MANASSAS, Va.—Aircraft customization and mass manufacturing from the tactical edge could be one step closer to reality, thanks to the development of a production system that enables manufacturing and deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from forward locations.
The developer of the production system is RapidFlight, an integrated designer and manufacturer of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). RapidFlight recently released its Mobile Production System (MPS), a single unit of which is reportedly capable of producing 28 Group 3 aircraft per month. It can also produce “much higher quantities for Group 2 and/or Group 1” aircraft, according to a release from the company.
A Mobile Production System can be owned and operated by RapidFlight. Alternatively, it can be used by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), its allies, and defense contractor primes as an effective way to mass manufacture their UAVs anywhere in the world.
“RapidFlight MPS enables deployed production of any UAV platform within a small operational and logistical footprint,” said Jeff Ratcliffe, business development executive at RapidFlight, in the release. “We’ve designed over 20 different types of air vehicles that are customized for specific missions, including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, communications, and strike.”
According to RapidFlight, each MPS unit can be operated independently or in coordination with other MPS units by two trained technicians. Reportedly, 2,500 or more Group 3 UAVs of the same or varying designs can be manufactured in a year by deploying as few as eight MPS units. The footprint for this production would be half the size of a standard basketball court and set up in less than one week. Mobile Production Systems are easily transported by traditional ground, sea, or air vehicles, the company said.
The Mobile Production Systems use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components for ease of global deployment and compliance with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) requirements. They can be powered via any 110v-240v AC power source. Operationally, MPS units are designed to function in the same environments where the warfighter is deployed. They can handle wet, dry, hot, cold, clean, and dirty environments with operational limits currently set from -20º F to 130º F and very high humidity, according to RapidFlight.
The company said its engineers have optimized the MPS hardware and software technology stack to give customers the flexibility to quickly deploy new designs or iteratively add additional aircraft capability for the constantly evolving needs within operational theaters. Benefits of the system are also reported to include the small logistical and operational footprint, more resilient supply chain, and minimized inventory that the MPS concept enables.
With multiple MPS units deployed in strategic locations, the customer can quickly create a distributed and resilient network of UAS production and support even in remote areas and austere environments.
“Leveraging MPS, RapidFlight ensures that commanders in the field have the flexibility to respond and adapt to any emergent need with real-time design and the unique ability to scale up production at the edge,” Ratcliffe added.