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Eagle Eye UAV

The Bell Eagle Eye has the appearance of a conventional aircraft with tilt rotors at the end of each wing that allow it to maneuver up or down and hover. Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporation (BHTI) became involved with the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) program by taking the wind tunnel V-22 model, using off the shelf helicopter parts, i.e., engine, drive shafts, gear boxes, etc. and built the Eagle Eye tilt rotor UAV.

The Eagle Eye has a wing span of 15.2 ft, is 17.9 ft in length, is 5.7 ft high, and weighs around 2,000 pounds (depending on payload). The first flight test (hover only) were conducted at BHTI facility in Dallas, Texas during the winter/spring of 1992.

After successful hover flight tests, the government and contractor teams moved to Yuma Proving Grounds (YPG) for flight test during the third quarter of 1993. The flight tests were very successful and the Eagle Eye flew in helicopter mode, converted through the transition mode to aircraft mode. 35 flights were conducted with a total flight time of 15 hours. Average flight hour per sortie was .43 hrs/flt. Maximum airspeed attained was 159 knots at an operating altitude of 1,550 feet above Mean Sea Level (MSL).

The government had no further Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) requirements and concluded all VTOL demonstration/development contract actions. BHTI continued to develop the Eagle Eye with in house R&D dollars.

In the spring of 1998 the government once again wanted a demonstration of VTOL air vehicle capabilities and contracted BHTI to demonstrate the flying qualities and performance characteristics of the Eagle Eye. This became a two Phase program. Phase I was a land based flight demonstration and Phase II will be sea based flight demonstration. Phase I was accomplished in April 1998. The aircraft has flown more than 43 times, exceeding 55.5 flight hours and achieving airspeed of more than 200 knots, with an altitude of 14,600 feet during the demonstration at Yuma Proving Ground.

Phase II of the program is scheduled for the last quarter of FY99 and will be conducted aboard a small Naval combatant.

Specifications
Manufacturer	Bell Helicopter - Textron, Texas
AV Type	Tilt Rotor
Length	17.9/5.46 (ft/m)
Height	5.7/1.73 (ft/m)
Wingspan	15.2/4.63 (ft/m)
Rotospan (diam)	9.5/2.90 (ft/m)
Take-Off Gross Weight	2250/1020 (lbs/kg)
Empty Weight	1300/590 (lbs/kg)
Fuel Weight	750/340 (lbs/kg)
Payload Weight	200/90 (lbs/kg)
Speed (kts)	Max 200+, Cruise 0-200
Altitude	20,000/6,100 (ft/m)
Endurance	8 hours
Radius of Operation	110/200 LOS (nm/km)
Engine	Allison 250-C20 GT 420 shp
Fuel	Heavy.JP
Landing Gear	Wheeled/Retractable
Flight Control	Automated/Dual Redundant
Availability	Development
Take Off/Landing	VTOL/STOL
AV Data Link(s)	S-Band/UHF (TCDL future)
Payload	FLIR - EO/IR - SAR

This matrix outlines performance demonstrated during the VTOL UAV landbased demonstration at Yuma Proving Grounds. This demonstration called for up to 50 flight hours in a 90 day period.

PARAMETER	OBJECTIVE	METRIC	DEMONSTRATED
xx	xx	xx	Total	Last Flt
Air Vehicle	VTOL	xx	xx	xx
xx	xx	Sorties	43	1
xx	xx	Total Flight Time (hrs)	55.5	2.3
xx	xx	Longest Sortie (hrs)	2.3	2.3
Radius of Action2	110 nm	Max Range (nm)	20.6	20.6
xx	xx	Max Rng Ltd by	datalink	datalink
xx	xx	External Pilot Datalink range (nm)	20.6	approx 1.0
xx	xx	Internal Pilot Datalink range (nm)	20.6	20.6
xx	xx	Payload Datalink range (nm)	20.6	20.6
Time to Station3	< 1 hr	Time to 20 nm loiter point (min)	approx 9 minutes	approx 9  minutes
Time on Station4	3 hr	Time @ 20nm loiter (hrs)	1.7	1.7
Airspeed	0 to 150 kts	Max Airspeed (kts)	190 kias*	180 kias
Maximum Operating Altitude	at least 13,000 ft MSL	Max Altitude (ft MSL)	14,005 Hp**	10,000 Hp
Shipboard Launch/ Recovery Area	all air capable ships – 24’ Spot	Avg Distance from Intended Ldg Point (ft)	xx	2
Launch/ Recovery Wind-Over-Deck	up to at least 20 kts	Launch/Recovery Max Wind (kts)	12/16G32	2-5 /VAR
Shipboard Launch/ Recovery Capability	Automatic with manual backup and waveoff capability; touch and go		n/a	n/a
xx	xx	Auto T/O & Ldgs	0/0	0/0
xx	xx	Manual T/O & Ldgs	43/43	1/1
xx	xx	Touch & Go’s	1	0
xx	xx	Waveoffs Int/Unint	0/1	0/0
Environmental Protection	full EMI protection	EMI SOFT	No EMI Noted	No EMI Noted
xx	Protected from and resistant to degrading effects of sand, dust, and salt-laden air; operate in light icing	Sand/Dust degradations	None Noted	None Noted
AV Operational Temperature	- 20 deg F to 120 deg F (start, T/O)	Max/Min OAT(deg F)	93/49	84/77
xx	--note these numbers are at the field--	Max/Min Press in Hg	29.72/ 29.00	29.15

PARAMETER	OBJECTIVE	METRIC	DEMONSTRATED
xx	xx	xx	Total	Last Flt
Recover at TOGW	Yes	Recover at TOGW max TO/LDG wt (lbs)	1954 / 1654	1954 / 1654
Launch/Recovery Accuracy	9.8 ft during launch/recovery;	TO/LDG accuracy (ft)	5 / 10	2
Spatial Location Accuracy	82 ft in-flight	NAV accuracy (ft)	34.6	not calc’d
xx	xx	TGT accuracy	n/a	n/a
Navigation Capability	autonomous navigation; automatic execution of lost link and emergency recovery procedures; automatic loiter on command; transmit magnetic heading information and self-location	xx	xx	xx
xx	xx	Auto-navigation	waypoint select and designate	waypoint select and designate
xx	xx	Automatic lost link	3 links plus return home	3 links plus return home
xx	xx	Automatic loiter	0 kias inertial velocity demoed	not demoed
Payload Capacity	at least 200 lb; 2.5 kW power for payload; internal/external payload area of at least 2 cubic feet; day/night passive imagery sensor	Max Payload carried: Weight (lbs) Power Cu	209 (includes TM gear)	200 (includes TM gear + FSI 3000 FLIR/TV)
Navigation Lights	comply with FAA regulations; capable of activation/ deactivation from GCS at maximum range	Ext Lights control From GCS	Strobe only	Strobe only
Mission Reliability5	at least 75%	xx	xx	100%
xx	xx	Avg Flt Hrs/Sortie	1.3	2.3
xx	xx	Takeoff Times: Planned vs. Actual	xx	0700/ 0713
xx	xx	Sortie Completion % CANX – WX CANX – MAINT CANX – OPS	xx	100% 0 0 0
xx	xx	Maint Actions/Flt Hr Maint Hrs/Flt Hr	xx	0
xx	xx	Down Gripes	9	0
xx	xx	In-flight Aborts	9	0
xx	xx	Data Set Completion % Plan vs. Actual	approx 95%	100%

(1) All performance objectives are specified under standard day conditions unless otherwise noted (2) Air vehicle performance objective using line-of-sight datalink. Datalink range does not need to support demonstration of this objective. (3) With 200 lb modular mission payload, flying in 25 kt headwind. (4) With 200 lb modular mission payload. (5) Mission Reliability is defined as the capability to complete a mission without a critical failure that would prevent the continuance of the mission. A successful mission includes mission planning, AV launch, AV proceeding to and loitering at the target area while performing planned or immediate tasks while simultaneously relaying MMP information to the supported commander, and AV recovery. Inclement weather, last minute changes in airspace coordination, and airspace interlopers will not count against mission success. * Air data system preliminary cal indicates approximately 200 knots calibrated airspeed. * Air data system preliminary cal indicates approximately 15,000 feet calibrated pressure altitude.

Air View		Rotor View
Flight at Yuma Proving Grounds (YPG)		Preflight
	Ground Views
Right View	Front View	Left View
Right View	Rear View	Left View
	Communications & Navigation
Antenna		Antenna
Comms	Navigiation Center	Navigation Center

Sources and Methods

• Eagle Eye NAVY Unmanned Aerial Vehicles PMA 263