The Aisheng ASN-205 is an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) drone produced by Xi'an Technology Group Company, Limited of China. The entry is the first of several related drones developed and manufactured by the concern for the Chinese military and includes the ASN-206, its related JWP01/JWP02 artillery spotters, the evolutionary ASN-207 its WZ-6 follow-up, the attack-minded BZK-006 and its unarmed form, the DCK-006.
For its part, the ASN-205 is a drone with a centralized, underslung fuselage nacelle containing all pertinent operating systems including avionics, optics, and engine. The mainplanes are seated over the fuselage as shoulder-mounted appendages and a twin-boom tail arrangement is used with the booms conjoined by a shared horizontal plane and each boom capped by a vertical tailfin. The engine is set at the rear of the fuselage driving a two-bladed propeller unit between the booms. As the ASN-205 is launched via rail utilizing a rocket booster for acceleration, the airframe features no permanent undercarriage save for landing skids used in its recovery.
The ASN-205 is unarmed as its sole purpose is to gather data on the terrain below. This includes scouting enemy strength, positions, concentrations, and movements in real-time, relaying this information (via encrypted data-link) to ground operators (and ultimately commanders) for review. The air system can also be used for artillery spotting / correction, Search & Rescue (SAR) initiatives, and general flight-related research.
The product was unveiled in September of 2009 and was featured as part of the 60th Anniversary national parade. It maintains an active presence in the Chinese Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) fleet.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Close-Air Support (CAS)
Developed to operate in close proximity to active ground elements by way of a broad array of air-to-ground ordnance and munitions options.
✓Special-Mission: Search & Rescue (SAR)
Ability to locate and extract personnel from areas of potential harm or peril (i.e. downed airmen in the sea).
✓Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.
✓Special Forces
Serving Special Forces / Special Operations elements and missions.
✓Unmanned Capability
Aircraft inherently designed (or later developed) with an unmanned capability to cover a variety of over-battlefield roles.
PUSHER-PROP
Design incorporates rear-facing pusher-prop arrangement, a contrast to the more conventional puller-prop layout.
RUGGED AIRFRAME
Inherent ability of airframe to take considerable damage.
HIGH-ALTITUDE PERFORMANCE
Can reach and operate at higher altitudes than average aircraft of its time.
EXTENDED RANGE PERFORMANCE
Capability to travel considerable distances through onboard fuel stores.
MARITIME OPERATION
Ability to operate over ocean in addition to surviving the special rigors of the maritime environment.
UNMANNED OPERATION
Design features ability to fly sans pilot, actions controlled onboard through programming and / or ground-based operator.
CAMERA EQUIPMENT
Payload supports photographic equipment providing still and / or real-time image / video results.
Length
12.5 ft (3.80 m)
Width/Span
19.7 ft (6.00 m)
Height
4.6 ft (1.40 m)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Aisheng ASN-205 production variant)
monoplane / shoulder-mounted / straight
Monoplane
Design utilizes a single primary wing mainplane; this represent the most popular mainplane arrangement.
Shoulder-Mounted
Mainplanes are mounted at the upper section of the fuselage, generally at the imaginary line intersecting the pilot's shoulders.
Straight
The planform involves use of basic, straight mainplane members.
(Structural descriptors pertain to the base Aisheng ASN-205 production variant)
Installed:
1 x Conventional engine driving twin-bladed propeller unit at rear of fuselage in pusher configuration.
None. Payload reserved for optics and mission equipment related to the ISR role.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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