HERTI-D

The HERTI, standing for High Endurance Rapid Technology Insertion, programme forms the basis of BAE Systems’ medium altitude, long endurance (MALE) UAV development activities. Building on previous UAV technology initiatives, in particular work related to modular flight control systems, HERTI is designed to take technologies matured by such programmes as Corax and Raven and integrate them into a low cost platform capable of providing a medium altitude, long endurance strategic ISTAR capability. Work began with the development of the HERTI-D in June 2004.

HERTI-D was the first aircraft produced by the project team, the aircraft is based on an off the shelf glider design (likely the J-5 or J-6) produced in Poland by Jaroslaw Janowski of J & AS Aero Design Ltd. The modified vehicle is a jet powered aircraft sharing a number of systems with the Corax and Raven UAV systems including the power plant, flight control system and ground control station. HERTI-D has a wingspan of around 8m and a maximum take off weight of 350kg.

The initial payload carried by the HERTI-D UAV was an early version of the BAE Systems’ Imagery Collection and Exploitation System (ICE). This consist of three cameras, two for wide field of view (WFOV) image collection and one turret mounted camera for the collection of narrow field of view (NFOV) images. The ICE system is capable of automatically scanning areas of interest and detecting targets with its two WFOV cameras and then tasking the turret onto an identified area to provide NFOV images; the system then distributes the images collected to the aircrafts ground station.

HERTI-D uses the same digital FCS as the Raven and Corax unmanned systems, this allows the aircraft to perform fully autonomous missions from take off to landing.

First flight of the UAV was achieved in December 2004; the aircraft took off from the Woomera test range in Australia and flew a “complex” mission at a maximum altitude of approximately 1500m, it is unknown whether this is the maximum altitude the aircraft is capable of achieving. The ICE surveillance system was also carried during this mission.

HERTI-D forms the basis of the HERTI-1A vehicle.

Specifications

Manufacturer – BAE Systems
Target Market (Military/ Civilian etc) – N/A
Type –
Role(s) –
Wingspan – 8 m
Length –
Height –
Weight (Empty) –
MTOW – 350 kg
Max Payload –
Power Plant –
Max Speed –
Cruise Speed –
Stall Speed –
Max Operating Radius –
Max Ferry Range –
Max Ceiling – 1500 m (maximum known to have been demonstrated)
Typical Operating Altitude –
Max Endurance –
Launch Method(s) –
Recovery Method(s) –

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