Story ID: 516 BlueBird Cargo
BlueBird Announces ThunderB UAS Cargo Release Capability
By: Mark Phelps
Caption: Under-wing cargo pods can be delivered ballistically, or via parachute.
Word Count: 195
BlueBird Aero Systems, the Israel-based developer of small unmanned aerial systems and peripheral systems, recently announced new cargo release capability for its ThunderB UAV. The small, long-endurance (up to 24 hours) UAV weighs around 30 kilograms (66 pounds) and has a wingspan of four meters (13 feet). It can carry small cargo pods under each wing and release the pods automatically or by remote command.

The release system uses an integrated electromechanical mechanism. Upon release, the cargo capsules can either follow a ballistic trajectory or dropped with a parachute attached to prevent damage of fragile items.

Mission scenarios include search-and-rescue; dropping essential materials, such as medications during an epidemic; and scattering small ground intelligence sensors for wide ground coverage. The ThunderB can carry a range of payloads, such as a triple-sensor, three-gimbal gyro-stabilized payload with a cooled thermal imager; high-definition day color camera, laser pointer, and RGB, NIR and radiometric photogrammetric equipment. The operational control range of the ThunderB is listed as 150 km (81 nm).

BlueBird lists potential roles for the ThunderB to include long, covert, low-signature intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions, as well as tactical mapping on-demand applications.