Hendrik_2000
Lieutenant General
The case of who done it, hybrid UAV solve the mystery of pipeline theft.Henri K interesting story
What connection could there be between a hybrid UAV, half-plane helicopter, and an oil pipeline theft? A priori none.
Yet this is what happens at the CH-804C , a hybrid drone designed by the CAAA Institute , a subsidiary of the Chinese aerospace group CASC and a builder of military drones Cai Hong, which contributed to the rapid resolution of an offense in China.
The story dates back to early May, in Shandong Province on the east coast of China. The Chinese petrochemical company SINOPEC, ranked 4th on the list of the 500 largest companies worldwide (Fortune Global 500), has discovered a drop in pressure in one of its pipelines of refined products passing through the city of Zibo.
The anomaly occurred on a section 20 km long, and the case was quickly seized by the local police. But after two weeks of investigation, SINOPEC staff and investigators failed to locate the leak, caused by holes in the pipeline, and did not identify any suspects.
In order to be able to evaluate in an emergency the possible pollution of the environment throughout the sabotaged pipeline, SINOPEC finally appealed to the CAAA, which chose to come with its new hybrid drone, able to remain stationary above a point Fixed for accurate photography, or fly like a small aircraft to cover a wide area.
The hybrid drone CH-804C (Photo: 中航天 空气 动力 技术 研究院)
According to , the CH-804C drone began its mission Friday, May 19, and thanks to this new tool, which greatly improved the efficiency of investigations, the suspects were finally identified and arrested, and the whole In less than 24 hours.
Based on the CH-804 fixed - wing base model , the CH-804C weighs a maximum of 28 kg on take-off and has a range of 3 hours, compared to 22 kg and 24 hours for the first.
The particularity of this hybrid drone is the installation of 4 rotors on the tail beams attached to the wings, allowing it to take off and land vertically without the need for a track, or an ejection system like its elder .
In addition to these helicopter rotors, the main engine, operating a two-bladed propeller installed at the rear of the fuselage, propels the small aircraft like a plane at a speed of 150 km / h.
Although the Chinese manufacturer has not disclosed any other technical details on this drone, the CH-804C is far from being the only hybrid drone of its kind.
Indeed, one can quote for example the Sky Eye , (和 航空 航空).
The Sky Eye hybrid drone (Photo: 三 和 航空 工业 有限公司)
This small drone has characteristics very similar to the CH-804C - It measures 2.25 meters long and 0.65 meters high, with a wingspan of 3.50 meters. The machine weighs 21 kg empty and 32 kg on take-off, with a radius of control of 30 km.
The hybrid is capable of flying up to 4,500 meters, with a range of 3 to 4 hours. Its maximum speed is 160 km / h.
This type of hybrid UAV therefore has its strengths to fulfill certain specific tasks, such as periodic inspection of high voltage lines and pipelines, as well as border and maritime patrols, for example.
Henri K.
What connection could there be between a hybrid UAV, half-plane helicopter, and an oil pipeline theft? A priori none.
Yet this is what happens at the CH-804C , a hybrid drone designed by the CAAA Institute , a subsidiary of the Chinese aerospace group CASC and a builder of military drones Cai Hong, which contributed to the rapid resolution of an offense in China.
The story dates back to early May, in Shandong Province on the east coast of China. The Chinese petrochemical company SINOPEC, ranked 4th on the list of the 500 largest companies worldwide (Fortune Global 500), has discovered a drop in pressure in one of its pipelines of refined products passing through the city of Zibo.
The anomaly occurred on a section 20 km long, and the case was quickly seized by the local police. But after two weeks of investigation, SINOPEC staff and investigators failed to locate the leak, caused by holes in the pipeline, and did not identify any suspects.
In order to be able to evaluate in an emergency the possible pollution of the environment throughout the sabotaged pipeline, SINOPEC finally appealed to the CAAA, which chose to come with its new hybrid drone, able to remain stationary above a point Fixed for accurate photography, or fly like a small aircraft to cover a wide area.
The hybrid drone CH-804C (Photo: 中航天 空气 动力 技术 研究院)
According to , the CH-804C drone began its mission Friday, May 19, and thanks to this new tool, which greatly improved the efficiency of investigations, the suspects were finally identified and arrested, and the whole In less than 24 hours.
Based on the CH-804 fixed - wing base model , the CH-804C weighs a maximum of 28 kg on take-off and has a range of 3 hours, compared to 22 kg and 24 hours for the first.
The particularity of this hybrid drone is the installation of 4 rotors on the tail beams attached to the wings, allowing it to take off and land vertically without the need for a track, or an ejection system like its elder .
In addition to these helicopter rotors, the main engine, operating a two-bladed propeller installed at the rear of the fuselage, propels the small aircraft like a plane at a speed of 150 km / h.
Although the Chinese manufacturer has not disclosed any other technical details on this drone, the CH-804C is far from being the only hybrid drone of its kind.
Indeed, one can quote for example the Sky Eye , (和 航空 航空).
The Sky Eye hybrid drone (Photo: 三 和 航空 工业 有限公司)
This small drone has characteristics very similar to the CH-804C - It measures 2.25 meters long and 0.65 meters high, with a wingspan of 3.50 meters. The machine weighs 21 kg empty and 32 kg on take-off, with a radius of control of 30 km.
The hybrid is capable of flying up to 4,500 meters, with a range of 3 to 4 hours. Its maximum speed is 160 km / h.
This type of hybrid UAV therefore has its strengths to fulfill certain specific tasks, such as periodic inspection of high voltage lines and pipelines, as well as border and maritime patrols, for example.
Henri K.
