The LAPAN LSU-03 Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR) drone of 2013 is an evolution of the earlier LAPAN LSU-02 ISR platform of 2012. Both were conceived and built by the Lembaga Penalitian dan Penerbangan Nasional (LAPAN) - translating to the "National Institute of Aeronautics and Space" to cover civilian and military market roles. The series operates in unknown numbers to date with the Indonesian Navy where versatility allows the UAV to be launched and retrieved from Indonesian warships.
The general arrangement of the aircraft sees a rounded, tubular fuselage housing all pertinent avionics, operating systems, and powerplant. The conventional engine sits at the rear and drives a multi-bladed propeller unit in pusher fashion. Mainplanes are seated over the fuselage at midships and are straight in their general shape with clipped tips. A twin-boom tail arrangement completes the overall shape to which a pair of vertical fins are positioned outboard of a shared horizontal plane. The tricycle undercarriage is wheeled though fixed during flight. The optics set is held under the fuselage.
The LSU-03 is showcased with a wingspan of 11.5 feet and a running length of 8.1 feet. Empty weight is 53lb against an MTOW of 106lb with the payload capacity reaching around 53lb. With its 100cc piston-driven engine, the aircraft can reach speeds of up to 93 miles-per-hour out to a range of 370 miles, or six straight hours of flight time.
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.
Specifications
Lembaga Penelitian dan Penerbangan Nasional (LAPAN) - Indonesia Manufacturer(s)
Monoplane
Design utilizes a single primary wing mainplane; this represents the most popular modern 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.
1 x Conventional piston engine at rear of fuselage driving three-bladed propeller unit in pusher arrangement. Propulsion
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.
