Swift Engineering 020

Tail-Sitting VTOL Small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)

United States | 2019

"The Swift 020 UAV is unique in that it launches and lands from a tail-sitting position."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 03/08/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Image from official Swift Engineering 020 marketing material.

Tail-sitting drones are becoming a common sight in the world of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for the important inherent capabilities offered. They can launch and land vertically while being able to travel horizontally, combining the best qualities of a rotary-based platform with that of a fixed-wing product. Swift Engineering, Incorporated has developed such a system through its Model 020.

Key qualities of the Model 020 are its all-electric drive and Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) capabilities. The former means a low-cost, low-emissions system while the latter allows this UAV to operate nearly anywhere. The aircraft has a swappable payload capacity of up to 1 kilogram and can fly for two hours up to 75 miles at altitudes of 400 feet. The Model 020 takes off vertically and can easily and quickly transition to horizontal flight - allowing it to operate in urban environments free of the requirement (and restrictions) of prepared runway spaces.

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Structurally, the Model 020 exhibits a somewhat unique, yet wholly conventional, straight-wing arrangement. The fuselage is a slim, tubular shape tapered at both ends. At either end of center mass are two-bladed propeller units and each wing leading edge is also home to an additional two-bladed propeller units to help fulfill the VTOL requirement. Aft of each wing-mounted propeller section is a vertical tail fin which adds lateral control. The aircraft comes to rest on a two-legged undercarriage and carries a gimballed High-Definition (HD) camera and InfraRed (IR) camera unit with interchangeable lens as its primary optics fit. Communications is through a satellite link.

Power to the aircraft is all-electric and it can operate in all basic environments under full autonomy. The ground control system is a portable mobile unit, allowing for quick setup and takedown in-the-field - just 10 minutes is all that is needed - and the complete system breaks down into eight smaller components for transport. The Model 020 ships in two hard cases for maximum protection.

Beyond its obvious military applications, the Model 020 is marketed as suitable for the agricultural, parcel delivery, emergency services, humanitarian assistance, survey, maritime (coast guard, Search and Rescue) and research industries - such is its versatility.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Swift Engineering Model 020 Tail-Sitting VTOL Small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).

All-electric powerplant driving four two-bladed rotor units, two located at fore and aft on the fuselage and one at each wing leading edge.
Propulsion

52 mph
83 kph | 45 kts
Max Speed

394 ft
120 m | 0 miles
Service Ceiling

75 miles
120 km | 65 nm
Operational Range

City-to-City Ranges
Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).

NYC

LON

PAR

BER

MOS

TOK

SYD

LAX

NYC

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Swift Engineering Model 020 Tail-Sitting VTOL Small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).

0
(UNMANNED)
Crew

29 lb
(13 kg)
MTOW

Design Balance
The three qualities reflected below are altitude, speed, and range. The more full the box, the more balanced the design.

RANGE

ALT

SPEED

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Swift Engineering 020 Tail-Sitting VTOL Small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) .

Variable (changeable) payload capability to serve multiple industry sectors.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Swift Engineering 020 family line.

Model 020 - Base Series Designation

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Swift Engineering 020. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 30 Units
Contractor(s): Swift Engineering - USA

[ United States ]

Relative Max Speed

Hi: 100mph

Lo: 50mph

Aircraft Max Listed Speed (52mph).

Graph Average of 75 MPH.

Era Crossover

Showcasing Aircraft Era Crossover (if any)

Max Alt Visualization

Production Comparison

30

36183

44000

Entry compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian) total production.

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

Aviation Timeline

EarlyYrs

WWI

Interwar

WWII

ColdWar

Postwar

Modern

Future

♦

1 / 1

Image from official Swift Engineering 020 marketing material.

Mission Roles
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to airborne requirements.

RECONNAISSANCE

UNMANNED

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Going Further...
The Swift Engineering 020 Tail-Sitting VTOL Small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) appears in the following collections:

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