The five UAVs, also known as “drones”, feature cameras that can operate both day and night, as well as other scientific equipment. They are controlled by an on-board autopilot and a ground control system.
According to Dr Pham Ngoc Lang, the drones can take off from a conventional runway or launch pad and even the top of a car.
The successful flight of two Vietnamese-made drones is an important milestone in the country’s scientific and technological development, said Do Trung Ta, Chairman of the National Council for Science and Technology Policy.
The smallest of the five aircraft, codenamed AV.UAV.MS1, is one metre long with a wingspan of 1.2 metres. It can fly 70 kilometres per hour at a maximum altitude of 200 and within a two kilometre range of ground control.
The largest drone, AV.UAV.S4, with a length of 4.2 metres and wingspan of 5 metres, can reach a maximum altitude of 3,000 metres within a range of 100 kilometres. Its maximum cruise speed is 180 kilometres per hour and it can fly for six continuous hours.
In the future, the STI intends to conduct further research into UAVs, aiming to manufacture them to higher specifications.
