Designed, manufactured and serviced entirely in the USA, the Black Swift E2™ was engineered from inception for structural and industrial inspections.
With its advanced navigation technology, the Black Swift E2 facilitates highly accurate, up-close inspections of infrastructures, even in extreme environmental conditions. Able to leverage advances in computer vision and machine learning, the Black Swift E2 is an intelligent drone capable of completely autonomous flights. The Black Swift E2 provides precise, reliable and safe navigation around complex structures, while delivering real-time actionable data to its operator.
E2 Specifications
Vehicle Characteristics
Airframe Proprietary carbon fiber and polyamide 12
Frame Weight (empty) 1.42 kg (3.13 lbs)
Electronics and Battery 3.83 kg (8.44 lbs)
Maximum Payload Weight 1.99 kg (4.39 lbs)
Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) 8.78 kg (19.36 lbs)
Motors (4) 360Kv
Battery Charge Custom Li-ion 41.400mAh (6 cells)
Propellers (4) 18.5 inches
Radio Control Frequency 2.4 GHz (FASST)
Telemetry Frequency 900 MHz (ISM)
Mission Capabilities
Flight Time 20 minutes (full payload)
Max. Winds Endured 15 m/s (30 its)
The Black Swift E2 carries its payload up front rather than on the belly of the aircraft enabling operators to get full field-of-view, even looking vertical. Quick change payload bay enables swapping the E2’s sensor packages. Its battery pack is also easy to change, while its placement is adjustable depending the payload weight the UAS is carrying. Typical payload includes an RGB camera, laser positioning and guidance system, and radio modem, but can be customized to the operator’s individual requirements including LiDAR, thermal imagery, trace gas sensors, radiometers, and multi-spectral cameras.
A truly mobile solution, the Black Swift E2 easily folds down (Figure 2) and fits into a custom carrying case for easy transport while protecting the aircraft from potential damage during transit.
When Precision Counts
The Black Swift E2 makes use of the SwiftCore Flight Management System (FMS) which consists of a state-of-the art autopilot and intuitive user interface engineered from the ground up by BST to automate missions in difficult conditions with minimal user training. The SwiftCore FMS makes use of many advanced capabilities including machine learning for preventative maintenance, and is currently being tested in cutting edge machine vision research to enable routine flights beyond the operator’s visible line-of-sight (BVLOS). With all components of the core firmware and electronics design having been developed by BST, and the electronics manufactured in Colorado, the SwiftCore forms the nucleus of a completely American-made aircraft system.
“The Black Swift E2 is our UAS platform of choice for conducting wind turbine inspections. It provides us unparalleled performance, even in extreme conditions like heavy rains and high winds.
Oier Peñagaricano
CEO, Alerion