The Polish company Ekolot Aerospace and Defense (EAD) carried out the first test flights of the unmanned aircraft ZEUSdemonstrating stable flight and autonomous operation in CTOL configuration.
According to the site Defence Blogthe information was shared by EPKR Spotters. “We have carried out the first test flights of the ZEUS. The drone, piloted by Kuba Krukierek, took off in CTOL configuration, reached a stable altitude and maintained precise flight control. Friday, the first flight in mode AUTO for an aircraft of this size also took place at EPKR. »
The Spanish company UAV Navigation-Grupo Oesía indicated that it had entered into a partnership with Ekolot Aerospace & Defense in order to integrate its flight control systems into the platform ZEUSincluding guidance, navigation and control functions.
According to the company, the family ZEUS covers different configurations with maximum take-off masses between 100 and 250 kg for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) variants and up to 350 kg for conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) versions.
The system uses a modular design based on a single fuselage that can be adapted with VTOL or CTOL conversion kits. Payload ranges from 30 to 120 kg for VTOL variants and up to 150 kg for configuration CTOL ZEUS Gdesigned for long-term missions ranging from 12 to 24 hours depending on load and configuration.
The ZEUS was designed to operate from remote or restricted locations without requiring prepared runways, whilst retaining the endurance advantages of a fixed-wing aircraft. This allows the system to be deployed in areas where infrastructure is limited or threatened.
The company also indicated that the system is capable of operating in environments where satellite navigation signals are degraded or unavailable, using high-precision inertial navigation and a visual navigation system, an asset particularly relevant in modern combat scenarios.
Photo: Ekolot Aerospace and Defense. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
