Transwing® Takes Flight in Britain
Just days before the Farnborough International Air Show opens its doors, Overwatch Group of Berkshire, UK and PteroDynamics of Colorado, USA, staged the first ever UK flight of the Transwing® UAS capability that promises potentially dramatic change in the market for ISR and strike applications
Transwing® has been designed to overcome the challenges of carrying significant payloads while delivering the range required to provide enhanced operational effect. The unique dihedral folding wing system generates more surface area for greater lift and load-carrying stability with less power, providing the ability to launch and land on small footprints regardless of the angle – a specific advantage to maritime operations, among others.
Following quickly on the heels of an exclusive distribution agreement inked between the companies, announced on 1 July, that will see Overwatch take the Transwing platform into markets that include the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the demonstration flight was accompanied by a briefing to UK journalists from officers of both companies. Further flights are planned for government and industry stakeholders on the fringes of the Farnborough event on 22 and 23 July.
The companies’ complementary skills – Overwatch specializing in advanced unmanned systems and munitions technologies, PteroDynamics focused on innovation in vertical take-off and landing solutions – and their common interest in innovative engineering solutions to promote rapid market takeup, certainly make their future activities worthy of close attention: particularly since the Transwing platform demonstrated in Berkshire on 18 July is the first of what is described as “an entire family” of platforms and capabilities.
The ’secret sauce’ that sets the Transwing concept apart from its fixed-wing and VTOL brethren is “the transverse wing transition,” according to PteroDynamics’ Chief Technology Officer, Tim Whitehand. “This makes manoeuvres very controllable and means that a ‘dirty approach’ is much more possible,” he continued, indicating that the tactical flexibility this brings is a much appreciated facet of the design. The demonstration flight certainly convinced onlookers of the effectiveness of the design, its takeoff and landing being apparently effortless and the transverse wing transition swift, efficient and unobtrusive. Speaking of which – the platform exhibits a very low acoustic signature – possibly as low as 40dB, though EDR On-Line has yet to confirm this. This feature alone should make the platform attractive to potential operators looking at ISR and loitering strike missions, though Transwing aircraft will also have ready markets in non-military applications ranging from offshore exploration resupply to environmental monitoring and safety inspections.
The X-P4 model demonstrated is a 4 metres wingspan platform with a maximum takeoff weight of 41 kg and an electric powertrain, providing a cruise speed of 65 kt and a dash speed of 100 kt. Range is up to 60 nautical miles and endurance of approximately one hour, with a practical cruise ceiling of 15,000 ft. The compact platform has a ground footprint of 2.1 x 1.3 metres, meaning it is easily transportable. According to Whitehand, 12 have been built to date: two are in the UK with Overwatch, three are in the hands of the US Navy for extended evaluation trials and “a number” have been sold to primes for test and evaluation.
In detailed design currently is the X-P5, which is due to emerge into more public view in the second quarter of 2025. This model will be larger, weighing in at 150 kg with a payload capacity of 27 kg and a hybrid internal combustion engine configuration. With similar speed performance to the X-P4, the 6 metres wingspan X-P5 will offer a range of 1,200 nm and an endurance in the region of 19 hours.
At the conceptual design stage is the X-P7, an altogether different animal with a wingspan of 10 metres, an MTOW of 1,400 kg and a useful payload of 280 kg, though design studies suggest that carrying payloads of up to 300 kg is potentially achievable. With a cruise speed of 120 kt, a dash speed capability of 180 and a range of 1,000 nm at MTOW, the X-P7 has been designed with maritime operations in mind, with a wide range of applications possible: expeditionary logistics, land strike, ISR, maritime strike – truly a flexible asset to enhance military – and security – operations, particularly with an endurance of nine hours at MTOW and a practical cruise ceiling around 18,000 ft.
Traditionally, critical items delivered by air for resupply are conducted using manned aviation assets. On the basis of ‘Think Big, Start Small and Scale at Pace”, the payloads selected for the Transwing X-P4 and X-P5 variants have been driven by studies into critical resupply to ships. A study of 3,500 sorties using helicopters found that 46% had a payload under 1 kg and over 90% were under 25 kg. The ability of Transwing to carry payloads that land and launch on moving vessels and vehicles, coupled with a significantly reduced real estate footprint underscores its adaptability for at sea and land applications, where autonomous operation and payload delivery are becoming increasingly critical requirements.
Central to Overwatch’s strategy is to drive innovation and efficiency in UAS technology across their range of capabilities, with a keen focus on meeting evolving requirements. The Transwing UAS enhances operational effect by seamlessly integrating reduced platform operating costs, quicker mission turnaround times, and improved safety protocols. The system can perform potentially dangerous, high-risk evolutions with maximum efficiency and minimal risk to personnel by removing human exposure to certain threats.
Photos courtesy Overwatch
