Abu Dhabi. 16 February 2019. Tellumat Defence & Security, the South African defence, security and communications supplier, and part of the Tellumat Group, will be participating in the 2019 edition of the IDEX international defence exhibition and conference, to be held from 17 to 21 February at ADNEC, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

Among the products Tellumat will promote is their ASTUS Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). Launched at the Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition in September 2018, ASTUS is a medium-size, medium-range tactical surveillance UAS, suitable for lengthy day / night missions requiring real-time surveillance data collection and delivery, such as border and coastal security, environmental protection and peacekeeping missions. It can also be used in the cost-effective training of UAS crews for beyond-line-of-sight operations of larger UASs.

The aircraft has a wingspan of 5.2 metres and a maximum take-off weight of 92 kg. It is powered by a 210 cc fuel-injected 2-stroke motor providing 8 hours of flight time at 5,000 feet above sea level.

Low latency payload control and monitoring is available via the ground control station (GCS). The modular and portable GCS can be networked to allow control of ASTUS by more than one pilot and more than one payload operator geographically who could be separated across very large mission areas.

Quick to deploy and easy to operate in a wide range of missions, the system has a minimum crew requirement of only four, comprising a pilot, payload operator, safety pilot and an aircraft technician.

The ASTUS UAS is provided with all the necessary support equipment, operational spares and base spares to allow for extended operations without external support.

ASTUS addresses the market need for high-end UAS performance in a compact, cost-effective package, accommodating various types of payloads.

Tellumat will also be promoting its families of ground-to-air and air-to-ground command and control video / data links, as well as its identification friend or foe (IFF) interrogators and transponders, together with unique-per-country national secure mode solutions.

Tellumat’s diverse offering and broad skill set provide a solid platform for partnerships that promote mutual self-reliance and strengthen government ties between countries, says Brian Ferguson, Key Accounts Manager for Tellumat’s Defence & Security division. “True and meaningful partnership is underpinned by advanced technology transfer,” he adds.

Tellumat has a full range of engagement options, from simple agreements of sale through to training on installation and maintenance, integrated logistic support, manufacturing and development collaboration. “Whatever the requirement, our contract engagements seek to transfer technology and the skills to build the self-reliance of our partners.”