December 9, 2022 | Sergey Litvinov

Improving the Quality of Control of the UVR UAVs by Using Simulation Analogues

UVR LLC specialists have taken another important step in improving the safety of testing and stability of helicopter-type unmanned aerial vehicles flights – their digital counterparts have been created. The models have been developed in a fairly short time and have already passed experimental verification while compared with piloted flights of prototypes.

These models are applicable both for operating prototypes of single-rotor helicopters with a tail rotor (gross weight up to 40 and 500 kg) and for coaxial configuration (gross weight up to 3,150 kg).

The models will allow conducting preliminary tests of aerial vehicles, determining and correcting their technical and dynamic characteristics, as well as setting acceptable parameters of control systems, which together will reduce the time and costs of testing, increasing the reliability and trustworthiness of the results.

Based on this approach, UVR LLC systematically continues the process of complex multi-parameter correction and improvement of engine control algorithms, pitch, roll, heading and height of the UAVs. At the same time, there is the possibility of an objective assessment for choosing a control loop scheme (either self-developed by UVR LLC, or a corrected ARDUPILOT scheme available in the public domain).

Virtual models can be used as simulators for comprehensive training, briefing, as well as for improving the skills of controlling aircraft of acting UAV operators.

Improving the Quality of Control of the UVR UAVs by Using Simulation Analogues

December 1, 2022 | Sergey Litvinov

New Swashplate for the UAV ELECTRON 7

UVR LLC has developed and manufactured a new design swashplate for a light UAV with an electric motor ELECTRON 7.

Compared to the current type of swashplate, the new version reduces the number of parts and components by 25 percent, which will significantly reduce assembly time, logistics and labor costs for the production of this unit in the future, as well as significantly reduce its cost.

100 percent of the materials and components used in the new swashplate are manufactured locally.

The new swashplate has been transferred to the flight test station for testing.

November 15, 2022 | Sergey Litvinov

The Next Stage of Cooperation with the Ministry for Emergency Situations on the Use of UAV “ELECTRON 7” for the Tasks of Radiation Monitoring

On November 11, 2022 UVR LLC, together with UE ATOMTEX, conducted regular test flights of the light unmanned helicopter ELECTRON 7 equipped with gamma radiation detection equipment. The flights were carried out at the training ground of the “Institute of Retraining and Professional Development”, a branch of the University of Civil Protection of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus. The test flights were part of the program of the event held by the Ministry for Emergency Situations – the international practical seminar “Modern means and methods of responding to accidents with hazardous chemical and radioactive substances”, which was attended by representatives of the Ministry for Emergency Situations, various law enforcement and security agencies, and other organizations: https://mchs.gov.by/glavnoe/405260/

The flights were preceded by a report made by the director of ATOMTEX, which reflected the possibilities and prospects for the use of drones for radiation monitoring showing the example of the UAV ELECTRON 7.

During the flights of ELECTRON 7 held in various modes (changing altitude, speed, tack width, number of radiation sources), the joint team of UVR and ATOMTEX was improving the interaction of hardware and software when receiving and processing data on detected radiation sources.

The Next Stage of Cooperation with the Ministry for Emergency Situations on the Use of UAV "ELECTRON 7" for the Tasks of Radiation Monitoring

The use of a helicopter-type unmanned aerial vehicle for conducting radiation and chemical reconnaissance aroused high interest among the participants of the seminar, since this method significantly saves time, labor costs and expenditures for this kind of missions, at the same time reducing risks to the life and health of personnel.

November 14, 2022 | Sergey Litvinov

Successful Testing of the UAV’s SAKAVIK New Design

UVR LLC has completed a series of regular flight tests of SAKAVIK unmanned aerial vehicle, that has demonstrated the results of the year-long work on improving the product design and confirmed the correctness of the chosen strategy.

The following improvements have been introduced in the process of the UAV’s further development:

– a fundamentally new swashplate control system has been developed and applied, one of the elements of which was the use of new, more advanced, servos;

– the software has been upgraded and the autopilot operation algorithms have been improved, which has resulted in much higher flight safety.

Successful Testing of the UAV’s SAKAVIK New Design

These changes and improvements have shown a tangible effect in the operation of the product compared to the original version of the UAV that made its first flight in October 2021.

The new version of the UAV “SAKAVIK” has demonstrated increased efficiency and reliability of critical parts and components, as well as improved interaction of mechanical parts, electronics and software.

The UVR team has taken another step in promoting a highly demanded innovative product with a load capacity up to 200 kg to the market!

November 3, 2022 | Sergey Litvinov

UVR drone at Helishow 2022, Dubai

At the end of October this year, UVR LLC, together with a partner company from the UAE, presented its light UAV ELECTRON 7 at Helishow Dubai exhibition. The event was dedicated to the latest global trends in the development of helicopter technologies (both manned and unmanned) and their areas of application. Companies from 30 countries of the Persian Gulf, America, Europe, the CIS and Southeast Asia presented their products and services. The exhibition was visited by representatives of government structures and law enforcement agencies from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and other countries of the region.

Within the framework of the forum a number of conferences were held in various areas related to the production and use of helicopters.

The characteristics and capabilities of ELECTRON 7 were presented by Gavin Jacob Ittyerah, a certified drone operator who completed a training course on operating the UAV at UVR LLC in July 2022.

The UAVs developed by our company aroused great interest among visitors of the exhibition, especially law enforcement agencies, as well as companies operating UAVs and providing various services for the inspection and monitoring of various infrastructure objects.

October 27, 2022 | Sergey Litvinov

UVR LLC at INTERGEO HYBRID 2022 Exhibition

From October 18 to October 20, the international thematic exhibition INTERGEO 2022 was held in Essen, Germany. It was dedicated to cartography, geodesy, aerial photography, various methods of scanning and exploring the Earth’s surface and its interior. One of the main parts of the forum was HYBRID exposition where various technical solutions based on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to perform the abovementioned tasks were presented, as well as UAV payloads, parts, electronic components, etc.

Specialists of UVR LLC attended this event in order to get acquainted with the latest trends in the development of unmanned vehicles and establish contacts with suppliers of specialized payloads and basic elements.

UVR LLC at INTERGEO HYBRID 2022 Exhibition

At the same time, our representatives took part in a number of thematic events within the framework of the forum and made a presentation of the main activities of the company.

The increased interest of the audience was shown to the UAV SAKAVIK, which is explained by its technical characteristics (inaccessible to most multicopters), which allow the use of large systems and complex technical equipment weighing up to 200 kg as a payload, as well as to the joint project of UVR LLC and UE “ATOMTEX” to create a system for radiation situation monitoring.

A visit to INTERGEO 2022 exhibition and the new knowledge and ideas gained will certainly give an additional impetus to the work of our company and the development of new business areas.

October 11, 2022 | Sergey Litvinov

Test Flight of the UAV “ELECTRON 7” with Radiation Monitoring Equipment

UVR LLC, together with UE ATOMTEX, conducted test flights of the light unmanned helicopter ELECTRON 7 equipped with gamma radiation detection equipment. The flights were carried out at the training ground of the “Institute of Retraining and Professional Development”, a branch of the University of Civil Protection of the Ministry for Emergency Situations in Borisov District in the presence of employees of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus.

ELECTRON 7, under the control of UAV operators, made a series of flights over a given terrain along a set trajectory, at different heights, detected gamma radiation sources containing cesium isotope, placed in certain locations, and transmitted data to the ground control station.

On the basis of the data transmitted by the UAV, the specialists of UE ATOMTEX compiled a map of the examined area indicating the exact locations of radiation sources and detailing the radiation power and radiation dose.

Test Flight of the UAV "ELECTRON 7" with Radiation Monitoring Equipment

Successful joint tests of the UAV manufactured by UVR LLC and the gamma radiation detection equipment of UE ATOMTEX open up new prospects for the use of this system for monitoring the radiation situation at various nuclear industry facilities, as well as on the territories affected by the Chernobyl accident.

October 4, 2022 | Sergey Litvinov

UVR Participates in Conference “Extreme Robotics 2022”

UVR LLC took part in the 33rd International Scientific and Technical Conference “Extreme Robotics”, which was held on September 29-30, 2022 in St. Petersburg. The event was organized by the State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation “Central Research and Development Institute of Robotics and Technical Cybernetics” – https://er.rtc.ru/en/

At the conference, within the framework of the round table “Robotics of the nuclear industry”, UE ATOMTEX and UVR LLC presented a joint report “Radiation Monitoring Equipment for the Remote Control Unmanned Aerial Vehicle “ELECTRON 7”. The theses were published in the digest of the conference organizers (p. 264, УДК 004.896:007.5 ББК 32.813 Э41, ISBN 978-5-6048032-9-5).

UVR Participates in Conference "Extreme Robotics 2022"

Representatives of the related organizations and scientific institutions were informed about the results of the cooperation between our companies, namely, with the radiation monitoring system AGSAT installed on the ELECTRON 7 UAV, capable of monitoring radiation contamination of territories, as well as detecting hidden or lost sources of radiation. This complex is able to speed up monitoring of territories several times compared to ground-based methods, eliminate the danger of exposure to ionizing radiation on people, and at the same time significantly reduce the cost of performing such tasks compared to the use of manned aircraft.

September 16, 2022 | Sergey Litvinov

Next Stage of Mi-2 Helicopter Conversion into UAV

UVR LLC completed the research and development stage and started carrying out experimental design works for the conversion of manned helicopters capable of lifting more than 1,000 kg of payload on an external suspension.

The new project is based on the manned Mi-2 helicopter equipped with shaft-turbine engines. The use of a new type of engine running on aviation kerosene will expand the geography of UAV’s use.

At present, our team has already completed the dismantling of systems used for manned flight, developed design documentation and partially completed the installation of an UAV automatic control system.

Next Stage of Mi-2 Helicopter Conversion into UAV

The indisputable advantage of the selected helicopter prototype is its wide distribution, the availability of spare parts and components and of specialized repair facilities.

The project will use the experience and know-how gained by the specialists of UVR LLC in the process of development of the UAV “COMBO”, and also implement a number of innovative solutions and techniques.

September 5, 2022 | Sergey Litvinov

Development of the Central Module of the Autopilot for UAVs

UVR LLC has developed and manufactured a prototype of the central module for the autopilot for unmanned aerial vehicles. This module contains sensors for determining UAV’s position and orientation in space, as well as a microprocessor that implements the specified flight modes, control algorithms for actuators and control of flight parameters.

The central autopilot module consists of two printed circuit boards:

– a flexible-rigid board of inertial sensors (three-axis accelerometers and gyroscopes) with vibration decoupling and thermal stabilization;

– a microprocessor board with a backup inertial sensor, a three-axis magnetometer (compass) and a barometric altitude sensor.

The technical characteristics of the sensors make them suitable for use in light, medium and heavy UAVs. The software of the central autopilot module is adapted to the specific features of the UAV hardware and design.

Successful test flights of the “ELECTRON 7” UAV have been carried out under the control of the prototype of the central autopilot module.