7 ms·

Its a mugin if anyone is interested (take the manufacturer specs with a handfull of salt) https://www.muginuav.com/product/mugin-5-pro-5000mm-super-large-vtol-u

Its a mugin if anyone is interested (take the manufacturer specs with a handfull of salt) https://www.muginuav.com/product/mugin-5-pro-5000mm-super-large-vtol-uav-platform/ https://www.muginuav.com/product/mugin-5-pro-5000mm-super-la...

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
SMAAART 5y ago
only 12k? I want one!
- coolspot 5y ago
  That’s just empty airframe without any electronics or engine.
- TOMDM 5y ago
  Yeah I was surprised by that figure too Seems it's only the airframe though and maybe the fuel tank. VTOL motors, alternator, engine, props, control system etc. are all extra.
- api_or_ipa 5y ago
  $12k for the airframe. Each engine (4x) is another $8k. I wouldn't be surprised if the out-the-door cost of the airframe, engines, avionics and controls surpasses $50k.
  - munk-a 5y ago
    Actually, from their website it looks like there is a bundle package[1] of the necessary guts that brings the full price to about 20k. 1. https://www.muginuav.com/product/power-package-for-mugin-4450-vtol/ https://www.muginuav.com/product/power-package-for-mugin-445...
    - atourgates 5y ago
      I wonder what they're using as a flight controller? Is it linked to the ground (via cellular or similar) during the whole flight? Or autonomous for part of it? EDIT: Looks like their ARTF electric version uses the Ardupilot CUAV V2+ - https://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-cuav-v5plus-overview.html https://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-cuav-v5plus-overvie... I can't find any information on the data link, that they call: "Sprintlink Pro Data link & Video Link". So not sure if this uses cellular networks, or something else during flight. Hybrid products definitely exist: https://www.skyhopper.biz/products/communication-data-links-combo/ https://www.skyhopper.biz/products/communication-data-links-... EDIT 2: The ARTF version is wild. For under $20K - you can just buy a drone that can deliver a 3kg package (6.6lbs) anywhere within about a 100 mile range. https://www.muginuav.com/product/mugin-ev350-full-electric-vtol-uav-arf/ https://www.muginuav.com/product/mugin-ev350-full-electric-v... Besides "last mile shipping" and smuggling implications, I'm trying to think of how this could be useful today. Maybe some kind of search and rescue where someone activates a personal locator beacon, and you could send them supplies before you could reach them? A little under a gallon of water? IDK, seems like a stretch. But I feel like there has to be more practical implications.
      - imtringued 5y ago
        I looked up the cost of Warmates and they are also around $20k. Considering APKWS has existed for much longer and has a higher explosive yield and range and the fact that an Apache can carry a whole rocket killer swarm of 38 APKWS I honestly don't see how "slaughter bots" are supposed to be a threat when drones are that expensive. The myth that drones are cheap should die. Crappy plastic toys with flight times measured in minutes are cheap. The real deal is just as expensive as everything else.
        deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]
        nine_k 5y ago
        Things become cheap if they are mass-produced. Most current drones are highly custom, like cars in 1900. They can be much cheaper once a "Ford T" of drone tech emerges.
hengheng 5y ago
So manufacturer says MTOW is 90kg, which likely means they barely got it in the air once at freezing temperatures on a very long tarmac strip. Max speed of 170 km/h would indicate that it's happy cruising at around 120-150 km/h. The place they found it in a barn is 170km away from the Morrocan coast around El Hoceima, so about two hours of flight including take-off and climb. Compared to a specified 7hr max flight time, they'd have to fill it up to about one third, so 9 liters of fuel, or 7kg. An empty weight of 25kg and 7kg of fuel gives us rougly 32kg of empty take-off mass, and you then could load it up with not-quite 50kg of payload. Significant, but a far cry from the 150kg that was reported.
- blutack 5y ago
  Unfortunately, the 26.5kg empty weight they specify is the bare airframe. That means it excludes the engine, VTOL powertrain (motors + escs + props), general wiring/electronics and VTOL batteries. Their quoted "25kg" payload is likely about right for a shorter flight.
  - hengheng 5y ago
    Yeah, likely. I'd still be confident that it can cross the mediterranean away from the Strait of Gibraltar. But maybe the overpromising is why they found it in a barn in mint condition, and not in the air.
    - blutack 5y ago
      Definitely given enough fuel and decent weather.
    - MomoXenosaga 5y ago
      I suppose drones could be a backup plan if the authorities ever manage to get a grip on shipping.
  - yial 5y ago
    This is running on gas, not electric. Their suggested config includes 27 liters of fuel.
chrisseaton 5y ago
In British English 'mug[g]ins' is a fool being taken advantage of.
scoot 5y ago
From the motor mounts, it looks more like the discontinued Mugin 4450: https://muginuav.en.made-in-china.com/product/OwqxNGpVLHco/China-Mugin-4450-Super-Huge-Vtol-Uav-Aiframe.html https://muginuav.en.made-in-china.com/product/OwqxNGpVLHco/C...

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

SMAAART 5y ago

only 12k? I want one!

coolspot 5y ago
That’s just empty airframe without any electronics or engine.
TOMDM 5y ago
Yeah I was surprised by that figure too Seems it's only the airframe though and maybe the fuel tank. VTOL motors, alternator, engine, props, control system etc. are all extra.
api_or_ipa 5y ago
$12k for the airframe. Each engine (4x) is another $8k. I wouldn't be surprised if the out-the-door cost of the airframe, engines, avionics and controls surpasses $50k.
- munk-a 5y ago
  Actually, from their website it looks like there is a bundle package[1] of the necessary guts that brings the full price to about 20k. 1. https://www.muginuav.com/product/power-package-for-mugin-4450-vtol/ https://www.muginuav.com/product/power-package-for-mugin-445...
  - atourgates 5y ago
    I wonder what they're using as a flight controller? Is it linked to the ground (via cellular or similar) during the whole flight? Or autonomous for part of it? EDIT: Looks like their ARTF electric version uses the Ardupilot CUAV V2+ - https://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-cuav-v5plus-overview.html https://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-cuav-v5plus-overvie... I can't find any information on the data link, that they call: "Sprintlink Pro Data link & Video Link". So not sure if this uses cellular networks, or something else during flight. Hybrid products definitely exist: https://www.skyhopper.biz/products/communication-data-links-combo/ https://www.skyhopper.biz/products/communication-data-links-... EDIT 2: The ARTF version is wild. For under $20K - you can just buy a drone that can deliver a 3kg package (6.6lbs) anywhere within about a 100 mile range. https://www.muginuav.com/product/mugin-ev350-full-electric-vtol-uav-arf/ https://www.muginuav.com/product/mugin-ev350-full-electric-v... Besides "last mile shipping" and smuggling implications, I'm trying to think of how this could be useful today. Maybe some kind of search and rescue where someone activates a personal locator beacon, and you could send them supplies before you could reach them? A little under a gallon of water? IDK, seems like a stretch. But I feel like there has to be more practical implications.
    - imtringued 5y ago
      I looked up the cost of Warmates and they are also around $20k. Considering APKWS has existed for much longer and has a higher explosive yield and range and the fact that an Apache can carry a whole rocket killer swarm of 38 APKWS I honestly don't see how "slaughter bots" are supposed to be a threat when drones are that expensive. The myth that drones are cheap should die. Crappy plastic toys with flight times measured in minutes are cheap. The real deal is just as expensive as everything else.
      - deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]
      - nine_k 5y ago
        Things become cheap if they are mass-produced. Most current drones are highly custom, like cars in 1900. They can be much cheaper once a "Ford T" of drone tech emerges.

hengheng 5y ago

So manufacturer says MTOW is 90kg, which likely means they barely got it in the air once at freezing temperatures on a very long tarmac strip. Max speed of 170 km/h would indicate that it's happy cruising at around 120-150 km/h. The place they found it in a barn is 170km away from the Morrocan coast around El Hoceima, so about two hours of flight including take-off and climb. Compared to a specified 7hr max flight time, they'd have to fill it up to about one third, so 9 liters of fuel, or 7kg. An empty weight of 25kg and 7kg of fuel gives us rougly 32kg of empty take-off mass, and you then could load it up with not-quite 50kg of payload. Significant, but a far cry from the 150kg that was reported.

blutack 5y ago
Unfortunately, the 26.5kg empty weight they specify is the bare airframe. That means it excludes the engine, VTOL powertrain (motors + escs + props), general wiring/electronics and VTOL batteries. Their quoted "25kg" payload is likely about right for a shorter flight.
- hengheng 5y ago
  Yeah, likely. I'd still be confident that it can cross the mediterranean away from the Strait of Gibraltar. But maybe the overpromising is why they found it in a barn in mint condition, and not in the air.
  - blutack 5y ago
    Definitely given enough fuel and decent weather.
  - MomoXenosaga 5y ago
    I suppose drones could be a backup plan if the authorities ever manage to get a grip on shipping.
- yial 5y ago
  This is running on gas, not electric. Their suggested config includes 27 liters of fuel.

chrisseaton 5y ago

In British English 'mug[g]ins' is a fool being taken advantage of.

scoot 5y ago

From the motor mounts, it looks more like the discontinued Mugin 4450: https://muginuav.en.made-in-china.com/product/OwqxNGpVLHco/China-Mugin-4450-Super-Huge-Vtol-Uav-Aiframe.html https://muginuav.en.made-in-china.com/product/OwqxNGpVLHco/C...