 720p at 120fps

Photo: 16 mega pixels

CMOS Imaging Chip: 16 Megapixels

SD card: SanDisk Extreme Plus or equivalent

Camera trigger: via radio ground station or via on board buttons

Camera orientation (pitch, roll, yaw): Pitch control: - 95 degrees to + 60 degrees, Roll: +/- 45 degrees; Yaw: +/- 30 degrees

Brushless Motors for igs: integrated gimbal stabilization (igs) via 3 x 12N14P micromotors

IGS controller: 3-axis micro gimbal controller

Lens mount: snap mount for quick lens change