UAV updateDA-42 UAV tested

Published 12 August 2009

Israeli Aeronautics Defense Systems tests new UAV; the system can stay airborne for up to 28 hours with a 900-pound payload

Israeli Aeronautics Defense Systems has tested a new UAV based on the Diamond DA42 light twin. The aircraft is named the Dominator II and flew for the first time in late July. According to Defense Professionals, the pilotless platform builds on the notoriously long legs of the diesel-powered DA42. The publication says the twin can stay airborne for up to 28 hours with a 900-pound payload. It will operate at speeds ranging from 75 to 190 knots and has a maximum operating altitude of 30,000 feet.

AVNews’s Russ Niles writes that it is worth noting that the Dominator uses the Centurion (Thielert) diesels and Centurion CEO Jasper Wolffson told AVweb at AirVenture Oshkosh that the lighter weight of the Centurion compared to the iron-block Austro engine that Diamond has developed is an important factor in the endurance calculations for the UAV. Meanwhile, Israeli Aeronautics Defense Systems spokesman Avi Leumi says interest is running high in the UAV. “Interest and demand for the Dominator II have far exceeded our expectations, and we believe that in the coming years Aeronautics will sell dozens of systems around the world. There is tremendous potential for civilian use of UAVs,” he told Defense Professionals.