SHD, Piran contribute advanced composite capabilities to UAV platforms

It was reported that over the last two years, SHD Composite Materials Ltd. (Sleaford, U.K.) and Piran Advanced Composites Ltd. (Wadebridge, U.K.) have been working together on projects in development with Prismatic Ltd. (Winchester, U.K.) and BAE Systems (Farnborough, U.K.) on a range of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms, of which flight trials for the PHASE-8 and LASA-5 UAVs in particular were performed at the ATLAS (Air Traffic Laboratory for Advanced unmanned Systems) test facility this past October. 

According to SHD, the conjunction of the company and Piran has resulted in lightweight, advanced platforms; advanced composite materials supplied by SHD has enabled out of autoclave (OOA) processing and a cure range from 65°C up to 140°C, depending on specific manufacturing and service requirements. The material’s toughened resin system, further demonstrates excellent mechanical performance.

Tooling for this advanced air platform has also been manufactured from SHD’s range of tooling prepregs which has ensured the stability of these lightweight products during cure.

“The consistency in material supply from SHD has meant we have been able to significantly reduce the balance weights on components, such as propellors, and the excellent surface finish has meant less post-processing work,” says Mawgan Searle, managing director of Piran Advanced Composites.